Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob Womack
Here's the deal with analog tape: it had two things going against it:
1. Right up until the end of analog tape machines, all tape machines exhibited a low-end playback "head bump" in frequency response. It wasn't until the last generation, around 1990, that a manufacturer beat that.
2. From the moment you recorded on analog tape, it was in the process of what is called "High-end relaxation." That meant from the moment a signal was recorded on the tape, the high-end was going away. You could record on the tape today and come back and ask, "Why on earth was I marveling about my high-end yesterday?" Once it was documented, high-budget albums were mixed, and their mixes were rushed across town to the mastering engineer before they relaxed too far. Each copy generation of the album exaggerated both the high-end loss and the low end bump. There was also increase distortion with every generation. You could tell the difference if you got the first pressing and the second by the loss of high-end, increased low-end, and increased distortion, especially if they used a safety copy for the album master rather than the cutting master.
That, rounded off high-end, increased low end, and a bit of gentle distortion, is the effect that is being emulated with tape emulators. There are really good emulators like the Ampex ATR-102. I spent years mixing and mastering to that tape deck. It is good, but it isn't cheap.
Bob
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Have you tried the UAD Ampex ATR-102 plug in? Gets good reviews. Some saying if used on the Master bus it does help glue the mix.
Or, does it suffer from the High end loss as well? Or does it keep the integrity of the highs?
Unfortunately I am still intrigued by the concept of tape sound. It seemed like it was easier to get a basic sound with tape. And as others have mentioned probably because tape naturally rounded and compressed a bit. So mistakes, harshness from dynamics were slightly tamed and less noticeable. But then again...I certainly don't want to loose the Highs & their harmonics that this new age of DAW recording allows. UAD is offering Any two plug ins for $99 until the 1st. Trying not to spend money! But don't want to pass on something I might like as well.
There is always this internal fight within me. When I used tape (Teac 3340 4 track)), I thought it was easy to get a good sound...But I always wanted more openness. It was smooth, but lacked the detail I wanted. In the digital world I get more openness & detail, but I yearn for a little bit of roundness.