Studer® A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder
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The rich analog sound of the world’s most popular multichannel tape machine.
For more than 30 years, artists and engineers alike have been drawn to the warm analog sound, solid low-end, and overall presence of the Studer® A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder. The sheer number of albums recorded on this legendary 2” analog tape machine — including classics from Metallica, Stevie Wonder, Tom Petty, A Tribe Called Quest, and Jeff Buckley — serve as shining examples of the musicality of analog tape.
Fully authenticated by Studer, and modeled by UA’s world‑renowned team of DSP engineers and magnetic recording expert Jay McKnight, the Studer A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder plug-in is the first product of its kind. By faithfully modeling the entire circuit path of the famous A800 machine from Allen Sides' collection at Ocean Way Studios, this is the most accurate representation of multitrack analog tape recording available.Included Versions
UAD Native
Runs on your Mac or PC without UA hardware.Apollo Realtime & UAD‑2
Runs accelerated on Apollo interfaces and UAD‑2 hardware.UAD Native plug-ins run on both macOS 10.15 Catalina or newer and Windows 10 and 11. Go to our UA Support page for system requirements.
- Track and mix with the complete Studer A800 electronic signal paths, including Input, Sync and Repro paths
- Add warmth, presence, cohesion, and low-end punch that only genuine tape can provide
- Create complex analog textures with the distinct sounds of multiple tape formulas
- Use the Studer A800 LUNA Extension to easily add warmth to your entire mix on a per channel basis
TAKE A LISTEN
LUNA Extension — Integrated Multitrack Tape
With LUNA Recording System, you can use the Studer A800 as a LUNA Extension, and easily get tape character on every audio and instrument track, intuitively tweaking settings across all channels. As you build up your mix, you'll hear the cumulative "cohesive" effect of mixing from magnetic tape. Far beyond a simple tape plug-in, the Studer LUNA Extension is woven into the fabric of LUNA's mixer, giving Apollo interface users an analog inspired workflow with bona fide analog sonics to match.
A Groundbreaking Tape Machine
Introduced in 1978, the Studer A800 was the first microprocessor-controlled tape machine. Years ahead of its time, the A800 remains a sonic benchmark, and can still be found in studios worldwide. However, with their massive steel frame and meter bridge, twin half-horsepower motors and cast alloy deck plates, original A800 units tip the scales at a backbreaking 900 pounds. The Studer A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder poses none of the hardware hassles, yet retains all the beautiful sonics that make tape a beloved recording medium.
Capturing the Magic of Tape
Just like magnetic tape, you can dial in a clean sound, or just the right amount of harmonic saturation using the Studer A800's Input and Output controls. The IPS control steps through tape speed choices (7.5, 15, or 30 IPS), each with distinct frequency shift, head bump and distortion characteristics. The tape Type control lets users choose from four of the most popular magnetic tape formulas — each with their own subtle sonic variation. There is also a secondary set of controls like Noise, EQ, and Bias for an even more jaw-dropping palette of tape textures.
Studer A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder plug-in
Demonstration video
“The Studer A800 plug-in is tape in a box. Tracks that are thin and dull become full of life and tone... so creative, and musical. ”
– Darrell Thorp (Beck, Radiohead, Charlotte Gainsbourg)
“No tape emulation has ever achieved this level of... should I say, completeness? I expect to smell the tape when I hit play!”
– Vance Powell (Jack White, The Dead Weather, The Raconteurs)
“The Studer A800 plug-in is the missing link for in-the-box mixing.”
– Ryan West (Eminem, Kid Cudi, Jay-Z)
“I tried the Studer A800 plug-in on drums, guitar and overheads to get a saturated, punchy sound. It sounded great, and it works for me.”
– Michael Brauer (The Rolling Stones, Coldplay, My Morning Jacket)
“I've been really loving the Studer A800 on bass, kick, overheads, horns and strings. It adds a tonal color that is very musical. ”
– Ross Hogarth (Van Halen, Ziggy Marley, Motley Crue)
“The UAD Studer A800 gives my drum bus a raw hard tone with a little distortion — all the while keeping the sound together.”
– Dean Coleman
“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 Studer A800 gives me all the analog goodness, without any of the cross-talk, maintenance issues, alcohol swabs, or tape alignment.”
– Glenn Rosenstein (Ziggy Marley, U2)
“The UAD Studer A800 adds great personality to drums, bass, guitar and vocals.”
– Jeff Balding (Taylor Swift, The Eagles, Florida Georgia Line)Customer Reviews
R. Dickerson
December 18, 2020
magic glue
great mastering tool that glues the project together! highly recommended.
Read Morea. lindsey
December 17, 2020
Studer A800
I really like it used across the console for all my drum tracks going down.
Read MoreR. Taylor
December 15, 2020
Welp!
The sound quality of this piece is phenomenal. The warmth and depth of the 800 is second only to the 1000lb hardware beast. You guyz are shameless ‘Kopy Kats’ and I’m telling’...
Read More -
Key Features
Studer-endorsed, UA modeled emulation of legendary A800 Multitrack Tape Machine
Provides the warm, natural sound and punchy low-end response of 2” analog tape — on Mac and PC
Models complete A800 electronic signal paths, including Input, Sync and Repro paths
Features four of the most popular Tape Formulas and Calibration Levels
Tape saturation and overdrive via easy-to-use Input / Output controls
Provides dead-on magnetic tape sound without the hassles of calibration, maintenance, tape degradation, etc.
IPS Speed/Emphasis Curve chooses between 7.5 NAB, 7.5 CCIR, 15 NAB, 15 CCIR, 30 AES
Gang Controls allows for fast global adjustment of all instances
Run 24+ tracks with a single UAD-2 QUAD DSP Accelerator Package
Requires a UAD-2 DSP Accelerator Card or Apollo Interface available from authorized dealers worldwide
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Customer Reviews
Studer® A800 Tape Recorder
J. Markunas
Not Bad, Comparable to Waves
Normally, I either love or hate a plugin, but this one is just ok. You can do the same thing with Waves' J37 emulation, or Black Rooster's Magnetite. It's a good plugin, but expensive compared to BR (free) and Waves ($35). It has some cool LUNA features, but nobody's actually using LUNA, so...
R. Dickerson
magic glue
great mastering tool that glues the project together! highly recommended.
D. Arroyo
fantastic
fantastic sound... UA is the best right now..
a. lindsey
Studer A800
I really like it used across the console for all my drum tracks going down.
T. Leis
Awesome!
Adds weight to everything.
M. Zawada Swinko
Best software ever
It just makes everything work.
R. Taylor
Welp!
The sound quality of this piece is phenomenal. The warmth and depth of the 800 is second only to the 1000lb hardware beast. You guyz are shameless ‘Kopy Kats’ and I’m telling’ everybody!
R. Taylor
Welp!
The sound quality of this piece is phenomenal. The warmth and depth of the 800 is second only to the 1000lb hardware beast. You guyz are shameless ‘Kopy Kats’ and I’m telling’ everybody!
C. Bader
YOU NEED THIS
The sonics this plug adds to glue mixes is next level. I think there is an element of digital recording that lacks warmth & the needed human element and this plugin helps go back and gather some of those human artifacts. It's a great addition to your master buss.
M. Belsar
Hell yeh
Hell yeh
P. Maiz
Great on everything
I still have to learn all the ins and outs, but so far, this plugin has been extremely useful. I LOVE this thing on my drum bus. It just adds character and excitement and makes the drums really pop out. It also sounds great on distorted guitars. You can make them sound more crisp, sound warmer and fatter, or just sound fuzzier and more saturated. Also love putting this on bass to add warmth and beefiness. And great on vocals to make them sound a bit smoother.
S. Lord
Perfect timing for warmth!
I’ve honestly been searching for this tone since I recorded to actual tape 10 years ago. Perfect for tracking, not great for the master chain. I guess that’s where the ampex 102 comes in! Highly recommend.
M. Van der Hallen
The only plugin that's on every track, always.
Hard to explain what it does, but it always makes it better. The only plugin that's on every track, always.
y. rosario
Tape Recorder
This plugin sounds great plus makes you feel that your looking at a actual real hardware. Phenomenal
B. Gfeller
great plugin
perfect for the mix bus, sounds great
F. Grönlund
Very hand and low dsp usage
The gang controls, which make the changes of one plugin to affect all the other instances of the plugin in a mix session, is very handy. The relatively low dsp usage is also great, and allows one instance of the plugin to be put on every track in the mix possible even when only using an Apollo twin duo for processing. The biggest upside is of course the sound, which can be configured in a wide variety of ways.
D. Pezzati
I use it everywhere
Simply put it on every channel set it up as described in the manual and your sound become alive, every sound. Swap tapes, change parameters and experiment: not so easy to do with the real one but simply as a click of your mouse with this great plugin!
S. Leoson
The one
I have tried them all (or close to it): McDSP Analog Channel, Avid Reel Tape, Avid Heat, Slate VTM, Softube Tape. All of them gives me some distorsion or warmth, none of them glues a mix together like a real tape machine. But UAD Studer A800 does! A bit expensive (compared to the competition) which is why I waited too long to get it... Now I’m very glad I did! If you’re mixing rock or heavier music with real recorded drums you need this...
M. Kerlin
Great plugin
Nice saturation.
P. Jensen
Damn close to the real deal
From the Early Days i worked with the Studer 2 inch tape...... This plugin is so close. I use it mostly on the mastermix. Mix in a box, has never been so close to the real deal consol Sound...
