Way back I used to put the Cakewalk FX2 Tape Sim on masters to create the old sounding tape saturation and overall tape deck sound. It would basically convert the sterile digital recording to a nice saturated puffy analog tape sound, like I used to get on my Fostex reel to reel.
 
If I remember correctly, the brilliant Ethan Winer championed this DX plug about 10 years ago.
 
Anyway, I re-discovered this old plug today and my project came to life when I put it on the master bus. I have plenty of expensive VST3 dynamic processors, but I have not heard them create tape saturation. BTW, most of what I record is old school R&B, so sounding like tape really works for me.
 
I imagine there are some well developed tape simulators out there by now (Fab Filter Saturn looks like it could be really good), but I am thinking why not just use what I have and already like?
 
So that is my report.
 

 
 
 

It did have its merits, particularly as a white noise generator  However I do think the ProChannel tape emulator is an improvement because of the extra control and detail. I haven't used the FX version since the ProChannel one came along. 

i use the pro channel tape emulator on almost everything.   I own the Kramer Tape from waves, but for most applications i prefer the pc module.
 
The good old tape plugin is a gem.  it will do things that neither of the above-mentioned can.
For a good 6 years, i didn't mix a single snare drum without it.
also, it's nice on the master bus.  but now i do this with the PC.

I think it's hilarious what we spend 40+ years on more and more expensive gear trying to make things as clean and "HiFi" as possible, then as soon as we go digital and achieve "perfection" we spend more and more on expensive gear trying to make it sound like crap again

I have Nomad's Magnetic II and I love it. You can select tape saturation, tube saturation or both and it also has a bunch of different tape models. Immediately adds character, interest and meat to an otherwise drab synth sound and takes the edge off sounds that are too harsh or brittle. I also find that it improves separation between tracks that are clashing, i.e. if you apply the tape sim to one of the tracks but not the other one. 

jb-ferox here

Karyn
I think it's hilarious what we spend 40+ years on more and more expensive gear trying to make things as clean and "HiFi" as possible, then as soon as we go digital and achieve "perfection" we spend more and more on expensive gear trying to make it sound like crap again

Yeah... I, too, have often wondered about this... I used to hate having to bounce stuff on my TEAC 244... Even with DBx so called "noise reduction."
 

They should add a picture of a tape reel to the UI. Preferably animated. Then people might take the plugin more seriously.

bitflipper
They should add a picture of a tape reel to the UI. Preferably animated. Then people might take the plugin more seriously.

I'm thinking of creating a 3d face mask for me that is animated.
 
People might take me more seriously then, yes?

bitflipper
They should add a picture of a tape reel to the UI. Preferably animated. Then people might take the plugin more seriously.

Yeah!
 
It needs a new interface with a simulated tape deck that gets older looking as you turn the "vintage" knob, and tubes that glow hotter the more you push it.
 
And make it vst3 with a built in wrapper.
 
And have the guy at Waves write the ad copy.
 
But please don't change the sound.