Wires Crossgrade from Reels by AudioThing effects plugin interface

Wires Crossgrade from Reels: Wire Recorder Echo Effect by AudioThing Free Download

Rated 4.7/5 on Plugin Boutique (69 ratings)

Wires Crossgrade from Reels is an effects plugin by AudioThing that models a 1970s Soviet wire recorder for echo, lo-fi and textured processing. It is a crossgrade for owners of Reels.

VST3VST2AUAAXCLAPWindowsmacOS64-bit

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Free trial available from the developer

01Overview

Wires Crossgrade from Reels is an effects plugin from AudioThing, offered as a crossgrade for owners of Reels. It is built around a wire recorder, a magnetic recording format that was largely replaced by magnetic tape. The plugin targets producers who want degraded, haunting textures and unusual echoes that differ from standard tape delay. It is available in VST3, VST2, AU, AAX and CLAP formats for Windows and macOS, and includes a trial.

Best for

Lo-fi beat processing
Dub echo effects
Experimental sound design
Ambient textures
Vintage tape-style processing

Developer: AudioThing
Category: Multi-Effects
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Magnetic wire recorder emulation of a 1970s Soviet machine
Echo Section for dub and repeating lo-fi delays
Original speaker and microphone emulation
Start and Stop effects with mechanical behavior
Hiss and motor noise controlled by an envelope
Resizable plugin window
Preset system with randomizer
Available in VST3, VST2, AU, AAX and CLAP

03In depth

Wire recorder character and echo

AudioThing says the plugin models a 1970s Soviet wire recorder, a machine developed for military and secret service use. The developer describes its behavior as reactive to the input, producing a texture the developer states is different from magnetic tape.

The Echo Section adds delay on top of the wire recorder emulation, so you can dub out signals or build repeating, lo-fi echoes. Magnetic Wire Emulation and Original Speaker and Mic Emulation shape the tone of the processed signal.

Start and Stop effects and Hiss and Motor noise with Envelope add the mechanical behavior of the original machine to your sound.

Workflow, presets and system needs

The window can be resized, and a preset system with a randomizer lets you generate new starting points quickly. The plugin runs as an insert effect and can also be used on a mixer aux channel for echo-style processing.

The plugin supports Windows 7, 8 and 10 and macOS 10.9 through macOS 12. Both platforms require a 2GHz CPU and 4 GB of RAM. The Mac version is listed as a Universal 2 binary, and the plugin is 64-bit.

04Specs

Will it run?

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

Developer	AudioThing
Type	Plugin
Category	Multi Effect
Formats	VST3, VST2, AU, AAX, CLAP
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit
Free trial	Yes

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What is Wires Crossgrade from Reels?

Wires Crossgrade from Reels is an effects plugin by AudioThing that models a 1970s Soviet wire recorder. It includes an echo section and speaker and microphone emulation, and is offered as a crossgrade for owners of Reels.

Which formats and operating systems does it support?

It is available in VST3, VST2, AU, AAX and CLAP formats, all 64-bit. It runs on Windows 7, 8 and 10, and on macOS 10.9 through macOS 12.

What do I need to run Wires Crossgrade from Reels?

You need a 2GHz CPU and 4 GB of RAM on either Windows or macOS. The plugin is installed in a compatible DAW or host that supports one of its listed formats.