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The FLYWHEEL reel-to-reel tape Black Friday deal from Fuse Audio Labs is 67% off, which puts this tape emulation plugin at $19 until Dec 6, 2026.
FLYWHEEL adds the sound of reel-to-reel tape recording to your tracks. It does not copy one specific machine. It blends the typical analog flaws into one tone-shaping interface.
Those flaws are saturation, hysteresis, high-frequency loss and head bump.
The maker says it makes music sound more organic, cohesive and diversified. You can use it while recording, mixing or mastering.
It behaves like a tape machine in the signal chain, without a service tech or a tangle of spilled tape. The maker's own line is "no tape salad".
Fuse Audio Labs kept the parameter set small on purpose. The workflow runs in four moves: dial in the record gain, pick a tape speed and a formula, then shape the result with hysteresis and EQ.
The maker says that handful of controls opens up a wide range of textures.
Different tape formulas and adjustable motor speed variances round out the magnetic character. The wow and flutter control adds the pitch drift you hear on real machines, and the stop/start feature mimics the transport winding down and spinning back up.
Optional oversampling is there to improve overall audio quality. Switch it on when you want the cleanest result, and keep an eye on CPU load if your session is already heavy.
On Mac, FLYWHEEL runs 64-bit only, on an Intel or Apple Silicon CPU. It needs macOS 10.12 or newer and 2GB RAM. The host has to support VST2, VST3, AAX or AudioUnits.
On Windows, both 32-bit and 64-bit are supported. You need Windows 7 or newer, 2GB RAM and an Intel compatible CPU, at least 2 GHz recommended. The host has to support VST2, VST3 or AAX.
Both platforms call for a display resolution of 1280x1024 pixels or more. So if you work on a small laptop screen, check that your resolution meets that.
Fuse Audio Labs also offers sound examples for FLYWHEEL.
Yes. The FLYWHEEL Black Friday deal takes 67% off this Fuse Audio Labs tape emulation plugin, bringing it to $19. The offer ends Dec 6, 2026.
It emulates the sound of reel-to-reel tape recording systems in general, not one particular machine. It combines saturation, hysteresis, high-frequency loss and head bump, plus adjustable wow and flutter, in a single interface.
FLYWHEEL supports VST2, VST3, AAX and AudioUnits on Mac, with AudioUnits on Mac only. On Windows it supports VST2, VST3 and AAX, in both 32-bit and 64-bit. Mac versions are 64-bit only, on Intel or Apple Silicon.
You set record gain, tape speed and tape formula, then shape the sound with hysteresis and EQ. It also has adjustable wow and flutter, a tape transport stop/start feature and optional oversampling for better audio quality.
Prices and end dates are checked at publishing time and can change, so confirm them at the store before you buy.