Vintage sound effect: make a song sound like vinyl, tape or old radio
Upload a track and pick a medium: a 60s vinyl record, 70s tape, an 80s cassette, AM radio or lo-fi. The tool narrows the frequency band and adds saturation, speed drift and the noise of the medium. Hear it on your own track for free before you decide.
- 5 media, amount 0–100%
- 25 s preview free
- WAV or MP3 320
Five media compared
| Medium | Band | What you hear | Noise at 100% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinyl, 60s | 40 Hz – 11 kHz | Warm lows, a softer top, mono bass below 120 Hz, rare clicks | −66 dBFS + clicks |
| Tape, 70s | 30 Hz – 14 kHz | A bump around 90 Hz, tape saturation, light drift | −70 dBFS |
| Cassette, 80s | 60 Hz – 10 kHz | A dull top, audible hiss, 0.4% drift | −58 dBFS |
| AM radio | 300 – 3400 Hz | Mono, no bass and no top, dry saturation, no drift | −52 dBFS |
| Lo-fi | 50 Hz – 7 kHz | 8-bit levels, a lower sample rate, 0.8% drift | −50 dBFS |
The numbers are the preset settings at 100% amount. A lower amount means less noise and less colour.
An honest note. The presets imitate a medium artistically; they are not an exact copy of a record or tape. A preset does not even out loudness, it only keeps peaks under 0 dBFS, so master the result in the lab before you release it.
Tape and AM radio
Tape, 70s is the gentlest preset: the widest band, a fuller low end around 90 Hz and the quietest hiss. It suits rock, funk and soul and is a safe choice before mastering.
AM radio keeps only the speech band, 300 to 3400 Hz, in mono. Over a whole song it is too strong, so it is usually used for an intro, an outro or a voice from the radio in a verse.
Step by step
- Upload the track: WAV, MP3, FLAC or M4A, up to 100 MB.
- Pick the medium and the amount, from a light touch to the full sound (0–100%). Listen to the start of the track for free and compare it with the original.
- Sign in, make the full version and download WAV or MP3 320. Tracks up to 10 minutes.
Free preview and price
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Preview | Free: the first 25 s of your track. Free previews per day: 20, no account needed. |
| Full version | 1 credit per file, after sign-in. Refunded if the version fails on our side. |
The preview limit resets at midnight UTC.
After the version
- Master the result in the lab: 1 free master every day.
- Turn it into a video with the music visualizer.
- Slow it down first with the slowed + reverb generator; slowed and lo-fi go well together.
About rights. Process your own songs or songs you have the rights to.
What does the vintage sound tool do?
It moves a track into the sound of a medium: it narrows the frequency band and adds saturation, speed drift and noise. Vinyl also gets mono bass and clicks, AM radio gets mono and a narrow band, and lo-fi gets 8-bit levels and a lower sample rate.
Which medium should I pick?
Vinyl for a warm, soft sound; tape for a thick low end with the quietest hiss; cassette for a dull 80s top; AM radio for an intro or a voice from the radio; lo-fi for chill beats.
Which files can I use?
WAV, MP3, FLAC or M4A, up to 100 MB. The full version takes tracks up to 10 minutes and gives WAV or MP3 320.
Is it free?
Previewing the first 25 s is free and needs no account; free previews per day: 20. The full version costs 1 credit per file and needs a sign-in.
Can I make the effect lighter?
Yes. The Amount slider blends the effect with the original from 0 to 100% in 5% steps.
Is the result different every time?
No. The noise and clicks follow a fixed rule, so the same track with the same settings gives the same file.