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CHAPTER 12
Ampex ATR-102
Mastering Tape Recorder
It's Not a Record Until it's Mastered on an Ampex® Tape Machine.
For more than three decades, the two-channel Ampex ATR-102 Mastering
Tape Recorder has turned music recordings into records. With its cohesive
sound, punch, and ability to provide subtle-to-deep tape saturation and color,
the Ampex ATR-102 is a fixture in major recording and mastering studios —
and is considered by many engineers to be the best-sounding tape machine
for final mixdown. The perfect complement to the workhorse
Multichannel Tape Recorder, the Ampex ATR-102 plug-in can provide the fi-
nal "analog polish" on your music, turning songs into albums.
Impeccably modeled in the renowned UAD engineering tradition — and in-
corporating presets from noted Ampex ATR-102 users Chuck Ainlay, Richard
Dodd, Buddy Miller, Mike Poole, and more — the Ampex ATR-102 Mastering
Tape Recorder plug-in emulation for UAD-2 faithfully replicates the unique dy-
namics, frequency response, and saturation characteristics of the original
hardware. Scrutinized and fully authenticated by the Ampex Corporation, the
sound of the Ampex ATR-102 plug-in for UAD-2 is virtually indistinguishable
from its analog cousin.
Introduced in 1976, the Ampex ATR-102 2-Track Tape Recorder was a
History
near-instant hit, thanks to its revolutionary servo-controlled reel motors and
capstan, which provided smooth, continuous tape tension and handling. The
large capstan, and absence of pinch rollers, provided nearly non-existent
speed drift and ultra-low flutter. The clever ATR-102 design allowed users to
change out heads and guides in mere minutes, with a 1" head being a very
popular "hot-rod" modification in more recent years — especially when run-
ning at 15 IPS (inches per second). The ATR's role in modern recording history
is so prevalent, that it would be easier to list classic albums that weren't mixed
down on this machine, rather than to try to list all those that were.
All visual and aural references to the Ampex Product and all use of Ampex's trademarks are being
made with written permission from Ampex Corporation. Any references to third party tape formula-
tions are used solely for identification and do not imply any endorsement by, or affiliation with, any
tape manufacturer.
UAD Powered Plug-Ins Manual
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Studer A800
Chapter 12: Ampex ATR-102
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