IK Multimedia T-racks Tape Machine Collection

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

For everybody to note... Sorry that I provided some incorrect info about the sampling rate above and was corrected by our devs. The internal magnetic recording physical model works at 384 kHz, not 192.

This explains why these emulations sound so accurate. As many here know, analog tape recorders work with a signal that linearises the tape medium (this is simplifying, I know), and the frequency of this signal is always well outside the audio band (for example on the Studer it is 150 kHz). To allow the physical model to run the internal sampling rate can’t be lower than the double of that or this and the true characteristics of the tape machine could not be replicated with authenticity.

This increases CPU load, of course, but as stated above it is the only way to faithfully reproduce what the tape machine/recorder does. Yes, there are already tons of “tape saturators”, but we didn’t wanted to make another one of those. The T-RackS Tape Machine Collection plug-ins are a true digital replica of what happens on the real system as a whole.

[mcbpete]

Peter - Your web team might need to reword the T-RackS 5 MAX page now:

T-RackS 5 MAX gives you all the processors included in T-RackS 5 Deluxe plus all the individual gear models available in T-RackS Custom Shop.

Was looking forward to having these nice new machines as part of my Max collection, but guessing it isn't to be ...

IK doesn't add to their max bundles after purchase. It's the "max" as of time of purchase unlike say Waves and their bundle additions. As far as I can recall, it's always been like this with IK.

Looks like they were on the case and the above now reads:

T-RackS 5 MAX gives you a massive 38 included processors, spread from contemporary classics like our multiband Quad Lim, our ultra-transparent mastering tool .....

[simmo75]

So if you buy the T-Racks 5 Max crossgrade you get T-Racks Tape Machines included?

[mcbpete]

Unfortunately no: Yesterday the website read that that in the T-Racks 5 Max you'd get 'all the processors included in T-RackS 5 Deluxe plus all the individual gear models available in T-RackS Custom Shop.' (which read as if you got everything including the just released Tape Machines and the recent Leslie T-Racks bundle) but now it specifies you get '38 included processors' and doesn't mention the gear in the T-Racks Custom Shop

[Reefius]

Does anyone actually still believe that marketing bullsh*t from IKM? A 'true digital replica'... Hilarious. I say it's poorly written code causing the big CPU hit.

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

Does anyone actually still believe that marketing bullsh*t from IKM? A 'true digital replica'... Hilarious. I say it's poorly written code causing the big CPU hit.

People using it and reporting that these sound very accurate and VERY good seem to believe it... because it is true. And the reasoning for CPU hit is valid too, as others also seem to understand. It is explained above, technically and via information from our CTO who is one of the most talented DSP (and hardware - he has repaired and built pro audio hardware including working on some very high end consoles in Italy) designers/developers in the business.

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

We also have posted a quick 5.2.1 update in your IK User Area.

What’s New
- Fixed an issue with delay compensation affecting audio playback and export
- Fixed an issue in the VST instance rendering silence at start of exported audio file
- Fixed a possible crash on export in DAW
- General reliability fixes

To note: While there aren't CPU optimizations in this update and the internal sampling rate is the largest factor as mentioned above, there will likely be other optimizations as would happen with any .x.0 release (well, now .x.1) along the way as we've done with some of the other processors.

[mcbpete]

Perhaps in a future build there could be something like: one setting for internal sample rate for realtime playback and another internal sample rate for render time ?

[Elektronisch]

We also have posted a quick 5.2.1 update in your IK User Area.

What’s New
- Fixed an issue with delay compensation affecting audio playback and export
- Fixed an issue in the VST instance rendering silence at start of exported audio file
- Fixed a possible crash on export in DAW
- General reliability fixes

To note: While there aren't CPU optimizations in this update and the internal sampling rate is the largest factor as mentioned above, there will likely be other optimizations as would happen with any .x.0 release (well, now .x.1) along the way as we've done with some of the other processors.

Peter, talking about the updates...IK engeneers broke the resizing on different scaling. Im using 1440p resolution with 125% scaling, before the update i was able to resize the plugins to be as small as V4, after todays update i cannot do that unless i make scaling 100 in windows.

Would be nice if IK would fix the introduced "bug" Now the clipper on the smallest size takes 1/6 of the 32 inch screen.

[chaibuka]

One thing I don't understand and I'm going to be kinda general here is that why wouldn't you just put one on the master and do that? Is it like VCC where it's best to put it on all channels?

Same question-because of the high CPU would these be great on just on the master buss near final stages of mixing.

[Saukar30]

Probably just hungry. They are meant for mixing maybe and thus require the changing of buffer settings?

Yes, they are meant for mixing/mastering for sure, but I did reply with this on Gearslutz which may help (and also get to the heart of the matter: the actual sound/sonic quality of these great plugins):

On a set of complex tape plugins like T-RackS Tape Machine Collection the CPU is not going to be light utilization because in order to replicate the sound of these machines we really needed to go deep. Note that the internal sampling rate of these processors is [edit: corrected] 384kHz, and the physical model of the magnetic recording process is running at that sample rate so as to sound completely analog (meaning no aliasing nor artifacts).

It is important to note that these processors are not saturators, they are accurate emulations of what happens on the real deal tape machines down to the finest sonic detail and the way they sound should really explain this more than words. It would be great to discuss the sonic quality of these processors, too, since that's the whole reason they exist and why they may be more intensive than you may have expected before you hear the end result which should explain.

I didnt see this post at first, but that does make sense why these effects are so CPU hungry. Im not gonna pretend that Im an engineer or anything either.

I used each of the models in my old outdated discontinued DAW Orion on 8 different light instrument tracks (a piano, 2 stereo drum tracks, 5 synth tracks) track to test it out. The CPU stayed around 40-50%, each with a instance of the TR5 Suite plugin that hosts all of the T-Racks vsts. Orion uses a single core, so I expected that behavior, but there were no glitches or super terrible behaviorial problems on my system (I have an older i7 Dell with 32 GB of Ram). In Reaper, each instance used about 5% spread across 8 cores.

I guess the best usage of this would be the final stages of mixing or mastering. If youre qorking with stems or just regular audio files this is perfect for that type of sound. It really sounds good.

Maybe IK should really state a disclaimer including what you just said Peter regarding how these effects are modeled at such a high rate. It just helps to know that kind of info before testing/purchasing and could save yall a lot of technical support questions. That being said, the results of what you get I believe really strongly outweigh the CPU usage.

[MadDogE134]

yeah it eats about 22% on my setup but dang they DO sound nice Peter may be worth nabbing even if i have to print stems but would be great as a final touch on the main bus as one just stated or for mastering for that matter. all i can say is... "Damn you Peter and IK" lol cheers

[bmanic]

These really do sound damn fine. There's absolutely no denying it.

.. sigh. I still think I can live without them.

[Aloysius]

But when the price doubles, will you be sorry then?

[simmo75]

These really do sound damn fine. There's absolutely no denying it.

.. sigh. I still think I can live without them.

How do they compare to Taupe?
If you had to get one, which would it be?
I was considering Taupe and then this appears... It’s cheaper too.