P821 MDN Tape

I own and use UAD tape emulations (Studer & ATR-102), but didn't gel with Arturia's J37 emulation, despite liking their Tape Mello. I rate Softube Tape, was a healthy upgrade from Waves' J37 and Kramer tape emulations. There are many others I have not tried, but I am confident that the P821 will blow them out of the water much like it does with the above I mentioned. I spent a good month testing this out across various mixes, before purchasing. It's a superb sounding plugin and absolute diamond for mixing and mastering. Looking forward to deep diving other plugins by Pulsar.

Aside from a very select few tape emulations, I always felt like most were just compression/EQ/saturation. MDN Tape is different — 3D, with a real low-end bump and, dare I say, "analog" sound and feel. The video from MDN intrigued me. The demo sold me on it. It will for sure live on my 2-bus from now on. Thank you, Pulsar Modular, for another great win for in-the-box mixing. Try it. Just try it...

True masterpice!! amazing sound

A masterpiece!

I have no idea how Pulsar Modular managed to create a plugin that extends the low end like this—but they did! Truly outstanding, with amazing creative possibilities when you start experimenting. A mega plugin!

Highly usable, very responsive, quite versatile, and above all: weighty, characterful-sounding tape saturation. Bonus points from me for the linkable input-output, useful modulation, and being extremely light on the CPU!

Best tape plugin to date in my opinion. Does wonders on drum tracks and busses. Doesn’t always work on the mixbuss for me, but when it does, it’s really special. You can look at the meter, but I suggest tuning the input on linked mode by ear. The bias control on lows and highs makes it really versatile, and I love the tape delay option.

Another winner from Ziad and Marc. It is nice to have additional features such as hiss, flange, modulation and delay. Love the sound. I have other tape emulations, yet this one will certainly get a lot of use. I love the sounds I'm getting. Nice combo with P455.

Giving mixes a special touch...

Both Pulsar Modular MDN plugins are truly amazing

Loving this on master bus! I actually use this in conjunction with Slate's VTM, relying on the P821 for wow/flutter. This plugin works as a tone-box, sporting a "lo-fi" mode that is very nice and even a flanger! The one thing I wish it had was a stop/play button for funsies!

I put this on a piano track and got a really sweet lo-fi nostalgic retro feel. Give it a try!

I’ve owned nearly every tape plugin on the market—tape emulations were my main obsession for years. By 2022, I finally gave in and went fully analog, and for the first time, that craving felt satisfied. Since then, I haven’t touched a new tape plugin… until now.

I can’t fully explain what MDN Tape is doing under the hood—just like I’ve never completely understood what makes analog tape sims tick—but this one feels right. It has that elusive quality that works on almost anything you throw at it. Also... How the hell does it sound this good AND be so CPU friendly.

Honestly not just "another tape" plug-in at all... a great emulation of a unique machine that really gets to the essence of what tape does and isn't just a glorified pre-amp emulation. Also. a wildly under appreciated FX/vibe box with its creative controls at the bottom. My favorite thing might be what it does to bass/sub energy, placing it "outside" or "around" the speaker while keeping it punching like no other ruin of the mill stereo image tool does, sometimes I use it just for that aspect. If you think you already have this in your arsenal, you don't.

Excellent for a digital summing effect and excitement.

It’s become my new favorite tape flavor. It’s getting used all over my projects.

Absolutely incredible. I’ve rarely had a true “wow” moment with a plugin, but this one hit me harder than any other. The sound it delivers is unmatched — the sense of depth and width is stunning. Everything becomes richer and more alive, and when you bypass it, the mix suddenly feels plastic and artificial by comparison.

Give P821 MDN Tape a shot on your master bus once and it instantly reveals itself to be something quite special indeed, the only tape emulation out there that really focuses on injecting that special ethereal tape quality instead of stopping at just some harmonics and modulation. This will be living on almost all of my mixes going forward.

Really nice tape emulation. I'm enjoying using it a lot all across my mixes. I work mainly with acoustic instruments and vocals, and I find that this plugin is very well suited to this type of music.

I already had some excellent tape plug-ins. And again, this one is different. I especially like how it brings out these little subtleties and details which you would barely notice when it's off. I highly recommend checking it out. You wouldn't want to miss out.

Excellent tape simulation plugin, unlike any other, tight bass and instant 3D effect.

Really like the ”life” this plugin brings to the mix when mixing into it on the mixbus.
So far it seems like 456 and 15” is my favorite for this effect. Center image button on and the spread-button on max.
Haven’t been able to reach that depth and space with other plugins.
It can also do great things on buses and on f.ex snare.
But bringing it on everything seems making it easy to go over board with it.

Exellent!!!!!

I've been using this quite a lot and loving the results. Part of my channel strip from here on..

Great tape plugin, gives a holographic depth to vocals I've not heard a plugin do before. I'm not familiar with the hardware, but it's doing the same sort of thing to the depth on vocals that can be heard on I Love You by Eddie Holman.

This thing is phat! I like the bottom, glue, and width P821 imparts on the mix bus (15fps 456). The width button seems to work for me with this one, not so with the P455.

This is an amazing plugin! It has something different from all the other tape plugins I've used so far.

Love what this does on drums or a guitar bus. Subtle but really does a unique thing that you aren't going to get out of your other tape emulation plugins.

Have been demoing this thing for bout a week now...It's special! Absolutely reminiscent of tape like I remember. I have most other tape emulation plugs and this one REALLY does the "thing"! Well done!

I demoed this and thought it was a good plugin. But! Then watched the Clay Blair video and immediately got a better understanding of what and how to use the P821. Went from good to Awesome. I highly recommend watching his video. GREAT Plugin as Always

I demo this plugin for one day and purchased it in the next day. My ears told me this is what I want for a longtime.

I agree with a previous reviewer on this one- Mr. Nelson and Pulsar Modular have really done something special with this one AGAIN. A/B with UAD Ampex-102 and thank me later...

This is the first tape emulation what I really hear and FEEL like real tape and I tried all of them. I hope it will be on sale soon because the price is too much for me. Thanks

I LOVE the imaging quality that this provides. It has an innate ability to place everything in its own space in the stereo field. It also makes the transition between low end to high end a seamless and cohesive through its saturation!

I A/B'd this with UAD's ATR-102 and this sounds way better. I was surprised.

I should have added that it is utterly amazing to hear a plugin take me back to that experience.

Awesome legendary Stephens Electronics 821 emulation!!!
I would use it when I want the texture of a late 70's hi-fi sound that's not dirty tape sound.