Mixing With Mike Plugin of the Week: UA Ampex ATR-102

[@davidr1620]

The technical knowledge you have of this equipment is absolutely stunning.

[@pettipoole]

Every time I’m researching a plugin, I come here first. Criminally underrated channel!

[@jonathanwingmusic]

This is amazing - I've had this plugin for a few years but I'll be honest I've always been a bit intimidated by it. I've had a version of it living on the mix bus of my Logic template for the past year and every time I turned it on it sent everything hell in a handbasket - crunchy lows, loss of definition, basically my mix falling apart. I would turn knobs to no avail. I googled for tutorials on how to use it but honestly most seemed to be reviews showing how cool it is in different scenarios. This is the first video I could find that clearly explained what all those numbers and buttons mean and how to manipulate them to my advantage. I immediately re-opened my template and observed that the default setting I had mine somehow set to was: 7.5ips, 256 +9 @ 1/4", with noise, wow, flutter, and crosstalk all turned way up. I must have opened one of the more creative lo-fi presets and saved with that. No wonder it was making my mixes sound like hot garbage! Now that I understand what these do I simply re-tweaked it to something more mix bus friendly and it sounded truly amazing. And cool to know I can still use that lo-fi preset on certain instruments when I want that vibe. I'm so glad I finally figured out how to use this thing, thanks so much. Awesome channel!

[@TonyRaybeats]

this dude reference cutting an snorting blow on a mirror in a UAD product lol hahahaha at 2:54

[@jaynm26]

This is the best plugin "training" video I have ever seen. I actually took notes. I say plugin training video because this NOT a plugin "tutorial". You want worthless 5min button to knob non, substantiative "tutorials" go to UAD, Waves or other "so called pro's". You want real in depth plugin *training* videos that really show you "HOW TO USE THE PLUGIN" in a professional setting. You have come to the right place. Welcome! Take a seat and get out a pin and paper cause your actually going to need it for this videos. Great job Mike!

[@PeterRatkay]

As a rookie on mixing this is straight up gold. Really love your explanations and how your are so enthusiastic about the gear. For me personally it really helps to understand and memorize what the different settings does. Big thanks Michael!

[@golf-freq]

This is how you review a plugin! Excellent presentation and thanks so much! Subbed!

[@mixingwithmike]

Cheers!

[@AllyKiss18]

Best tutorial on KZbin for this plugin. Helps to get all the details for those of us who never were lucky enough to work with tape!

[@patrickwilliams1886]

This is definitely the best video I have seen on learning how to use this machine. I’ve been sitting on this plug-in for about a year and didn’t realize how awesome it was until I saw your video. I still need to walk to the couple more times and then listen to the plug-in but you did an awesome job and I’ll continue to look to your videos for instructions. Thank you very much

[@mixingwithmike]

Cheers Patrick!

[@MikeHeebz]

Amazing introduction into the world of the Ampex ATR-102. I have been using the presets for mastering & had no idea where to go from there. Let me know when you put out the 10 hr master course. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Respect!

[@shastriyasangeetinstituteo3142]

Very good video. Thanks.

[@tombaleone9585]

The manual itself is less detailed.... Thank you Mike !

[@tomaszmusic]

Great review! The best review of UAD Ampex ATR-102. Thanks for all the detailed information.

[@mixingwithmike]

+Tom August Cheers Tom!

[@muziekkamer]

Always quality first, love your videos and your way of thinking..

[@xalivin]

This is like, it's insane... Dude you found the right words. This plugin is fuxxxxx insane! Even though I got it already, great review...

[@mixingwithmike]

+xalivin Cheers!

[@driftwoodradio]

Thanks for this great tutorial! To A/B test different settings as you mention at 18:45, would it make sense to just load a 2nd instance of the plugin just while you are A/B testing?

[@quantize]

Thankyou, excellent in depth review and explanation...essential!

[@BlackenedNL]

Mike, what would you say is your absolute favorite UAD plugin? One you should have in your library. Thanks for all these amazing videos

[@winstonphilip9118]

Absolutely correct about the razor marks :)

[@Truth565]

Thanks! Great in-depth look at this plug. I have it on demo now and will defo be purchasing it. It's a great plug and gets my tracks closer to what I imagine they should sound like as a record. So far for me along witha few other UA plugs, this is the closest to actual analogue sound than any other plug in emulations. The Pulsating Waves channel also did another great review with this that sort of shows you how warm and big you can get a mix with this the UAD Studer and the Oxide plugs. So the Studer is also on my list.

[@mixingwithmike]

They are both great emulations, but the ATR is one of my favorites for sure both hardware and this plugin emulation. Cheers! Mike

[@marketsoundentertainment3505]

That was great. Thank you.

[@ZacharyRedFulton]

I actually think that 456 - 6+ - 1/4” - 15 IPS (at 19:08 and 19:17) sounded the best! 😁

[@PicoPanesa]

Nice video 🔥

[@groveboytmt]

Best explanation of this emulation I heard

[@damesystemexec4161]

Actually quantity Ampex bought out 3m 996 and turned it into GP9. I think they also bought out 3m accessories like there leader tapes and reel style for there logging and instrumentation tapes as well.great company but since they left the market I’m on ATR tape

[@craigerwin4007]

@Mike - sound like are you saying that when the crosstalk is "on" it's more mono... how do you usually prefer it on or off? Thanks so much for the vid!

[@StormNilson]

This is the best plug review vid I've ever seen. Thanks so much man!

[@mixingwithmike]

Cheers Storm!

[@michaelbennett8981]

Your passion is intoxicating! I own this plugin, but I do feel the price tag is extortionate!

[@saffellmusic]

Thanks for the video! you seem to know your stuff! Before I found this video I was reading some tips and tricks for this plugin on the UAD website and they say .. " the goal is to get the ATR-102 meter averaging around 0 dB or below." I noticed your VU meter was riding pretty low the whole time, is that just your preference? I was doing research because I thought I haven't been sending enough signal into this plugin to get the most out of it. Obviously it is up to individual taste but curious how you approach that. Thanks again!

[@mixingwithmike]

What they are saying about the the 0VU setting is true with the hardware but I have only found distortion when i push the level that hard on the plugin. I have used the ATR102 a lot in studio work but never in a purely digital environment that printed to 2 track, always through an analog desk with analog gear for processing. I have encountered similar metering issues with almost every other tape plugin other than the Kramer Tape and Softube Tape plugins.

[@roderickaugust]

In the whole video did you even talk about input and output controls? Where are they???

[@desmondcole4300]

It is now native... with a few features missing.

[@mminjarez]

Well done, and thanks

[@Daviddosi]

Would you recomend The atr-102 over the studer? i demoed both and i think i liek th Atr better. But i was told its beter to get the studer beacuse of Luna. what do you think?

[@justinguitarcia]

The studer is meant really for individual tracks whereas the atr is for the master bus. The atr also takes up a ton of juice so you can only really use it that way anyway. With Luna you can integrate the studer per track, so its a different tool really

[@izvarzone]

For crosstalk sound, I think. UAD recommend struder for mixing and ATR for mastering, but there no rules ofc.

[@zackdusedau5255]

yeah this plugin is amazing! I am always using it too. question though: what's your opinion of using the UA Studer plugin on every track? I am using the Studer on every track and then the Ampex on the mix bus.

[@mixingwithmike]

Zack Dusedau Hey Zack. Historically, that is the exact layout! The Studer is also far less UA Processor intensive than the ATR which makes that even a possibility. Are you starting your mix with the Studer as the first plugin or using it later in the chain? Cheers! Mike

[@zackdusedau5255]

Studer as the first plug-in :). Ampex right before limiter.

[@DylanDroll]

Lines of blow 😂😂😂

[@GregWilliamsTU]

Where can I pick up this groove? Love the feel

[@mixingwithmike]

The multi is available on my website as part of the mixing courses.

[@bertrandcenovis6060]

You are the best !

[@fonzflex5608]

hey michael, great review, thank you very much. I am demoing it, and I will enjoy your tips. I think I will purchase it ehehehe Your video is from 2015, do you know if uad made an update since then? The plug looks identical actually, just curious

[@deceiver444]

thanx for this amazing review

[@WassupFred]

Thanks man!! You def know your shit 🎉

[@customdrumtracksonlinedrum4960]

Great video!!!.. thanks for doing this.. So much great info...

[@mixingwithmike]

Cheers!

[@denniswhiterock9211]

So cool! Love to own it!!

[@KiteFlyingRobot]

Well done, sir.

[@ElliotBrownJingles]

This looks amazing and I want to buy it but I'm wondering: do I have to buy the UA Apollo interface? I'm using a Scarlett Focusrite as it is and wonder if anyone knows a way around this problem....

[@mixingwithmike]

***** Hi Ellion, No way around this one. You either have to buy a UA interface or a UA satellite processor to use the plugins. It is a proprietary system that cannot be used natively, only with UA hardware processors. To me, it is a worthwhile investment, but it can be an expensive one once you start getting into all the great emulations. Cheers! Mike

[@ElliotBrownJingles]

Michael White Cheers Mike! I've already decided to buy one, but it will be a couple of months away. Can you recommend any, perhaps simpler, analog emulators I could download now for a reasonable price that don't require a special interface? I've been catching up on your videos this morning and am inspired to drench everything in analog right away! -cheers! Elliot

[@mixingwithmike]

Hi Elliot, Are you looking for a range of analog plugins or specifically tape emulations? Slate Digital has a great deal that gives you a lot of quality analog emulations. Even the full purchase price is a great deal on it's own, but the monthly/yearly license deal is worth considering. Almost all plugins, other than UA, will run with your host CPU, so you should have no worries on that end. Hope this helps... Cheers! Mike

[@slamcrank]

Excellent overview, Mike! One of my favorite plugins of all time. haha, you keep saying "it's insane", but it truly is!!

[@mixingwithmike]

slamcrank Hey SC! Yea, not too many plugins that g=have this much going on under the hood. Also, I LOVE this tape machine and really got into different alignments. bias settings and tape formulations using the real thing. This is the only tape plugin I've seen that gets as deep. Insane indeed! Cheers! Mike

[@slamcrank]

Michael White Hey Mike, thank you for doing these Plugin Of The Week segments. I always enjoy them. Could I put in a request for the UAD Culture Vulture plugin? I really enjoyed your VSM-3 video, and think the two units could be tied together nicely. Thanks again!

[@mixingwithmike]

Hey skamcrank, I will put that one on the list. Have never paired it with the VSM-3, will have to check that out... Cheers! Mike

[@Mike_Benz_]

Need this plugin as native

[@kennethscott3538]

You got ya wish 😉

[@smoke4090]

I just learned of this plug in yesterday. Ive done some research online and cant get a clear answer to my question. Do i need to have a universal audio interface to use this plug-in? I see your using protools which i have and i know i have windows 10 with 64bit processing but i dont have an apollo interface. Theyre too expensive and i need to record way to many channels to make it practical. I have an m-audio 8x4m interface. Its a really good interface and its been working for me for years. Theres a sale going on for this plug-in for memorial day but i dont want to spend $100 on this plug-in if i cant use it with my interface. Has anyone used this plug-in with an interface that isnt made by Universal Audio?

[@mixingwithmike]

As of right now (May 2023) this plugin is not available as a native plugin though UAD Spark. To answer your question, you need a UAD satellite or interface with DSP processing capabilities to use this plugin.

[@smoke4090]

@@mixingwithmike dam thats soo wack. I really want this plug-in but i refuse to overpay for A UAD interface. I need to record too many channels to make it practical. My $400 interface and mixer combo has more channels than the $4000 UAD interface. And with my experience as an engineer ill make it sound just as good too.

[@mixingwithmike]

@@smoke4090 I have no inside info on this but I think they are going to slowly move everything over to their native "Spark" format over the next couple of years. I'm sitting on 4 satellite units now that will likely be paperweights in 2 years time. Even if you had the cash, I would advise to wait it out.

[@TonyRaybeats]

a mirror taped to it with lines of blow on it~!!!!! lol haha that's cocaine for those of you who dont know lol

[@adisatrio3871]

in comparison with waves tape emulation which tape is closer to this plugin?

[@martysquire1054]

umm..the ampex mastering deck its based on?

[@Browndans123]

Where in your mastering chain should one use this plugin?

[@izvarzone]

I like to use tape as last plugin on master, if I'm not going for "loudness war" sound.

[@mellorecordstudios4519]

good but.. sound mono :( why?

[@SteveGietz]

Lines of blow :D

[@threeeyedtribe]

🤣🤣🤣

[@jaynm26]

So I posted this video on UAD's and the guy "The Pro Tool Expert" KZbin channels stating if you want to watch a REAL video of this plugin come here lol.

[@mariocataruzolo1637]

Lol, the "pro tools expert" it's probably some fatass guy

[@TheShpmusic]

u still never talked about the Reproduce and Record controls.

[@kennethscott3538]

Lines of blow 😆

[@Djtrikinosis]

Great review ,will be very helpfull now that I have buy the license .thanks a lot

[@mixingwithmike]

+Djtrikinosis Cheers!

[@gregedenfield1080]

WOW &.... flutter🙃

[@MrMemyselfandi415]

YOU....ARE....BAD...ASS!!!