Arturia has launched the Tape J-37, a new audio plugin modelled on the Studer J37, an all-tube, 4-track analogue tape machine famously used to record The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album at the legendary Abbey Road Studios.
Tape J-37 aims to capture the “iconic warmth, harmonic richness, and natural compression” produced by the Tape J-37’s 200+ vacuum tubes. The plugin comes with four distinct tape color modes: pristine, warm, driven, and dirty. There’s also a Modern Mode that retains bright highs while adding analogue warmth, perfect for retaining punch on drum tracks or adding subtle warmth to your master bus.
Like the original J37, users can switch between two tape playback speeds (7.5 and 15 IPS) — higher speed for extra fidelity and brightness, and slower speed for a darker, warmer tone. For added vintage realism, you can add some tape noise or simulate mechanical wear and tape speed variation to achieve the wow and flutter found in tape recording.
“From adding cohesion to full mixes, to upping the grit and wear on individual sounds — have a 1960’s studio legend at your fingertips,” says Arturia.
Another key feature is Stereo Offset control, which simulates the slight discrepancies between left and right channels, enhancing stereo width and depth. You can also play around with the onboard EQ and delay to further shape the J-37’s sound.
Tape J-37 comes loaded with 25 specialised presets, from classic tape enhancement to drum bus coloration. The plugin also features play and stop controls that perfectly mimics the classic tape slow-down effect.
“They have a special sound, it’s not just the fact it’s tape, it’s the pre amps—they had a certain ‘mojo’ that’s been perfectly captured by Arturia,” says producer and engineer Steve Levine. “The plugin gets you the sound you want. It’s really a secret sauce for low end.”
Tape J-37 is now available in VST/AAX/AU formats at an introductory price of €99.
Learn more at Arturia.
