Another new Waves plug-in - MPX Master Tape

David Polich · Post by **David Polich** » Thu May 26, 2011 3:44 pm

Likely a response to UAD's Studer, Waves has announced their new
MPX "Master Tape" plug-in, developed in association with Eddie Kramer:

http://www.waves.com/content.aspx?id=11702" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Makes more sense than the King's Microphones plug-in.

waterstrum · Post by **waterstrum** » Thu May 26, 2011 11:38 pm

I've just started messing with it.
So far, it's sounding pretty cool.
Seems to be working well in DP.

Shooshie · Post by **Shooshie** » Fri May 27, 2011 9:17 am

Has anyone tried it and compared it to a similar plug from Nomad Factory? (like Magnetic?)

Armageddon · Post by **Armageddon** » Fri May 27, 2011 5:42 pm

Hopefully, this will show up as part of the next Waves Mercury update ...

Xzault · Post by **Xzault** » Fri May 27, 2011 7:26 pm

It is already included in the mercury bundle, if you use the woli updater

jlaudon · Post by **jlaudon** » Fri May 27, 2011 10:40 pm

Shooshie wrote:Has anyone tried it and compared it to a similar plug from Nomad Factory? (like Magnetic?)

My question as well

. It's going for a good price, and for a plugin like this, native is good to have instead of the UAD one (run out of instances quickly). I also have Magnetic, but the funny thing, it's almost too tweakable, so I'm never sure if I should use it on every track, since it leaves a definite color.

Something like Slate Digital seems to be ideal, as a tape machine would be the same for every track (unless there's something I'm missing about analog tape machines

).

EDIT: Just realized it's modeled on an Ampex 1/4 inch tape machine - so maybe it's mainly for busses and masters?

scooter · Post by **scooter** » Sat May 28, 2011 10:36 am

I have the Mercury bundle, thanks for the heads up!!

scooter

danworks · Post by **danworks** » Sun May 29, 2011 12:01 am

Very different fm Magnetic which I really like and use all the time. MPX is a specific plug, modeled over a particular Ampex machine and it tends to replicate as closer as possible that machine … and it really does it.

Magnetic is more general than MPX, it has valve and tapes color, add some basic EQ, has a limiter. Both great plugs considering what they do to the sound in terms of coloring it. The ideal would be to have both of them

davedempsey · Post by **davedempsey** » Sun May 29, 2011 3:14 am

Just got back from the studio - Sunday afternoon installation visit. Amongst other updates I installed the latest Mercury and played around with the MPX plug. I like it on the Master Fader. It added some very attractive colour to a piano/vocal track.

danworks: Very different fm Magnetic which I really like and use all the time. MPX is a specific plug, modeled over a particular Ampex machine and it tends to replicate as closer as possible that machine … and it really does it.

Magnetic is more general than MPX, it has valve and tapes color, add some basic EQ, has a limiter. Both great plugs considering what they do to the sound in terms of coloring it. The ideal would be to have both of them

+1 Dan. I find Magnetic is great on individual tracks and I'm pretty sure I'll use MPX on sub auxes and master tracks.

Armageddon · Post by **Armageddon** » Sun May 29, 2011 9:19 am

Xzault wrote:It is already included in the mercury bundle, if you use the woli updater

Ha! They tricked me; I kept thinking I'd have to wait for the next overall Waves update (I have v8.6, which is the current version). I think I'll pass on the King's Microphone, though, unless I do a song or work on a movie where somebody has to address the British people ...

Tritonemusic · Post by **Tritonemusic** » Sun May 29, 2011 11:29 am

Armageddon wrote:(I have v8.6, which is the current version).

The latest version is V8r7.

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Sun May 29, 2011 11:59 am

Gotta say, haven't listened to MPX yet, but I'm a big fan of Magnetic. I used it on metal/hard rock on the master fader just before Slate FG-X.

Armageddon · Post by **Armageddon** » Sun May 29, 2011 12:51 pm

666 wrote:The latest version is V8r7.

The Waves' site says v8r6 http://www.waves.com/Content.aspx?id=96, which is why I assumed it was still v8r6. I was able to download and install the MPX plug with no hassles, though.

James Steele wrote:Gotta say, haven't listened to MPX yet, but I'm a big fan of Magnetic. I used it on metal/hard rock on the master fader just before Slate FG-X.

It's ... a subtle plug, at least in a mastering context. I haven't played around with it on a mastering chain, yet, but running some finished mixes through it in Wave Editor does give it a little bit of a tape feel, yet nothing so dramatic that you'll be worried as to how it colors your sound. This plug makes a lot more sense when you discover that this is the final part of Eddie Kramer's mixing/mastering chain from the Seventies (the other two parts being the PIE compressor and the Helios console). I'm sure I'll get better results once I start playing around with it more ...

Tritonemusic · Post by **Tritonemusic** » Sun May 29, 2011 12:56 pm

Armageddon wrote:
666 wrote:The latest version is V8r7.
The Waves' site says v8r6 http://www.waves.com/Content.aspx?id=96, which is why I assumed it was still v8r6..

You are correct. The update notes all refer to V8r6. However, if you download the standalone installer, the disk image says V8r7.

Armageddon · Post by **Armageddon** » Sun May 29, 2011 2:38 pm

666 wrote:You are correct. The update notes all refer to V8r6. However, if you download the standalone installer, the disk image says V8r7.

I never actually downloaded anything until just now -- I simply checked with the site (I think, after King's Microphone came out) and saw it was still at r6, so I never bothered to do a proper update check.

MOTUnation.com