TapeMachine

Professional Analog Tape Emulation

Available Now
TapeMachine screenshot

TapeMachine is a professional analog tape emulation, bringing the warmth and character of legendary reel-to-reel machines to your DAW — completely free.

Overview

Analog tape has shaped the sound of recorded music for decades. TapeMachine captures the magic of classic studio tape machines with physically-modeled saturation calibrated against real Studer A800 and Ampex ATR-102 measurements.

Whether you want subtle warmth on your mix bus, obvious lo-fi character, or anything in between, TapeMachine delivers authentic tape sound.

Tape Machine Models

TapeMachine faithfully recreates two legendary machines:

Swiss800 (Studer A800 MkIII)

  • Clean, punchy, and precise
  • Odd-harmonic dominant saturation (H3 at -51dB)
  • Transformerless signal path
  • Tight low-end, extended highs (22kHz)
  • The modern studio workhorse

Classic102 (Ampex ATR-102)

  • Warm, rich, and musical
  • Even and odd harmonic blend (transformer coloration)
  • Pronounced head bump at 62Hz
  • Smooth high-frequency rolloff (18kHz)
  • The mastering room classic

Tape Formulations

Choose from four tape types, each with distinct sonic characteristics:

Type Character Best For
Type 456 Warm, punchy saturation Rock, pop, mix bus
GP9 Clean, extended headroom Mastering, classical
Type 911 European precision Warmth, character
Type 250 Vintage, early saturation Lo-fi, creative effects

Signal Path Modes

Like a real tape machine, TapeMachine offers multiple signal paths:

Mode Description
Repro Full tape processing — the classic sound
Sync Record head playback with extra HF rolloff (for overdub workflows)
Input Electronics only — hear just transformers and EQ coloration
Thru Clean bypass for A/B comparison

EQ Standards

Three professional equalization standards:

Standard Character
NAB American — most HF pre-emphasis, warmest saturation
CCIR European — moderate emphasis, balanced response
AES Modern — minimal emphasis, most transparent

Wow & Flutter

TapeMachine features separate controls for wow and flutter effects:

Wow — Slow pitch drift (0.3–0.8 Hz)

  • Creates subtle vinyl-like wobble
  • Adds organic movement to sustained notes
  • Perfect for lo-fi and vintage vibes

Flutter — Faster modulation (3–7 Hz)

  • Adds tape machine character
  • Creates subtle chorus-like effects
  • Includes random modulation for natural feel

Both effects share coherent stereo processing for a natural, phase-aligned sound.

Factory Presets

TapeMachine includes 15 professionally crafted presets across 5 categories:

Subtle

  • Gentle Warmth — Transparent analog glue
  • Transparent Glue — Subtle cohesion
  • Mastering Touch — Delicate tape character

Warm

  • Classic Analog — Traditional tape sound
  • Vintage Warmth — Rich, full-bodied tone
  • Tube Console — Console-style coloration

Character

  • 70s Rock — That classic rock sound
  • Tape Saturation — Obvious tape drive
  • Cassette Deck — 4-track character

Lo-Fi

  • Lo-Fi Warble — Wobbly vintage vibes
  • Worn Tape — Aged tape artifacts
  • Dusty Reel — Nostalgic degradation

Mastering

  • Master Bus Glue — Subtle mix cohesion
  • Analog Sheen — High-end polish
  • Vintage Master — Classic mastering chain

Vintage Interface

TapeMachine features a premium vintage interface inspired by classic studio equipment:

  • Authentic VU Meters — IEC 60268-17 compliant ballistics
  • Animated Tape Reels — Metallic appearance with rotating reflections
  • Vintage Knobs — Classic Bakelite-style controls
  • Brushed Metal Panels — Premium studio equipment aesthetic

Technical Specifications

DSP Details

  • Saturation model: Langevin function (Jiles-Atherton magnetic theory)
  • Harmonic calibration: Matched to published Studer/Ampex THD measurements
  • 3-band processing: Separate drive ratios for bass, mid, and treble
  • Anti-aliasing: 8th-order Chebyshev Type I filter with 2x/4x oversampling

Parameter Ranges

  • Input Gain: ±12dB
  • Output Gain: ±12dB
  • Saturation: 0–100%
  • Bias: 0–100%
  • Wow: 0–100%
  • Flutter: 0–100%
  • Mix: 0–100%
  • HP Filter: 20–500Hz
  • LP Filter: 3kHz–20kHz

Performance

  • CPU usage: ~2–4% per instance (4x oversampling, 48kHz)
  • Memory: ~15MB per instance
  • Latency: ~64 samples (2x) / ~128 samples (4x)

DAW Compatibility

Fully Tested

  • Reaper — VST3/LV2, all features working
  • Ardour — LV2 with full GUI
  • Carla — VST3/LV2, standalone host
  • Standalone — JUCE standalone application

Expected to Work

  • Bitwig Studio, Studio One, FL Studio
  • Ableton Live, Cubase/Nuendo
  • Logic Pro, GarageBand (AU on macOS)

Installation

Linux

VST3: ~/.vst3/TapeMachine.vst3
LV2:  ~/.lv2/TapeMachine.lv2

Windows

VST3: C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\TapeMachine.vst3

macOS

VST3: ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/TapeMachine.vst3
AU:   ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/TapeMachine.component

Open Source

TapeMachine is open source under GPL-2.0. View the source, report issues, or contribute on GitHub.

Disclaimer: This is an independent emulation inspired by classic tape machines. This project is not affiliated with or endorsed by Studer, Ampex, or any hardware manufacturer.

Features

  • Two tape machine models — Swiss800 (Studer A800) and Classic102 (Ampex ATR-102)
  • Four tape formulations — Type 456, GP9, Type 911, Type 250
  • Four signal path modes — Repro, Sync, Input, Thru
  • Three tape speeds — 7.5, 15, 30 IPS with NAB/CCIR/AES EQ curves
  • Physically-modeled Langevin saturation calibrated to real hardware
  • Separate Wow & Flutter controls with coherent stereo processing
  • Bias and calibration controls for fine-tuning tape response
  • Auto-compensation mode for unity gain across input levels
  • Auto-calibration for automatic bias optimization
  • Dual stereo VU meters with vintage analog styling
  • Premium vintage UI with animated tape reels
  • 15 factory presets across 5 categories
  • 2x/4x oversampling for alias-free saturation
  • Full automation support

Changelog

v1.0.0 2026-01-25

  • Initial release with VST3/LV2/AU support
  • Swiss800 (Studer A800) and Classic102 (Ampex ATR-102) models
  • Four tape formulations with distinct characteristics
  • Signal path modes (Repro, Sync, Input, Thru)
  • NAB, CCIR, and AES EQ standards
  • Langevin saturation model calibrated to real hardware THD
  • Premium vintage UI with animated reels and VU meters
  • 15 factory presets across 5 categories
  • Available for Linux, Windows, and macOS