Universal Audio Announces Partnership With Ampex Corporation To Develop Magnetic Tape Emulations

Universal Audio, renowned manufacturer of high-quality audio hardware and award-winning UAD-2 Powered Plug-ins for Mac and PC, today announced a partnership with the legendary Ampex Corporation. Ampex is famous in the professional audio world as innovators of magnetic tape and tape recorder technology - widely praised for its rich, almost magical sound quality. For the first time ever, Universal Audio's renowned team of DSP engineers will exhaustively and faithfully model these complex devices and media, bringing accurate emulations of Ampex magnetic recording tape to the UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins platform. "Ampex is not only the most recognizable maker of US-made tape machines; they really pioneered the concepts that gave way to modern multi-tracking and overdubbing," commented Universal Audio President Matt Ward. "But it's really the sound of these amazing machines, along with their well-guarded tape formulas, that birthed the golden-era of record production. The fact that these designs are still in use today is a testament to the Ampex brand's iconic status in the world of professional recording." "Ampex is quite pleased to be returning to the professional audio market after many years away; and in such a unique fashion," stated Gordon Strickland, President and CEO of Ampex Corp. "It took a company like Universal Audio, who understood that the Ampex name could be made 'new' again for multiple generations of audio customers through the latest advancements in DSP technology. We are well aware of the value of the Ampex brand, and we protect it accordingly. Our discussions with UA convinced us that they would be a good partner and would create products that we could all be proud of."