Ampex® ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder
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It's not a record until it's mastered on an Ampex® tape machine.
The UAD Ampex ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder plug-in and LUNA Extension provides the final “analog polish” to your music, turning your recordings into records. Fully authenticated by the Ampex Corporation and trusted by Platinum‑selling professionals the world over, the ATR‑102 plug‑in faithfully captures the unique dynamics, colorful frequency response, and tape saturation of this industry‑standard Ampex machine.
Add analog polish to your mixes with the most popular professional 2‑track tape machine ever made
Harness classic Ampex tape saturation, selectable tape types, and color to "glue" your mix together
Process your audio through the entire ATR‑102 circuit, including its transformers, amplifiers, Repro, Sync, and Input paths
Use the ATR‑102 LUNA Extension to produce rich, analog tape‑infused master recordings
Learn to Add Slapback Delay to Drums
Grammy-winning engineer Vance Powell (Jack White, Chris Stapleton) and the Ampex ATR‑102 Mastering Tape Recorder plug‑in.
The Most Popular Professional 2‑Track Ever Made
With its cohesive sound, punch, and ability to provide subtle‑to‑deep tape saturation and color, the ATR‑102 has remained a fixture in major recording and mastering studios worldwide since 1976.
The ATR‑102 Mastering Tape Recorder plug‑in and LUNA Extension faithfully replicates the unique dynamics, frequency response, and saturation characteristics of the original hardware. Scrutinized and fully authenticated by the Ampex Corporation, the sound of the UAD ATR‑102 plug-in is virtually indistinguishable from its analog ancestor.
Now Fully Integrated into LUNA Recording System
With LUNA Recording System, you can now use the Ampex ATR‑102 as a LUNA Extension, where it's built into the fabric of the mixer without the need to manage separate plug-in windows. This gives you rich, album‑ready Ampex tape tones on LUNA's master fader and buses — with all the authentic dynamics, frequency response, and saturation characteristics of the original machine.
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Authentic Calibration Controls and Tape Types
Like the ATR‑102 hardware, the plug-in allows you to choose between various Signal Paths (Input, Sync, Repro), different Tape Speeds / Emphasis EQs (NAB, CCIR, AES) and Tape Formula (GP9, 456, 900, 250) combinations — even including home/consumer tape. You can also use the adjustable Tape Delay feature for Automatic Double Tracking effects on vocals, guitars, and more.
Grammy-winning Presets
Get inspired with presets from longtime ATR‑102 users Chuck Ainlay (Chris Botti, Mark Knopfler) Richard Dodd (Wilco, Robert Plant), Buddy Miller (Martina McBride, Emmylou Harris), Mike Poole (Keith Urban, Dolly Parton) and more. Use these presets as a starting point and season to taste on your mixes — you'll marvel at the cohesive, rich sound that can only come from an Ampex tape machine.
“I set the UAD ATR-102 exactly the way my old Ampex machine is set up, dialed in the gains, switched back and forth… and the sound is nearly identical.”
– Jacquire King (Kings of Leon, Norah Jones, Cold War Kids)
“The UAD Ampex ATR-102 is my new secret weapon in my master buss chain, giving me the secret ingredient for that extra touch of flavor.”
– Ivan Barias (Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott, Estelle)
“The Ampex ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder and Studer® A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder emulations give a nice edge to bass tracks.”
– Armin Van Buuren
“The UAD Ampex ATR-102 tape emulation really captures the hardware’s punchy saturation and chunky warmth.”
– Mike Poole (Robert Plant, Martina McBride, Buddy Miller)
“I've always used limiters and compressors on the mix bus to ‘glue’ the sound together, but I've never been able to achieve the kind of musical cohesiveness like I can with the UAD ATR-102.”
– Ryan West (Eminem, Kid Cudi, Jay-Z)
“All of the songs on the Garbage record, Not Your Kind of People were mixed with the Studer A800 plug‑in on all the drum channels. We also used the Ampex ATR-102 plug-in on the final mix.”
– Billy Bush (Garbage, Dolly Parton, Paul McCartney)
“The UAD ATR‑102 brings mixes to life with a 3D sound that no other plug-in has ever been able to achieve.”
– Adam Hawkins (Twenty One Pilots, Switchfoot, Keith Urban)Watch The Reviews
5-Minute UAD Tips
Featuring the Magnetic Tape Bundle
Customer Reviews
L. Carlos
January 24, 2024
Sounds Very Good
The version I have is LUNA, so as an extension, it doesn't have all the features of the full version. But it sounds very good, giving a very nice polish to the signals... I want to try it...
Read MoreW. Golebiowski
January 23, 2024
Finanly
My first ever recording was on my fathers old Tandberg 2track 1/4 tape recorder. Just loved that sound and missed it ever since....
Read MoreS. Saied
January 15, 2024
Hearing is also believing!
My words cannot express the sonic differences. It's something you need to try for yourself. Just the presets alone make such a huge difference to my ears. This plugin adds warmth and a...
Read Moref. de paula
January 14, 2024
Awesome tape machine
Awesome tape machine in my mixbus! Luv it!
Read More -
Features
Ampex-authenticated plug-in gives you the rich, cohesive tape sound of the the most popular professional 2-track machine ever made
Emulates the entire ATR-102 electronic path, including transformers, amplifiers, Repro, Sync, and Input paths
Multiple tape formulas, head configurations, and calibration levels for a variety of tones
Adjustable Wow, Flutter, Hiss, Hum, Crosstalk, and (L/R) Tape Delay controls, and more
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Customer Reviews
Ampex® ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder
A. Zelghi
Powerfull
Super
L. Carlos
Sounds Very Good
The version I have is LUNA, so as an extension, it doesn't have all the features of the full version. But it sounds very good, giving a very nice polish to the signals... I want to try it together with 610, 1084, SSL4K... Now we have to wait for the native version to come out to use its maximum potential!
F. Stierstorfer
genervt
plugins klingen super, aber mein Rechner und logic stürzen ständig ab seitdem ich ua benutze.
schotteF. Stierstorfer
genervt
plugins klingen super, aber mein Rechner und logic stürzen ständig ab seitdem ich ua benutze.
schotteW. Golebiowski
Finanly
My first ever recording was on my fathers old Tandberg 2track 1/4 tape recorder. Just loved that sound and missed it ever since. Been using HD for over 20 years and now i im finally back to that magic sound. This is an absolutely fantastic unit that allows me to get that great and authentic sound i was missing in my recordings.
C. Marulanda
Must have plug-in
Sounds amazing , love that warm sound
S. Saied
Hearing is also believing!
My words cannot express the sonic differences. It's something you need to try for yourself. Just the presets alone make such a huge difference to my ears. This plugin adds warmth and a fullness with little effort. I'm also using this on a drum bus, which is completely awesome! This definitely a plugin you should get and watch the tutorials on how to use it. There's a lot more under the hood.
f. de paula
Awesome tape machine
Awesome tape machine in my mixbus! Luv it!
G. Majewski
The polish every track needs
I have just recently bought the Ampex ATR-102 and I’m kicking myself for waiting so long. It gives the final “it” to my mixes.
J. Janev
The most detailed sounding tape machine!
Other tape simulations may sound very good on some instruments, but none sound as good as the Ampex ATR-102 on a complex sound like a bus or master. The sound is very detailed and transparent, and at the same time rich and colorful. I love the xtalk, flutter, wow, the EQ - they sound so natural and add some magic to the sound (especially the shelf EQ, which brings a very beautiful air to the high frequencies). There are so many settings that you can use to find the exact sound you need. Definitely one of my favorite plug-ins!
S. Nakajima
Awesome
This gives you a warm sound that sounds authentic, but not old-fashioned.
F. Antonio
THE finishing Tape!
Do yourself a favor and drop it in your master and be happy. Brings the mix home WAY quicker!
J. Shattuck
Just buy this already
I use it on every mix, easy and great. Oxide is cool, but not Ampex cool.
A. Tahriri
Super
Schöne Klang
C. Morales Prats
Lets tape everything
I was waiting few Years to Buy Ampex® ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder And Finally In have it in very good price, so happy to work with it , and So Creative to improve my productions , May God Keeping Blessing the Team of Universal Audio , I will Like to See By Universal Audio A tape machine in Near Future with multiples Sonority of Those Vintage tape Machine All in One machine.
A. Kittelsen
Analoge world
This plugin just sounds great, it gives me that organic sound reel tapemachines does, period
J. Kelly
Warm Summer Day
it takes me away!
J. Kelly
Sizzle and Bake
love the control of the high end. drums drums drums!
d. drula
beat maker et mix
si comme moi vous aimer un son large, chaleureux, avec une saturation et compression naturel
l 'ampex atr 102 fait le job.que ce soit en bout de chaine de mes mix et du mastering c'est la cerise sur le gateaug. mode
The Absolute best period
what more do I say its incredible I dont even like plugins like that but this is different
