Capturing That "Analog" Sound

The current studio must-have seems to be some way to re-create the sound of an analog tape deck. Wherever it's a plug-in or a rack mount external device most solutions attempt to capture the essence of analog tape by reproducing the compression & noise artifacts inherent in the format. Needless to say these replicators are expensive and only imitate the original.

Another approach is to search ebay or your local Craigslist for the real thing! Quality analog 2 track reel to reel recorders can be had very cheaply, tape is still readily available (and reusable) and since most were built for professional use, they have stood the test of time well. Above is the most loved & highly affordable Revox A-77, other candidates include the Technics RS-1700 (technically a hifi deck) and the various Tascam units.

Make sure you are looking at a 1/2 track (you cannot turn the tape over & record on the other side) model and that the machine is at capable of 15ips (inches per second). Most domestic machines run at 3.75/7.5ips, the pro models were generally 7.5/15 ps with the top studio machines offering 30ips. Obviously, the usual care & attention should be paid when purchasing a mechanical device, be sure & examine the heads for excessive wear and the rubber rollers & pinch wheels for rot.

There are many creative options for using your new deck. Mixing down to it is the most obvious, but you could also use it as an echo, fed with an aux send and returned to a channel (a varispeed gives you the ability to change delay times). Or add it as an insert on a track, re-record that track back into the DAW and time offset/nudge it back in sync.

I'd love to hear some more tape-based hacks!