YS released Tape Delay Lofi, a freeware tape delay plugin for digital audio workstations on Windows and macOS.
Delays are one of my favorite time-based effects. I have yet to meet a delay I didn’t get on with, and you name the type, and I’m fond of it. I have a certain fondness for tape delays, and I’ve even got jury-rigged cassettes for this express purpose.
If you don’t want to futz with the Portastudio to get that lo-fi tape grunge to your sound, then YS has you covered. Tape Delay LoFi does what it says on the tin and a lot more.
You’ve got five main controls to keep in mind. The input and output knobs let you drive the plugin as needed while also adding some lovely saturation to the signal as a whole. You have a mix knob, which every delay needs.
I don’t typically run mine on sends, so they’re almost always running as an insert on a particular source. The feedback knob works as you’d expect, and can get chaotic when pushed to the maximum value.
Delay time and width round out the controls. You’ve got a time range of 100ms to 1000ms, and I couldn’t seem to find a way to get it to sync to my host. That said, it was easy enough to dial it in to match the tempo of my test project.
Curiously, this seems to take some inspiration from pieces like the Space Echo or Echorec, with up to five individual tape heads present.
YS has also released its take on the Curve Bender EQ from the folks at Chandler. This is a wonderful emulation, with four individual bands and the ability to toggle between left/right and mid/side equalization.
I couldn’t hear any saturation imparted on the signal itself, but it works wonders doing broad strokes with boost and cuts alike.
You’ll need a Windows or Mac computer to run both Curve Bender and Tape Delay Lofi. The Mac binaries run just fine on my machine, but I can’t tell if they’re bridged or not when loading them up in Bitwig. I’m sure one of our more technically savvy readers can better inform curious minds on that fact.
Download: Tape Delay LoFi (Links in the video description)
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10 Comments
Bthelick
ondoesn’t appear to be able to self oscillate like a tape plug should imo.
Yet again the only person that’s got it right so far is Variety of Sound with NastyDLA.
Until someone manages to beat beat that I see no need for any other tape delay personally.
Mariusz
onNot only NastyDLA, but VariSpeed GSI can do this too :) Delicious
alex
onWell, no. Another guy who uses the evaluation version of Reaper to promote his plugins.
al
onSo his work isn’t valid unless he pays some outlandish amount for a DAW that basically does the exact same thing?
Kieran
onCalling Reaper outlandishly expensive is outlandish.
al
onI’m talking about the other DAWs that cost absurd amounts; I’m aware the license to Reaper is inexpensive but they do not believe in enforcing their licensing like other companies- it’s not like he’s pirated it
alex
onWell, it is. Reaper can be evaluated for two months and he’s been using it for much longer. Besides, Reaper devs have already asked people not to use the evaluation version for making YouTube videos (for understandable reasons, no?). His plugins are free but he accepts donations, so he could be as well be using a DAW that is really free or donationware for making videos. Finally, I’ve never said his work isn’t valid – I’m just not gonna try/use his plugins and potentially support his work.
Bogdan
onDude relax, what is your business, what a version of reaper he uses LOL
pacman
onMad much?
Neytcev
onSeems to be excellent! Thanks!