Waves Audio, in Knoxville, Tenn., unveils the MPX Master Tape plug-in ($200 Native/$300 TDM), which the company developed in association with producer/engineer Eddie Kramer (Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Kiss) as part of an ongoing series of collaborations. The MPX Master Tape plug-in is designed to impart the richness and warmth of real tape saturation to a DAW setup, and is modeled on a rare tube-based machine that comprises an Ampex 350 transport and 351 electronics.
The MPX provides comprehensive control over the contours of any sound, offering adjustable tape speed, bias, flux, wow and flutter, along with noise parameters. Waves also added a flexible slap and feedback delay, designed for styles such as rock, dance and dub.
Waves sought to create a model of the original recording chain from Olympic Studios in London that Kramer used on his great recordings of Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix. Waves tracked down a perfectly maintained Ampex machine owned by veteran mixer/engineer Eric Schilling for the modeling process. Assisting Waves were Bob Olhsson (Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross) and co-developer John Haeny (Jim Morrison and The Doors, John Coltrane, Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne). Waves used 3M Scotch 206/207 tape for the modeling, as it was considered an almost ideal match for this machine.
The Waves MPX Master Tape plug-in is being offered at special introductory prices of $99 Native/$149 TDM for a limited time. It is also available at no additional charge to owners of Waves Mercury with current Waves Update Plan coverage.
