Bad Tape 2: Tape Saturation and Degradation Plugin by Denise Audio Free Download

The detune section is the core of the plugin. Its rewind and recover times can be set individually, so you can work off the grid or sync the effect to the host BPM. Real-time slowdown is designed to feel like pressing a finger on a tape reel.

The sidechain lets you trigger the effects from an external audio source, so a kick drum can drive detuned synth movement, for example. The amount can be set separately for each effect.

The push-pull graph controls which frequency ranges are saturated. You can push the snare into saturation while pulling the sub out, keeping the overall tonal balance under control. The graph can also be automated for changing saturation over time.

Beyond saturation, the Harm control introduces tape artefacts from subtle to extreme degradation. Squeal & Noize adds old tape machine noises, Colour adjusts the tonal character to different tape materials, and Speed sets the rate of the wow and shake effects.

The plugin includes presets for synth, drums, bass and classic tape-style effects. It has oversampling and host syncing, supports native Apple Silicon Macs, and works offline. Developer Denise Audio describes its low CPU usage and says it uses no dongles or complex license managers.

System requirements are macOS 10.7 or newer (64-bit only, Apple Silicon native) and Windows 7 or newer (64-bit only). Rent to Own and Beatport Studio users run the plugin through the Beatport Access portal and need an internet connection every 30 days to validate their license.