best vst tape simulation?

[metamorphosis]

CDsoundmaster's recently released plugins are pretty much the only thing that sound like actual tape. But for a tape-like effect, Roundtone is pretty damn good (and much, much cheaper).
Nothing I've come across replaces VTMM2 though.

[ObsoleteAcc99]

geez since being on mac i so forgo the voxengo one even existed..

i wonde how it compares to modern plugs

[bduffy]

I'd go with Waves or UAD. Nebula just isn't an option for me for real-world mixing.

[metamorphosis]

You just need to improve your workflow, commit to changes then render with nebula (btw, the new plugins versions vst acqua, so no nebula).

http://www.ultimatemetal.com/forum/equi ... t-out.html

[Shy]

i just want the smoothness!

Forget it.

[blueman]

pps i actually, don't shoot me, don't mind magnetic II from nomad factory..

alot of people think it's too strong but they are not just dialing in subtle amounts, which is easy to do and works well.

if you WANT the distortion slammin effect it's very capable of that too. I was using a vocal that was full of nasty transients and the Magnetic took care of them quite well, but the satv and kramer did it better.

+1

I also have Waves Kramer and in most cases, I still prefer Magnetic so...

[dsynth27]

+1 Waves MPX sounds terrific.

[VibraSound]

The Free GClip with 60% softness.
http://www.gvst.co.uk/gclip.htm

or

The Free Melda MLimiter (7 smooth saturation modes).
http://www.meldaproduction.com/freevstp ... imiter.php

[sadkin]

looks like just about everyone chimed in with every single tape sim out there - except maybe the old URS one from their channel strip.

From my experience I've tried and demo'd a lot:

1- CDsoundmaster Vtmm2
2- Mellowmuse SATV
3- Nomad Magnetic I (haven't tried II yet)
4- Waves Kramer mpx
5- TB Ferric
6- UAD Studar A800

Hands down, in my opinion the most useful, smoothest and polite is the UA A800. I admit, it isn't my favorite whenever it is overdriven but it makes everything I put through it sound better without sounding like a novelty when set to reasonable levels.

for fx and novelty I think the waves mpx sounds really quite good - ton of character. followed by Nomad Magnetic and then the mellowmuse - which may fair better with its 'transister' emulation option anyways. Cdsoundmasters is quite gooey and is closest to rival the UAD studar, but to my ears, I've (so far) always preferred the A800 in terms of using it on nearly every track in a mix.

Ferric - eh...better than ye ole Psp vintage warmer or steinbergs magneto (btw, i dont like knockin on psp, i love their eq's and oldtimer!!!)

[SWAN808]

you are talking algo tape sims there...

But consider Nebula with Tape Booster+ and NAG Tape. TB+ is really important part of the equation - the saturation is pretty good and part of what helps ITB so much.Then perhaps an algo tape sim for the tape compression. Perhaps Ferric or VTMM2...if you own Nebula - you get TB+ for $40, NAG Tape for $15 and Ferric free. Not bad. IMO Nebula tape sat sounds more real than the algo alternatives. I preferred it in the UAD shootouts on the UAD forum (like a lot of people). Nebula is getting easier to use also. Certainly a lot cheaper than the UAD studer+card.

[dcfac73]

Kramer MPX is $99 atm (usually $200)

[metamorphosis]

you are talking algo tape sims there...

But consider Nebula with Tape Booster+ and NAG Tape. TB+ is really important part of the equation - the saturation is pretty good and part of what helps ITB so much.Then perhaps an algo tape sim for the tape compression. Perhaps Ferric or VTMM2...if you own Nebula - you get TB+ for $40, NAG Tape for $15 and Ferric free. Not bad. IMO Nebula tape sat sounds more real than the algo alternatives. I preferred it in the UAD shootouts on the UAD forum (like a lot of people). Nebula is getting easier to use also. Certainly a lot cheaper than the UAD studer+card.

With cdsoundmaster's new vst (acqua) versions, you don't even need nebula.

From my experience I've tried and demo'd a lot:

1- CDsoundmaster Vtmm2
2- Mellowmuse SATV
3- Nomad Magnetic I (haven't tried II yet)
4- Waves Kramer mpx
5- TB Ferric
6- UAD Studar A800

I don't think you've really done a correct comparison.
A correct comparison would be UAD Studer vs R2R Studer,
Not VTMM2, which is the compression end of the R2R-TB+-VTMM2 chain.
There's a link I've posted above which does exactly this (r2r vs uad) - I've yet to hear of a single person who prefers the UAD sound, personally-

[sadkin]

I wasn't speaking apples to apples - i am not sure that you can with this type of processing...we're talking about capturing the 'je ne sais quis' of recording to tape. One has to ask themselves: what is it you like about the sound of tape and how do you want it applied to your own productions. Do you want the subtle, easy going gooey, warmth it imparts on an instrument or do you want the saturated distortion of hitting the heads and tape really hard? Or maybe something else entirely? Seems esoteric, subjective.

I can only suppose that all of the developers had varying ideas on how their own digital tape simulator processing would be applied. For me, I was looking for something a little more subtle, not the quirky or distorted saturation but the smoothness, that 'subtle-glowing-halo'...a plug-in which tricks the ear into thinking the audio is just a little more analog than bit stepped ...which is what I interpreted the original poster inquired about.

To me, the Waves isn't so much a 'smooth, subtle' sim as compared to the UA A800. I like the Waves, as an effect, as a novelty. I dont have Nebula so I don't have r2r. I know CDSoundmasters just released the same r2r in Native but i have not tried/demo'd it - i think it has only been out like 3 weeks. The Vtmm2 sounds good to me, it really does but I just preferred running my tracks through the A800. Part of the reason is that the processing all happens on my UA DSP card so it doesn't absorb cpu like VTMM2 - recording has always been a series of compromises in one way or another (imagine having only 4 tracks to record an entire band). The compromises we are making these days are less and less. For me, I liked the A800 sound, it makes EVERYTHING I put through it sound better, I already had a UA card and I didn't have Nebula. When considering the additional cost of Nebula, and the fact that their architecture, at first glance, seems cumbersome, I decided to hang my hat on the UA A800...yes, even if somehow there was a legion of certified audio police who could split the hairs of audio pedigree and authenticity, a police squad who could reveal once and for all that Nebula's R2R was a fraction of a fraction 'better' than UA's A800. These were two different Simulators that both make the types of improvements to digitally recorded audio that i was looking for with this type of processing - I just went with the UA.

In the end, I just think these tools make digital audio sound better. I have not actually finished a recorded production using the A800 (i'm in progress) but I have made enough progress to have a sense that it's elevating the quality of my work and helps bridge the gap between the sound of digital and analog. But to say that it will convince discernible listeners that one has recorded to tape - I don't think so. Better? yes...hearing a guitar track just recorded run through a nice tube pre sounds nice. When I drag the A800 plug-in onto it, wow - makes me smile every time.

[ObsoleteAcc99]

lots of people don't have UAD and LOTS refuse to deal with nebula and it's annoyances.

[macmurphy]

i've tried Nebula numerous times and i just can't click with it - the sound is there but i find working with it an utter buzz-kill.