Tape Emulation Shootout: U-He Satin vs. UAD Ampex ATR-102 vs. Waves J37 and Kramer Tape

Discussion in 'Software Reviews and Tutorials' started by mercurysoto, Nov 29, 2016.

?

Which one do you like better?

Poll closed Nov 29, 2016.
  1. Sample A

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  2. Sample B

    1 vote(s)
    20.0%
  3. Sample C

    2 vote(s)
    40.0%
  4. Sample D

    1 vote(s)
    20.0%
  5. The difference, if any, doesn't justify the expense.

    1 vote(s)
    20.0%
  1. martel80

    martel80 Producer

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    B and C recreate the tone of certain reel to reel i've tried. But they lack the the headroom it create.

    I have to agree with Torrao, Nebula made way better replica then those 4.
     
  2. groove

    groove Kapellmeister

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    UAD Ampex Atr-102 is the best of all...
    Starting with the Stephen Smith Mastering - ULTRALINEAR Presets and tweak yourself... Just Wonderful
     
  3. AwDee.0

    AwDee.0 Kapellmeister

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    C has to be UAD?!? hope you get AA on the mix
     
  4. Sizers

    Sizers Member

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    Guys, which version of Nebula r2r and which tape simulation are you all talking about?
     
  5. martel80

    martel80 Producer

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    I have 2 different Reel to reel bank on my nebula server.
    Each serve different needs.

    I'm not sure what is your question here......

    When I make 90's Golden era inspired chill hop type of Nunjabes / Dilla beat i'll use a Studer at 15 ips cuz it was the industry standard and thats the sound im looking for.

    I'f I was mixing a track like the one presented here, i'd be using an otari just to make sure my studer is not being used for no reason :rofl:

    Nebula is a very surgical tool.

    You cant use it like a Hammer like most plugin out there.......you gotta know what you are doing and why youre doing it.

    Its also extremely ressoure intensive so it will change your workflow forever bringing you closer to a consol type of mixing then anything else.
     
  6. Iggy

    Iggy Rock Star

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    I've already done comparisons between Satin and Kramer Tape and, for me, Satin wins, no question. For one thing, Satin has a lot more features (EQ curves, tape formulas, etc.) and is capable of emulating different (and more relevantly modern) machines. For another, it just sounds a lot better to me, a lot more like tape. Kramer tape has a very muddy sound to my ears that makes recordings sound dated in the worst way possible. I'd love to own UAD's Ampex and Studer plugs, and failing that, Slate's plug.
     
  7. martel80

    martel80 Producer

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    I had the same analysis as you and for the same reason you mentionned ( ''capable of emulating different (and more relevantly modern) machines.'') it was one of those tape emulation plugs that failed to recreate the very true nature of tape use during mixing and mastering stage.

    The thing is, to me, tape is a very VERY important coloring process and being so out of character make it pretty useless.
    One other big thing I thought satin was failing at was the headroom i could be looking for if, for example i'd be wanting to recreate an Ampex Tape effect.
    Also, I could be looking for a totaly muffed out sound when coloring a snare for example. Maybe wanting it to sound like a Motown type of recording....
    Reel to reel is really all over the place regarding colors....we cant be looking at a 1 plug do it all type of solution unless it uses some type of IR or sample system

    Music is very subjective, therefore I dont pretend to hold the ''truth'' but those are my observations because of my former experiences with tape machines.
     
  8. Iggy

    Iggy Rock Star

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    To me, Kramer sounded very "blobby" -- it brings out too much low end (forgetting that tape actually chops off everything below 30 Hz) and sounds more me like a cassette recording on an old boom box than 1" tape on an Ampex. I might just forego putting a tape sim on my mastering chain until I can afford to spring for a UAD rig.

    And the only thing about the UAD Ampex or Studer emulations are, you'd need an OCTO card or satellite just to get 48 tracks of Studer multitrack tape (that's not factoring in the Ampex plug for mixdown, which I guess you could add in a two-track editor). Still probably a lot cheaper than a real machine.
     
  9. mercurysoto

    mercurysoto Audiosexual

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    True. However, I doubt there's a situation where you'd need to track 40 tracks at once. Even an orchestra. Imagine the logistics involved. If you are on the Apollo, you can use a Duo chip (Apollo Twin) and get 20 mono tracks of Studer sonics wash. More than enough for tracking drums appropriately. You set it to print effects to disk and then you remove the Studer, freeing space for mixdown.
     
  10. martel80

    martel80 Producer

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    Not all tape cut frequencies at 30hz...some go deeper, some higher.

    also, a badly calibrated reel to reel and more oftenly tape cassette can bring some serious rumble in a recording.

    everyone old enough to have experienced the old yellow sony walkman can rely to this sonical experience
     
  11. Since the thread had slowed to just a trickle I throw this in...I prefer to own if I can, others feel it a Godsend for them to gave access to, for instance, Slate's full range of plug-ins for what they consider cheap. The problem that I forsee is that perhaps somewhere down that crazy road in five years from now you might want to or a client would like a remix or new mix for re-mastering, but now you don't any longer have the plug in because you have something you like a whole lot better, but that Verb Suite was an earworm for the client and they just want to hear it again....Rent to own is cool, but renting forever is a loosing proposition in the long run for sure! Burn the bloody Bastard down, matey, burn 'em down to a stub.
     
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  12. Von_Steyr

    Von_Steyr Guest

    In 5 years Slate will probably go the Acustica route.
     
  13. What is the Acoustica route?
     
  14. Manta

    Manta Member

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    I vote A
     
  15. Von_Steyr

    Von_Steyr Guest

    Voltera kernel based sampling.
     
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  16. Plendix

    Plendix Platinum Record

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    i would totally agree that nothing comes close to nebulas tape emulations.
    i do own a revox b77 and what i love most is that it expands the low ends, meaning it creates sub basses that werent in the mix. i wasnt able to recreate that effect with other plugins besides nebula.
    only disadvantage: you cant fiddle with the settings. you take the impulse and better leave it as it is. so finding the right sound means changing the empulse response. but i dont care as long as it sounds so awesome.
     
  17. Ah, now I know just exactly what you're talking about...
    2.2. On the Convergence of Volterra Series

    The Volterra series is a power series with memory. This can be seen by changing the
    input by a gain factor cso that the new input iscu(t). By using (2), the new output is

    n
    0n 1 2 n 1 2 n 1 2 n
    n1
    y(t) h c h ( , ,..., )u(t )u(t ) u(t )d d dτ ττ τ τ τ τ τ τ
    ∞ ∞∞
    −∞ −∞
    =
    =+ − − −∑ ∫∫"" " ,

    which is a power series in the amplitude factorc. It is a series with memory since the
    integrals are convolutions. As a consequence of its power series character, there are
    some limitations associated with the application of the Volterra series to nonlinear
    problems. One major limitation is the convergence of this series.

    In order to illustrate this let us consider the system of Figure 1 where the system Lis a
    linear system with the unit impulse responseh(t)

    z(t) h( )u(t )dτ ττ

    −∞
    =−∫ (

    ELEMENTARY MY DEAR VON_STEYR, ELEMENTARY!!!
     
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  18. Von_Steyr

    Von_Steyr Guest

    [​IMG]
     
  19. Cav Emp

    Cav Emp Audiosexual

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    you got this out of a uhe manual didn't you?
     
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