SHEEN User Guide
Analog Tape Saturation · by GDP Audio · macOS & Windows
Download the PDF · SHEEN product page · Release notes
Overview · Controls · Factory Presets · Support
Overview
SHEEN is an analog tape saturation plugin modeled after the character of vintage tape machines — adding warmth, harmonic density, and subtle compression to your audio, from transparent glue to heavy lo-fi degradation.
System Requirements
| macOS | macOS 12 Monterey or later — Intel & Apple Silicon |
| Windows | Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit |
| Formats | macOS: VST3, Audio Unit (AU) Windows: VST3 |
| DAW | Any VST3 or AU host (Ableton Live, Logic Pro, FL Studio, REAPER, Cubase, Maschine, etc.) |
Installation
macOS
Run the SHEEN macOS installer (the .pkg file you downloaded) and follow the on-screen steps. The installer places files at:
| VST3 | /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/SHEEN.vst3 |
| AU | /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/SHEEN.component |
Windows
Run the SHEEN Windows installer (the .exe file you downloaded) and follow the on-screen steps. The installer places files at:
| VST3 | C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\SHEEN.vst3 |
Most DAWs find SHEEN automatically on their next plugin scan. If it doesn't appear, rescan plugins from your DAW's plugin manager.
Licensing
SHEEN runs in demo mode until a license is activated. In demo mode a brief noise burst plays approximately every 45 seconds — all controls remain fully functional.
To purchase a license visit gdpaudio.com.
To activate:
- Click the UNLICENSED - CLICK TO ACTIVATE pill in the plugin footer.
- Paste the full contents of your license file into the text box.
- Click Activate. The pill will change to LICENSED TO followed by the name on your license.
Your license file carries the name it was issued to, and the pill shows it (shortened if it is long). A license that carries no personal name simply shows LICENSED. Either way it unlocks the plugin in full.
Your license is stored at:
| macOS | ~/Library/Application Support/GDP Audio/SHEEN/license.settings |
| Windows | %APPDATA%\GDP Audio\SHEEN\license.settings |
Using another computer — activate SHEEN there with the same license file. No internet connection is required.
Uninstalling
macOS — open SHEEN Uninstaller.app from your Applications folder and follow the prompts.
Windows — go to Settings → Apps → Installed apps, find SHEEN by GDP Audio, and choose Uninstall.
Both remove the plugin files and your user presets. Your license file is kept, so reinstalling SHEEN later doesn't require re-activation.
Controls
SATURATION — How much of the tape-saturated signal is blended in. 0 is the clean input; higher values bring in more saturation and the gentle tape compression that goes with it.
DRIVE — How hard the signal is pushed into the saturation stage. Higher values add more harmonic density and soft-clip compression; the high end saturates sooner than the lows, as it does on tape.
BIAS — Shifts the saturation curve. 50 is symmetrical; moving either way adds asymmetry, which changes the harmonic colour and warmth.
TONE — High-frequency tilt. Turn left for a darker tape sound, right to retain more top-end.
WOW — Subtle pitch modulation mimicking tape speed instability. Use sparingly for vintage feel.
NOISE — Adds low-level tape hiss character.
OUTPUT — Makeup gain after saturation.
IEC I / II / IV — Tape type, which sets the overall character. IEC I (ferric): more saturation and noise, slightly darker. IEC II (chrome): the neutral reference. IEC IV (metal): less saturation, brighter and quieter.
BYPASS — Hard bypass. All DSP is skipped; mono mode is preserved.
MONO — Sums stereo to mono before output. Useful for checking mono compatibility.
Factory Presets
24 factory presets are included. Click the preset name in the plugin header to open a list of every preset and pick one directly, or step through them with the < and > arrow buttons. Presets you save yourself appear at the bottom of the same list.
User presets are saved to ~/Library/Application Support/SHEEN/ (macOS) or %APPDATA%\SHEEN\ (Windows). Use SAVE to store settings, RENAME / DELETE to manage them.
| Preset | Description |
|---|---|
| 01 CLEAN | Transparent warmth, barely there |
| 02 STUDER | A800: warm, punchy, 2nd harmonic |
| 03 OTARI | MTR-90: bright, extended high end |
| 04 TAPE 1 | Balanced all-purpose warmth |
| 05 AMPEX LO | 351 at low speed: dark, saturated |
| 06 MEMOREX | CrO2: midrangey, noisy |
| 07 TDK | Type I: clean, defined |
| 08 MAXELL | UR: slightly warmer than TDK |
| 09 GRUNGE | Wrecked tape: heavy flutter and distortion |
| 10 SOFT | Analog dust, barely perceptible |
| 11 AMPEX 440 | 30 IPS: open, punchy, clean top end |
| 12 EMI BTR | Abbey Road BTR2: tight musical glue |
| 13 SCOTCH | 3M 226: workhorse balance |
| 14 BASF | German pro tape: warm low-mids |
| 15 NAKA | Nakamichi deck: clean for cassette |
| 16 CHROME | Type II: bright, more headroom |
| 17 FERRO | Type I ferric: warm, noisy |
| 18 15 IPS | Extended high end, tight and open |
| 19 7.5 IPS | High-frequency rolloff, vintage warmth |
| 20 3.75 IPS | Slow speed: heavy saturation, dark, lots of wow |
| 21 BROADCAST | Hot broadcast chain: punchy, compressed |
| 22 LO-FI | Degraded tape: noisy, lo-fi aesthetic |
| 23 WARM MIX | Mastering bus: subtle analog glue |
| 24 SLAMMED | Overdriven into saturation |
Support
Support: support@gdpaudio.com · Release notes: gdpaudio.com/sheen-release-notes
GDP Audio and the names of our products are trademarks of GDP Audio LLC. All other product and company names mentioned in this guide are trademarks of their respective owners. They are used only to describe the character of a sound or for compatibility, and do not imply any affiliation with, or endorsement by, those companies.