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.
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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
A. Boyers
January 16, 2021
Opens up mix.
Really like the way this opens up my mixes. Also tights up low end.
Read MoreD. Hernandez
January 15, 2021
Sounds like looks
I like the warm sound, I use it especially on the master bus.
Read MoreS. Muller
January 12, 2021
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...
Read Moreb. zucchetti
January 9, 2021
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...
Read MoreF. Carcone
January 8, 2021
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.
Read More -
Customer Reviews
Ampex® ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder
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.
A. Mtz
AMPEX It’s a warm gun
Everything is melted with this warm fantastic weapon
N. Warnaar
You need another happy review?
Wauw, the Ampex has more than 800 positive reviews x 5 stars, that's over 4,000 stars! (BTW: only the UAD 1176 has more satisfied customers.) The UAD Ampex is vintage, old school, sentimental, whatever en lets me think of my Revox B77 taperecorder. So many possibilities, such a smooth sound... And not to forget: the fun to work with.
T. Lippai
Master-piece
It is really more than the A800, gives weigth and depth to your mix on the master, just use it wisely. Definitely was worth the year-end price. : )
D. Savary
Essential...
Instantly makes the mix come alive in all the right places, especially in the low end, which can/will expand to epic proportions just dropping it in. Can also tame a complex crowded mix, so it not only gels and plays nice together, it sings, blooms, and harmonically dances a ballet together. Adding just the right amount of punch, sheen, and subtle drive that I thought only real tape could do. I can't say what the actual hardware sounds like in comparison, but I have not found a better instant remedy for a flat "standard" sounding mix or track in plugin form at least. The Ampex ATR-102 imparts a HUGE beautifully refined analog tape sound, so musically dynamic you won't want to turn it off.
D. Savary
Essential...
Instantly makes the mix come alive in all the right places, especially in the low end, which can/will expand to epic proportions just dropping it in. Can also tame a complex crowded mix, so it not only gels and plays nice together, it sings, blooms, and harmonically dances a ballet together. Adding just the right amount of punch, sheen, and subtle drive that I thought only real tape could do. I can't say what the actual hardware sounds like in comparison, but I have not found a better instant remedy for a flat "standard" sounding mix or track in plugin form at least. The Ampex ATR-102 imparts a HUGE beautifully refined analog tape sound, so musically dynamic you won't want to turn it off.
T. Doyle
Punch and Vibe
I am loving this plugin on groups and the master bus in Luna. It seems to get things to sit together better and the low end bloom on some settings is magnificent!
n. binns
Very Rich Smooth Emulation
This is a very slick emulation. A lot of depth and warmth. A must have on the end of your mastering chain.
n. binns
Very Rich Smooth Emulation
A hell of an emulation. Really warm and a lot of depth. On a mastering chain this is something else.
H. Tran Dinh
It's "magic"
I don't like to use words like "magic" because it doesn't really mean anything in audio but this plugin some I don't know what to the signal, depth, space, it just makes it sound "fancy" on the master buss. And I tried it against many tape simulations. Some of them don't do anything in my opinion, some of them would colour the sound but more like an EQ. The Ampex subtly changes the dimensions if it makes sense, and in a very unique way because I couldn't find any other tape simulation that did the same. So it's my purchase of the year in UAD ! (I don't buy much because I only have 2 DSPs and it would be useless for me to have more cause I'm already maxing out quite quickly).
