Ampex® ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder
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It's not a record until it's mastered on an Ampex® tape machine.
The UAD Ampex ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder plug-in and LUNA Extension provides the final “analog polish” to your music, turning your recordings into records. Fully authenticated by the Ampex Corporation and trusted by Platinum‑selling professionals the world over, the ATR‑102 plug‑in faithfully captures the unique dynamics, colorful frequency response, and tape saturation of this industry‑standard Ampex machine.
Add analog polish to your mixes with the most popular professional 2‑track tape machine ever made
Harness classic Ampex tape saturation, selectable tape types, and color to "glue" your mix together
Process your audio through the entire ATR‑102 circuit, including its transformers, amplifiers, Repro, Sync, and Input paths
Use the ATR‑102 LUNA Extension to produce rich, analog tape‑infused master recordings
Learn to Add Slapback Delay to Drums
Grammy-winning engineer Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton) and the Ampex ATR‑102 Mastering Tape Recorder plug‑in.
The Most Popular Professional 2‑Track Ever Made
With its cohesive sound, punch, and ability to provide subtle‑to‑deep tape saturation and color, the ATR‑102 has remained a fixture in major recording and mastering studios worldwide since 1976.
The ATR‑102 Mastering Tape Recorder plug‑in and LUNA Extension 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 UAD ATR‑102 plug-in is virtually indistinguishable from its analog ancestor.
Now Fully Integrated into LUNA Recording System
With LUNA Recording System, you can now use the Ampex ATR‑102 as a LUNA Extension, where it's built into the fabric of the mixer without the need to manage separate plug-in windows. This gives you rich, album‑ready Ampex tape tones on LUNA's master fader and buses — with all the authentic dynamics, frequency response, and saturation characteristics of the original machine.
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Authentic Calibration Controls and Tape Types
Like the ATR‑102 hardware, the plug-in allows you to choose between various Signal Paths (Input, Sync, Repro), different Tape Speeds / Emphasis EQs (NAB, CCIR, AES) and Tape Formula (GP9, 456, 900, 250) combinations — even including home/consumer tape. You can also use the adjustable Tape Delay feature for Automatic Double Tracking effects on vocals, guitars, and more.
Grammy-winning Presets
Get inspired with presets from longtime ATR‑102 users Chuck Ainlay (Chris Botti, Mark Knopfler) Richard Dodd (Wilco, Robert Plant), Buddy Miller (Martina McBride, Emmylou Harris), Mike Poole (Keith Urban, Dolly Parton) and more. Use these presets as a starting point and season to taste on your mixes — you'll marvel at the cohesive, rich sound that can only come from an Ampex tape machine.
“I set the UAD ATR-102 exactly the way my old Ampex machine is set up, dialed in the gains, switched back and forth… and the sound is nearly identical.”
– Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, Norah Jones, Cold War Kids)
“The UAD Ampex ATR-102 is my new secret weapon in my master buss chain, giving me the secret ingredient for that extra touch of flavor.”
– Ivan Barias (Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott, Estelle)
“The Ampex ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder and Studer® A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder emulations give a nice edge to bass tracks.”
– Armin Van Buuren
“The UAD Ampex ATR-102 tape emulation really captures the hardware’s punchy saturation and chunky warmth.”
– Mike Poole (Robert Plant, Martina McBride, Buddy Miller)
“I've always used limiters and compressors on the mix bus to ‘glue’ the sound together, but I've never been able to achieve the kind of musical cohesiveness like I can with the UAD ATR-102.”
– Ryan West (Eminem, Kid Cudi, Jay-Z)
“All of the songs on the Garbage record, Not Your Kind of People were mixed with the Studer A800 plug‑in on all the drum channels. We also used the Ampex ATR-102 plug-in on the final mix.”
– Billy Bush (Garbage, Dolly Parton, Paul McCartney)
“The UAD ATR‑102 brings mixes to life with a 3D sound that no other plug-in has ever been able to achieve.”
– Adam Hawkins (Twenty One Pilots, Switchfoot, Keith Urban)Watch The Reviews
5-Minute UAD Tips
Featuring the Magnetic Tape Bundle
Customer Reviews
P. Schwaiger
July 16, 2018
Incredible!
It's an unwritten law, that you have to know your plugins to use them to their fullest potential... and there are only a few exceptions to that rule. The UAD Ampex Tape is one of them....
Read MoreR. Novin
July 14, 2018
Perfekt
In short, you want analog sound? Thats the best way to have
Read Morea. rosas
July 13, 2018
holy fuck
hands down the one UAD plugin you cannot substitute or live without. I have a few waves plugins and I’m subscribed to the slate everything bundle and THIS PLUGIN IS GODLY
Read MoreS. Svishchev
July 2, 2018
Super plugin,recommendable!!!
Until recently I used the tape emulation in the form of OAD tape recorder UAD and I really liked it and I'm still happy with this purchase. I have been testing the Ampex® ATR-102...
Read MoreD. Stevens
June 30, 2018
This thing's like air
When I mix I like it on the master buss. It has results really hard to describe. It does multiple things all at the same time in one preset. If I try to equal it, I gotta use 3 - 4 other...
Read More -
Features
Ampex-authenticated plug-in gives you the rich, cohesive tape sound of the the most popular professional 2-track machine ever made
Emulates the entire ATR-102 electronic path, including transformers, amplifiers, Repro, Sync, and Input paths
Multiple tape formulas, head configurations, and calibration levels for a variety of tones
Adjustable Wow, Flutter, Hiss, Hum, Crosstalk, and (L/R) Tape Delay controls, and more
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Customer Reviews
Ampex® ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder
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Sound great but beware of the latency.
The best tape plug in ever, but you cannot track through this. If you wanna use it for tracking get the Studer.
P. Schwaiger
Incredible!
It's an unwritten law, that you have to know your plugins to use them to their fullest potential... and there are only a few exceptions to that rule. The UAD Ampex Tape is one of them. Simply insert it to you masterbus and listen!
R. Novin
Perfekt
In short, you want analog sound? Thats the best way to have
a. rosas
holy fuck
hands down the one UAD plugin you cannot substitute or live without. I have a few waves plugins and I’m subscribed to the slate everything bundle and THIS PLUGIN IS GODLY
S. Svishchev
Super plugin,recommendable!!!
Until recently I used the tape emulation in the form of OAD tape recorder UAD and I really liked it and I'm still happy with this purchase.
I have been testing the Ampex® ATR-102 mastering for several days and have read many reviews, and here is this plugin that I have.
I like this plugin because it can be tuned differently to a particular audio material, it is very functional and works smoothly with the sound, I miss the tape delay in the Oxide Tape Recorder and the advanced setting of the tape speed.
In a word, the combine is all included)) I am pleased about my purchase and wish you dear colleagues to have made the right choice.
Thanks UAD!!D. Stevens
This thing's like air
When I mix I like it on the master buss. It has results really hard to describe. It does multiple things all at the same time in one preset. If I try to equal it, I gotta use 3 - 4 other plugins. I also like it on s drum buss.
S. Pedneault
Allways on!!
Awsome on the Master Bus!!
G. Strickland
It has a thing you are going to want
I use this on every master and sometimes on sub group bounces. It adds an instant quality. I don't understand how it does that but that's not important. If you are considering it I'd say do it. I'm glad I did
A. Evtimov
Ampex addict
The magic glue!
A. Blaze
Must Have!
Of course i`ll be not the one who says it`s a fantastic tape emulation! So suitable for the mastering purposes... just change the speed and hear the differnce! Yeh, It`s digital thing with gorgeous analouge taste!
G. Cooperman
sweet
This ATR-102 sweetens up the master.. pair with Massive Passive too ..mmm
x. zuniga
CANT LIVE WITHOUT IT!
PERFECT!!!
T. Ellis
Impressive.
This really takes tape emulation to a new level. I tried the demo and had to have it!
J. Nichols
A must on every mix...
I’ll keep it short... This goes on every mix without question. It just doesn’t sound like a record without it. My typical settings are 15ips, 456 tape, +6 Cal, 1/2 inch. Glues everything together in a way that just sounds great.
Y. Mori
ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder
The best.
Your house will be the mastering studio.
You should buy this if you use UAD 2.E. Ananda
Amazing!
Great addition to a mastering chain. noticeable difference.
J. Davitt
Pleasantly Surprised
My new go - to for heavy guitars. It seems to dip the midrange subtly and adds a touch of growl to chuggy rhythm as well as help bring the stereo image forward.
F. Rainville Côté
I love it 8>
Great presets also!
S. Hiestand
Mind-blowing analog heaven!
I recently purchased an Apollo Twin Quad and for one of my discounted plug-ins I picked the ATR-102. Being an old-school analog guy, it was an obvious choice. But...I'm always more than a bit skeptical with advertising, and after watching the promo video I said to myself "It can't be that good".
Well, it IS that good.
I've never been fortunate enough to use or see first-hand an ATR-102 in a studio, but I think I do know how to recognize "that sound" of music recorded with analog tape. I was frankly blown away and amazed at the difference once I threw this plug-in on my stereo out channel as I was finishing up my latest mix. Just wow! Grittier but "smoother", you'd never know your music was really just a bunch of 1's and 0's with this thing activated. As advertised, it really "glues" your mix together. I also purchased the Studer A800 so obviously that only adds to the overall improvement in sound. I cant speak to using the ATR-102 in "isolation" (I was too lazy to shut off all my Studer instances and listen) but I'll bet it's still awesome. Playing with the different tape speeds, tape types, bias etc. really gives you some nice variety of textures. The tough part is deciding which to finally pick, because they all have some great qualities.
If you value that old tape/analog sound, RUN, do not walk, and purchas this plug-in. It's worth every penny!H. Cabrera
Siempre presente en mi sonido!
te da ese pegamento o no se que ,que nadie sabe explicar en el sonido de un tema, definitivamente lo uso y usare en cada mezcla, se volvio un basico de mi sonido, lo recomiendo ampliamente
