# Tape emulation fx plugin?



## Niah2 (Nov 3, 2016)

Hello everyone,

What is your favourite tape emulation fx plugin?

Would like to hear your opinions


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## synthpunk (Nov 3, 2016)

UAD Ampex 102 & Studer 800

Soundtoys Decapitator 

Fab Filter Saturn

on the cheap, Toneboosters Reelbus (20eur)

free, Klanghelm IVGI


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## givemenoughrope (Nov 3, 2016)

Just getting into Nebula 3rd party libraries.


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## ceemusic (Nov 3, 2016)

A few I use, there isn't a one size fits all:

Slate VTM , Nebula-CDSM RTR / Tape Booster+ , Satin, Reelbus


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## muk (Nov 4, 2016)

CDSoundMaster's R2R for Nebula. If you don't want to go the Nebula route they have a VST-version of it called Reel Too Real. I haven't tested any other tape emu plugins, but R2R never made me file like I had to.


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## bryla (Nov 4, 2016)

The 3 I use:
Soundtoys Decapitator
Fabfilter Saturn
Ozone 7 Vintage Tape

Ozone Vintage Tape is permanently the first plug-in on my master bus in the completely neutral mode. It does this really well.


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## Baron Greuner (Nov 4, 2016)

I use the UAD Oxide. There are probably better and more expensive UAD ones, but I find that with tape saturation, a little goes a long way.
If you don't have access to UAD plugs, then the Fabfilter Saturn is very comprehensive.


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## Tysmall (Nov 4, 2016)

synthpunk said:


> UAD Ampex 102 & Studer 800
> 
> on the cheap, Toneboosters Reelbus (20eur)
> 
> free, Klanghelm IVGI



add Klanghelm's sdrr to this, and toneboosters ferox. Saturation knob by softtube (free)
any waveshaper plugin when in parallel can have a tape / tube effect if you take the time to learn it and it's free with your daw
don't overlook the less commercialized stuff.


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## synthpunk (Nov 4, 2016)

U-he Satin is another many like.


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## wst3 (Nov 4, 2016)

Since you asked<G>... UAD Studer on individual tracks is closest to what I remember, and it is very subtle on each individual track, but builds up a bit - in a good way, or in a way that seems authentic to me - as you start to mix. For a long time that was all I owned. I finally picked up the UA Ampex plugin this year, and I like it, but find that if I use it on the mix where I've already used the Studer it is too much like tape, if that makes sense. So for now I use one or the other, Studer while tracking or Ampex while mixing (and sometimes Studer while mixing.)

I've tried several others, and for the most part, to my ears, they seem to exaggerate the various characteristics of tape. Which might be exactly what I need (and can't seem to get with the UA plugins), but most of the time I just want that "glue" effect.


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## lpuser (Nov 4, 2016)

Waves J-37 and Waves Kramer Tape. But to be honest, I will look into Waves Abbey Road Vinyl, because I am a bit tired of tape emulation plugins and Vinyl look very exciting.


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## Gerhard Westphalen (Nov 4, 2016)

I use the Slate VTM which I found to be a lot better than the one in Cubase but I haven't tried many others.


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## Niah2 (Nov 4, 2016)

Thank you guys lots of cool plugs to check it out. By the way does anyone here use tape simulation on a orchestral piece?


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## bryla (Nov 5, 2016)

Niah2 said:


> Thank you guys lots of cool plugs to check it out. By the way does anyone here use tape simulation on a orchestral piece?


All the time!


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## Living Fossil (Nov 5, 2016)

u-He Satin for sure.
However, it has lots of parameters that can have a drastical influence on the result, so it's a plug in that needs some investment of time in exploring its sonic range.

Aside from that, i use tape emulation only occasionally.
And i have to add that i didn't explore Ozone's tape yet.


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## Niah2 (Nov 5, 2016)

bryla said:


> All the time!



On orchestral mockups or real recordings? I use tape mostly on drums, pianos, guitars, synths, and on jazz I really go overboard for that 60's sound, but rarely on orchestral stuff I'm too afraid to mess it up. Perhaps I am over doing it.

@Living Fossil I am using u-he Satin yes and that's one of the reasons I like it so much however maybe for orchestral work I need something more subtle.


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## Jaybee (Nov 5, 2016)

TB Reelbus http://www.toneboosters.com/tb-reelbus/ - wonderful harmonics, not expensive, lots of 'blind-test' examples on the site.


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## bryla (Nov 5, 2016)

Niah2 said:


> On orchestral mockups or real recordings? I use tape mostly on drums, pianos, guitars, synths, and on jazz I really go overboard for that 60's sound, but rarely on orchestral stuff I'm too afraid to mess it up. Perhaps I am over doing it.
> 
> @Living Fossil I am using u-he Satin yes and that's one of the reasons I like it so much however maybe for orchestral work I need something more subtle.


Yes all the time


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## Vin (Nov 5, 2016)

Jaybee said:


> TB Reelbus http://www.toneboosters.com/tb-reelbus/ - wonderful harmonics, not expensive, lots of 'blind-test' examples on the site.



+1, preferred it to many (if not most) expensive alternatives.


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## kevinlee87 (Nov 5, 2016)

Check out 'Wow control' from Goodhertz. I think it's unique from others listed above


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## ScoringFilm (Nov 5, 2016)

What about e-TubeTape Warmer from Nomad?


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## Naoki Ohmori (Nov 5, 2016)

It depends on songs/instruments but IK Multimedia Saturator X and Kazrog Kclip 2 pro's tape mode(soft clipping section) are pretty good too.
You can choose other saturate modes in those plugs and especially Kcip's tape mode is unique. It nicely adds a tape type saturation without wow, flutter, hiss or fidelity loss which comes with conventional tape emulations.
Not to mention, Kcilp 2 is originally a great transparent clipper, though.


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## jcrosby (Nov 6, 2016)

UAD-2 Studer A-800 and ATR-102. (I also use Slate VTM and Ozone 7, all very good.)
UAD though genuinely blew me away when I bought them and did an A/B. It's scary how much they both sound like your hitting tape.

The ATR especially. If you set it right that thing does this amazing midrange lift (which the original unit is famous for), that I haven't heard anything else do, and have not been able to emulate with any combination of plugins...

It lives on my master buss as my first insert and don't see that changing any time soon... 
I can't say enough good things about it (obviously )


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## jcrosby (Nov 6, 2016)

ScoringFilm said:


> What about e-TubeTape Warmer from Nomad?


It's ok. I also have NF but since they're unstable on Mac (STILL!!!) I don't use them. Magnetic II would be a better choice by them... 

If you are on Mac though I wouldn't jump in yet. Don'tCrac[K], (who took over NF after the founder died this year) are apparently working on a fix but it's been a slow painful wait...


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## higgs (Nov 6, 2016)

In Pro Tools I use Steve Massey's Tape Head almost exclusively for tape emu, along with everything else he's made. Massey plugins are super affordable and awesome sounding, but they're all AAX and RTAS - no VST ports as of yet.

Outside of Pro Tools specific plugins I use UAD's Ampex and Studer a lot, then FF Saturn and Slate. All are great, but I do prefer the UAD for conserving computing resources.


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## jcrosby (Nov 6, 2016)

higgs said:


> In Pro Tools I use Steve Massey's Tape Head almost exclusively for tape emu, along with everything else he's made. Massey plugins are super affordable and awesome sounding, but they're all AAX and RTAS - no VST ports as of yet.
> 
> Outside of Pro Tools specific plugins I use UAD's Ampex and Studer a lot, then FF Saturn and Slate. All are great, but I do prefer the UAD for conserving computing resources.



I'd give Massey a spin if they were available outside of PT... Heard nothing but great things...


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## higgs (Nov 6, 2016)

jcrosby said:


> I'd give Massey a spin if they were available outside of PT... Heard nothing but great things...


I'd go so far as to say that using Massy's plugs is one of the few reasons I still keep up my Pro Tools license. Every-so-often I send him an email just to nudge him towards porting to VST. Occasionally he gives me nuggets of hope only to dash them away in subsequent emails.

One thing I've flirted with _heavily at times_ is Avid's HEAT plugin for PT (of course). That Dave Hill guy is one solid developer. I nearly picked up his Crane Song HEDD AD/DA (after which HEAT was modeled and designed by Dave as well) before I decided on the Grace m905. Some like it hot.


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