Softube Tape

[rasmusklump]

please read before you write.
there is no lack of windows 7 support.
jeez

[Compyfox]

For those of you who are seeing great results, what kind of material / settings? I've tried it on a couple rock tunes and so far don't really notice much of a difference except maybe a slight 3D-ness, but not as noticeable as VTM (louder and more 3D it seems, but we all know how louder deceives). I love the fact of no latency (VTM does have latency and have to level match) plus I do work in S1 so would like to get this.

Regarding VTM (I've yet to properly test Softube Tape)... did you try the following?
- change the reference level from -18 to -15 (therefore giving the machine more headroom, which in turn means "less saturation" since you "underdrive" the machine)
- changing the bass alignment down to -3dB absolute max (therefore making the machine "less in your face", or "boomy")
- switched through the tape types?

FG9 is based on the modern formula known as "Quantegy GP9", while the FG456 mode is based upon the old (and still desired) "AMPEX 456" formula. Though keep in mind, especially the 456 was most popular in the US.

Softube is based in Sweden, so we don't know "which" exact machines they had access to, not to mention which tape formula (there is no exact recreation of that formula anymore these days - even though companies like french manufacturer "Recording the Masters" tries to aim at that goal). And since you can't select the tape "type"... comparisons are far and wide.

IMO and all that.

[Endor-8o8]

For those of you who are seeing great results, what kind of material / settings? I've tried it on a couple rock tunes and so far don't really notice much of a difference except maybe a slight 3D-ness, but not as noticeable as VTM (louder and more 3D it seems, but we all know how louder deceives). I love the fact of no latency (VTM does have latency and have to level match) plus I do work in S1 so would like to get this.

I might be wrong but I often heard that "tape magic" is subtle and nuanced not necessarily as
"over the top" as Slate VTM. Even if I looove VTM and even if I never had a chance to witness
the real thing, I think that Tape or Satin might be more on the realistic side...meaning little nuances and polishing without "shifting" obviously the material on which it's applied. With a bit of focusing and concentration I can notice the subtle changes that Tape adds to my tracks and I love the fact that it's more subtle than VTM. Love the light compression and the glue it adds to a mix. It's one of the rare tool where I can really feel that famous "glue" we all talk about here and there.

[macmuse]

Yes, I think both of you are right on this. Thank you both. I didn't change those settings in VTM so will do that. Good to know that you do find Softube more subtle than VTM so that I know it isn't me not using it properly.

When I initially bought the Slate stuff (VMR, VCC) I wasn't even planning on adding VTM until I demoed it, and it was such a 'wow' that I got it too. But I have background with real 2" decks in studios (and back then you couldn't compare real tape with digital anyway), and I think VTM is intentionally being a bit over the top wow factor as you said—that is kind of the Slate way.

I think when demoing Softube, I compared because....well, that's what we do in order to validate purchases, so wondered what I was missing out on here. I don't have Satin or Waves tape so have no knowledge there. But in reality, subtlety is a good thing because too much of this stuff can really wreck a track IMO.

[Tp3]

I'm probably on the minority side here but... I find the interface EXTREMLY distracting. it's like watching cartoon movie and it alters my aural judgement.

And as videos of real life usage (at least the ones the were uploaded thus far, from eg. Pro-Tools-Expert) show very subtle differences, I'll keep using the tools I have.

I value EVERY knowledgeable user review (esp. bManic's !) but when every new tool immediately becomes "the best there is" on a weekly basis (with an articulate explanation as of "why") - one's gotta decide.
and for me personally - as I can not hear ACTIVELY something drastic in the way I experience my audio... it is too much of an upheaval.

But good luck for Softube !

[EnochLight]

I'm probably on the minority side here but... I find the interface EXTREMLY distracting. it's like watching cartoon movie and it alters my aural judgement.

If you think Softube's is bad, you should see Wave's J37. It set the gold standard for this:

[plexuss]

I value EVERY knowledgeable user review (esp. bManic's !) but when every new tool immediately becomes "the best there is" on a weekly basis (with an articulate explanation as of "why") - one's gotta decide. and for me personally - as I can not hear ACTIVELY something drastic in the way I experience my audio... it is too much of an upheaval.

Yes, it's a good thing to filter out the "fan boy reviews" and use your own ears. thankfully most devs offer demos. I am always wary when people say something is the "best there is". As for Tape, I wasn't too impressed. I get a similar sound from Waves Vinyl and I find Satin sounds more like tape (I know what tape sounds like). So I'll pass. But i do have Softube's vol 1 bundle and use most of the plugins in it because I think they are very nice.

[Tp3]

I'm probably on the minority side here but... I find the interface EXTREMLY distracting. it's like watching cartoon movie and it alters my aural judgement.

If you think Softube's is bad, you should see Wave's J37. It set the gold standard for this:

Yea, I know all of em' Cartapes... (VTM, UAD, Waves, Steinberg\Yamaha etc.)

Impressive interface though...

[Compyfox]

...and I think VTM is intentionally being a bit over the top wow factor as you said—that is kind of the Slate way.

Not to defend Slate Digital here - maybe so - but I've also heard way worse... And it's not like you can "compensate" to your needs. In fact, if I'm more after a "tame" effect, I dial back the bass response (usually not higher than -1,5dB) and the noise (all the way down!), while if I create a 60ies type mix, I barely even touch the settings, engage the 456 mode, 15ips (sadly no 7,5ips - which was commonplace around that time... I gave up on filing that FR) and try to not overshoot higher than 1-2VU...

I don't have Satin or Waves tape so have no knowledge there. But in reality, subtlety is a good thing because too much of this stuff can really wreck a track IMO.

I personally prefer the UAD AMPEX over the Waves one (the latter is just too tame - sounds strange even, can't explain why). The Waves Studer J37 (Abbey Road) is IMO a really great plugin, but sadly way overpriced though (due to the... er... name) - it would be such a great complementary add-on to VTM... maybe some day, if I have too much money to burn.

Slate's VTM just fits everywhere IMO. Unlike certain creations from certain "indie" devs. With the exception of VoS Ferric TDS (the dynamics feature works for so much more) and and certain super-finetuned U-HE SATIN presets (albeit way more subtle - still a great plugin that I consider "sandbox-type", in a good way!).

I'm probably on the minority side here but... I find the interface EXTREMLY distracting. it's like watching cartoon movie and it alters my aural judgement.

Can you not turn off the tape animation like with most of these tools?

I value EVERY knowledgeable user review (esp. bManic's !) but when every new tool immediately becomes "the best there is" on a weekly basis (with an articulate explanation as of "why") - one's gotta decide.
and for me personally - as I can not hear ACTIVELY something drastic in the way I experience my audio... it is too much of an upheaval.

Welcome to my world... look out, the "block of defense" is probably already on their way to get you...

[Tp3]

I value EVERY knowledgeable user review (esp. bManic's !) but when every new tool immediately becomes "the best there is" on a weekly basis (with an articulate explanation as of "why") - one's gotta decide.
and for me personally - as I can not hear ACTIVELY something drastic in the way I experience my audio... it is too much of an upheaval.

Welcome to my world... look out, the "block of defense" is probably already on their way to get you...

For those special (and extreme) events I always use two tools :

Delay
Gate

Either they're too late, or I'm out the door

[Compyfox]

I value EVERY knowledgeable user review (esp. bManic's !) but when every new tool immediately becomes "the best there is" on a weekly basis (with an articulate explanation as of "why") - one's gotta decide.
and for me personally - as I can not hear ACTIVELY something drastic in the way I experience my audio... it is too much of an upheaval.

Welcome to my world... look out, the "block of defense" is probably already on their way to get you...

For those special (and extreme) events I always use two tools :

Delay
Gate

Either they're too late, or I'm out the door

The problem is, if they start to turn into envelope followers...

[pekbro]

I dunno, under Studio One as a Mix FX, I'm seeing some pretty bad
cpu performance. The only way I can keep it from spiking regularly
is to drop the buffer size to 128 on my audio interface, normally I keep
it at 256. And of course, dropping it to 32 bit processing precision
because it cant run at 64 bit.

Anyway, seems pretty buggy to me, at least the multi track version
under windows.

So if you're bummed about features available only in S1, dont be
heh...

-Cheers

FWIW: I dont like the tape animation in any of these type of plugins.
seems pretty cheesy to me. It does sound pretty good IMHO.

[Aloysius]

I've read comments where people don't seem to realise that you can stop the animation with Waves Tape Plug-ins simply by clicking on the Reels.

[Tp3]

Yes, but the interface is there.

Let them pitch one against the other in a BLIND a/b test (level matched).

Then we'll see... (or, rather : hear)

[Compyfox]

OMG! Did somebody mention "triple blind test"?!

Here on KVR? ...