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-   -   Massey Tape Head and other plug ins (https://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=196932)

paul Neathery 05-08-2007 12:15 PM

Massey Tape Head and other plug ins
 
Massey Tape Head and other plug ins

http://www.masseyplugins.com/th.html

I read the Massey free demos topic and decided to download them. I am very interested in any opinion on TAPE/HEAD and the 'SATURATION' idea for digital recording. I believe that analog/tape recording has life in it that digital may lack and would like to get that life through a plug in like tape/head.

Does anyone have any experience or comments good or bad?

Also, does anyone have any comments on the Massey Compressor, limiter, or vt3 EQ?

thanks,
Paul

Leadfinger 05-08-2007 03:28 PM

Re: Massey Tape Head and other plug ins
 
Quote:

Massey Tape Head and other plug ins


I used the tapehead and the Compressor in some recent mixes....they were great, so easy to use as well. I found Tapehead was cool for adding a bit of grit to some vocals on some dirty rock'n'roll songs and the compressor is awesome on bass and guitar solos...I feel you can do anything with these plugs cos they are so quick to get a handle on. On top of that, Massey pricing and quality makes some other plug in companies look positively over the top!

mindnoise 05-08-2007 03:54 PM

Re: Massey Tape Head and other plug ins
 
HI,

the Massey stuff is top notch. They play int the totally pro sonic league.
Great plugs to start with!

Comparable plug-ins to TapeHead are AnalogeChannel from McDsp and Sony Inflator
(which is a psychoacoustic harmonic loudness tool) which cost four times as much or more.

Quote:

I believe that analog/tape recording has life in it that digital may lack

that rather depends on the quality of the A/D converters, sampling rate and mostly the analogue
signal chain feeding it (garbage in, garbage out).

Your need for overdrive distortion/saturation is a completely other thing.

(which I totally share!)


best

Stiff 05-08-2007 10:43 PM

Re: Massey Tape Head and other plug ins
 
Paul,

I don't think you'll find many people here having much negative to say about Massey Tape-Head. I used it A LOT before, now I mostly use Analog Channel by McDSP, it's much more flexible. They both work of course and like everything else in music and sound it's mostly a matter of taste and how you apply it. Digidesign Reel Tape Saturator sounds wicked good as well, closest thing to tape bar none.

Perhaps this could be interesting for you to read:
Spotlight on tape emulators at protoolerblog.com
It's sort of an review on those two plug-ins and also DUY DaD Tape.

DOUBLE EDGE 05-09-2007 06:59 AM

Re: Massey Tape Head and other plug ins
 
I own the Massey Limiter and Comp.. Both are must haves.. Limiter on Master Buss is great for final mixes.. I use AC 2 using the JAPAN setting at 30ips and it sounds like our 2 inch 24 trk!

dailan 05-09-2007 10:51 AM

Re: Massey Tape Head and other plug ins
 
I own the L2007 and the Tape Head, after downloading the demos I found myself using them a lot so I bought them.

The L2007 is a L2(waves) type limiter (some say it's actually better but I wasn't able to test them on the same system), very transparent, the only thing I miss is a dithering stage and having the numeric values viewable all the time.

The Tape head has a "generic" tape sound that's very useful to heat up digital recordings, it adds some tape type compression even without having to saturate the track, I use it a lot for the drums and the bass, here I miss a bypass so you can compare.

I don't think they can replace something like the Inflator which is very unique and it's my next upgrade.

The bottom line is that you get very useful high quality plug-ins for a fair price. I've just read he's working on a tape dalay simulation and I really would like he came up with a multiband compressor (C4 style)


use the demos and compare!

regards

paul Neathery 05-09-2007 11:21 AM

Re: Massey Tape Head and other plug ins
 
thanks for all the informative comments.

Curve Dominant 05-09-2007 08:58 PM

Re: Massey Tape Head and other plug ins
 
The Steve Massey plugins are really something else. The ct4 comp plugin sounds...well, it HAS a "sound," in a GOOD way. It actually retains and enhances the tone of the audio it's processing. I was previously in denial about the sound of compression plugins not sounding as good as their hardware equivalents, but the ct4 is the real deal. I actually went back and re-mixed one of my "star client's" songs once I got round to realizing what it could do. Same with Massey Tapehead - it acts like an instant "presence" knob on whatever you strap it across, even with a minimal setting. The L2007 cured my lust for the pricier limiter plugins, it just works so well, without smashing the sound. ITB mixing is a real no-excuses joy now with the Massey plugins.

-Eric Vincent @ Studio Curve Dominant

meekz 05-10-2007 01:59 AM

Re: Massey Tape Head and other plug ins
 
Quote:

here I miss a bypass so you can compare.



hmm I thought the bypass function was only missing in the demo version...If you can't bypass the full version... well, that kinda sucks.

I have the demos... and i've been planning to buy the Tape and the Comp. I like the L2007 as well but since I don't like having a limiter on my master buss when mixing, I don't feel the need to buy the full version. I only use it to bump up the level of rough mixes to be burned on CDs or for net demos and I always tweek it differently for different songs. and I don't pretend to be a mastering guy, so I don't really need the full version. I have to experiment with the EQ a little more (or at least some... I think haven't even tried it yet)

Naagzh 05-10-2007 07:25 AM

Re: Massey Tape Head and other plug ins
 
I'm gonna throw out props to Digi for Smack!, not because it's a "workhorse" compressor, but rather because it really excels when you're looking for a unique texture. The side-chain EQ is your best friend under the right circumstances, and the presets will definitely get you in the ball park quickly. The "tape" preset is pretty good for that "presence" on a vocal track (it can really bring out the breaths and ornaments), and drumset room mics sound great when squashed with the room preset. Even the acoustic guitar setting is nice.

A nice tool to have in the belt.


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