Blowdio is a new free effect plugin by Integraudio that lets you add different colors and flavors of tape saturation to your sound.
I love tape as a sound. I don’t know what it is about analog storage mediums, but they have a certain level of mystique and mojo.
If you don’t feel like hunting down an Otari or Revox, then Blowdio might be the next best thing. Now, the plugin world is no stranger to tape plugins, but there is a bit of streamlining in Blowdio that makes it worth a look.
Before continuing, you might also want to check out our free BPB Saturator and BPB Dirty VHS plugins, both inspired by tapes and their lo-fi and saturation properties.
Now, back to Blowdio. To hear the plugin in action, watch our quick demo video below.
You’ve got four major choices at the top of the interface for the character of the tape. The Studio setting feels super clean, giving a gentle coloration to the sound as a whole.
I wouldn’t go so far as to say it is a Studer or something along those lines, but it does have the character of a well-calibrated machine to some extent.
The others are where the real magic is, in my opinion. Lofi and Vintage are my favorite of the modes, acting as an overt tape effect rather than something you’re summing media to.
You’ve got a few controls to refine the sound as well. Dust and flutter add that grunge and grit from a tape, which is always welcome.
Drive adds saturation, so you can keep the tape effects more overt or slam it with harmonics. You can also adjust the tape head, which is an interesting choice. I rarely fiddle with any of the internal parts of my machines, aside from making sure they have suitable lubrication.
It’s worth pointing out that all four modes color the audio even when the Drive amount is set to zero.
Blowdio isn’t going to change the game of tape plugins, but it works well enough. While Integraudio markets it as a saturation plugin, we think it really shines as a lo-fi tool for adding texture and grit to your audio.
I do find that it is a bit too dark for my taste. I’m used to the noise reduction circuit in four-track recorders sucking a bit of the high-end away.
I can usually compensate with the high shelf on my Portastudio 464. As a freebie, it’s well worth a look. If you are somehow missing a tape plugin, it is certainly a decent one worth exploring.
Blowdio is available for Mac and Windows computers. If you’re using this one, I would pair it with something that can do the Dolby trick if you’re looking to process vocals or other instruments with heavier mid-range content.
The download link is in the video description on the YouTube page below.
Download: Blowdio (FREE – download link in video description)
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