u-he

kmonkey · Post by **kmonkey** » Fri Jun 30, 2017 1:20 pm

I just wonder one thing and asking is something like that in pipeline? Note i am not wanting it but could be useful and i will explain myself.

Lately i am seeing all these Tape plugins being released (Softube Tape, B.Rooster Magnetite etc.), obviously it is new trend.

I tried them and being an owner of almost 95% tape plugins existing in this universe i can say (only my opinion - VERY subjective) that to my ear Satin hold these plugins for balls and can do so much more. To my ear Satin, Nebula and UAD (forgot Reelbus and VTM) are pretty much top elite of tape plugins. Note that i think others are great as well to each their own. If i am forced to pick only one it would be Satin. Followed by UAD Ampex.

I had conversation on UAD forum in past and one user said he disregarded Satin because of cartoonish look (ok let it be). I have seen others are confused and passing by to something simpler. Not even discovering what Satin can do.

I wanted to explain myself with the above intro.

Anyway my question is does anyone at U-he consider making "simple" look for Satin, likely 3 or 4 skins which are then being able to represent Ampex, Studer or alike machines with only a few knobs. And turning these knobs would be in "safe" area i mean you can not make them sound bad.

Something like Presswerk have with different compressor skin i mean something like that, that function.

I think this could benefit to a lot of users to get them "there" faster then being scared by vast options of Satin. Sure there are presets but something even simpler.

Urs · Post by **Urs** » Fri Jun 30, 2017 1:50 pm

We've sworn to ourselves we wouldn't do realistic looking tape reels... ever

I think we are thinking about this, but Satin already is also our best selling FX plug-in. Changes would be implemented carefully. We'll see...

kmonkey · Post by **kmonkey** » Fri Jun 30, 2017 2:01 pm

Urs wrote:We've sworn to ourselves we wouldn't do realistic looking tape reels... ever

I think we are thinking about this, but Satin already is also our best selling FX plug-in. Changes would be implemented carefully. We'll see...

No man i was not thinking about animated tape reels i can't even imagine some companies spending time to do that but obviously it pleases people up. Personally i think it's stupid thing to do.

Some simplistic skin or two, without tape reels. Like Magnetite simple skin (there is option to turn off reels thankfully) but i already know you can do better.

Ok cool to know. Best luck and have a nice weekend.

re23071998 · Post by **re23071998** » Sat Jul 01, 2017 8:14 am

Urs wrote:We've sworn to ourselves we wouldn't do realistic looking tape reels... ever

I think we are thinking about this, but Satin already is also our best selling FX plug-in. Changes would be implemented carefully. We'll see...

Hell yess!! who need that useless spinning tape animation

Waste of screen spaces.

Urs · Post by **Urs** » Sat Jul 01, 2017 10:03 am

re23071998 wrote:who need that useless spinning tape animation

Paradoxically, people who think a tape plug-in UIs otherwise look "cartoonish"

(I really can't get over that... how can Satin's UI be considered cartoonish when many (most?) of the others display those silly tape reels?)

Urs · Post by **Urs** » Sat Jul 01, 2017 10:18 am

kmonkey wrote:No man i was not thinking about animated tape reels...

Hehehe, neither were we when I said we were thinking about Satin's future...

I'm not sure if simple views came up yet, but of course we're aware that most people wish to just drop a tape emulation on their tracks and be done with it. Satin does not deliver "instant fluffiness" as simple (i.e. without loading a preset) as, say, UAD.

But then, thinking about Presswerk and the amount of work which had to go into its Views concept... and yet, one still has to load a preset, or initialize a view with something. My feeling is, this does not necessarily close the usability gap.

We'll see...

Funkybot's Evil Twin · Sat Jul 01, 2017 3:42 pm

I use Satin all the time, but I also appreciate the more simple drag and drop type of approach of some other tape plugins. I like having simple options to change tape types, or even entire machine models. It allows for quick comparison. With Satin, on the other hand, I can end up going down the rabbit hole of constant tweaking. Plugins with limited options will either work for a track or won't, whereas with Satin I feel like I'm always just one more tweak away from something better, which can be a hinderance at times.

If Satin got Presswerk like "Views", I think that'd be a happy middle. I'd ideally like to see things like:

1. A few different machines at different tape sizes (1/2" or " mixdown/mastering grade machine, a 2" 16 track, 2" 24 track maybe some lo-fi or more colorful vintage options)
2. A few different tape formulations beyond just the current vintage/modern
3. Retain the grouping features
4. Input/Output drive controls
5. Adjustable noise knob
6. Adjustable wow and flutter knob
7. Keep the Compander option, but in the simple view link the encoder and decoder
8. Keep the Emphasis EQ options but link them automatically
9. Maybe keep a Pre-emphasis knob on the UI in the simple view, maybe not

Then you can leave the current UI as the "Expert" view for more advanced tweaking, along with the Delay and Flange modes. Note: I'd really LOVE to see an "LFO Mode" option added to the Flanger for when I want it less as a one-shot type effect and just want to Flange a guitar (because Satin sounds awesome at Flanging!).

Also, I'll admit it. I like watching spinning reels. I think the Softube Tape plugin does the best job of this (didn't buy it - aliases like heck). It's totally unnecessary, but it makes me want to use it more.

Lastly, I'd like to see a high quality mode (even if that means introducing latency when on, the normal mode should remain no/low latency). I was running some test tones through Satin, and when you push it, there's some aliasing. Nowhere near as bad as the Softube plugin, but there was definitely a bit. Note: Satin is still my most used tape plugin, which is probably why I have so much to say about it. It's not because I don't use it or don't like it.

DuX · Post by **DuX** » Thu Aug 24, 2017 9:45 pm

I have a really great new GUI for a Studer A800 emulation for anybody who wants to make a tape VST. Just slap some simple waveshaping saturation code on it and a $99.95 price and it will sell. People tend to *hear* pink elephants anyway when a GUI looks real enough for them.

and

at the same time.

I mean come on people it's ridiculous. Use your ears.

I really like ToneBooster's ReelBus and Satin. Those are the best tape emulations for me. I have some real ones, too...

Cyoon · Post by **Cyoon** » Fri Aug 25, 2017 4:21 am

DuX wrote:I have some real ones, too...

Oh, could you delight us with some recordings so we could create presets with them? Like explained here?

viewtopic.php?f=31&t=394533

omiroad · Post by **omiroad** » Mon Sep 25, 2017 8:41 pm

Urs wrote:But then, thinking about Presswerk and the amount of work which had to go into its Views concept... and yet, one still has to load a preset, or initialize a view with something. My feeling is, this does not necessarily close the usability gap.

What I would do in FL Studio is make multiple presets for Presswerk's multiple views (you would nicely see thumbnails of them), and you could drag each of them in immediately.

M-Prod · Post by **M-Prod** » Fri Dec 10, 2021 7:19 am

A late vouch for simplified looks for satin. Love the looks on presswerk. Sometimes you need the full one, sometimes a quick template. Oh and I like you can switch to full mode but cannot switch back to the simplified ui! Well you van but to it loads a default state. It would be great if you could switch from extended to simple mode and only the values needed to comply to that template would change, but the others, e.g. ratio, threshold, remain their current value.

u-he

KVR Audio

Satin simple "look"