Slate Digital - VTM (Virtual Tape Machines)

The authentic tone of two world-class analog tape machines

Digital recording is now the standard for professional music production, but many engineers and musicians still long for the days of analog recording.

And they do for good reason - Analog Tape Machines have a SOUND.

Big, fat, warm, deep, rich and exciting are just some of the terms used to describe what recording onto a piece of magnetic tape sounds like. To those that know, tape is simply more musical. So we modeled two of the most famous tape machines in audio and provide them both along with options like bias, tape speed, tape type, and more in Virtual Tape Machines.

VTM has been praised by pro engineers for its extreme authenticity because every aspect of tape is carefully reproduced. This authenticity is due to years of intense study from Slate Digital's Fabrice Gabriel. Using VTM on your tracks and mixes will make your mixes warmer, smoother, punchier, and more analog!

Choose your favorite machines & tape stock

VTM emulates both a 16-track 2-inch tape machine and a 1/2 inch stereo mastering deck. Not only that, but you can also choose between the two most popular tape formulations. Different formulations have different properties and headroom, and ultimately will give you different sonic results.

Control your speed

VTM accurately emulates the behavior of both of the most common tape speeds of 15 and 30IPS. Engineers who use tape sometimes choose which speed to use based upon the material they’re recording, since the bass response can differ a great deal between the two speeds. You can further refine the bass response using the bass alignment slider in the Settings module.

Features

• Two tape machine types:
• 2" 16 track
• 1/2" mastering deck
• Two tape formulations
• Two speeds: 15 ips and 30 ips
• Noise reduction control and auto mute
• Wow & Flutter control
• Bass alignment control
• Normal, Low & High Bias settings
• Level Calibration
• VU ballistics
• Grouping control
• Settings global or per channel
• Tape reels start and stop in sync with DAW transport