Manual

UAD Powered Plug-Ins Manual - 27 - Chapter 2: Ampex ATR-102
OFF is similar to the Thru position in the Path Select control (page 29) except
that the Meters are still active when the Thru control is used. However, in this
state, the Meters indicate signal levels at the input of the plug-in prior to pro-
cessing.
Note: DSP usage is reduced only when DSP LoadLock is disabled. If DSP
LoadLock is enabled (the default setting), activating OFF will not reduce DSP
usage.
Tape Speed The Tape Speed control determines the speed of the tape trans-
port, in inches per second (IPS). Tape Speed affects the re-
corder’s fidelity and associated “head bump” sonics. Head
bump is bass frequency build-up that occurs with magnetic tape;
the dominant frequencies shift according to transport speed.
To change the Tape Speed value, click the IPS text values, or drag the knob,
or click the knob then use the mouse scroll wheel.
15 IPS is considered the favorite for rock and acoustic music due to its low fre-
quency “head bump” (low frequency rise) and warmer sound, while 30 IPS is
the norm for classical and jazz due to its lower noise floor, greater fidelity and
flatter response. 7.5 and 3.75 IPS are also available for an even more col-
ored experience, with even greater frequency shift and other artifacts.
Note: The available parameter ranges of Tape Type, Head Width, and Em-
phasis EQ are affected by Tape Speed. See Table 6 on page 43 for details.
Tape Type Tape Type selects the active tape stock formulation. Seven
Tape Types are modeled in the UAD Ampex ATR-102. To se-
lect the Tape Type, click the TAPE button to cycle through the
available types, or click directly on the Tape Type value label.
The active Tape Type is highlighted in yellow.
Note: The available Tape Types and defaults are dependent
on the current Tape Speed and Head values. The available
Tape Types, and the associated Tape Speed and Head values,
are shown in Table 6 on page 43.
Each type has its own subtle sonic variation, distortion onset, and tape com-
pression characteristics. Generally speaking, the lower the Cal Level for each
formula, the higher the signal level required to reach saturation and distor-
tion.