Reel Tape Saturation Controls
For more information, see the following topics:
In addition to the Drive, Output, Tape Machine, and Tape Formula controls, Reel Tape Saturation has the following controls:
The Speed control adjusts the tape speed in ips (inches per second). Tape speed affects the frequency response of the modeled tape machine. Available tape speeds include 7.5 ips, 15 ips, and 30 ips, with a default setting of 15 ips.
Reel Tape Saturation produces noise only during playback and recording, and not when the transport is stopped.
The Noise control adjusts the level of simulated tape noise that is added to the processed signal. The characteristics of the noise depend on the Speed, Bias, and Tape Machine settings, and the relative level of the noise depends on the Drive, Cal Adjust, and Tape Formula settings.
Noise is adjustable from Off (–INF) to –24 dB, with the default value being Off.
The Bias control simulates the effect of under- or over-biasing the modeled tape machine. Bias is adjustable from –6 dB to +6 dB, with a default value of 0.0 dB. The 0.0 dB value represents a standard overbias calibration of 3 dB for analog tape machines, so the control acts as a bias offset rather than as an absolute bias control.
Cal Adjust simulates the effect of three common calibration levels on the modeled tape machine and magnetic tape formulations.
With the evolution of tape formulations, it was possible to increase the fluxivity level, or magnetic strength, of the signals on tape. Over the years, this resulted in an elevation of recorded levels relative to a standard reference fluxivity (185 nW/m at 700 Hz). The Cal Adjust value expresses the elevated level in dB over this standard reference level.
The Cal Adjust control does not affect the overall gain, but does affect the amount of saturation effect for a given input signal.
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+3 dB (equivalent to 250 nW/m)
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+6 dB (equivalent to 370 nW/m)
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+9 dB (equivalent to 520 nW/m)
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