Reelight PRO

Instant Analogue Magic

The invention of digital audio recordings liberated sound engineers in many ways which were not possible in the analogue era. Even with all the tools at one’s fingertips, musicians and engineers sorely missed the sound and sonics of earlier recordings. The magic that the recording mediums imparted by default and one which was taken for granted.

Reelight Pro is a plugin designed to bring back the authentic tape sounds of not one, but 6 different sought-after Tape Machines at different speeds and levels to bring us even closer to the “reel” sound of tape. With this plugin, you also get access to desirable parameters such as tape speed, bias, input saturation, crosstalk and even the compression imparted by tape as separate controls! The plugin comes with a lot of presets designed to help get you started, or design your own from scratch!

Advanced Dynamic IR (Impulse Response) systems that Tone Empire have developed in addition to DSP modelling, help us achieve the authentic sound of tape machines like never before.

Hysteresis Processing along with a great sounding resolver, help us achieve the “wow” factor!

I/O Section

The Input Gain sets levels from -24dB to +24dB with 0 dB in the centre, This control acts in the same way as on analogue tape recorders, the more gain you increasing, the harder the tape is hit with sound, and create the correct response audible in terms of saturation and compression.

The Lock feature lets a user increase input gain with an automatic gain compensation for an increase in levels in the output. 

The Output Gain sets output levels from -24dB to +24dB with 0 dB in the centre, 

Filters

This plugin features a set of 12 dB/ oct (20Hz to 20 kHz)High Pass and Low Pass Filters using an analogue design scheme for a natural sound. These are Pre-Filters, and effect the sound before the tape algorithms.

Tape Machine Selector

These selectors labelled A-F, let the user select the different Tape Models :

• A - AMPEX ATR 700
• B - STUDER A 812
• C - STUDER A 80
• D - TEAC A2300 SD
• E - AEG TELEFUNKEN M20
• F - REVOX B77 mk2

Speed

Select Slow or Fast speeds offered per tape machine.. these vary from 3 1/2 ips to 30 ips depending on the machine selected.

Bias

This control lets you adjust the Bias of the machine selected and creates a desirable saturation effect in addition to Input Gain Saturation.

Comp

This controls the envelope of the sound like a compressor, allowing the user to emulate the “compression” characteristics of tape. The effect is subtle but noticeable.

Crosstalk

An artefact of multitrack tape machines was “Tape Bleed” or signal bleed, whereas the signal on adjacent tracks also record additionally on each other.. creates a mono-spatial effect.’You can adjust the amount desired for this parameter.

Oversampling

You have the option of 2x-8x oversampling, depending on your CPU power and computer resources, this helps “smooth” the sound and sound even closer to the analogue bandwidth.

Presets

Tone Empire have provided Presets per machine and also some categories, to help the user get started quickly. Tone Empire do recommend using the controls and your ears to shape your own sound!

No Wet/Dry?

Why is there no wet/dry control? Let us answer this for you... To use the plugin and make it sound authentic, adding a dry signal back into the processed signal creates “phasing”.

Moreover, the tape is the final medium of printing the sound! It is intended to be used as a full effect. Tone Empire have already provided all the controls to tweak your sound minimally or as an extreme. 

So, as opposed to having one wet/dry control for the whole sound, you actually control the amount of each effect individually.

System Requirements

Mac

• macOS 10.13.6 or later (Intel / Native M1 supported) (64-bit only)
• VST3 / AU / AAX (64-bit host required)
• AMD Ryzen or equivalent
• 2 GB RAM / 300 MB HD Required
• Screen resolution: 1024×768

Windows

• Windows 10 or later (64-bit only)
• VST3 / AAX (64-bit host required)
• AMD Ryzen or equivalent
• 2 GB RAM / 300 MB HD
• Screen resolution: 1024×768

Important Note:

• This software is 64-bit compatible only and will not function on 32-bit systems. 
• This software is only available in VST3 format and will not function in VST/VST2 DAWs.