What is the "best" tape emulation software?

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GrimmBrotherScott
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What is the "best" tape emulation software?

Post by GrimmBrotherScott » Sat Nov 12, 2005 12:05 pm

I am using PT 6.7 via a Digi002r. VST via The Wrapper or RTAS. Any sound examples would be way wicked cool.

I have tried searches, but it keeps bringing up tape emulation for computer storage thingamajigerrs.

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Post by Reuben » Sat Nov 12, 2005 1:12 pm

I've had good results from the PSP Vintage Warmer.

YMMV
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Post by chris harris » Sat Nov 12, 2005 3:45 pm

how much experience do you have with real tape machines? which ones?

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Post by JohnDavisNYC » Sat Nov 12, 2005 7:17 pm

i have a Studer A810 plugin that cost less than most plugins.... and an A80 plugin that cost less than the waves diamond bundle.... just food for thought. if you really want tape, it's pretty affordable and fun. lots of people still think it's dead, sogetting a machine for cheap is pretty easy. a friend of mine is selling an MCI jh110.... as far as plugins go, i've heard that that crane song one is the best. but i haven't heard it myself.

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Post by norton » Sun Nov 13, 2005 8:31 am

analog channel by mcDSP i think has a pretty good tape emulation deal. quite a few tape machine's to choose from in the plugin....and tape speeds etc.

i haven't used it other than to hear it working as a demo but it seemed pretty comprehensive, and they don't make crap. so i bet it's decent.

also Crane Song has a tape emulation plugin too... don't know if it's an rtas one or not. but you can bet it's good.

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Post by logancircle » Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:40 am

Vintage Warmer is very cool, or warm rather.

Some people love/hate one called Magneto, I've never tried it.
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Post by joel hamilton » Mon Nov 14, 2005 5:51 pm

Magneto is fun when I work somewhere that has it.

I just use a de-esser plug in to react slightly to info above 5 or 6 k, depending on the sound. Works great. I dont need hiss emulation or "sweet" graphics to make me hear high end compression....

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Re: g

Post by Mr. Dipity » Tue Nov 15, 2005 11:21 pm

logancircle wrote:Vintage Warmer is very cool, or warm rather.

Some people love/hate one called Magneto, I've never tried it.
I have, and I hate it. It's plastic and heavy-handed IMO.

Voxengo's tape emulation is my recomendation. Vintage Warmer is also excellent, though I usually think of it more as a compressor that's coloured than a colouration that also compresses. PSP and Voxengo don't seem able to make plugins that aren't good.

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Post by Mr. Dipity » Tue Nov 15, 2005 11:23 pm

toaster3000 wrote:i have a Studer A810 plugin that cost less than most plugins....
The Voxengo analogflux plugin suite was $80, and included a ton of other useful stuff. I'm not suggesting it's a Studer though :?

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Post by TapeOpLarry » Wed Nov 16, 2005 5:05 pm

Crane Song's Phoenix plug-in does a tape-type thing, BUT it would only work on a TDM Pro Tools system. I've heard it demo'd. Made everything sound better.

I'd focus more on how the signal is getting recorded and into the DAW than a plug-in like that though. Good and creative engineering is worth its weight in gold by the end!
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Post by joelkriske » Thu Nov 17, 2005 1:08 am

joel (hamilton)'s advice seemed spot on, as did larry's.
do have a bit of warmth in my heart for the psp vintage warmer tho.
will have to think about multiband compression more!
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Post by pk » Fri Nov 18, 2005 7:21 am

I've found that PSP VW can take a minute or two to learn how to use properly.
Thus far, I've also found it doesn't really warm anything up, but instead can bring a lot of clarity to a drum buss or guitar and bass tracks. That's my impression of it in the way I use it for myself, ymmv. However, things can sound pretty warm with my earmuffs on. Probably invest in good mics, pres and ad/da before spending much dough on plugs.

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Post by tubejay » Fri Nov 18, 2005 7:52 am

I use to have Magneto, and I thought it was kind of bunk. It didn't make it sound like I recorded it on tape, thought I don't think there's a plugin that does that well.

That said, the vintage warmer plug is awesome. I love it, but I don't look at it, or use it like a tape emulator. It's a fun plug though.

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Post by jeddypoo » Fri Nov 18, 2005 12:13 pm

I'm going to second the PSP Vintage Warmer. That's one of the best plugins I've ever had. Great compressor, too, for a plugin.
I find adherence to fantasy troubling and unreasonable.

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Post by mjau » Fri Nov 18, 2005 12:21 pm

While I'm a longtime VW user, I can't say that I really love it too much anymore. It does what it does well, which is compress and distort. Even in small amounts, I find it to be too colored on the 2-buss. I also have the voxengo tape sim, which I like better for that purpose. Better than both, IMHO, is a combo of a Pultec and an 1176 (just barely compressing, if any) from my UAD card.

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