Ampex® ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder Plug-In

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 or Apollo Interface 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.

Plug-In Parameters 
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 combinations, even including home/consumer tape. The Input (Record) Gain knob and the Cal button are the primary controls for regulating levels, and even saturating the tape, and can be used to deliver a heavily colored sound if desired. Other ATR-102 features include: 1/4," 1/2," or 1" Head Select, Biasing/Calibration controls (auto and manual), crosstalk, adjustable wow and flutter, and adjustable tape delay, which can be used for Automatic Double Tracking effects on vocals, guitars, and more.

In Use
The primary use for Ampex ATR-102, and the recommended method for “demoing” this plug-in, is as the last stereo insert on your master fader (or possibly the second-to-last insert before a brick-wall processor such as the UAD Precision Limiter). Set up the plug-in by first adjusting Tape Speed, Tape Formula, Cal Level, and Emphasis EQ, or simply select a preset. Note that as you lower the tape speed (i.e. 15 IPS, 7.5 IPS), the tape “sound” becomes more audible. Once this basic setup is made, adjust the L/R Record (input gain) levels for more or less tape/circuit coloration and saturation.

Other common uses for the Ampex ATR-102 are as individual mono or stereo insert effects, or as an auxiliary group effect where the user wishes to apply it only to specified sources or groups (e.g., drums, guitars, etc). Check out the ATR-102 Tips and Tricks blog article below to learn more.

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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 or Apollo Interface available from authorized dealers worldwide
• Independent L/R Input Gain (Record) and Output (Reproduce) Level
• IPS Speed/Emphasis Curve chooses between 3.75 NAB, 7.5 NAB, 7.5 CCIR, 15 NAB, 15 CCIR, 30 AES
• Independent L/R record Bias, Record EQ, and Playback EQs, with Auto and Manual Cal capabilities

See the UAD Instance Chart here

PRODUCT PARAMETERS:

• Input (Record) dual mono controls provide ∞ (off) to 9.48 dB gain
• Output (Reproduce) dual mono controls provide ∞ (off) to 9.3 dB gain
• Signal Path Selection
  • Thru provides plug-in bypass with metering
  • Input provides machine electronics-only path without tape
  • Sync provides path of audio being recorded to tape via record head and playing back via record head, plus machine electronics
  • Repro provides path of audio being recorded to tape via record head and playing back via repro head, plus machine electronics
• IPS Tape Speed provides selection between 3.75, 7.5, 15, and 30 IPS (inches per second) operation
• Head Width
  • ¼" Ampex
  • ½" Ampex
  • 1" Custom
• Tape Type provides selection of various tape formulas with availability based on Head/Speed selection
  • ¼" at 7.5 or 3.75 IPS: 250, 456, 35-90, 111
  • ½" or ¼" at 15 or 30 IPS: 250, 456, 900, GP9
  • 1" at 15 or 30 IPS: 250, 456, 46, GP9
• Calibration Level provides +3, +6, +7.5, +9 dB operating levels
• Emphasis Equalizer selects between NAB and CCIR curves at 7.5 and 15 IPS (AES at 30 IPS, NAB at 3.75 IPS)
• Bias dual mono controls provide a continuous recording head oscillator voltage from 0 to 19.5 volts
• HF EQ dual mono controls provide a continuous "boost filter" gain when setting bias
• Shelf EQ dual mono controls provide additional make-up for high frequency loss when setting bias
• Repro HF EQ dual mono controls provide a continuous high frequency filtering gain
• Repro LF EQ dual mono controls provide a continuous low frequency filtering gain
• Noise Off/On provides global enabling and disabling of noise components
  • Hiss provides independent control for the noise floor component of the tape system -25 to +50 dB
  • Hum provides independent control for the 60 cycle (NAB/AES) or 50 cycle (CCIR/AES) AC component of the Ampex ATR-102 system ±25 dB
• Wow & Flutter Off/On provides global enabling and disabling of modulation distortion components
  • Wow provides a continuous control from 0-1.44% (7.5 IPS)
  • Flutter provides a continuous control from 0-3.69% (3.75 IPS)
• Crosstalk Off/On provides global enabling and disabling of L/R crosstalk components
  • Xtalk provides a continuous control of -50 to -10 dB of L/R crosstalk
• Auto Cal Off/On provides automatic calibration for HF and Shelf EQ, Bias, and Repro HF/LF EQs when switching IPS, Tape Head, Tape Speed, Tape Type, or Emphasis Equalizer
• Manual calibration provides tones to create custom user tape machine calibrations
  • MRL tape tones enable Output Level and Output EQ calibration
  • -16/-6/+4 dB function tone generator enable manual Bias and Bias EQ calibration
  • Function generator/tape tones available (Hz): 50, 100, 1k, 2.5k, 5k, 10k, 15k, 20k
• Transformer Off/On provides enabling and disabling of transformer modeling
• Tape Delay Off/On provides enabling and disabling of dedicated delay mode feature for slap, phase, or double tracking effects
  • Independent L/R variable delay adjustment provides 0-1000ms range)
  • Dry/Wet provides a 0-100% blend of dry and wet components
• Switchable Input (post Record Gain) or Output (pre Reproduce gain) metering
• Switchable VU or Peak metering
• Electronics overload LED provides indication of modeled internal electronics clipping
• Close/Open buttons reveal/hide the calibration and other setup controls
• Unlink/Link provides independent or ganged dual mono L/R operation for all L/R gain or calibration controls
• Power Off/On provides global bypass of entire plug-in
• DAW transport stop/start stops and starts reels animation; clicking capstan knob disables reels animation movement

UAD System Manual

UAD Plug-Ins Manual

UA Product Catalog.pdf