Waves Abbey Road J37 Tape

Tape’s warm-sounding harmonic distortion made classic tracks come alive. J37 delivers the true sound of the all-valve analog tape machine—Abbey Road Studios’ powerhouse Studer machine, which captured legendary recordings by the Beatles and Pink Floyd.

Compare the sound of vocals, drums, synths, masters, and more with and without the J37—you’ll hear how the authentic sound of analog tape saturation makes tracks warmer, more detailed, glued together, and above all, more exciting.

Living, Breathing Tape Textures

J37 is the culmination of years of research into tape’s characteristics—not at one static setting, but with different types of tape, control settings, and bias amounts, at different speeds. The result is unprecedented realism and versatility.

Original Super-Rare EMI Tape Formulas from the Abbey Road Archives

From the lo-fo sound of early 60s tape (Type 888), to the more refined tape formulations of the mid 60s (Type 811), to the advanced tapes of the early 70s that combined character with minimal coloration (Type 815), choose the tape that fits your music best.

Control the Sonic Character

Part of tape’s charm came from subtle imperfections—but with the J37 plugin, you decide whether to add wow, flutter, and/or hiss, and how much. These variations can add a different flavor to the sound of tape.

Comprehensive Customizing

Choose 15 ips for the best high-frequency response and lowest distortion, along with a slight bass emphasis at 100 Hz. Or choose 7.5 ips, with bass emphasis around 50 Hz, for low-frequency sounds like kick and bass.

From Individual Tracks to Masters

For individual tracks, choose the saturation characteristics that move tracks closer or further back in the mix. For masters, use the speed, tape type, and track model controls to create a big, open stereo image.

Classic Tape Delay, Too

Before digital delays were invented, tape machines provided a warm lush delay effect. The J37 plugin incorporates the different types of delays used with tape (slapback, feedback, ping-pong), all with that classic tape sound.