M. Sonier

July 14, 2014

A Warm Blanket

I was doing a mix for someone in LA and out of the few comments I received back, one was warm up the mix a little. I went through the various tape and "warmth" plugs in my collection but nothing did the trick. Having performed proper EQ adjustments throughout the mix, I still needed one final element. I decided to buy the ATR-102 and place it on my mix bus. It happened to be the missing link. Having a general knowledge of tape and after some in depth tweaking, I was able add the final touch of warmth to the mix. The ATR-102 was like a nice blanket the covered the overall mix. My advice to those using this is READ the manual. There are some useful tips, techniques, and essential tape knowledge that is key to using this plugin to its fullest.

M. Reategui

July 14, 2014

Awesome sound

Great tool for beefing up you mixes and also your mastered tracks, nice friendly interface a big plus.

D. Perez

July 13, 2014

Pretty much a default now.

I have this as a default in the mix buss in lots of my mixes now. It just brings everything together really quick. I love it. Hard to believe I was without it now. I suggest you not to test this plugin unless you're ready to buy it.

S. Mccoy

July 12, 2014

Early Returns Are Good!

I haven't had a lot of time to work with the ATR-102 plugin yet, but my initial impression is that it blows the doors off the Waves Kramer Tape plugin. Also, the very first song I mastered with it elicited a tremendous response from a very analog client, saying "whatever you did made it warm and gave it exactly what it was missing." So far, so good!

T. Darrell

July 10, 2014

It's like...

Imagine looking at the highest quality LCD, HD TV, with pristine colour and sharpness (which I'm comparing to digital sound), then imagine looking out of your window - that's what the 102 is like. When the settings are set right for your particular music, this plugin adds an analogue 3D depth which transcends description. I already use a Dangerous Music D-Box, and this takes things to another level.

This is smooth, and has a sound which draws one's ear in.

I scoured the net for info and opinions due to natural hesitation because of the price. Then I tried it out in demo, and only needed a day. Demo it for yourself... for any genre. I'm happy I got it on sale, but probably would have splurged.

Simply, yes.

L. Germano

July 10, 2014

The Best Rell to Rell Plug-in!!!!!!!

Enjoyed! Really he has a sound recorder Amplex. Sound is soft, prefect for mastering!

T. Warren

July 10, 2014

Not just for mastering!

Yes, the Ampex ATR-102 adds killer flavor to your mixes but I didn't realize how versatile and amazing it sounds on vocals.the Tape Delay feature is absolutely amazing. If you're looking for that Lennon sound, this is the plugin you want to get. Personally I would wait till it goes on sale because spending 350 on a plugin can be hard to justify but that's just me. At first I liked the Studer A800 better out of the two but the more I use the 102, the more I love it. Great plugin

M. Williams

July 10, 2014

Simply Aaaaaawwwwwwsome plugin

Now my mixes sound like a record. Great job UA!!!!!!!!

V. Uhov

July 10, 2014

Ampex ATR-102

did the work, the music and songs for the musical performance. Ampex ATR-102 used on the master in the demo mode. prepared material and made mixing with this Brilliant. later invited me to show the musical theater. I was amazed at the sound of my past work so sounded. I do not believe there is not that possible? one miracle plugin and this pattern of sound!

R. Klein

July 9, 2014

Love the Plug in

Its not the kind of plug-in that you work in solo mode for anything but checking the audio file content. This plug in is very subtle and needs to be run through its paces within the mix. Listen very carefully, the value is in the nuance!

I would not recommend using this plug in to morph a master bus, just give it that little last something after your compression that thickens the bus

I. Babayoff

July 8, 2014

GAME CHANGER.

great job uad.
GAME CHANGER.
its AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME on master bus. add the right Depth with every Mix.

I. Abdurraheem

July 8, 2014

Mix Finisher!!!!

I love this plugin as the final step before I add the limiter. I have tried it on the mix bus and sometimes it works for me and sometimes it doesn't. However, that isn't a deal breaker. I still believe, for my mixes at least, it's not finished until this plugin is applied. I can't say what it does exactly, but what it does I love.

Awesome,
Raheem

C. Cooley

July 3, 2014

This is a special plugin

I'm an intermediate mastering engineer. I've tried other brand tape machines and found dissatisfaction. I put this thing on a mix in my master session and I swear, it was like the cute skinny girl in college that came back after summer break filling out her jeans. She went from cute to, damn, flat out bad! How did that happen, so round, so nice a bottom. Had to have it. It completed my master. Its easy to use and has some complexity to it, but not overwhelming. Not that I tried but girl was not for sale, the plugin was which made that ass so much nicer! Get it.

A. Elliott

July 2, 2014

WTM BIGTIME!

Worth The Money. I got it on sale, but so worth the full price. Brings clarity and glue to my mixes like nothing else. Absolutely LOVEIT!

J. Cranman

June 30, 2014

Pretty Freakin Sweet

I'm going with 4 stars instead of 5 just because it's not real tape and their of course will always be some sort of analog magic, some ethereal sparkle that no digital device will ever re-capture. . . But this sounds awesome in it's own right and gets very close to my memories of nice tape machines. . . But it's kindof it's own thing. Adds a certain heft and density to the recording that is subtle but very very cool for taking tracks "over the edge". . .

T. Zimmerman

June 29, 2014

Fantastic Recreation

What I love about the ATR-102, is the sound.
While you can push it to extremes for effect purposes, for me it is the subtle quality it imparts when you use it as you would the actual machine(s). Tape saturation and compression should be subtle, if the machine is set up properly. The ATR-102 gives you all the options of the real thing, with a variable sonic signatures you get from various tape speeds and formulations. This plug-in won't work magic, but it will finesse your mix to bring out some hidden qualities, which is part of the charm of tape. I actual wish UA had given us the sound of the head engaging just to round out the overall package.
Excellent plug-in, well worth the price.

E. Parise

June 27, 2014

Utterly Amazing! A Must Have!

I was at Sweetwater Gearfest and went to the UA workshop with Ryan West. He shared how the ATR-102 just has magic behind it and was he ever so right. I put this on the Master Bus of a track and the song just came alive. My favorite part is the ability to tweak the Repro High Frequency and Low Frequency knobs and Bias. Adjusting these different knobs turns the tape machine into a living EQ that gives warmth and air to the top end and tightens up the low end giving that true record sound. Utterly Amazing! A Must Have!

S. Key

June 19, 2014

Grown Man — Cried Like A Baby!

Having owned the predecessor AG-440C, I missed the warmth and analog 'glue' in all my 24/88 ITB mixes. I kept complaining to my mixing/mastering guy about the brittle sound—a bit too clean & sterile.

I've had this plug for less than a day and plopped it into the first slot of a finished mix. (Slot 2 contains Ozone 5.)

I started going through the presets and tears came to my eyes—tears of joy... Hell, I cried like a baby!

I instantly heard a radio-ready master.

My problem now is deciding which finished sound is right for each Golden Master—and I probably have to remaster several projects I've put to bed. It'll be worth it!

And I'm doing this on a MacBook Pro.

Damn impressive UAD and thank you AMPEX for partnering up!

S. Derose

June 16, 2014