Yeah Softube makes good stuff, I'll give this one a try (if that's possible).
I use Satin and now the airwindows one (Iron Oxide 5), I enjoy the flexibility of Satin, and the simplicity of Iron Oxide. Both make miracles, even if it ain't the real thing.
Satin does a lot more than change the eq curve, you can modify absolutely every aspect of the tape machine (some parts not possible in real tape machines) and modify many aspect of the sound beside it's color. It glues, it changes the stereo image, you can simulate leakage, wow and flutter, hiss...All that more or less drasticaly. I get some people are not sold on those emulations being the same as the real deal, it's very true, but it's definitely more than an eq plus sat, imo.

 

Last edited: Jun 8, 2017

Did you – by any chance – notice that you're argument actually blows itself apart? Even if it is just a "a bunch of predefined EQ Settings mixed with some saturation/distortion algos", how am I supposed to EQ in 2nd and 3rd order harmonics? I am curious. Please bless me with your wisdom, man! ;)

I said it was subtle, but that was because I just inserted the thing without touching any of the 50+ instances to play with the input drive. I tested it more thoroughly on a Hip-Hop Drum Bus and I like what I hear. It can go from subtle to driven without sounding bad.

 

Yeah, there is a limitation, kinda like how UAD hardware has limitations I guess. However, I do everyrmthing in 48kHz and can there run up to 32 instances of it and control them all frim the hardware. I think you can attach more than one device at a time too but that obviously depends on firewire ports and such.

 

Satin is nice as a time-based based tape effect plugin (delays, flanges and choruses, etc). But I never really used it as an actual recording tape effect - although it sounds great. It just has too many controls and is a bit too heavy on the CPU to use it like a virtual tape maschine so to speak.

I just tried Iron Oxide a couple of days ago. It's cool that it's free and super simple to use. But it makes everything sound a bit lo-fi and midrange-y. For fun I just combined Iron Oxide in a 50/50 mix to get that knocking midrange on drums followed by Softube Tape for the nice bass and smooth top end. Guaranteed kick-ass Drums. ;)

 

I just watched an interview with Tom Lord-Alge today and he talked about how the Sony digital tape that he uses gives a sound that is very good for modern Rock, and I do wonder what exactly that means. Hope some company will make an emulation of that. Maybe Slate, since he is a big Lord-Alge fan and has a nice tape plugin.

By the way, am I the only one who doesn't get the love for Softube? from my experience they don't make anything exceptional, and their amp simulators are laughably bad.

 

Yeah it's a bit heavy I agree, I manage to use it though. I'm kind of geeky, so the many controls I really enjoy, although I regret that u-he team didn't make more presets that recreates classics. I spent a great amount time - maybe too much - understanding this thing.
Did you try pushing it harder (Iron Oxyde) ? When you start pushing the input a bit hard (and adjusting the output) - I also adjust the tape High and Low low lower and high higher - it attenuates the mid-rangy thing, and makes the bass really fatter. I'll try to use it the way you did with the softube thing on a drum bus, sounds nice.
But I dial it in not at a 100% either, often use other AirWindows plugs to complete that.

 

@5teezo
Try Reelbus from Toneboosters, could be Satins younger brother, with faster and easier controls and lighter on the cpu, sounds f-ing amazing.
http://www.toneboosters.com/tb-reelbus/

 

Thank you for reminding me of TB Reelbus. It was one of the first Tape Emulation Plugins I ever came across when I was still obsessed with Boombap Drums ;) The first one was actually Tape Head Medium from Massey Plugins. Just 2 knobs. And a freebie AU. Yay, awesome.

However, the TB Guy seems to have spent a lot of time and effort to do it right and wrote a pretty in-depth 3 Part Article about the whole process and the physics behind it. Great read (well, for geeks like us) ;)

http://www.toneboosters.com/reelproject1/

 

Try u-he Satin or Slate Tape -- Satin has a couple of decent Studer emulations, including the A80. I'm hoping to snag UAD's Ampex and Studer plugs at some point, though.

 

Where did you read that a tape recording will EQ your input signal in 2nd and 3rd order harmonics?
Not here I suppose: http://www.toneboosters.com/reelproject3/ ;)
(After reading this article you've pointed us to, I must admit I've omitted to mention that in addition to the EQ and disto/saturation plugins, a multiband compressor may be useful to perfectly simulate the tape effect - of course without noise, wow and flutter, dropouts, etc. )

 

Last edited: Jun 8, 2017

Guys, take a note that we're living in absolutely terrific times for making music. It is sooooo interesting to use... whatever.

When we used to record on tape [24-ch] I didn't like it that much, too. It really did feel a bit constrained, but the sound was nice, albeit too noisy.

I feel like all these yesterday's tools can nowadays be used to make new an inspiring sounds, be used in creative way. So don't be afraid to use that dictaphone! Why not? Thankfully we're not forced any more to record *everything* on tape! But using best of both worlds, achieving that soft and nicely sounding analogue quality is easier than ever before when you know what you're doing. Use whatever works best for your music.

What I'm really weary about is digital aliasing in plugins as it generally does sound like garbage. If a plugin doesn't use oversampling it is pretty much a certainty that it introduces aliasing into the sound and generally you don't want that. It's especially tricky when you're making music that is a bit more heavy and full of distortion, if you know what I mean. It is really hard to do that and make it sound nice with plugins only. Kinda like Nine Inch Nails albums would never sound the way they sound if they only worked ITB.

Cheers!

p.s. such interesting discussion! I enjoy reading it. This is one of the best audio forums bar none.

 

Last edited: Jun 8, 2017

Please, define Saturation for me – in your terms. ;)

 

That was another element with a special impact. DAT Recorders were the last link in the chain and also changed master mixes in a subtile way. Problem is, i couldn't describe how. Obviously it has something to do with the AD converter. Sound mixes seamed to be clearer and kind of crystalline. But i'am not shure if this can be simulated or even if its not a psychological phenomenon because of the irrational combination between "digital" and "tape". I own a Sony DAT but can't use it because it makes tape jam with my old DAT cassettes. Maybe it has to be cleaned. idk

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jun 9, 2017

Oh damn, theres the next big thing. DAT emulations. Better jump on that before waves does. lol

 

I don't thing that DAT emulations would fit into the marketing scheme well, because of the D in it :D

 

Would you please stop this condescension with me, thanks.
I'm not an audio scientist who sleeps next to a pile of theoretical books as you seems to be yourself (but without developing your claims...).
I only use my 56 years old ears, including 38 working with Otari, Studer and consumer grade Revox and Technics.
As I said, TO ME tape effect can be obtained with the help of different plugins combined together (EQ, noise generator, saturator, multiband compressor, etc.) which are, taken separately, more versatile than a single tape emulation plugin. That's why I THINK, if you already have those plugins, you don't need any tape emulation.
Now feel free to try to convince me that I'm wrong... using my terms ;)

P.S.: If someone want to make a DAT emulation, mine is in mint condition. Feel free to contact me .

 

Last edited: Jun 9, 2017

The more the better!

 

Wrong thread. But yeah ... lol

 

Condescending? Me?

I am theretically trained a bit, but no, I don't sleep next a pile of books. I prefer Hookers and (audio)Slutz - JOKE ;)
Sorry, I wasn't triyng to convince you of everything. Have a nice weekend.

 

Airwindows Iron Oxide 5 is very excellent.
Btw, it was updated week ago, now it has Noise control. Re-download it and update it in your vst folder. BussColors 4 was released days ago, a great thing. ADClip is going to be released in October. Soon, there will be ToTape.
Don't be afraid of GUI of Airwindows. There is no any graphics there at all. Sound is not in GUI. GUI is your eye massager and brain rouge. And also your cpu/ram/hdd/videocard/other resources killer. Painted tapes does nothing with your sound. Algos do. It doesn't mean gui designer give more tapeness and tubeness into sound algos. Graphics doesn't depend on sound. Visually and psychologically only.
Airwindows have only super high quality algos inside, close to analog vibes, (almost) no latency, almost doesn't touch your cpu and ram. Brilliant results. Several plugins per month for free. So, same as large brands or even better.