WatKat is a digital clone of a Wem Watkins Custom Copicat tape echo unit.
It sounds very lo-fi, noisy, irregular. When you turn it off and leave the tape loaded, the tape bends in proximity of the capstan, and this turns into a periodic pitch fall during echo playback; plus, it gets hot and the background hum gets worse in time... you should turn it off every now and then; the tape is never completely erased, and the capstan motor flutters... and it gets worse if you touch it while it's spinning; heads tend to get dirty very soon, in fact you should clean them often. This is true for the actual hardware unit, and for the digital simulation as well!
It sounds very lo-fi, noisy, irregular. When you turn it off and leave the tape loaded, the tape bends in proximity of the capstan, and this turns into a periodic pitch fall during echo playback; plus, it gets hot and the background hum gets worse in time... you should turn it off every now and then; the tape is never completely erased, and the capstan motor flutters... and it gets worse if you touch it while it's spinning; heads tend to get dirty very soon, in fact you should clean them often. This is true for the actual hardware unit, and for the digital simulation as well!
- Swell: adjusts the volume of the repeats.
- Sustain: adjusts the number of repeats; be careful with this knob!
- Gain 1: volume of input 1 (left channel).
- Gain 2: volume of input 2 (right channel).
- Head 1, Head 2, Head 3: use these switches to select the playback head(s); each head gives a different delay time.
- Very light on CPU and memory.
Downloads
Win 32 VST
(0.8 Mb)
Mac OSX VST
(1.5 Mb)
Mac OSX AU
(1.5 Mb)
(5 / 5)
QUALITY & VERY GOOD!
(5 / 5)
I love the grainy/noisy sound of it,it's an important part of the sound of the original hardware, and it gives the plugin a character. I just wish it will get updated to 64-bit one day.
(2 / 5)
This guys stuff does not seem to work with the newer Mac OS...
(0 / 5)
Garbage
(0 / 5)
Terrible noise almost like a trial version.
(2 / 5)
I love the way it sounds but pleeeease add noise level knob to it so the whistling noise can be turned turned down. We use DAWs so even analog devices need to be used in a different ways now. Otherwise fantastic delay emulation.
(3 / 5)
True old tape delay with noises etc, I love it but.... Only wish there was an option to turn off the whistling noise. Whistling makes it unusable.
(4 / 5)
It sounds great! But it introduces on wanted noise to the track... I had to use a other free great plugin as an alternative to emulate effect 1 on this plugin... I like it because it's quick, but the noise! (not loud but it's there believe me) http://vst4free.com/free_vst.php?plugin=Bionic_Supa_Delay&id=1889
Creates a great vintage sound.
(5 / 5)
It might be hard to read the buttons, but once you understand how it work... BOOM, just BOOOOM! Both filthy as you might dream or warm as you like. Grab it and don't look back!
Can't get it to show up in any of my Daw's...
Can't get it to show up in any of my Daw's...
(3 / 5)
Except for the 3 buttons, for me it's impossible to read the small knobs. When I tried it I couldn't imagine a live play using this VST. The physics of the effect are shown clearly in a vintage style.
(3 / 5)
This is perfect if you want dirty feedback sounds like the sound at the beginning of "Nag Nag Nag" by Cabaret Voltaire. Although I like those sort of sounds I found this plugin a bit too limited.
(5 / 5)
I own an old "Tube- Copy- Cat" from 1967 so I'm able to compare and I must say this is a great plugin with an amazing sound: authentic tube echo "mojo"! Thanx for this generous free/ donate development.
(5 / 5)
Nice Plug, very dirty and lo-fi.