AudioThing Reels

Tape Saturation - A character driven emulation of a consumer tape machine. 

What it is:
A tape saturation plugin with built delay, and more. 

How we use it:
Bring tape saturation and imperfection to a track.

Why it’s cool:
AudioThing presents a maintenance-free solution to the wonderful world of analog.AudioThing Reels | Tape Machine Emulation 

REEL TO REEL 
Reels is a tape emulation plugin with built-in echo section and tape-stop effect.

Based on an old Japanese portable tape recorder with a very distinct Lo-Fi analog sound, Reels emulates all the imperfections of consumer reel-to-reel recorders.

We have modeled three different 1/4” tape frequency responses and saturations, along with all the analog imperfections of tape recording/playback.

Reels will add a very rough retro analog sound to your mixes. If you are looking for a Hi-Fi mastering tape emulation, this is not the plugin for you!

PORTABLE TAPE RECORDER
Reels is based on a vintage Japanese reel to reel, ironically marked as High Fidelity, found in a distressed state at a local flea market. Most of these consumer tape recorders, also due to their age, produce has a very rough Lo-Fi analog sound.

During recording or playback, the motor noise somehow bleeds in, along with the usual tape hiss, limiting the actual bandwidth available on the tape.

Reels recreates all the imperfection of consumer reel-to-reel vintage recorders, including:

• Harshness, harmonic distortion with loss of clarity (mid-range)
  
• WOW/Flutter, pitch instabilities due to recording and playback issues
  
• Ducking, random volume loss due to tape or rec/play head imperfections
  
• Crosstalk, the leak between left and right channel in a stereo signal
  
• Hiss, high-frequency noise caused by the magnetic particles in the tape
  
• Motor, mid-frequency noise caused by the reels motor

TAPE STOP
When pressing stop on a reel-to-reel player, the tape doesn’t stop immediately. Instead, it slows down creating a pitch down and fade out effect. You can replicate this effect with Reels, and you can also control the speed of the tape stop.

TAPE MODELING
We’ve modeled three different tape types, from ruined to NOS (new old stock) state.
The tape types are named after the country of origin: JP (Japan), IT (Italy), FR (France).

• JP Used tape but with an overall better frequency response
  
• IT New old stock but with a limited frequency response
  
• FR Overused and badly stored, very bad state
  

Each tape will affect the sound in different ways, especially at higher feedback settings when using the Echo section.

WOW/Flutter, Ducking, and other parameters will also change according to the selected tape, creating different amount of pitch and volume changes.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Vintage Tape Emulation
  
• Tape Stop Effect
  
• Echo Section
  
• 3 Tape types
  
• Hiss and Motor noise with Envelope
  
• 50 Presets
  
• Resizable Window
  
• Preset system with randomizer
  

Compatibility
Minimal Requirements:  

• Windows 7, 8, 10 (64 bit)
• Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon 64 X2, 4 GB RAM
• VST2, VST3, or AAX, 64-bit host
• OS X 10.7 – macOS 10.14
• Intel Core 2 Duo, 2 GB RAM
• VST2, VST3, AU, or AAX, 64-bit host

Installation Instructions
Instructions:
- Register your account here: https://www.audiothing.net/account/signup/
- Confirm your email address and log in here: https://www.audiothing.net/account/
- Click on the "Redeem code" page to get the installers and license
How to use installed plugins in Ableton Live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2VjFjUhlR4

1. If Ableton Live is closed, open it and skip to #5.
2. If Ableton Live is already open, go to Preferences.
3. Go to Files & Folder.
4. Click "Rescan plugins".
5. Find the plugin in the Ableton plugins folder in the sidebar.
6. Drag-and-drop the plugin onto your track at the bottom of the screen.

How to use installed plugins in Logic Pro X: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_dhy1wSIdI

1. Open Logic Pro X. Newly installed plugins should be detected automatically every time Logic is opened.
2. If you've downloaded an effect or utility plugin, these can be used on an insert for any track in the mixer.
3. Create a software instrument track if you downloaded a virtual instrument plugin.
4. Under Default Patch, go to AU Instruments and choose the plugin you just installed.

How to use installed plugins in Avid Pro Tools: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pm5QZ48MtuA

1. Open Pro Tools. Newly installed plugins should be detected automatically every time Pro Tools is opened.
2. If you've downloaded an effect or utility plugin, these can be used on an insert for many types of tracks (Audio, Aux, Instrument, Master Fader...)
3. If you’ve downloaded a software instrument, create a new Instrument track.
4. Navigate to the Mixer and locate the newly created Instrument track.
5. Select the desired instrument plugin by clicking on any of the Inserts on the Instrument track.

How to Install plugins to Garage Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_NmmTYMNhQ

1. Go to the Reverb SYNC Software and plugin Collection.
2. Choose your desired plugin.
3. Reverb will auto-detect your platform, so simply click the download button.
4. Continue the installation process by following the prompt.
5. Hover your mouse over the smart control button.
6. Click Show Inspector icon.
7. Click on plugins and choose your desired plugin.

Audio Thing Registration:

• To register your plug-in, you should have a valid license file (*.atl).
  
• Go to https://www.audiothing.net/account/signup/ to register your license.
  
• Inside the plug-in window, click on the More button and then choose Registration.
  
• A popup window will open, click on “Load License File…” and locate your license file.