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Description
Dive into the world of vintage analog sound with the Waves J37 Tape, a plug-in that masterfully replicates the warmth and charm of the legendary Studer-designed EMI J37 tape machine. Crafted in collaboration with Abbey Road Studios, this plug-in captures the essence of the 1960s and '70s iconic sound, adding a rich analog texture to your digital recordings. Whether you're looking to enhance your mixes with subtle saturation or deep tape delay effects, the J37 gives you the tools to achieve that classic, timeless sound.
With an intuitive interface, the J37 Tape plug-in offers comprehensive control over key parameters such as bias, tape speed, and the unique "imperfections" that give tape its character. Choose from three distinct EMI oxide tape formulas to tailor your sound further, and make use of the embedded tape delay, equipped with multiple delay types and sync capabilities. This plug-in is not just about adding warmth; it's about reviving the authentic tape sound that shaped a generation of music.
Key Features:
- Developed with Abbey Road Studios for authentic sound
- Emulates the classic Studer-designed EMI J37 tape machine
- Offers 3 unique EMI oxide tape formulas
- Adjustable parameters: bias, wow, flutter, and tape speed
- Comprehensive tape delay with 3 delay types
- Sync, low-pass, and high-pass filter controls
Owner's manual
Waves J37 Tape User ManualProduct specs
| Available since | October 2016 |
| Los artikel / bundelartikel | Los artikel |
| Delay | No |
| Dynamics | No |
| Effect Filter | No |
| Encoder/Decoder | No |
| Equalizer | No |
| Guitar amps/-effects | No |
| Channel Strip | No |
| Metering / Analysis / Correction | No |
| Modulation Effects | No |
| Multieffect / Plugin-Host | No |
| Overdrive/Distortion | No |
| Preamp / Saturation | No |
| Psychoacoustic tool / Enhancer / Exciter | No |
| Restauration | No |
| Reverb | No |
| Special FX | No |
| Summer / Mixing Consoles | No |
| Tape Simulation | Yes |
| Pitch Shifter / Harmonizer / Timestretching | No |
| Transient Processing | No |
| Vocoder / Vocal effect | No |
| Mastering Tools | No |
| Hardware Controller | No |
| Download | 1 |
FAQs
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What does the Waves J37 Tape plugin emulate?
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The Waves J37 Tape plugin emulates the sound of the Studer J37 tape machine used in Abbey Road Studios, known for its warm analog saturation and harmonic distortion that adds vintage character to recordings.
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Is the Waves J37 Tape plugin suitable for mastering?
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The Waves J37 Tape plugin is primarily designed for adding tape saturation and warmth to individual tracks or buses, rather than mastering. However, it can be used creatively in mastering to achieve a vintage, analog sound.
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What are the key features of the Waves J37 Tape plugin?
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The Waves J37 Tape plugin features authentic tape saturation, three different tape formulas, and adjustable tape speed, allowing users to recreate the classic sound of analog tape machines.
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Can the Waves J37 Tape plugin be used with any DAW?
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Yes, the Waves J37 Tape plugin is compatible with most major DAWs, including Ableton Live, Pro Tools, and Logic Pro, as long as they support VST, AU, or AAX formats.
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How does the Waves J37 Tape plugin affect audio quality?
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The Waves J37 Tape plugin enhances audio quality by adding warmth, depth, and subtle harmonic distortion, emulating the characteristics of vintage tape machines to give recordings a classic analog feel.
Videos
Waves Audio
Waves / Abbey Road J37 Tape Plugin: In-Depth Tutorial with Audio Demos
Reviews
PROS
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Delivers high-quality sound reminiscent of professional studio tape machines
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Offers vintage-style tape delay and warm, analog noise effects
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Versatile for use on individual tracks or the main output bus
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Smooths out transients, especially effective on bass guitar
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Comes with a variety of useful presets and manual settings
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Enhances vocals and instruments with rich, flavorful saturation
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Allows for creative effects like shimmering delays and reverbs
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Highly effective at taming hard transients for a polished mix
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Adds character and depth to mixes with subtle saturation
CONS
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Requires a powerful workstation for optimal performance on multiple tracks
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Lacks true tape saturation due to its digital nature
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Waves J37 Tape.
Features and functionality
Comparisons
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J37 is viewed as a high-fidelity tape emulation compared to RC-20, which targets a more vintage, low-fidelity sound.
Source
Software and compatibility
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Waves' update policy requires payment for updates after the first year, which may influence long-term value considerations.
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Value and pricing
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Ensure purchase during Waves' sales to avoid paying more than $30, maximizing the plugin's cost-effectiveness.
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Use cases and applications
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Users often layer J37 with RC-20 to achieve varied tape effects, leveraging both plugins' strengths in a single project.
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Best integrated into mixes from the start for consistent sound; late-stage addition may disrupt mix balance.
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Ideal for self-mastering, but unnecessary if a professional mastering engineer will apply their own tape saturation effects.
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Critic Reviews
5.0 out of 5
Based on 5 Reviews and 45 Ratings
787
Great Tape!
I use the J37 on every master, and drum bus. It gives an effect of a soft clipped signal that's not really clipped but adds so much flavor to the sound. You probably won't be able to hear it at first, but you will realize how well the J37 tames hard transients to sound just right. Try it out!
187
My old vinyl emulator just dose not cut it.
I still would try my hand at tape (I mean modding the machine) but if you can't afford it or have the time to take care of it i would give this a try.
40997
tape machines aren't a big PUTA to keep maintained, no one uses them anymore because the reels are expensive now that hardly anyone manfactures tape
940
TAPE SIMULATOR !!
on master channel(again) and Audirvana for listening music, never forgot this.
159
TAPE SATURATION
Good tape saturation to add some analog texture to your sounds.
This review has been translated automatically into English. See originalArtist usage
Add artist
J37: A juicy tape emulator that can be used on literally ANYTHING. I have used this on entire stereo mixes, and it made them sound as if they were recorded next to a warm fireplace!
He uses the Waves j37 Tape for almost every track in "Wait Up" as you can see in this video.
In a YouTube video by 180 Spaces, William Basinski discusses using the Waves J37 Tape plugin for its tape emulation features, including controls for bias, wow, flutter, tape speed, and delay, highlighting its role in his sound production.
At 1:50:28, OMFG Explains that he put the J37 Tape Saturation plugin on the master of his first song 'Hello'
Used for vocals on "Sum 2 Prove", as stated by mix engineer Tillie in this June 2020 Sound on Sound interview. An image of the settings can be found here.
"All Lil Baby's vocals go through an aux track," says Tillie, "on which I have the Waves DeEsser, Avid EQ3 7-band, Waves SSL Channel and Compressor, Waves RCompressor, UAD J37 and the FabFilter Pro‑DS de-esser. There are two sends to reverb aux tracks and one to a half–note delay. The Waves DeEsser is there because I felt the vocal was too bright. The EQ3 has a pretty involved curve, with a low cut at 69.8Hz, notches at 184.7Hz and 425.2Hz, and me adding at 2kHz and high end at 5.37kHz, because I wanted some more presence. The SSL Compressor is not doing much, it's just there for vibe. I do the actual compression with the RCompressor.
"The J37 adds analogue vibe — it's one of my favourite plug–ins on vocals. It really brings them to life. I did all the heavy lifting with the first de-esser, and the Pro‑DS is just to catch anything that's the result of the EQ curve that I added. There's also a Vocal Parallel aux with the Softube Tube‑Tech CL‑1B to add more body and a bit of beef. I think that compressor just makes everything sound better. It gives you a different tonal character.
"The first send goes to the Verb aux track, which has the DVerb, set to a Large Hall, and an EQ3 7-band, taking out low end below 100Hz. The second send goes to the Verb 2 aux, with the Waves RVerb, the Waves REQ, again rolling off low end, and the Waves S1 Stereo Imager. I use the Imager on my reverbs probably 75 percent of the time. My style of mixing is very wide, so I tend to spread out my instruments and my effects, and I place things in different places in the stereo mix. I always like to add width and depth, so you can feel things and they are not necessarily right up in your face. But I leave the vocals to be the centre point of the mix."
This Snapshot was taken from 13/02/2021 Twitch Stream (https://www.twitch.tv/helloimlenno), proving that Lenno is using this Plugin.
In this YouTube video [at 1:30:50] Luke uses the Waves J37 plugin to add tape saturation to one of his synths.
"Even though the SSL E-Channel is my go-to for most everything, I do grab the SSL G-Channel if I want to get a bit more aggressive. I miss having a physical plate, but the Abbey Road Reverb Plates plug makes up for it. I also love the Abbey Road Reel ADT and of course the J37 Tape – old-school saturation and delays!"
Album Usage
The Waves J37 Tape has been featured on the following albums:
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Waves J37 Tape, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
Community setups
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