Get Mixbus Glue With UA's ATR-102 Tape Machine
Want that iconic Ampex ATR-102 sound in your mix? Two Grammy-winning engineers - Darrell Thorp (Radiohead) and Vance Powell (Jack White) - share their exact settings for this classic plugin. Use these two real-world techniques and add that analog warmth to your tracks!
Puremix
Add energy and glue with tape saturation
Darrell Thorp explains his use of tape saturation on the mix bus to enhance the track's energy and cohesiveness. He specifically uses the UAD Ampex ATR-102 emulation, favoring the GP9 tape type, +6 biasing, and 1/2" tape width. Thorp contrasts 15ips and 30ips tape speeds, opting for 30ips on this track for its tighter response and better handling of transients, as opposed to 15ips which adds warmth and low-end, already sufficient in this mix.
Universal Audio
Glue a mix together with tape
Vance Powell uses the UAD Ampex® ATR-102 tape saturation to glue a rock mix together on the mix bus. He prefers using the 250 tape formula, running at 15 inches per second with CCIR calibration on half-inch tape, which he finds essential for achieving a classic rock sound. Powell highlights that while the effect is subtle, it adds the perfect amount of sparkle and energy to the low end, enhancing the overall cohesiveness and warmth of the mix.