Tag: music

Three Body Technology Tape Vibe Intro Sales (Until Jun 5)

Hello! This is Jooyoung Kim an audio engineer and music producer.

Today, I’m introducing a new plugin called Tape Vibe by Three-Body Technology.

This plugin was provided as an NFR (Not For Resale) copy by Plugin Boutique. If you purchase it through the links below, I’ll receive a small commission which helps support my blog.

Let’s start!

Purchase Tape Vibe Plugin at the Plugin Boutique

As you may know, Three-Body Technology is the renowned developer behind the Kirchhoff-EQ. That plugin was a total sensation when it was released, and I believe its success became the driving force behind the company’s growth.

Now, they offer quite a wide variety of plugins, such as the Future MB. Tape Vibe is another great addition to their growing lineup.

The concept of this plugin is simple.

First, I noticed only third harmonics appearing in the analyzer. I suspect it takes inspiration from the SPL Machine Head. I actually wrote a review for that a few months ago, so if you’re interested, please check the link below.

Brainworx Saturators Overview & Sale (SPL Machine Head, SPL Vitalizer MK2-T, Elysia Karacter)

However, the way it works is fundamentally different. First, in the frequency domain, increasing the drive results in a noticeable high-frequency roll-off. Additionally, the Thick knob boosts the low frequencies, as shown in the image below.

It features an internal Auto Gain, so you don’t have to compensate for the volume much as you crank the drive.

We can use Tone knob to adjust the high frequencies.

However, it doesn’t exhibit typical tape compression characteristics. Instead, we can observe brick-wall limiting when pushed with high drive values. An interesting quirk of this plugin is that the output level seems to rise once the signal amplitude exceeds -20dBFS.

On an oscilloscope, you can see how the heavy saturation completely reshapes the waveform, resulting in a highly distorted signal.

While the saturation adds great body, higher drive settings tend to dull the top end quite a bit. The key is to dial in a moderate drive and then use the Tone control to restore clarity. This creates a really pleasing harmonic saturation that sits perfectly in the mix.

Purchase Tape Vibe Plugin at the Plugin Boutique

In conclusion, Tape Vibe is a straightforward and easy-to-use saturation tool. It may not be a perfect tape emulation, but it’s great for adding analog weight with minimal effort. If you need a simple way to add some vibe to your tracks, it’s worth a look.

See you in the next post!

DIY Audio Project #1 | Tube Saturator with Baxandall EQ (Part 1): Concept and Implementation in Digital

Hi! This is Jooyoung Kim, a mixing engineer and music producer. In the previous post, ‘Wrapping Up 2025‘, I mentioned that I was developing circuits for my personal audio hardware.

Now that the circuit design and simulation are finished and the components and PCBs have been ordered, I am writing this post to record the process—including the failures and successes along the way. To be honest, since the build isn’t finished yet, I can’t guarantee it will be a 100% success.

However, I thought it would be a great opportunity to share what is actually needed for the design process, starting from scratch. I want to explain things in a way that anyone, even those with zero prior knowledge, can easily follow along.

Let’s start!

Concepts

I really love the analog “tube” sounds. However, I don’t have any stereo tube saturator hardware. Also, I don’t have an EQ that can be used for mastering either.

Therefore, I decided to make a stereo tube saturator with Baxandall EQ!

I used KiCad for this project. I highly recommend it because it allows you to seamlessly transition from circuit design to simulation, and finally to PCB layout. But that also means… once you’re done with the circuit, you still have two massive tasks waiting for you (hahaha…). I honestly had no idea what I was getting into until I finished the initial design!

Tube Parts

I already have two tubes (JJ Electronics’ ECC83) that were replaced from my Stam Audio SA-2A, so I wanted to use them for this project. Since I intend to use this gear in the mastering process, I decided to use just a single tube to drive the gain after the input stage.

I also designed the tube stage with adjustable ‘ASYMMETRY’ and ‘DENSITY’ parameters.

ASYMMETRY (Bias Adjustment) parameter controls the grid bias (+/-1V spans in my circuit)) of the vacuum tube. By shifting the bias point, it allows the waveform to clip asymmetrically, which generates even-order harmonics.

DENSITY (Saturation & Body) parameter adjusts the amount of feedback at the cathode stage. By controlling the effectiveness of the bypass capacitor, it pushes the tube to hit its saturation point harder or softer.

To develop this parts, I utilized Gemini (the free version) and referenced the manual of the Wave Arts Tube Saturator Vintage plugin for inspiration. Even though I majored in physics, it’s a field of pure science focused on fundamental principles, so I didn’t really cover practical applications like circuit design. As I mentioned, I actually had very little in-depth knowledge of electronic circuits starting out. But those tools were a huge help! Seriously, use AI tools—they can bridge the gap!

Baxandall EQ Parts

The EQ design is straightforward, consisting of two sections: Low and High. While the gain is continuously adjustable, I made the frequency switchable using rotary switches, allowing for precise and repeatable settings.

Baxandall EQ circuits are quite simple and well-documented, so you can easily find various schematics online to use as a reference.

Input & Output Parts

The input stage was simple enough, but the output stage was a total ambush. I wanted to include a Mix knob, a Mix Bypass switch, a Total Bypass switch, and an Output Gain knob. Trying to integrate all these features into the signal path turned into a bit of a mess!

After completing the overall design, I realized a crucial detail: every single stage had to be in the same phase! If the phases didn’t match, the Mix knob would be useless. So, I had to go back and triple-check the phase of every section after all the work was seemingly ‘done.’ I’ll talk more about this in my next post about the simulation process.

Power Parts

To ensure this hardware works in various environments, I included an adjustable voltage switch(220V-110V) in the power circuit. Since the design requires multiple voltage rails—250V, ±15V, +80V, +12.6V, and ±1V—I had to use a complex, custom-spec toroidal transformer. Managing all these different power requirements in one unit was quite a challenge!

Heat dissipation was a major concern for this build. I basically tortured Gemini with endless questions, forcing it to crunch the numbers until I was sure every component could handle the thermal load.

I’d like to dive deeper into the phase issues and buffers that need to be considered in the simulation, but it would make this post way too long. So, I’ll cover those in the next one.

See you then!

Korg Filter Ark Plugin Intro Sale (Until Jan 29)

Hello! This is Jooyoung Kim, an audio mixing engineer and music producer.

Recently, I found a very interesting filter effect plugin called the Filter Ark, made by Korg. Therefore, I requested an NFR (Not for Resale) code from Plugin Boutique for this review.

It was a really fancy and neat plugin. I think it is great to introduce this to music producers, electronic music makers, and electric guitar players.

If you purchase the plugin through the link included in this post, I’ll receive a small commission that helps support my work.

Purchase Filter Ark Plugin at the Plugin Boutique

Ok.. Let’s start!

It’s quite difficult to download and register the product. You need to download the KORG Software Pass first, and then register the code you have.

After registering, you can download your plugin. They don’t use iLok, the common passkey used by many plugin companies. Therefore, you should not delete the KORG Software Pass program.

Click the image to purchase Korg Filter Ark at the Plugin Boutique

Looking over the plugin, you can see its clean, modern design. There are several modules at the bottom of the interface that resemble guitar pedals. Interestingly, these are all different types of filters!

Simple descriptions of these pedals are shown in the table below.

Filter NameCategoryKey Characteristics
MS-20Legendary AnalogRecreates the iconic 12dB/oct filter with distinctive distortion and powerful resonance.
PolysixLegendary AnalogA warm and smooth 24dB/oct Low Pass Filter known for its musicality.
miniKORG 700SLegendary AnalogFeatures the unique “Traveler” sliders (HPF/LPF) for thick, vowel-like textures.
ARP OdysseyLegendary AnalogIncludes all three revisions (Rev 1/2/3) with sharp, aggressive resonance characteristics.
ModalModern / PhysicalA physical modeling resonator that simulates the vibration of strings or metal plates.
VowelModern / FormantA formant filter that morphs between three vowels to create human-like vocal sounds.
Wave GuideModern / PhysicalBased on volca drum algorithms, ideal for creating metallic tubes or string-like plucks.
Spectrum TracerModern / ExperimentalCaptures frequency characteristics from audio files and applies them to the input signal.
MorphingModern / VariableAllows seamless morphing between Low Pass, Band Pass, High Pass, and Band Reject modes.
StereoUtility / StereoIndependent filter settings for Left and Right channels to create wide stereo imaging.
DriftUtility / StereoFeatures dual LPF/HPF with a ‘Delta’ parameter to add organic, drifting movement.
IR (Impulse Response)Modern / ConvolutionLoads IR files to simulate realistic spaces, speaker cabinets, or Lo-Fi equipment.
All PassModern / PhaseShifts the phase of the signal to create Phaser-like notches and unique tonal shifts.
Multi ModeVersatile / UtilityA flexible filter capable of everything from precise EQ-ing to aggressive sound shaping.

Four slots are available, and their routing can be adjusted.

Clicking the VIEW (SIMPLE) button displays the frequency response graph. This interface allows you to intuitively adjust macro controls and modulation assignments.

These functions help composers shape their sounds with greater precision and nuance. Modern composers often utilize multiple filters to create dynamic movement in their music. From this perspective, the wide array of filters and features in Filter Ark streamlines the sound design process, saving composers the time and effort typically required to craft complex textures.

It is hard to analyze all the filters, but you can listen to the sounds via the link above.

Purchase Filter Ark Plugin at the Plugin Boutique

At just $53.9 (tax included), it’s quite affordable. I highly recommend this plugin to composers and music producers who work with heavy synthesizers or complex sound design.

That’s all for today! See you in the next post.

Lewitt Space Replicator Year End Sale (~50% off, until 4 Jan)

Hi! This is Jooyoung Kim, a mixing engineer and music producer. Today, I’ll introduce a room/headphone simulator, Space Replicator made by Lewitt.

I received the NFR code for this product from Plugin Boutique for this review, and if you purchase the plugin using the links included in this article, I’ll earn a small commission that helps me keep going…!

Let’s start!

Click the image to purchase the Space Replicator plugin

Space Replicator is a plugin that uses HRTF (Head-Related Transfer Function) modeling to allow you to experience sound with a sense of spatial depth, making it sound like real acoustic space when listening through headphones or earphones.

While there are indeed several plugins offering similar virtual monitoring functions, and some competitors boast larger headphone/earphone catalogs, Space Replicator’s distinct advantage lies in its specialized focus on HRTF and the process of creating personalized binaural profiles.

If you select a headphone or earphone model that you own and that is supported by LEWITT, you can generate a personalized binaural profile through a few simple steps. Although the results may not be perfectly precise, the effect was noticeably effective when I tested it.

Furthermore, the plugin features 12 different virtual spaces, each offering various listening perspectives or speaker options, and it also provides 6 different headphone simulations.

Click the image to purchase the Space Replicator plugin

My favorite virtual space is the Vienna Synchron Stage A, which accurately provides the acoustics of far-field speakers. Since small studio producers and engineers usually can’t access such a setup—and neither can I—this particular feature offers me a tremendous amount of practical things.

It is currently 50% off until January 4, 2026. Therefore, if you work in a space with acoustic limitations, I highly recommend this plugin.

That’s all for today. See you in the next post!