KVR Audio

Aubrey Lamont · Post by **Aubrey Lamont** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 2:21 pm

I'm looking for a tape saturation plug that sounds good and uses low enough processing power for me to apply it to every channel. (I use a quad i7 macbook from 2011 - most of my projects have 10-20 channels where I would insert a tape plug.)

I have Reelbus and love it, but I only have room (in terms of cpu) to use it on the master bus.

I know VTM is an option, but I'm looking for something cheaper. I'm not sure what's out there, so any suggestions would be appreciated!

Compyfox · Post by **Compyfox** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 2:31 pm

VTM drastically removed CPU usage recently, but you need an iLok - so this might scare you off as MacBook user.

U-HE SATIN uses no USB key solution and is definitely low on CPU. Ton of great presets.

Alternately, I can also recommend "Magnetic II" by Nomad Factory, but... it needs a lot of editing of the presets (definitely more high shelf EQ, and lowering the bass here and there).

Then there is Airwindows, Massey TapeHead, MelloMuse SATV, Softube (don't know of DECAPITATOR also offers "soft iLok"), Klanghelm SDRR.

There are probably more on Mac (like Waves Kramer Tape), but these instantly come to mind that are also Mac compatible.

electro · Post by **electro** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 2:50 pm

Satin driven hot in Vintage mode sounds good and like Compyfox says isn't dongled.

murnau · Post by **murnau** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 3:20 pm

old & light on cpu: AnalogFlux Suite from Voxengo, maybe it's enough.

Burillo · Post by **Burillo** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 3:23 pm

reelbus from toneboosters?

sadkin · Post by **sadkin** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 6:21 pm

The Reelbus is pretty great but if you only have enough cpu for one instance on the master, well, quite frankly, i would expect the others like VTM, J37, Kramer even Nomad plugs to be similar in cpu usage too. I have not tried Satin, looks like some posters here say it sounds good and is lighter on cpu, may be your only choice unless you go back to older tape plugs like the previously suggested voxengo analog flux stuff.

murnau · Post by **murnau** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 6:29 pm

Burillo wrote:reelbus from toneboosters?

OP said already in his 1st post: "I have Reelbus and love it, but I only have room (in terms of cpu) to use it on the master bus."

Mudcat007 · Post by **Mudcat007** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 6:48 pm

Too bad Jeroen from ToneBoosters discontinued Ferox. It was designed specifically for individual channel application. I noted he also discontinued giving the old legacy JB version of Ferox on his blog site. Glad I snagged it while it was still available.

Compyfox · Post by **Compyfox** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 7:27 pm

Roundtone by SKnote might also be an option.
You can put that into "normal" quality mode, and while rendering in ultra-high-quality mode.

Very handy, you can even link the machines.
But the sound is not necesarrily everyone's cup of tea.

Aubrey Lamont · Post by **Aubrey Lamont** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 7:56 pm

Compyfox wrote:VTM drastically removed CPU usage recently, but you need an iLok - so this might scare you off as MacBook user.

I have an iLok, but I'm hoping there's an option under $100. Otherwise, I would go with Satin.

I'll take a look at roundtone.

Thanks everyone.

do_androids_dream · Post by **do_androids_dream** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 8:27 pm

Mudcat007 wrote:Too bad Jeroen from ToneBoosters discontinued Ferox. It was designed specifically for individual channel application. I noted he also discontinued giving the old legacy JB version of Ferox on his blog site. Glad I snagged it while it was still available.

For anyone who does still want it (and who wouldn't!!)

http://web.archive.org/web/201204031142 ... baart.com/

realmarco · Post by **realmarco** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 12:31 am

i wonder..howe do we know what tape is supposed to sound like

Studio 2 inch tape recorders where very expensive(100 000$+)

Most people had those cheap home-studio reel-to-reel

how do we know if *insert plugin name* truelly sounds like what they promise its supposed to sound like

Im sure the people around here have never touched a studer or know that kick drum about -40
level will sound like mush.

Dean Aka Nekro · Post by **Dean Aka Nekro** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 1:29 am

Although there isn't any audio examples Marco, Jack Endino has a ton of reliable information and free of bullshit terminology that might be worth you having a read over
http://www.endino.com/archive/arch2.html
http://www.endino.com/archive/index.html
http://www.endino.com/graphs/index.html
Its easy to search his works on discogs, Hope you find that useful.

The other guy whom has come up with a great tape processor that is actually a reel tape recorder, playback and processor/effect if abused is Chris Estes whom delivers with his CLASP, Of which lots can be heard of and read about here:
http://www.endlessanalog.com/tag/clasp- ... -processor
http://www.endlessanalog.com/what-is-clasp
http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/ ... eed-506271
https://www.youtube.com/user/endlessanalog

I can't tell you what exactly it sounds like but you'll know when you hear it, Not always for the better IMveryhumbleHO, All the best to all as always

Dean

Compyfox · Post by **Compyfox** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 2:23 am

Another developer that wasn't mentioned yet:
http://cdsoundmaster.com/site/cds-softw ... tmmac.html

I didn't work that much with large scale tape machines (higher than 1/2 inch). Mostly I was only sitting beside it and watching the meters. But I consider myself lucky to have grown up with that technology - which does have it's own charme, and definitely it's weaknesses.

The quesiton is:
Why do you want "tape" sound?
Do you know at which "decibel range" you can actually work if you plan to use a tape machine plugin in your production (read: do you know proper gain staging)?

A lot of tape machine plugins on the market are usable for "something", but if you listen to the aether (KVR, Gearslutz, several blogs), there is no definite "tape machine" on the market. But it's getting closer and closer. The lines blur - like all kinds of emulations.

If you're just after the effect of "glueing" stuff together, or using the Compander Tricks that a tape machine could usually pull off - then I definitely recommend a sandbox system like U-HE's SATIN. If you just need a quick "fix", then there is SKnote, ToneBoosters, MelloMuse, Massey, Klanghelm, etc - with Nomad Factory's Magnetic II at the end of versatility (but it needs proper EQ treatment!). If you want a certain "vintage vibe", then we start to look at certain ports of specific machines - Waves, Slate Digital, UAD, CDSoundmaster, etc.

In the end, you have to decide what sound you're after, how much control you need over the device, if you want to link that, etc. And that is only possible if you test these plugins. Not to mention that you need to be fully aware what they are doing to the signal.

Dean Aka Nekro · Post by **Dean Aka Nekro** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 2:38 am

Wise words Compy dude

Tape emu for channels