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)
“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
T. Cherry
September 20, 2023
My Go To Plugin On Mixes!
Can beat the sound that this puts on a record! Used it on a few of my Billboard charting records!
Read MoreT. Mazumdar
September 15, 2023
Simply Stellar
This has to be my favorite tape plugin. The warmth it gives to the overall mix is unparalleled. Surprisingly, it is light on the CPU too!...
Read MoreM. Bence
September 12, 2023
Great sounding!!
Really great sounding plugin, one thing to keep in mind it really has a sound to it so it does alter from the original, but most of the time is in a better way.
Read MoreJ. Keen
August 15, 2023
Get this plugin!
Awesome tape emulation plugin, everything from ultralinear tape saturation to gritty/dirty tape distortion. Different types of...
Read MoreG. Funes
August 14, 2023
The best tape emulator
The best tape emulator I've tried. Incredibly warm, it really brings digital recordings to life.
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
T. Cherry
My Go To Plugin On Mixes!
Can beat the sound that this puts on a record! Used it on a few of my Billboard charting records!
T. Mazumdar
Simply Stellar
This has to be my favorite tape plugin. The warmth it gives to the overall mix is unparalleled. Surprisingly, it is light on the CPU too!
M. Bence
Great sounding!!
Really great sounding plugin, one thing to keep in mind it really has a sound to it so it does alter from the original, but most of the time is in a better way.
M. Weber
One of the Worst imitator not emulator plugin.
This was such a waste of time, most of the higher rated reviews of this plug-in was from
non-experience user's that Never worked with Studer and Ampex, Otari, Sony etc. as I have.
UAD also has the worst Customer Service, I only wished that UAD gave refunds as many Professional businesses do "Beware of UAD Policies & Practice".P. Bordas
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J. Keen
Get this plugin!
Awesome tape emulation plugin, everything from ultralinear tape saturation to gritty/dirty tape distortion. Different types of tape selections and total bias control access. Makes your tracks really shine.
G. Funes
The best tape emulator
The best tape emulator I've tried. Incredibly warm, it really brings digital recordings to life.
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Tape emulation - the best
Great sound and great plugin for saturation and analog.
d. yazir
My expectations were fulfilled
When I bought this, I expected to achieve analog tape warmth and cohesion in the mix that comes with the special mojo of the plugin with the sweet saturation. I suggest you guys either put this in your mix buss and mix into it or just put it on individual busses. I also recommend getting to learn the settings and you'll find that the plugin is also highly customizable.
A. Rosell
Bump Saturation and Power
Extremely versatile machine with a lot of analog flavor! Can't mix without it!
F. Anicet
Tape emulation at its best
Does the job ! nice saturation, very good sounding.
T. Poe
Saturation = Secret Sauce
Sometimes you want warmth, sometimes you want that something "extra". This is it. Tape saturation gives you so much and sounds amazing on guitar, bass, vocals, drums...EVERYTHING.
M. Manning
Great sounding tape emulation but...
This is a great sounding plugin - only wish the native version had the gang control - I'm not sure I would have bought had I realized this very handy control was missing,
F. Hasan
best tape recorder!
you'll never regret to buy it
W. Tang
nice job
very nice hear，Thank you UA
D. Walton
I like but don't love this one
Why I don't love it: I also own McDSP analog plugin. The McDSP is way fatter than the UAD. Like monumentally fatter! It can almost get too fat at times. So you have to be careful.
You don't have to be careful with UAD Studer A800. At least not too much. However it can be extremely subtle almost too subtle. When you try to drive it it distorts. McDSP doesn't really do that. All in all a really good plug-in though.G. WHITE
Incredible
It sounds phenomenal!!
R. Sortwell
Classic tape
Use on many channels will be my new standard
I. Finney
Perfect Tape
I have to echo the other reviews here and say i's certainly one of the best tape plugins I've used. If you set it right when live recording tracking on all sources, you get some wonderful classic tape artefacts that just transform digital recording into something special and wonderfully, classically, analog.
D. Weigleb
This is far and away the best tape saturation emulation I’ve heard.
I’ve used many tape saturation plugins. Some really good ones. None make my tracks as “3D” as the Studer does. Put it on every track. An Ampex on the mix bus. ——- Bliss.
