Universal Audio UAD Ampex ATR-102 – Extended Video Review
Russ gets his hands on the UAD Ampex ATR-102 tape emulation and puts it through its paces in this extended video. He takes a novel approach and looks at the effect it can have on different instruments rather than just as a mix-buss process. Find out more and get top Pro Tools and recording tips and tricks at http://www.pro-tools-expert.com
Background data:
It’s Not a Record Until it’s Mastered on an Ampex® Tape Machine.
For more than three decades, the two-channel Ampex ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder has turned music recordings into records. With its cohesive sound, punch, and ability to provide subtle-to-deep tape saturation and color, the ATR-102 is a fixture in major recording and mastering studios — and is considered by many engineers to be the best-sounding tape machine for final mixdown. The perfect complement to the workhorse Studer A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder, the ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder plug-in for UAD-2 can provide the final “analog polish” on your music, turning songs into albums.
Features
- Ampex®-authenticated plug-in emulation of the ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder — the most popular professional 2-track machine ever made
- Provides rich, cohesive tape sound, without the hassles of calibration, maintenance, tape degradation, etc.
- Models entire ATR-102 electronic path, including transformers, amplifiers, Repro, Sync, and Input paths
- Features multiple tape formulas, head configurations, and calibration levels
- Adjustable Wow, Flutter, Hiss, Hum, Crosstalk, and (L/R) Tape Delay
- Requires a UAD-2 DSP Accelerator Card available from authorized dealers worldwide
- View All Features
Impeccably modeled in the renowned UAD engineering tradition — and incorporating presets from noted ATR-102 users Chuck Ainlay, Richard Dodd, Buddy Miller, Mike Poole, and more — the ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder plug-in emulation for UAD-2 faithfully replicates the unique dynamics, frequency response, and saturation characteristics of the original hardware. Scrutinized and fully authenticated by the Ampex Corporation, the sound of the ATR-102 plug-in for UAD-2 is virtually indistinguishable from its analog cousin.
History
Introduced in 1976, the Ampex ATR-102 2-Track Tape Recorder was a near-instant hit, thanks to its revolutionary servo-controlled reel motors and capstan, which provided smooth, continuous tape tension and handling. The large capstan, and absence of pinch rollers, provided nearly non-existent speed drift and ultra-low flutter. The clever ATR-102 design allowed users to change out heads and guides in mere minutes, with a 1″ head being a very popular “hot-rod” modification in more recent years — especially when running at 15 IPS (inches per second). The ATR’s role in modern recording history is so prevalent, that it would be easier to list classic albums that weren’t mixed down on this machine, rather than to try to list all those that were.
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