Overloud GEM Tapedesk
Tape & Console Plugin
Full Analog Mixing Workflow in a Plugin
Overloud TAPEDESK combines a Tape Machine and multiple Console models into a single plugin, to replicate the warm tones of an analog mixing workflow.
- Simulation of 3 legendary analog consoles
- Simulation of a 2 inch 24-track tape machine
- Faithful interactions between the console and the tape machine
- Precise metering in any point of the sound chain
- Simulation of all transformers in the original units
- Very low CPU usage: all your tracks can have one
- Lots of presets designed in real mixing sessions
- Scribble Strips: take notes anywhere on the plugin panel
- Meter Calibration: calibrate the VU meters at 4 different sensibilities
Why Tapedesk?
In the real world, a tape machine is always physically connected to a console.
Sound enters into the console’s preamplifier, gets fed into the tape machine, and is recorded to tape. From there the tape is played back and the audio again hits the console for mixing into its stereo bus.
Recreating this process using separate components is fairly complex but it is the only way to actually replicate the experience of mixing in analog. TAPEDESK automates all of these separate processes for you; you only need to insert the plugin on your tracks and enjoy the experience of mixing in an analog world.
Tape Machine
Overloud TAPEDESK features a hyper-realistic simulation of a 2 inch 24-track World Class Tape Machine from a renowned UK studio.
Any piece of the sound path has been simulated in order to recreate the authentic analog vibe of the original tape machine.
You can control any kind of tape parameters, from tape speed to head biasing, in order to have full control on the tonal palette.
Console Emulation
Overloud TAPEDESK emulates the complete signal paths of three legendary analog consoles, used every day of the last 20 years to create thousands of hits inside the world’s finest studios.
S4000 Console: Wide and somewhat aggressive kind of character that made it the first choice for rock, metal and pop music.
N80 Console: Rich, warm, English sound which can give your mix some classic vibe.
T88 Console: Particularly sought-after console, with a thick, fat tone and a renowned personality due to its midrange push.
The Magic of Tube Biasing
The Bias knob controls the amount of current through the tubes.
- At low current the tubes are under-biased and the sound is inclined to be thinner and break up easily.
- At medium current settings, the Sculptube distorts least, and this is the typical setting for just warming up a sound.
- At high current the tubes are over-fed and the tone becomes quite fat and harmonically rich.
3 Tube Configurations
There are 3 settings for the type of distortion:
- Program 0 (Triode) creates the typical musical effect found with triode valves, with very rich 2nd harmonic distortion, good for warming up a sound.
- Program 1 (Pentode) creates a Pentode distortion, with prevailing odd harmonics, which makes the sound more aggressive while retaining that valve character.
- Program 2 (Special) is obtained with a pretty unusual way of configuring the valve, which gives an extra octave at higher bias settings.
System Requirements
- MacOS 10.9 Mavericks and above
- Windows 10 and above (32 and 64-bit)
- Intel, AMD, or Apple Silicon CPU
- 4GB RAM or more
- 1280x800 screen resolution or higher
- Includes 3 activations per license
Plugin Formats
AAX Native, AU, VST2, and VST3
User Manual Mac Trial Windows Trial