Your favorite Tape plugin in 2023? [#POLL]

[DCrown]

The best sounding for me is the IK stuff. But Christ is it heavy on CPU.

It's very subtle, though, isn't it?
It's like adding a piece of nothing to audio.
But with age 30+ your ears get worse, so maybe I should not test or review tape plugins any more...

[martinjuenke]

ValDelay.jpg

We need a duct tape plugin though (for ducking and mix glue).

IMG_7872.jpeg

[miloszz]

I have Satin and the UAD plugins but rarely use them - the effect is so subtle it's mostly lost on me for what I do (not mixing and mastering) until it's cranked into obvious effect territory. So I end up using SketchCassette most often - if obvious effect might as well make it very obvious.

I've been tempted by the IK multimedia sale on their tape machines, though. I've been enjoying committing to audio early and resampling a lot, so the CPU hit isn't really a worry. Make a loop, render through tape, etc.

[Alchemedia]

Softtube Tape for me. It just sounds great

With Studio One it's a no-brainer via Mix FX.

[multree]

Free for a short time: Thenatan Tape

Code "Tape23" at https://www.thenatan.store/p/tape-lofi-plugin/

Thanks for the heads up.
Looks nice, unfortunately no mac version.

[Download SOphist]

There is a Mac version, they send you the link after you “purchase” it. Found it underwhelming, though.

[Robmobius]

It's like adding a piece of nothing to audio.

If you say so.

[Sinisterbr]

I'm missing Voxengo CRTV Tape in this pool.

[El°HYM]

I am missing Neurontape 1972 in this poll.

[cptgone]

The best sounding for me is the IK stuff. But Christ is it heavy on CPU.

It's very subtle, though, isn't it?
It's like adding a piece of nothing to audio.
But with age 30+ your ears get worse, so maybe I should not test or review tape plugins any more...

I used to play my vinyl records only once - to record to tape (musicassette).
The effect didn't seem all that "subtle" to me. When I finally could afford a CD player, I switched and never looked back.
Ironic how I now own several tape plugins

Surprising how (AFAIK) no plugin offers a choice of tape brands

[Lotuz2019]

I used to play my vinyl records only once - to record to tape (musicassette).

When I finally could afford a CD player, I switched and never looked back.

Exactly what I used to do! I couldn't stand vinyl crackle and pops. And now I use lofi plugins to add crackle and pops.

[Lotuz2019]

Surprising how (AFAIK) no plugin offers a choice of tape brands

The IK Multimedia tape plugins do.

250: Modelled after the 3M/Scotch 250 formula, it is the most colored of the four formulas. It went in production around 1974 and delivers a warm tone with slightly more distortion and saturation than the other formulas included in the package.

456: Modelled after the Ampex 456 formula, this model went into production around 1974. Perhaps the most widely used tape, it contributed the most to what is considered “the” tape sound. It offers a warm, round tone with a slight touch of saturation that greatly responds to the recording level.

GP9: Modelled after the Quantegy GP9 formula, this tape accepts higher levels of signal with minimal distortion and compression. It’s very punchy and perfect for modern, high quality analog recordings.

499: Modelled after the Ampex 499 formula, this tape is designed to handle a great amount of level with minimal distortion and compression. It also exhibits added high frequency definition that makes it perfect for printing “digital-like” recordings, while still maintaining an analog sound.

35: Modelled after the BASF LPR35, this is the formula TASCAM recommends for an optimal balance between warmth and precision on the TASCAM 388.

911: Modelled after the BASF SM911, this is the formula TASCAM recommends for an optimal balance between warmth and precision on the TEAC A-6100 MKII and TEAC A-3340S.

SketchCassette does several types and grades, but no real brands like TDK or Maxell.

[v1o]

Voted for Softube Tape - it's possible that its not the best tape sim, but its the one I know and have used most.

IK Tape Machine Collection does something unpleasant to the phase which I wouldn't trust to put on the master bus.

[imrae]

I have some newer (higher-tech?) options but Reelbus 4 is the one I actually use. I really like the drive (actually emphasis/de-emphasis?) EQ section which makes it easy to dial in which part of the signal gets hit. High-end tape recording doesn't mean a lot to me, but this is a nice tool to soften transients or smear out part of a busy signal.

[mementus]

Is it enough to put a single instance of one of these (i.e reelbus 4) on the mixbus to have a tape feel, or is it too little?
Thanks