Reels - Processor AudioThing - Free user manual and instructions

Product Type	Audio Processor Plugin (Tape Emulation)
Plugin Formats	VST2, VST3, AU, AAX (Native)
Supported Operating Systems	Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.9 or later
Bit Depth	32-bit float, 64-bit float
Sample Rate Support	Up to 192 kHz
Key Features	Tape saturation, Wow and Flutter, Noise, EQ section
CPU Usage	Low (optimized for real-time use)
Presets	Over 50 factory presets
License Activation	Online activation via iLok account (machine or iLok dongle)
Installation Method	Download installer from AudioThing website
Documentation	PDF manual included
Support	Email support, FAQ, user forum
Maintenance	Keep your DAW and OS updated; no physical cleaning required
Safety	No hardware safety concerns; use in accordance with DAW guidelines
Spare Parts / Repairability	Not applicable (software); license transferable under iLok policy

Frequently Asked Questions - Reels AudioThing

How do I install Reels?

Download the installer from the AudioThing website and run it. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the plugin to your desired location.

What are the system requirements for Reels?

Reels requires Windows 7 or later (64-bit) or macOS 10.9 or later. A compatible DAW that supports VST2, VST3, AU, or AAX is necessary.

How do I activate the license?

You need an iLok account (free). You can activate the license to your computer or an iLok dongle. The activation is done online via the iLok License Manager.

Can I use Reels on multiple computers?

Yes, with a single license you can install on up to two machines, but only one can be activated at a time (unless using an iLok dongle).

Does Reels support M1/Apple Silicon?

Yes, Reels is compatible with Apple Silicon Macs (native support via AU and VST3).

How do I reset the plugin to default settings?

In most DAWs, you can right-click on the plugin window and select 'Reset parameters' or use the preset menu to load the 'Init' preset.

Why is there no sound when I insert Reels?

Check that the plugin is not bypassed, the mix knob is turned up, and the input gain is sufficient. Also ensure the plugin is inserted on a track with audio.

Can I use Reels as an effect on aux sends?

Yes, Reels works on both audio tracks and aux sends. For parallel processing, set the mix to 100% wet and adjust the send level.

How do I transfer my license to a new computer?

Deactivate the license on the old computer via iLok License Manager, then activate on the new one. If using a dongle, just move the dongle.

Where can I find more presets?

Additional presets can be downloaded from the AudioThing website or created by users. Some third-party preset packs are also available.

USER MANUAL Reels AudioThing

REELS Reels JP IT FR TAPE NOISE TAPE TYPE 1.67 3.75 HAOSHNESS WOW / FLUTTER DUCKING CROSSTALK HISS MOTOR ECHO MASTER ON SYNC TIME FEEDBACK LOWPASS LEVEL WET ONLY INPUT OUTPUT LIMIT MONO PRE-EMPHASIS REC STOP SPEED PEAK MIX

REELS

USER GUIDE

v1.0

REELS....3

INSTALLATION....3
REGISTRATION....4

PARAMETERS......5

INTERFACE......5
TAPE MODELLING....6
TAPE STOP......6

FEATURES....7

RANDOMIZER....7
CLEAR BUFFER....7
ANIMATION....7
WET ONLY LOCK....7
PRESET COPY/PASTE....7
WINDOW SIZE......8

END....9

WHERE IS EVERYTHING?......9
CREDITS....9
EULA....9
THANK YOU....9

REELS

Reels is a tape emulation plugin with built-in echo section and tape-stop effect.

Based on an old Japanese portable tape recorder with a very distinct Lo-Fi analog sound, Reels emulates all the imperfections of consumer reel-to-reel recorders.

We have modeled three different 1/4" tape frequency responses and saturations, along with all the analog imperfections of tape recording/playback.

Use Reels to add a very rough retro analog sound to your mixes. If you are looking for a Hi-Fi mastering tape emulation, this is not the plugin for you!

Reels is based on a vintage reel-to-reel recorder, ironically marked as High Fidelity, found in a distressed state at a local flea market. Most of these consumer tape recorders, also due to their age, produce has a very rough Lo-Fi analog sound.

During recording or playback, the motor noise bleeds in, along with the usual tape hiss, limiting the actual bandwidth available on the tape.

Reels recreates all the imperfection of vintage reel-to-reel recorders, including:

• Harshness, harmonic distortion with loss of clarity (mid-range)
- WOW/Flutter, pitch instabilities due to recording and playback issues
- Ducking, random volume loss due to tape or rec/play head imperfections
• Crosstalk, the leak between left and right channel in a stereo signal
- Hiss, high-frequency noise caused by the magnetic particles in the tape
• Motor, mid-frequency noise caused by the reels motor

INSTALLATION

MAC OS

• Double click on the DMG archive to extract it
• Right click on the PKG installer and click open
• Follow the instructions to install the plug-in(s)

WINDOWS

• Extract the ZIP archive
  •Double click on the setup file (.exe)
• Follow the instructions to install the plug-in(s)

REGISTRATION

In demo mode the plug-in will output silence for 3 seconds every 45 seconds, and you won't be able to save presets.

You can open the registration window by clicking on the ≡ icon next to the bypass button, in the top-right corner.

You can choose between Online and Offline authorization.

ONLINE

- If you haven't created an account yet, you can signup here using the same email address used at check out.

- Just input your credentials into the text fields and click on Log In

Log in to authorize Email Password Remember me Log In Forgot Your Pass? Sign Up

OFFLINE

- Download the license file from your account.

- Copy the file to your offline computer.

- Just drag and drop the license into the registration window or click on the Load License File button and browse to the downloaded license.

No license detected Drop the license file here or Load License File

PARAMETERS

INTERFACE

TAPE

Tape Type Selects between three kind of tape emulations (see below)

Tape Speed Selects the speed of the tape affecting the frequency response

Harshness Controls the amount of distortion and loss of clarity in the tape

WOW / Flutter Controls the amount of pitch imperfections in the sound

Ducking Controls the amount of volume loss of the tape emulation

Crosstalk Controls the amount of leak between the left and right channel

TAPE

Hiss Controls the amount of tape noise

Motor Controls the amount of motor noise

Env Enables/disables the envelope to activate the noise only when an input signal is passing through

ECHO

Echo Bypass Enables/disables the Echo section

Echo Sync Syncs the delay time to the host/DAW BPM

Time Controls the time between each repetition

Feedback Controls the amount of feedback, increasing the amount of repetitions in the echo signal

Lowpass Controls a low-pass filter inside the feedback loop

Wet Only Disables the Dry signal

MASTER

Input Controls the amount of input signal

Output Controls the amount of output signal

BOTTOM

Limit Enables/disable a soft clip limiter

Mono Sums the left and right channel of a stereo signal

Pre-Emphasis Boosts high frequencies before the tape emulation section

Rec / Stop Starts/stops the tape-stop effect

Speed Controls the time of the tape-stop effect

Mix Controls the balance of the wet and dry signals

TAPE MODELLING

We've modeled three different tape types, from ruined to NOS (new old stock) state. The tape types are named after the country of origin: JP (Japan), IT (Italy), FR (France).

JP Used tape but with an overall better frequency response

IT New old stock but with a limited frequency response

FR Overused and badly stored, very bad frequency response

Each tape will affect the sound in different ways, especially at higher feedback settings when using the Echo section.

WOW/Flutter, Ducking, and other parameters will also change according to the selected tape, creating different amount of pitch and volume changes.

TAPE STOP

When pressing stop on a reel-to reel-player, the tape doesn't stop immediately. Instead, it slows down creating a pitch down and fade out effect.

You can replicate this effect with Reels, and you can also change the speed of the tape stop effect.

FEATURES

RANDOMIZER

It is possible to randomize all the parameters in the interface by clicking on the Random button in the top bar.

Right-clicking on a parameter will show the Randomizer menu.

Randomizer Lock Random Lock All Unlock All

Lock/Unlock Random Decides if the parameter can be randomized

Lock All No parameters will be randomized

Unlock All All parameters will be randomized

By clicking on the ≡ icon you can access additional features.

CLEAR BUFFER

When enabled, every time your host/DAW starts playback or resets, Reels will clear the feedback loop of the Echo section. You have two options: Host Playback and Host Reset. Since every DAW is different, you might need to try both settings to see what works best in your system.

ANIMATION

When disabled, the reels animation will not play. This might save same CPU on older systems.

WET ONLY LOCK

If this option is enabled, changing presets won't affect the Wet Only selector. This option can be useful when using Reels (with the Echo section on) as a send effect while browsing the presets.

PRESET COPY/PASTE

You can easily share presets by using this Copy/Paste feature instead of sharing the actual preset file.

By clicking on Copy to Clipboard, the status of all parameters will be saved to the Clipboard.

By clicking on Paste from Clipboard instead, you can load a preset shared using the previous function.

WINDOW SIZE

You can resize the plugin window using three predefined sizes (small, standard, big). You can also resize the plugin window by clicking and dragging the bottom-right corner of the interface. Double clicking will reset to the standard size.

END

WHERE IS EVERYTHING?

The installer will place the plugins, presets and other data in these folders.

MAC OS

AU: /Library/Audio/Plug-ins/Components/

VST: /Library/Audio/Plug-ins/VST/

VST3: /Library/Audio/Plug-ins/VST3/

AAX: /Library/Application Support/Avid/Audio/Plug-Ins/

Data: /Users/Shared/AudioThing/

WINDOWS

VST: custom path from installer

VST3: \Program Files\Common Files\VST3\

AAX: \Program Files\Common Files\Avid\Audio\Plug-Ins\

Data: \Users\Public\Public Documents\AudioThing\

CREDITS

DSP & Code: Carlo Castellano

Design: John Gordon (vstyler)

Presets: RM (Ry Manning), LK (Kontis Leonidas)

EULA

Please visit www.audiothing.net/eula/ to review this product EULA.

THANK YOU

Thank you for your purchase! We hope you will have as much fun using it as we had making this product.

For help or any question, feel free to contact us here: www.audiothing.net/contact/