Slate Digital VTM Virtual Tape Machines

Slate Digital Virtual Tape Machine is a software plug-in to be used inside a DAW. Installation is performed after a direct download of the software from the slatedigital.com website. Authorization is achieved on an iLok2.

This plug-in can be used to simulate the sound of your tracks being recorded to tape. There have been many people dissatisfied with the digital recording medium for sounding sterile in comparison to tape. To this day it is common for mastering engineers to bounce a mix to tape just to capture that extra punch of having the music on tape.

If you think your recordings sound too digital, this plug-in might help you solve that problem. You might also want to check out the Virtual Console Collection from Slate Digital that emulates the sound of analog hardware.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

This plug-in is easy to use. The main control is to set the simulated level of the input signal to the tape. Increasing the input level will add more 'saturation' to the signal, similar to what happens if you record loud signals to tape. Apart from that, you can select tape speed as either slow/fast. A slower tape speed emphasizes lower frequencies. 'Bias' allows you to control if the plug-in emphasizes low or high frequencies as well. You can select between single channel tape simulation for individual tracks, or 2 channel tape simulation for mix-down by emulating a mastering tape machine. You can also select between two different kinds of magnetic tape from different manufactures. These last two controls are really subtle and probably only important for the most anal engineers and tape aficionados.

Hidden under the settings panel are controls for tape hiss (if you really want to sound realistic), and bass emphasis. One of the main reasons people like the sound of tape is that it beefs up the low-end, perfect for bass guitar and drums. This control allows the user to dial in the desired about of extra 'umph to the low-end.

OVERALL OPINION

This plug-in does a good job of making your tracks sound like they were recorded to tape. I have never seriously recorded with tape, so I can't make a direct comparison of how well it simulates tape. I can also say, that I have no desire to buy a tape machine and tape, and have to maintain the whole set-up. However, I would like my recordings to sound like they were recorded to tape. I'd prefer to have a close simulation that have to deal with the hassles of the real thing.

VTM is the most accurate emulation that I have used. I also own Waves Kramer MPX Master Tape. I prefer to uses the MPX plug-in when I want heavy tape-saturation effects. I really like MPX for the extreme effects, but think VTM does a better job on gluing all my tracks together when used subtly. I don't really like how VTM sounds when you really overdrive the input.

A few small things to be aware with VTM - it is extremely CPU intensive, and adds over 2000 samples of delay to your tracks when inserted.

The Slate Digital Virtual Tape Machines has some really useful features. If you are into digital recordings then this is a plug in that you need to invest in. This system is modeled from the old school analog tape recorders (16 track). The tape reels are synced with your transport controls in your program/DAW so that if you start or stop it will start or stop with it. The Virtual Tape Machines has two different tape speeds that you can choose from very easily and they are 15 ips and 30 ips along with 2 different tape formulations.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

This software plug in works great with my system and has never crashed or had any sort of errors so far. I have not had this installed long so it will be interesting to see how it will hold up over the course of the next year within my DAW. It seems to be very stable so far though and was very easy to set up and only took a few minutes to get the swing of it. It is a very basic plug in but gives you great control.

OVERALL OPINION

My favorite aspect about it is that if you are into that vintage feel and want to control your tape speed and add some other things to it you will be able to accomplish those things in a digital format. I am more of an old school guy and I actually remember using the real Tape Machines way back. So this is kind of a refreshing feeling working with this plug in. It is very affordable costing only 200 USD and can be purchased and downloaded instantly. Or you can opt for the boxed version to be mailed to your house. But either way you will have a manual to read to help you with installation and understanding how it works. It is a true gem, and gives you some great options to use like noise reduction and auto mute.

The installation was never complicated in Slate; We launch the installer, we follow the march forward, we choose the type of plugin, "There you go."
No incompatibilities identified.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

I'm running the plugin on a Mac Pro recently, with 32GB of RAM. I turn on ProTools 10 and 11 standard Mac OS X Mavericks.

A few bugs here and there on ProTools, but the updates are regular, and 90% of the problems have been resolved at this time.
The configuration is generally stable except for a few minor flaws that persist residual display a few times.

FYI, with a normal session mix (80 tracks), I can run my usual plugins in addition to 81 iterations of VTM (80 16 tracks - one for each track, a last half in the bus to finish)

OVERALL OPINION

I use it since the end of last year. I hesitated to take the plunge since I have the Magnetic versions bundle at DSU, and that this is a direct competitor.
Slate fewer options, fewer bands and fewer potential effects, it may be the only drawback I see with this plugin.

That is; Slate has clearly become one of my favorite plugins platforms; Everything they do turns to gold, and here is quite appropriate.
After reading the documentation, we learn that it is better to make a chain close to reality; The documentation is very precise and not give bad examples.

So the best thing to do is to spend VTM first, where could follow VCC to add color to a console.

The coloring is subtle, adding harmonics is amazing, and the distortion created is beautiful, never too far and therefore never really uninteresting.
Calibration is a positive, even if I rarely need. Control of wow and flutter would be worth a little further, and I admit that adding an extra step would not refuse just to have a panel of higher tones.

But here; The plugin sounds, and it sounds really good.
Since November, all my mixes have this office plugin, and I'm not likely to take it off anytime soon.

For my part, Slate VTM replaced UAD and Waves I could have previously versions.

I recommend loudly, it's a plugin that you will not regret!

Yes yes no problems, no incompatibilities encountered not need the visual manual step is sufficiently
clear without it.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

Mac pro quad core 101 3.2 gigas gigas ram SNOW 10.6.8. So yes heat is present once again the effect is noticeable, but is both subtle and I like that feeling, like when you sleep mix
on a real machine, the congratulations gars.pourtant until now I swore that by my AMPEX ATR 102 and also the UAD Studer A 800. but here the choice will be difficult, so the grain is there. The krammer
tape is no slouch either, I'll have it adapted to suit the situation.

OVERALL OPINION

Yes I have tried just about the best, but this one fascinates me, it makes everything nice on a track, in fact I think that's the final word, I saw that it combined the m ' actually 4 so far.