I don't really get the big deal over these plugs as well, more convenience over quality, could you not just run some tracks
through some old 4 track or whatever and get a more authentic tape effect? I have seen this suggestion before...
just would take more effort.. but then your music is worth it rite ?

other than that.. I really favor the Godzilla approach...

 

I have done lots of experimenting with these plugins. Having the DB361 in the chain on the mixbus is almost a must, really gives that extra 10-20% weight, space (3D), glue.

 

I suspect they also use analog gear, but sounds mighty fine.

 

Last edited by a moderator: May 17, 2017

Spent one hour demoing Reelbus, comparing it to Slate VTM and Satin.
Of all three obviously Sating is the king, priced the same as VTM yet offers so much more, sound wise as well.
Reelbus could be Satin`s younger brother, can do more than VTM yet less than Satin, though sound wise i would say it convinced me more than VTM.
VTM sounds very clean, clinical. Somehow its lacks depth the other two have. Also, the other two can glue more than VTM, if that is what you are going for.
If you want dirtier style of tape ( Led Zeppelin) go for the Waves Kramer tape.

 

in my workflow, for my EDM anyways, I use tape saturation in my mastering chain to glue some, yes, but mostly to bring the harmonics out on the lows. Ive been using the vintage tape module from ozone 7 advanced, I like how it has a spectrum so you can see exactly whats going on. But I guess at this phase I'm not really looking for a lot of character, just the low end harmonics. My bass/sub group in my mix session already has deflektor from sly fy in the chain adding all the character type sat im looking for

Now I'm thinking I should try some other tape emus and see how it sounds

 

Last edited: Jun 6, 2017

Thanks @Von_Steyr not only for the shootout comparison and and defining what the different tape plugs bring to the mix, but really for piquing my interest to try something new to making my mixes the best they can be.
Always dropping random knowledge on us, Youre the man!

 

It may seemed to be slightly off topic but what do you guys think about this?

 

So do you brother

 

What would be really cool would be to mark and cut tapes, as in the good old days, with of course the option of using gloves or not - in case you do it with bare hands, then the sound degradation produced by the oxidation due to your fingers would be simulated.
When we chose to simulate all those details which had rendered engineers of the past totally mad, we had to do it to the end.

 

I found the Wollensak in R2R (Nebula) did this superior to everything else I tried (Waves, VTM) for taming the harshness out of distorted electric guitars.
Not really a comparison to real tape, but a tool for me to use for this specific purpose.

 

Common, hes driving it like crazy. Even the dry sound is distorted like hell. And if you use the Reelbus plugin in Gluetape mode it acts just the opposite and creates more high and deep harmonics than the other plugins. For me its just click bait and not a serious test because every plugin has various modes and adjustments to compensate the unwanted or create the wished sound. The conclusion, that a real tape machine can't get topped also because of the analog signal transport, was already found out in this thread.

But thanks for the link. Its really impressive to listen to real tape in comparison to an emulation. But as much as i love this sound i would't go so far and buy a tape machine because i also remember how the maintenance was a pain in the ass.

 

IMO Reelbus and Klanghelm`s MJUC prove that you dont have to dig deep into your pockets to get high end plugins.

 

Doing that with algo plugins is like dry shaving.

 

Try to find some Nagra IV in good shape (+/- $700) and load it with RMG 911 (http://www.rmgi-usa.com/page4/page4.html.) or ATR (https://atrtape.com/technical-information/). It will do the job far far better than any emulation and with very little if no maintenance at all (except periodically cleaning the heads).

 

Come on now you're just being ridiculous.
I think he was referring to the reels that take up almost half of the GUI and do absolutely nothing. I know exactly what he's talking about, I have a third monitor that I use for all the plugins that I want to keep an eye on. It has been full of spinning reels before. Everyone trying to copy waves.They should have put a spectrum view in there instead so you could see what the different emulations are actually doing. I agree they should be pure functionality and look good while doing it. Like iZotope and FabFilter GUIs.

 

Last edited: Jun 7, 2017

.... while hunting (or being hunted) by a predator.
I'm just going to stack them all together and turn the dry/wet mix down on all of them. Get my own tape style going lol

 

Last edited: Jun 7, 2017

Has anyone compared this to SDCC from Klanghelm? That's still the single best plugin I've ever heard for multiple stages of tape I've heard.

 

You mean SDRR?

 

subGENRE I don't have a problem with GUI. I have a problem with that guy though, going around the forum and posting his view on this in every fucking thread, relevant or not. somehow he missed to post his GUI rants in "shit the bed" thread by Moogerfooger. go on, Sinewave, post your shitty rants in there too, it's exactly where they belong.

 

To those that nay-say tape emus in DAWS. Well you're wrong. They do work, Slate VTM is the one I prefer because it's not an 'effect', it doesn't hit you over the head, its the most tape like. Satin is a fun tool but doesn't make a cohesive stage for the mix like VTM. With tape less is more so long as its a good emu.

It does work, if you think it doesn't then the problem lies between the monitors and the chair not the plug-in. They don't just work they are essential, along with pre-amp, console and saturation emulation ITB. That is if you've recorded like most do, clean on the way in, fatten the tracks up THEN mix (Warren Huart just said this too recently on his 'the truth about mixing ITB'). Saturation and tape emus are essential unless you are only mixing tracks that were already recorded through top studio gear with tons of warmth/character and non linearities already.