Now Native: UA Releases Empirical Labs FATSO Tape Simulator Plug-Ins

FATSO Jr's iconic modern tape and compression tones combined with deeper controls and added features on the FATSO Sr 

SCOTTS VALLEY, CA • October 13, 2026 — Universal Audio Inc. (UA), a worldwide leader in audio production tools, is proud to announce the native release of UAD Empirical Labs FATSO Tape Simulator plug-ins for macOS and Windows.

Developed in collaboration with Empirical Labs founder and FATSO designer Dave Derr, the UAD Empirical Labs FATSO delivers the only authentic plug-in emulations of the original FATSO  analog hardware, combining tape-style saturation and compression in one essential plug-in. 

From adding warmth and subtle harmonic color to vocals, to slamming drums with thick saturation, FATSO brings the sounds used on recordings spanning artists from Willie Nelson and Bonnie Raitt to AC/DC, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden to any DAW.*

UAD Empirical Labs FATSO Tape Simulator

Intro $79 USD | $149 USD | Included in UAD Spark Studio

The UAD Empirical Labs FATSO brings the signature FATSO Jr and FATSO Sr tape simulation and compression effects to any DAW. An authentic emulation of the original hardware, FATSO combines multiple compression and saturation modes for adding anything from subtle analog color to total sonic destruction.

Key Benefits

• The Only Authentic FATSO. Get the same tape and saturation processing heard on recordings by AC/DC, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and more
• Two Plug-Ins. Access iconic tones with FATSO Jr or get deeper compression control with the FATSO Sr 
• Four Compression Modes. Glue buses and mixes together with Buss, G.P., Tracking, and Spank settings
• Warmth for Everything. Slam drums, make bass pop on small speakers, or warm up a vocal instantly 
• Beyond the Hardware. Enjoy features like sidechain filtering, variable transformer saturation, and deeper compression parameters

Pricing, Bundles, and Upgrades

The UAD Empirical Labs FATSO Tape Simulator is available now for an introductory price of $79 USD (regularly $149 USD) through December 31, 2026. Current owners of the Apollo DSP version of FATSO can upgrade to the native version for $2.99 USD. UAD Empirical Labs FATSO Tape Simulator is also now included in UAD Spark Studio, a music production subscription to UA’s full native plug-in library.

*Use of artist names does not constitute official endorsement of UAD plug‑ins.

Learn more about UAD Empirical Labs FATSO Tape Simulator: https://www.uaudio.com/products/fatso 

Learn more about UAD Spark Studio: https://www.uaudio.com/products/uad-spark 

Learn more about UAD Plug-Ins: https://www.uaudio.com/collections/uad-plugins 

Download images and press materials: https://u.audio/fatso-pr2026 

About Universal Audio Inc.
Universal Audio (UA) is a pioneer in audio and music production tools, with a rich 60-year history of craftsmanship and innovation. UA today enables millions of audio and music creators worldwide, with industry-standard Apollo and Volt recording interfaces, UAD plug-ins, UAFX pedals, advanced audio machine learning, LUNA recording suite, and UA Custom Shop hardware. UA is headquartered in Scotts Valley, California, with passionate employees worldwide — united by our goal of "Inspiring Sound for Generations."

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