Tape Plugin, Digi Reel Tape or DUY?

[Mike24]

Anybody try either of these two tape plugins for apparent features and adding warmth to mixes? If not, what are you guys using that can warm up the ITB mixes?

Thanks!

[Andreas G]

I have duy tape, it sounds very good to me. When across the mix buss, I think it's important to use it from the beginning. But actually there are a lot of saturation plugs you might try. Also leave enough headroom on the channels and busses (at least 10dB or so) to keep a smooth kinda analog sound. Not knowing if these are old news for you of course.

Best to add warmth for my taste is a vibey analog eq and/or a compressor inserted on the stereo buss, mainly the eq. I like old siemens w295b, they have those silky but still crisp highend and a round but clear bass, I know it sound kinda antithetic but that's how I hear it. Sometimes also a polygramm compressor (a smooth punchy discrete vca ssl style comp) but then a mildly RComp in opto mode can also do a nice job.

Good luck,

Andreas

[Mr.HOLMES]

No Plug In will sound like tape ever.
Look the parallel thread ....I have read all but: VST that seems real tape ? Help, I don't know how tape sounds...

[narcoman]

Digi Reel Tape over DUY any day. Reel Tape and Cranesong Pheonix are he better PT plugins doing this - both very subtle. Massey is great for a more extreme "groovey" tape vibe.

Even better - Portico 5042 or Anamod.

Even better - well maintained tape machine.

Even worse - poorly maintained tape machine.

[Igotsoul4u]

I think Reel tape is awesome. The whole bundle is even better. Best ITB flanger and delay ever.

[AMIEL]

I have Reel Tape and Massey Tape.
both great..but I think it depends with the track....none is the holy grail Sat plug in.....really depends of the track....so I try them both and choose the one sounds better...

[RoundBadge]

I pretty much gave up on the tape plugs.digi tape just makes everything sound smaller.
massey can add grit if you need it.phoenix can thicken things..but none sound like tape
The anamod is the closest thing yet
I'm using real tape machines agian
nothing comes close plug in wise

..

[Dirty Halo]

Originally Posted by Mr.HOLMES

No Plug In will sound like tape ever.[/URL]

Wow, that is simply incredibly ignorant.

Now, I'm a big analogue tape fan, own a Studer A80, also an Anamod, Portico 5042 and the plug-in Phoenix and many along the way.

The ONLY thing I can tell you is: "Never say never."

(Things are getting closer all the time, there will be a day whether you like it or not, try and open your mind. Or not. )

-andrews

[krytikal1]

my vote would be for the phoenix plugin as well. not tape, but sounds pretty great.

K

[patheticus]

Originally Posted by krytikal1

my vote would be for the phoenix plugin as well. not tape, but sounds pretty great.

K

I agree! I use phoenix a ton! It doesn't sound like "tape", but it really can bring tracks to life. The reel tape suite sounded more like tape to me at first(in the 1st 30 seconds) but in the end(in the mix) things always sounded better when the reel tape saturation plug in was bypassed. The Flanger and Delay were very cool though.

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by patheticus

I agree! I use phoenix a ton! It doesn't sound like "tape", but it really can bring tracks to life. The reel tape suite sounded more like tape to me at first(in the 1st 30 seconds) but in the end(in the mix) things always sounded better when the reel tape saturation plug in was bypassed. The Flanger and Delay were very cool though.

Aye but thats true when you've just done your DAW mix anyway - you put it to tape and it changes in not always the way you wanted. The advantage of things like Anamod, I guess - you get to hear the effect as you're doing the mix.

[SoundWeavers]

I don't have either, for tape texture I resort to Massey Tape Head.

[patheticus]

Originally Posted by narcoman

Aye but thats true when you've just done your DAW mix anyway - you put it to tape and it changes in not always the way you wanted. The advantage of things like Anamod, I guess - you get to hear the effect as you're doing the mix.

I used reel tape from the start of the mix on individual tracks. I kind of avoid plug-ins on the master buss. By the end of the mix something just sounded thin and muddy (weird combo I know) I bypassed all the reel tape saturation plugs, made a few adjustments and the mix was 10x better sounding.

I know every situation is different. I was just stating my experience.

[unit7]

I did some research tonight. Didn't get to a conclusion but felt to share my experiences.

Got demos (all TDM) of Massey, McDSP Analogue channel (wich also has tape sim), rented Digi Reel tape, ordered demo of DUY but unfortunately didn't get it tonight. I've got an 70's MCI 8 ch/1" machine wich I haven't used that much. But this thread got me curious so I hooked everything up to go...

Only listened to drums tonight. Had to start somewhere and drums is where I've always liked analogue than digital recording. I have been producing/session musician since the end of the 80's. Not much of a technical expert but I guess some things have sunk in after these years... And I know the sound of analogue tape...I believe....

Routed some prerecorded drums (96kHz/24bit) to a stereo bus, still ITB, and put the plugins there. Started with McDSP wich I think did a good job. Turned it off on the bus and worked with it on the individual tracks as well. They really came to life.

Then time for Digi Reel tape. Put it on the same bus (still only drums) and gained the input of the plug a little. I was impressed. Now that really sounded like tape IMO.

The Massey wouldn't work in stereo so I didn't work with it much.

Started to compare the McDSP and Digi though. At medium driven setting I felt I managed to make them sound pretty similar. At softer settings the Digi sounded more like tape and the McDSP more like the name of the plug, Analogue channel... At harder/extreme settings I may prefer the McDSP. Maybe except for one setting in the Digi wich is a lo-fi mode. Don't remember what the parameter was called but it gave a nice warm and trashy sound on extreme settings.

Now time for some real tape. Since I haven't worked a lot with my MCI a lot it took some time. The machine is a real sweety. Very few working hours (less than 100...) so the heads are mint. Before I brought it to my studio I got it tested and trimmed so I was a puzzled that it behaved a bit strange. It was hard to find two channels that behaved similar, so that was a set back. Some reservations here. But I finally got the drummix on two channels. Drove the tape just a bit harder than I'd usually do. Lost some lo end there. But when I compared to the plugs I felt the latter did a good job. Still with reservations about the condition of my MCI and that I only worked with drums. And of course, a well maintained Studer (and an experienced engineer) would be another story.

Lastly, I went back to the computer and started to put the plugs on individual tracks. Found out that I liked them best on snare, hh, tambourine and cowbell. Those tracks sounded so much nicer without much effort. Specially the tambourine and the cowbell wich I otherwise almost always dist or hi cut, to fit in mixes. I'm a very newbie on these plugs, but I guess you could find ways, maybe more subtle, with other instruments as well.

I got to keep working with the plugs. Also curious about the DUY. Got to get someone to look at my MCI too... The only thoughts about the two plugs in comparision tonight was that, even if the Digi maybe did a better simulation, I think I found the McDSP more useful. At least in the mix I worked with tonight. I'll keep posting about this, if someone cares...

[jmarkham]

Originally Posted by narcoman

Digi Reel Tape over DUY any day. Reel Tape and Cranesong Pheonix are he better PT plugins doing this - both very subtle. Massey is great for a more extreme "groovey" tape vibe.

Even better - Portico 5042 or Anamod.

Even better - well maintained tape machine.

Even worse - poorly maintained tape machine.

I agree .. Digi Reel Tape is pretty darn accurate as compared to DUY. The
DUY stuff is just plain weird. McDSP Analog Channel is pretty good too.

jeff

[doorknocker]

I love DUY Tape on the drum bus and basically only use it for that (sometimes). Love the simplicity of it.

The Massey compressor does a much better job for me on the Master bus than any Tape plug-in I've ever tried.

Call me stupid but with something like the McDSP Analog Channel there are just too many options for me. I want to concentrate on the mix itself and not fiddle with tons of 'Bias' options, especially in a simulation of the real (reel) thing.

With any 2bus processing I always try to remember that the mix will get mastered eventually and whether the processing is really necessary.

[Zeljko]

Now, I'm a big analogue tape fan, own a Studer A80, also an Anamod, Portico 5042 and the plug-in Phoenix and many along the way.


Hi Andrews,

I am having Portico 5042 on trial in my studio (Ivancica [music recording studio]) and was wondering
about the diff. between Anamod and Portico when I saw this post of yours.
Would you tell me your impressions since I am not able to try the ATS.
And , by the way, I have UA LA2A and wonder how does it sound against
176?!


Many thanks

[scott petito]

demoed the analog channel yesterday and was really impressed with the otari emulation.. it really did sound like my machine especially on vocals


cheers
SP

[sedohr]

I like the DUY plug and use it much but very seldom on the master bus though.

Kalli

[wheever]

I just need to throw in here Tritone Digital ColortonePro. It has a number of IRs of tape machines at various speeds and input levels, and I find it's vastly smoother and closer to analog than DUY. It's really F'n awesome. There's also a portico IR...actually, there are dozens of cool IRs.

Check out the demo before you spend cash on anything else!

[Mike24]

Thanks, I'll check that one out!