What One Plugin Could You Not Live Without When Mixing?

That Ampex ATR-102 is on 100 % of my mixes as well. It fits every genre of music and you can do so much with it in terms of sculpting the sound.

Could you recommend another plugin as good as Ampex? I'm on UAD Spark, but at the moment we have only Studer and Oxide.

Any thoughts on Acustica Taupe? I like its soft clipping compression and glue more than other tape plugins I've tried (though I haven't tried UA) but sometimes the eq shift is too drastic, even if it's realistic.

it is the best 100%

Sonible Smart Eq would be a tough one to give up

I like my studer j37. Forget the softube rubbish. I tried other ones - they don't impress at all.

Always in my mix bus since long time !!! works really well also in combination with other transformer plugin (the true Iron, P42)

im not an engineer. im an artist/producer but when i produce i do so with the idea of how i actually want this mix to sound for the record im working on. I have this on my mixbus always. i was lucky and got it for $20 on a bunch of coupons and during a sale and its just helped me on this project that im working on.

Agree

Uhe Satin! Acoustica Audio Taupe is good also!

Amazing - Would be on board the the train to see your process with this plug in especially after 10 years of experience with it. Very easy plug in to dial in ~ totally not a 'magic setting for all' type plug in, but would be interested to hear you talk more about it while talking about some of the controls.

Audio Animal, do you use it in every track or in every bus in your mixes?

Sonimus Britson

And you get this marvel included in the LUNA Pro bundle along with the API summing. Incredible

Have you tried combining the ATR-102 and the A800? All I have to say is... try it!

I'm sure that tape plugin is great but, doing a mix with just that and no eqs or compressors would be quite the challenge!

Whenever someone asks me this question, the answer is always a channel strip plug-in

I couldnt agree more with everything you say. It just works and gives a mix a really nice vibe . I tend to mix into itl from the start.

ive just done a whole record using the uad studer a800 on every bus and the 2bus. its transformed my mixes and the way i work. cant wait for uad to make the ampex native so i can this out !

100% true

Unfortunately, the Ampex ATR-102 isn´t Native, and only works with Apollo hardware. :( I´ve recently invested in a LOT of Apollo/Native plugins, and I like them a lot. I´ve used their Studer Tape machine for the same purpose, as well as the Softube Tape, and WAVES Eddie Kramer Tape, and they all add something positive to the mix, and give it a certain polish and warmth. If UA finally makes the ATR-102 a Native plugin, I will definitely buy one when they have their next big sale. Thanks for the tip.

Cupwise Ax102 here although Nebula is a quirky PITA. Fidelity is the best though IMO.

Agreed - that is my fav. plugin of UAD. I quit UAD a year ago because of the antiquated ecosystem , and them never updating plugins, but i CANT wait for this to be released natively. I think they are delaying this just to punish me :).

I thought it was just me, that thing is magical.

have you tried IK tapes?

Can you do a video how you setup and use the atr 102 🙌

Hi Paul. How does this plug in compare to the Roger Mayer 542's that you use? Do you use one more than the other?

Good speech

100% yes, on every mix. It is "the finishing touch".

I’m used to Studer....will demo and test ATR now for another two weeks 😂

The UAD Ampex ATR-102 is now available as a native plugin. Just bought it, finally 😀

thank you for your interesting review. Today this plugin was released in the Native version with a big discount. However, as far as I know, there is no delay control option. What can you say about the UAD Studer A800 Tape Recorder? how do you compare these two plugins?

Just paid $37.59 @ PluginBoutique. What a steal !

PRO Q3. 

I believe The equalizer is the most simply but effective and fundamental tool you can use to make a mix to breathe and shine. If you carefully equalize everything you don't even need compression to shape a sound or to make the various elements interacting between them without masking when "competing" in the same frequency range.

It really is a fantastic plugin. It can bring a polish and finished quality to a mix. Love it!

do you need Luna to use it though?

I would agree.....just sounds better than other Tape plugins for some reason......just has more of a wider bottom and pushed the mix forward.......it definately puts a Pro Tone on the Mix

The god particle

Would you use Ampeg 102 before say "God Particle" or after it? Im interested...

yes hardware good but Nowadays, it is much more developed and offers the opportunity to work faster. Especially in a world where music is consumed quickly and listened to on mobile phones, the final listener will never understand the difference between hardware and software.:)

You suggest adding every track or adding mix bus?

XLN RC-20.

So just one of ampex on each bus? Or one on the master also?

It´s now Native, and I just bought it on sale today!!!! :)

Hey, thanks for the vid. I just found it smacked the transients a bit...prob not as bad as some. Do you have some example mixes/tracks on Spotify that you are really happy with that I could reference?

I tried the ATR with my Spark subscription and yea it is really nice. So far still like my Neve 542 more, but combined and using the ATR on my Mixbusses is truly awesome! Cheers

Your review made me buy it now

If you guys want to pick up the native vst dont buy it alone. Pick up the magnetic bundle which includes the studer 800 as well for $49 in total with the discount code they offer. Great deal 😀

My Power point plug.

I haven´t tried it, but I couldn´t imagine in what way it could be better than Acustica Audio´s Taupe....

Thought the plugin was expensive intil I realized the old damn thing cost €10.000 on Reverb! What happened with CDs??? 😂