All the vibe of real analog tape… and more
Some of the most common emulations of high end tape machines on the market can be a bit too subtle at times, leaving one to ask “is this thing on”? That’s why Kiive Audio’s Tape Face is modeled after one of the most characterful professional tape machines ever made, adding a welcome dose of analog charm to digital recordings.
Three modes: from tasteful, to subtle, to seriously tapey
In Mode I, Tape Face provides an exacting emulation of an Irish-made tape machine known for its pleasantly colored tone. In this default setting, it offers an even greater sonic imprint than some of the cleaner machines made in Switzerland and the U.S. In Mode II, the emulation becomes significantly more transparent, for when a gentler touch is in order. And for Lo-Fi enthusiasts, Mode III dials in extra grit, saturation and top-end softening for more extreme analog degradation.
More than just emulation
The Tape Face offers features not found on the original analog tape machines. It adds extra tape speeds for a greater number of frequency curves and head bumps.
Want that head bump to be even more significant? Try the “Low Boost” feature to restore lose bottom end. Want more tape color and compression without increasing the gain? Just turn up the saturation knob.
Want some real magic? The “Bias”’switch fattens and saturates your low mids while keeping them controlled with frequency dependent tape compression. Tape Face even allows you to add stereo width or see just how much tape compression is being applied.
Try it on EVERYTHING
Tape Face sounds great just about everywhere. For a hint of subtle tape saturation, try Mode II on mix bus or on all your tracks, in 30 or 15ips.
Fatten up thin guitars in Mode I, and then try flipping on the bias switch and running it in 15 or 7.5 ips for an even richer sound. Bring parallel drum buses and loops to life by engaging Mode III—And don’t be shy with that saturation knob!
Give any of these approaches a try on vocals, bass, high percussion and synths to dial in your preferred amount of color.
