Ampex® ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder
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It's not a record until it's mastered on an Ampex® tape machine.
The UAD Ampex ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder plug-in and LUNA Extension provides the final “analog polish” to your music, turning your recordings into records. Fully authenticated by the Ampex Corporation and trusted by Platinum‑selling professionals the world over, the ATR‑102 plug‑in faithfully captures the unique dynamics, colorful frequency response, and tape saturation of this industry‑standard Ampex machine.
Now You Can:
Add analog polish to your mixes with the most popular professional 2‑track tape machine ever made
Harness classic Ampex tape saturation, selectable tape types, and color to "glue" your mix together
Process your audio through the entire ATR‑102 circuit, including its transformers, amplifiers, Repro, Sync, and Input paths
Use the ATR‑102 LUNA Extension to produce rich, analog tape‑infused master recordings
The Most Popular Professional 2‑Track Ever Made
With its cohesive sound, punch, and ability to provide subtle‑to‑deep tape saturation and color, the ATR‑102 has remained a fixture in major recording and mastering studios worldwide since 1976.
The ATR‑102 Mastering Tape Recorder plug‑in and LUNA Extension 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 UAD ATR‑102 plug-in is virtually indistinguishable from its analog ancestor.
Now Fully Integrated into LUNA Recording System
With LUNA Recording System, you can now use the Ampex ATR‑102 as a LUNA Extension, where it's built into the fabric of the mixer without the need to manage separate plug-in windows. This gives you rich, album‑ready Ampex tape tones on LUNA's master fader and buses — with all the authentic dynamics, frequency response, and saturation characteristics of the original machine.
Learn more >
Authentic Calibration Controls and Tape Types
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 (GP9, 456, 900, 250) combinations — even including home/consumer tape. You can also use the adjustable Tape Delay feature for Automatic Double Tracking effects on vocals, guitars, and more.
Grammy-winning Presets
Get inspired with presets from longtime ATR‑102 users Chuck Ainlay (Chris Botti, Mark Knopfler) Richard Dodd (Wilco, Robert Plant), Buddy Miller (Martina McBride, Emmylou Harris), Mike Poole (Keith Urban, Dolly Parton) and more. Use these presets as a starting point and season to taste on your mixes — you'll marvel at the cohesive, rich sound that can only come from an Ampex tape machine.
5-Minute UAD Tips
Featuring the Magnetic Tape Bundle
“I set the UAD ATR-102 exactly the way my old Ampex machine is set up, dialed in the gains, switched back and forth… and the sound is nearly identical.”
– Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, Norah Jones, Cold War Kids)
“The UAD Ampex ATR-102 is my new secret weapon in my master buss chain, giving me the secret ingredient for that extra touch of flavor.”
– Ivan Barias (Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott, Estelle)
“The Ampex ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder and Studer® A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder emulations give a nice edge to bass tracks.”
– Armin Van Buuren
“The UAD Ampex ATR-102 tape emulation really captures the hardware’s punchy saturation and chunky warmth.”
– Mike Poole (Robert Plant, Martina McBride, Buddy Miller)
“I've always used limiters and compressors on the mix bus to ‘glue’ the sound together, but I've never been able to achieve the kind of musical cohesiveness like I can with the UAD ATR-102.”
– Ryan West (Eminem, Kanye West, Kid Cudi)
“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 ATR‑102 brings mixes to life with a 3D sound that no other plug-in has ever been able to achieve.”
– Adam Hawkins (Twenty One Pilots, Switchfoot, Keith Urban)Watch The Reviews
Customer Reviews
D. Williams
February 5, 2021
Distortion is beautiful, and so is this!
Really great sound. Not gritty like some emulations. This handles your tracks carefully and adds a smoothness overall, it doesn’t destroy tracks unless you want to! I absolutely adore...
Read MoreA. Lindelöf
February 1, 2021
Highly recommended
I love this plugin and use it together with Neve Summing and Studer A800 in Luna. Having these three enabled as a starting point instantly makes the tracks sound better. It's really a big...
Read MoreA. Grigoriadis
January 29, 2021
The best tape emulation i've heard until now
I haven't ever listen to a real reel to reel so i'can't compare it with the real one . This is the best tape emulation i've ever heard and it really give you an analog sound from a software...
Read MoreL. Murphy
January 26, 2021
Awesome!
I love this Plugin! Together with the Studer A800 it really takes your tracks to a whole new level!
Read MoreC. Ebeling
January 25, 2021
Amazing warmth and saturation.
One of my favorite UAD plugins.
Read More -
Customer Reviews
Ampex® ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder
D. Williams
Distortion is beautiful, and so is this!
Really great sound. Not gritty like some emulations. This handles your tracks carefully and adds a smoothness overall, it doesn’t destroy tracks unless you want to! I absolutely adore this plugin. Excellent work UAD.
A. Lindelöf
Highly recommended
I love this plugin and use it together with Neve Summing and Studer A800 in Luna. Having these three enabled as a starting point instantly makes the tracks sound better. It's really a big clear difference turning it off / on. I just recently got back to my music interest after taking a pause for several years, and now I'm remixing some old recordings I made 1997. I'm amazed at the quality difference I get with Luna and UAD plugins, and with much less work. Can't wait to make new recordings, but I'll remix the old stuff first.
Z. Hamilton
Good but,
I bought this plugin, at a discount for obvious reasons. This plugin is awesome, so let's get that straight. With that being said, the price hikes this company has are mind blowing. Plugins are everywhere now, only get what you need.
A. Grigoriadis
The best tape emulation i've heard until now
I haven't ever listen to a real reel to reel so i'can't compare it with the real one . This is the best tape emulation i've ever heard and it really give you an analog sound from a software "way of view" . I didn't regret buying it . I use it on master buss . Studder is very good too but i felt it didn't work for me on the master buss .
F. Meng
nice sound!!
One of my favorite UAD plugins.
L. Murphy
Awesome!
I love this Plugin! Together with the Studer A800 it really takes your tracks to a whole new level!
C. Ebeling
Amazing warmth and saturation.
One of my favorite UAD plugins.
U. Ebeling
Ein super Tool
Ein super Tool, ich bin hoch zufrieden.
UAD User
Awesome Plugin!
With this, I can now get the vibe of Analog Tape running through my buss tracks or master buss!
A. Boyers
Opens up mix.
Really like the way this opens up my mixes. Also tights up low end.
D. Hernandez
Sounds like looks
I like the warm sound, I use it especially on the master bus.
S. Muller
Favourite Plugin of All Time
The instant I heard the demos comparing the Ampex ATR-102 with all the leading similar products, I was convinced it was exactly what my final mixes had been missing to make them multi-dimensional, professional, and bring them to life. And it turns out I was 100% right! The Ampex ATR-102 takes me back to my tape-based studio days of the 89s/90s, adding a perfect “sheen”byo every mix - better than any other plug-in of any type as “the ultimate glue” for my mixes. Now nothing I mix doesn’t go thru it - everything sounds not-quite-finished without it. I give it my unreserved and highest recommendation.
C. Yang
Vintage and Good
Good saturation and delay.
b. zucchetti
Excellent as the original hardware and everything of UAudio !
Must to have ! I Always use for strings or Subrgroup for all !
A great big portable studio in my Mac !
By the time and waiting the right promotion i will buy everything of UAudio!F. Carcone
Real tape in the computer
Yep, this is like having a real machine at home, pure joy.
Try it for special fx, instant vibe and sound. Congrats UA.J. Bru
Excelente!!!!
Me encanta la profundidad que da a las mezclas, Imprescindible.
D. Koenen
The final icing on the cake that is the tape bundle
The fact that luna is now running all of the summing and tape plugins natively so you can spend your valuable dsp on the UADs other luscious plugins just makes this entire platform worth learning. Gone is the sound of digital at this point.
J. Gilbert
I’m impressed
Using this with the Neve Summing and Oxide tape is truly impressive. The Ampex tape brings everything together. Once Luna is up to par with all the 3rd party plugins in I’m switching over completely to do my mix down. What UA is doing is IMPRESSIVE! The mixdowns I’m getting now sound like what I was getting through analog boards from the past. In the box mixes have been taken to another level. Ampex tape is the final touch!
A. Nelson
Versatile
Does all the right things to bass and makes the highs clear and refreshing. Sooo many options. I love pairing this with the Masterdesk Classic to finish mixes.
J. Holliday
“Tape it up”
If you ever wondered how to get that classic sound out of a digital machine, the Ampex ATR-102 is the go to tape it up plug-in.
