Softube Tape

[v1o]

Me too, but ST Tape is 100% algorithmic. Will report back after I try it on a few masters in the coming week!

ST Tape is nice and generally has quite a subtle on the source - so safe to put on the master bus. The other two tape sims to check out that are in the same vein are Fuse Audio Flywheel and Kiive Audio Tape Face.

[scott_free]

Me too, but ST Tape is 100% algorithmic. Will report back after I try it on a few masters in the coming week!

Did ST Tape make the cut?

[Hermetech Mastering]

I did buy it, I tried it briefly, but I still haven't got around to using it on a master.

[scott_free]

Hey, thanks for the update. Appreciate it.

My demo ran out last summer. I liked on tracks. Never tried it on a master. With black Friday around the corner, I'll probably pick it up if the price is right.

[Hermetech Mastering]

It's also cos I do most of my mastering in an old host that doesn't support 64 bit plugs, and the Softube stuff is 64 bit only. I am slowly getting around to transitioning to other software but need to find the right DAW and workflow that suits etc. I am thinking of trying Tape early in the chain for digital sounding mixes that could do with a bit of warming up. On my brief play I was liking how it sounded very much.

[Hermetech Mastering]

Had more of a chance to play with it in REAPER the last few weeks. Not feeling it, TBH. Aside from the obvious EQ changes it makes (that I'd rather do myself), I'm not a fan of the sound of the saturation, and find it hard to dial in the subtle amount I want. When I think I get it nice, I A/B with it out of the chain and am nearly always preferring it bypassed. Also, the EQ curves sometimes change completely depending on the tape speed (understandable up to a point, but shouldn't change this radically) or the native sample rate (unforgivable), so it's hard to know what was intended here. I could see it being great for creative use on tracks or busses in mixing, but it's no good for mastering, IMO. Could be I just don't like the sound of tape, of course.

I've since bought ToneProjects Kelvin, which was much closer to what I was looking for: very subtle, controllable, authentic analogue tone in the box.

[svyet]

Hi all, first post on KVR after reading on and off for some time, so please be kind.

I'm writing with a problem and a couple tips related to Tape.

Problem: Does anyone have any issues with strange high frequency artifacts (a "bitcrusher-like ringing sound") appearing when lowering the speed stability at all? For me it starts the moment you lower it to 99% and then gets progressively worse as you lower it more. The artifacts are present in exports. Someone on Reddit posted about it not too long ago as well (https://www.reddit.com/r/TechnoProducti ... sherstyle/), describing the same problem and posting files for review that he claims Softube customer service didn't notice any issues with. I don't have Live, but I was able to listen to the audio file that shows the isolated artifacts which mirror my issue exactly. I also don't have a Reddit account, so maybe someone here who does can reach out to direct that person here to stay in the loop. I reached out to Softube separately, and right away they said there have been others who inquired, and they are looking into it. They said to check back with them after some time for any progress - I'll forward anything I hear from them.

Tips: Also, on adding a subtle clean saturation sound (i.e. no distortion), it's not necessary to crank the "Amount" so high and introduce a bunch of compression/grit/coloration if that's not what you want (setting the Amount to 5 in a wet mix will usually give enough coloration without overdoing it). Instead, I remembered seeing a tip to simply lower the incoming signal then crank the Tape Input level to take advantage of the pre amp saturation (and/or distortion if you like). So, for clean saturation, I've gotten used to lowering the incoming signal by -20db (for initial headroom), max out the Tape Input (+12db), then adjust the incoming signal back up (usually right around -12db or less if there are no major signal spikes) so the Input meter is hitting under 0db. The Output can be left untouched - clipping should be resolved by adjusting the incoming signal level. Lowering the incoming signal can be achieved either by lowering the output of the preceding effect as in the past, but now you can simply adjust the incoming signal in Tape's extended features which then makes it easy to A/B by simply turning Tape on and off (assuming your pre-Tape levels are similar to Tape's output). I've used this method with pleasant results in tandem with a lower Amount setting (usually 5 or so). It's very subtle, but noticeable enough to put it on a variety of tracks that you're not wanting to touch with too much coloration. An additional deep warmth can also be added via the Crosstalk parameter depending on what you're using it on. In all, I think that with this plug-in, a lighter touch on all of the parameters together (except for maxing out the Input level) produces the best results for something subtle but noticeable with minimal coloration. Extreme settings do make for some really interesting and warm coloration too - just depends on what you're going for in any particular instance.

Also, as you've probably read, Softube's new Dirty Tape is complimentary, in tandem with a sale on Tape and Tape Echoes and a few other things on the Softube site until the end of today (January 31st).

Warm regards--

[sprnva]

It's also cos I do most of my mastering in an old host that doesn't support 64 bit plugs, and the Softube stuff is 64 bit only. I am slowly getting around to transitioning to other software but need to find the right DAW and workflow that suits etc. I am thinking of trying Tape early in the chain for digital sounding mixes that could do with a bit of warming up. On my brief play I was liking how it sounded very much.

I'm a bit late seeing this, but Softube (and some other developers) still host legacy installers for 32-bit systems.

If you still have Tape and want to try it in your preferred host you can get the 32-bit version from here.

[Hermetech Mastering]

Nah see above, I decided I didn't like Tape, and have also switched to a 64 bit host since then (about bloody time!) as well.

[TMaudio]

Had more of a chance to play with it in REAPER the last few weeks. Not feeling it, TBH. Aside from the obvious EQ changes it makes (that I'd rather do myself), I'm not a fan of the sound of the saturation, and find it hard to dial in the subtle amount I want. When I think I get it nice, I A/B with it out of the chain and am nearly always preferring it bypassed. Also, the EQ curves sometimes change completely depending on the tape speed (understandable up to a point, but shouldn't change this radically) or the native sample rate (unforgivable), so it's hard to know what was intended here. I could see it being great for creative use on tracks or busses in mixing, but it's no good for mastering, IMO. Could be I just don't like the sound of tape, of course.

I've since bought ToneProjects Kelvin, which was much closer to what I was looking for: very subtle, controllable, authentic analogue tone in the box.

Kelvin is a BEAST.

[Ploki]

I wouldn't use Softube Tape on a master. It's sort of subtle, but still too heavy handed for mastering in my opinion.
Satin is still the only tape sat i trust on master.

As far as Kelvin goes, it's so extremely useful i never imagined when I bought it. It's just so f**king easy to dial in, its tuned so well. It just sound good all the time, and when it's not perfect it takes 15 seconds to make it fit perfectly.

[zvenx]

i regret not buying Kelvin either at its initial sale or BF last year.
rsp

[Hermetech Mastering]

Just pay full price for it, I did. It's worth way more than that, and has already paid for itself about 100 times over since I bought it two months ago. Biggest game changer plugin purchase for me since Limitless first came out about a decade ago.