Studer® A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder
-
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
A. Finkin
December 10, 2023
Works on everything
I’ve been trying many emulations, that one is my go to, because it’s a plug & play type of tool, and i appreciate not spending ages on tweaking knobs & stuff. If only the Gang...
Read Morej. last
December 9, 2023
Thanks UAD
Man UAD has made my life better.I'm a guy who's retired and doesn't have a lot of money and makes music basically for myself and NEVER thought I would be able to afford UAD plugins but I...
Read MoreJ. Connell
December 9, 2023
Stunning
I have used RC-20, Sketch Cassette, and J37 for the last couple of years. While each of them have a specific sound that I love and still refer back to, Universal Audio has created the...
Read MoreM. Mulligan
December 8, 2023
Icing on the Cake
I’m infatuated with this guy as of late! I’ve been strapping it to the end of my mix bus with some gentle tweaks and I haven’t regretted it yet. It’s a fantastic tape emulation that...
Read MoreJ. Romero
December 8, 2023
Great presence and depth.
I love the flexible sound shaping you can get with it. It's great for both master and individual channels.
Read MoreE. Hoffmann
December 7, 2023
Excellent Tape
This is a wonderful tape recorder. Very nice textures and quality.
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
-
Customer Reviews
Studer® A800 Tape Recorder
A. Finkin
Works on everything
I’ve been trying many emulations, that one is my go to, because it’s a plug & play type of tool, and i appreciate not spending ages on tweaking knobs & stuff.
If only the Gang sync function had made it to the native version, i’d have put 5 stats hands down.j. last
Thanks UAD
Man UAD has made my life better.I'm a guy who's retired and doesn't have a lot of money and makes music basically for myself and NEVER thought I would be able to afford UAD plugins but I can tell UAD wants to help the little guy who doesn't make money from recordings but does it for fun...Thank you so much UAD!!!
J. Connell
Stunning
I have used RC-20, Sketch Cassette, and J37 for the last couple of years. While each of them have a specific sound that I love and still refer back to, Universal Audio has created the closest emulation to a real tape machine that only adds presence without losing any character.
M. Mulligan
Icing on the Cake
I’m infatuated with this guy as of late! I’ve been strapping it to the end of my mix bus with some gentle tweaks and I haven’t regretted it yet. It’s a fantastic tape emulation that (in my opinion) goes toe-to-toe with Softube’s tape offering. Don’t hesitate to pick it up.
J. Romero
Great presence and depth.
I love the flexible sound shaping you can get with it.
It's great for both master and individual channels.D. Fenelon
Mastering
Yeah I tried it. It does make a warm difference. I’m not a pro but I did like the effect. It is a small change, but when mastering, everything little subtle change can result in a satisfying outcome.
D. Fenelon
Mastering
Yeah I tried it. It does make a warm difference. I’m not a pro but I did like the effect. It is a small change, but when mastering, everything little subtle change can result in a satisfying outcome.
E. Hoffmann
Excellent Tape
This is a wonderful tape recorder. Very nice textures and quality.
H. Haldane
Love it
It’s really taking my mixes to the next level
L. Dawkins
Just what i wanted
New to UAD, I wasn't sure what to expect. Sure, i had heard of how good the A800 sounds. After inserting into my first track, I was hooked. The sound I was chasing, was now mine! Shaping my tracks perfectly. I look forward to continuing with this and other UAD software.
R. Araya Letelier
A nice tape flavor with lots of control
This is not my first tape simulation plugin, and to be honest, my first impression when trying the demo was that I wasn't really surprised. But after playing around for a while, I managed to craft the sound I was aiming for, and then I compared to two other plugins. The results felt much more alive, so that's when I decided to buy it. The level of control you get from the features is key to separate this from other similar options. As it's usually the case with audio, the secret is in the details.
R. Thibodeau
Great on my master
Love to put this on my master channel when I do Lo-Fi Hip Hop stuff.
T. Stefaniak
Pretty amazing
This plug-in sounds incredible on everything, but the fact that I have to be connected to the internet in order to use it is pretty bananas tbh.
d. drula
beat maker et mix
ce plugin est tellement superbe .il donne de la chaleur et du grain et poser sur les bus rien de mieux. merci uad aussi pour la qualité de vos service
A. Chacón
Great Sound!
That I was searching is this emulation
C. Ankerstjerne
My last tape sim
After buying a handful of different tape sims from other companies, I finally found what I had been looking for in the UA Studer. Lovely 3D saturation and coloration without ever sounding choked or constricted. I especially enjoy using this plug on drum bus to add depth and low end, and it does something magical in terms of massaging transients into place. The other tape sims I own aren't bad, but I honestly won't need them moving forward, because the studer does it all better and with more control options.
w. jacobs
Love the Studer A800
It definitely smooths out the tracks without altering them in a negative way or straight adding tape his like some claim. It’s absolutely an upgrade over oxide.
P. Fiore
Excelente
Me encantó en la voz
E. Fitzgerald
Yes!
Recorded on Studers in the '80s - this plugin adds that special touch.
J. Salcedo
subtle yet very effective
i love the tape models, the bias control, and the saturation i get from this plugin!
