Tape Emulation plugins

I use tape emulation plugins on every track. I treat my signal flow like it's coming from multi-track > board inputs so the tape emulation is first for me.
Used to use ProChannel's tape emulation module but when I tried Slate's, boom, it reminded me of the days of owning a reel to reel studio.
Sounded just like it so that's what I use now.

VTM. Always. Sound.
But trying to swap for Ozone Vintage Tape. Thanks for reminding me, Larro.

I put Slate's VTM on every bus when mixing. Then when I mix down all of my audio tracks to a new mix, I'll add one more instance, usually with the opposite tape type that I used on the individual mixes. I used to use u-he Satin a lot, but I found that VTM has a more natural sound. However, Satin is still really useful if you want a more colored sound, using it kind of as an effect. 

Guyz , don t forget in ozone that you have the exiter witch has several modes including tape , and you can have different mix per band !

I love slate and use it often but I also really like Satin by U-He, it can get the creative juice flowing!

Or NomadFactory Magnetic II, also a nice one.

I sometimes add tape hiss to the preroll for a tune.

I am a member of the following clans:
 
1) just because you can, doesn't mean you should
 
2) ASSAP (As Stupidly Simple As Possible)
 
3) sear in the rear (works for steaks as well as mixes)
 
I doesn't make sense to me to add a bunch of audio content (via TEs, in this case) and then get to the master buss and find out I've got to go back and make more space for an instrument or vocal. As simple and clean to the busses and master buss as possible is how I prefer to roll. Once I like a mix, THEN I can start messing with the sonic nature of the whole.
 
It also doesn't make sense to me to spend a bunch of money on good preamps, and then the very first thing you do is distort the signal with a TE.
 
Caveat: I don't have the same positive historical relationship with recording to tape many are mentioning. I had an Asian model JVC reel-to-reel that I bought in Germany in 1971 that I liked a lot, but it went missing when I got shipped back to the States and discharged on a medical. I wound up with an 8-track system, and yes, they were a beatch to record to. When cassettes came out, I switched to them. Never got my hands on a big tape deck again. Sad.

gswitz
So, in the drums, I often want the crack on the snare to be plenty loud enough. I also want it to sound like I'm trying to make it loud. When I put tape emulator on the drum bus, I get some compression and limiting that keeps the kick and snare plenty loud, but I also get a little distortion which says to the ear, this is loud! This gets more intense as the drums are played harder and less intense when softer, but the volume doesn't change as much as it does naturally.

It's like making cymbals softer to make a band sound louder. In a bar, the cymbals aren't often Mic'd. So the louder the band, the softer the cymbals in relation. You can do something similar to your recording. If you want your band to sound quiet, reduce the velocity on your midi drum loops but keep the cymbals up in the mix. Or do the reverse for loud.

With the tape emulator, you intentionally create light distortion to advertise the heat of the moment, the passion of the song.

Huh...   I'm currently working on a project where I have the Kick and Snare tracks with sends to a bus with the SONAR Tape Sim cranked pretty hard, but just a little bit of that on the cymbals.   IOW, a tape sim version of parallel compression.    Works pretty well! 

Zo
I second the magnetic 2 , this were the best nomad factory in the bundle and certainly the only one i would consider to buy

Well, some of us, even those of us who are fans of Magnetic II, would still choose the Pulsetec EQ as the best of breed.  But why quibble?  NF has a number of gems and those of us who were lucky/prudent enough to pick up the Integral Studio Pack for 99 bucks can all just pat each other on the pack and engage in mutual congratulations for our shopping acumen. 

Kinda prefer their P&M Chainer to NF Magma. But PulseTec EQ, Manetic II, Cosmos, Echoes and even that old Blue Trackbox are keepers.

clintmartin
If I mix in Harrison Mixbus...I prefer it to all other Tape or console sims. $79

+++ ^^^ THIS ^^^ +++