IK Multimedia T-RackS Tape Machine 24 Virtual Tape Machine Plug-in - Electronic Delivery

Professional analog tape recorders are highly prized tools, valued for the unique character they impart to audio - interesting considering that they were designed to be as transparent as the technology of the time allowed. One fantastic machine, designed and manufactured in the US, has a unique sound which is carefully recreated in the IK Multimedia T-RackS Tape Machine 24 Virtual Tape Machine Plug-in. The MCI JH24 was first produced in 1980 and was a staple in studios across the US throughout the ‘80s. This completely transformerless, high performance op-amp-based design delivers a pristine, phase coherent and remarkably true-to-the-source audio performance. The JH24 delivers a sound that’s perfect for multi-tracking and mixing/mastering to give your overall mix a cohesive sound with a moderate and elegant polish.

RE-CREATING THE MAGIC

Analog tape audio recorders are complex systems. They impart magic to the audio material, lifting the art within the music to a higher level. They add musicality to music. What a tape machine adds to the audio is the result of a number of interactions amongst several interdependent factors. More than just saturation, compression, or EQ alone, these factors work together, one affecting each other with the dynamics of music, adding a “movement” that goes into the soul of what they perceive. Decades of music produced on these pieces of artful human engineering have tailored the way music should sound. Trying to recreate this magic in the digital domain has been attempted since the early days of real-time audio plug-ins, with various degrees of success.

4 MAGIC FORMULAS

Choose from 4 different tape formulations, each with its own unique tone:

• 250: Modelled after the 3M/Scotch 250 formula, it is the most colored of the four formulas. It went in production around 1974 and delivers a warm tone with slightly more distortion and saturation than the other formulas included in the package.
• 456: Modelled after the Ampex 456 formula, this model went into production around 1974. Perhaps the most widely used tape, it contributed the most to what is considered “the” tape sound. It offers a warm, round tone with a slight touch of saturation that greatly responds to the recording level.
• GP9: Modelled after the Quantegy GP9 formula, this tape accepts higher levels of signal with minimal distortion and compression. It’s very punchy and perfect for modern, high quality analog recordings.
• 499: Modelled after the Ampex 499 formula, this tape is designed to handle a great amount of level with minimal distortion and compression. It also exhibits added high frequency definition that makes it perfect for printing “digital-like” recordings, while still maintaining an analog sound.

IK MULTIMEDIA T-RACKS TAPE MACHINE 24 VIRTUAL TAPE MACHINE PLUG-IN FEATURES:

• Tape machine plugin modeled after the MCI JH24 recorder
• Delivers clean, phase-coherent analog tape character
• Ideal for multitracking, mixing, and mastering applications
• Adds cohesion, polish, and subtle analog warmth to mixes
• Transformerless, high-performance op-amp design emulation
• Recreates complex tape interactions beyond simple saturation
• Enhances musicality with dynamic, organic response
• Includes 4 selectable tape formulas for tonal variation
• 250 formula for warm, colored saturation
• 456 formula for classic “tape sound” warmth and roundness
• GP9 formula for punchy, high-headroom recordings
• 499 formula for clean, high-definition analog tone
• Responds dynamically to input levels for natural compression
• Designed for both vintage tone shaping and modern production
• Compatible with major DAWs (VST3, AU, AAX)

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:

Mac

• Minimum requirements: Apple M1 or Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM, macOS 10.15 or newer
• Requires a graphics adapter compatible with OpenGL 2
• Supported Plug-in formats (64-bit): Audio Units, VST 3, AAX

Windows

• Minimum requirements: Core i5 -RAM processor or equivalent, 8 GB of RAM, Windows 10 (64 bit) or newer
• ASIO-compatible sound card necessary
• OpenGL 2 compatible graphics adapter required
• Supported Plug-in formats (64-bit): VST 3, AAX