Dirty Tape by Softube tape saturation plugin interface

Dirty Tape: Lo-Fi Tape Saturation Plugin by Softube

Rated 4.6/5 on Plugin Boutique (94 ratings)

Dirty Tape is a tape saturation plugin from Softube that adds warm, lo-fi distortion, saturation and tape-style modulation to tracks using two main controls.

VST3VST2AUAAXRTASWindowsmacOS64-bit

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01Overview

Dirty Tape is built around two knobs, Dirt and Drive, that control its full range of effects. Its distortion runs from subtle texture to heavy grit, and its modulation covers pitch movement, flutter, wow and dropouts. Softube derived the processing from the Dirt and Drive sections of its Tape Echoes plugin. Stereo handling can be kept in Normal mode or switched to De-coupled (dual mono) mode, and a Low Cut Filter removes low-end rumble for a more lo-fi character.

Best for

Lo-fi drum loops
Hip-hop beat processing
Sample coloration
Vintage instrument saturation
Stereo image shaping

Developer: Softube
Category: Saturation
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Two-knob control over all tape effects: Dirt and Drive
Distortion and saturation from subtle texture to heavy grit
Pitch modulation, flutter, wow and dropouts
Normal Stereo and De-coupled (dual mono) stereo modes
Low Cut Filter for reducing low-end rumble
Dynamics control through Softube Extended Features
Derived from the Dirt and Drive sections of Tape Echoes
VST3, VST2, AU, AAX and RTAS formats

03In depth

Sound and Character of Dirty Tape

Dirty Tape aims for a warm, vintage lo-fi color. Softube describes it as capable of both aggressive, gritty distortion and gentle saturation, so the same plugin can serve heavy processing or light coloration.

The modulation side covers random pitch modulation, flutter, wow and dropouts. These effects introduce the uneven movement associated with worn tape, which can make static or overly clean material sound more alive.

The Low Cut Filter reduces low-end rumble and adds to the lo-fi feel.

Workflow, Stereo Options and Controls

The main controls are the two Dirt and Drive knobs, which govern every effect the plugin produces. This keeps setup quick when you want a fast lo-fi treatment.

Stereo Mode offers Normal Stereo or De-coupled mode (dual mono). De-coupled mode gives more control over the balance of the stereo image.

Softube Extended Features add more control over dynamics through easy-access panels.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	Softube
Type	Plugin
Category	Saturation
Formats	VST3, VST2, AU, AAX, RTAS
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What is Dirty Tape used for?

Dirty Tape adds tape-style saturation, distortion and modulation to samples, instruments and full beats. It can be used for heavy distortion or subtle texture.

Which formats and operating systems does Dirty Tape support?

Dirty Tape is available in VST3, VST2, AU, AAX and RTAS formats for Windows and macOS. It is a 64-bit plugin.

What do I need to use Dirty Tape?

You need a 64-bit AU, VST, VST3 or AAX compatible host application, a Softube account and an iLok account. Supported systems include macOS Big Sur, Monterey and Ventura, and Windows 10 and 11. Softube recommends VST3 because some of its plugins have features not present in the older VST format.