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Queen City Drive plugin interface

Bass Preamp

Queen City Drive

Two voices. One unmistakable presence.

Queen City Drive pairs a firm, articulate foundation with a second voice built for colour and edge. Blend the two into a bass sound that feels larger, speaks clearly and remains unmistakably yours.

Design philosophy

Reconstructed from the original design

Modelled on an uncommon mid-eighties dual-channel bass preamp, Queen City Drive was reconstructed from original circuit schematics and the handwritten engineering notes behind the celebrated “BS mod.” That source material allowed us to trace both the architecture of the original design and the purposeful component changes that shaped its distinctive voice. The model was then tested directly against an original hardware unit, refining its response until the feel, tonal balance and interaction between both channels matched the real circuit. The result preserves authoritative low-end weight on one side and articulate, harmonically rich drive on the other.

Optymyse Audio is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by any third-party manufacturer. Heritage references describe broad sonic and workflow inspiration only.

Inside the processor

Designed to do the important things beautifully.

Dual channel

Blend foundational weight and harmonically rich drive without compromising either.

Wide tone shaping

Broad, musical control that reshapes the instrument while keeping its identity intact.

Built for bass

Tuned for authority, transient detail and low frequencies that translate.

Artists & producers

In their own words.

“So anyway, I started blasting.”
Colin McKay
In development

£19 one-time

Queen City Drive is on its way. Drop us a line and we'll let you know the moment it ships.

Launching on macOS and Windows and Linux as VST3 and CLAP. Also available from the Darkglass Anagram Marketplace.

Email me at launch