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-- New toy.. UAD 2 Solo Neve (Your thoughts on UAD welcomed)
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New toy.. UAD 2 Solo Neve (Your thoughts on UAD welcomed)

Decided to take the spill into the UAD world. Went with the Neve package. Hear great things about UAD. I really like how you can fully use every plug in for 14 days before buying it, and I am hearing they're bringing out some really nice new plugs this year.

But for now, for those who own one, care to comment on if you like it? Worth the cost? Any particular plug-ins that are must haves? Any plug-in's that are not worth it?

Thanks in advance

Try the included Pultec EQ

Even with all the settings at zero it adds colour

Put it on the master channel and revel in it's thick and shiny lustre.

Yea I've heard the included pultec EQ is nice, which is great. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be happy with the channel strip but the compressor (33609) is a big unknown to me. It's the most expensive compressor they offer (which doesn't always mean its the best) so I'm assuming it's good, but I really don't know much about it. Anyone?

Very curious how these are Stephen. I've been thinking about getting one myself. Please keep us updated. Also I'm sure you already know but in case you didn't, there is a $200 mail in rebate on these going until the end of the month HERE

You can demo all the plugins.

I've not tried te UAD compressors much yet as I found the Powercore CL compressor to be all I need. To my ears it's better sounding than all the native compressors I've had or tried so I assume the UAD will be equally as worthwhile.

the cards are pretty much dongles for apps that could run on most computers with very little cpu power. The plugins are good but there are native equivalents that are competitively priced.

I once owned 2 pretty much fully loaded but sold them when I moved to the USA. I had them when they first came out in 2001 or so and at the time, the cards actually helped the cpu but I think the cpu advantages now are negligible. The latency is awful but perhaps they now have a chainer to reduce some of it when you have sequential effects. My beef is not so much with the plugins but rather the pointless outdated video cards that act like dongles.

quote:

Originally posted by RichieV the cards are pretty much dongles for apps that could run on most computers with very little cpu power. The plugins are good but there are native equivalents that are competitively priced. I once owned 2 pretty much fully loaded but sold them when I moved to the USA. I had them when they first came out in 2001 or so and at the time, the cards actually helped the cpu but I think the cpu advantages now are negligible.

There�s no question the card sets are a bit of gimmick with today�s processing power. They�ve stayed true to the �pro-tools hardware� model but I can�t agree with your statement that there are software equivalents to a lot of the plugs. I�ve tried nearly all the pultec emulations (waves & IKm) neither of them sound like the real deal except the UAD one. The LA2A & 1176LN compressors also don�t have any reasonable competition either (especially compared to the real deal). I agree there are some good EQ�s similar to the Cambridge (which I use for almost all my mixing cuts) and the delay�s aren�t really that great for most dance music. The mastering plugs ie maximizer, limiter, multiband etc are similar in transparency to Ozone (I�ve tested these against each other well over 25 times, the end results are very very close). IMO I think where the UAD still stands taller than the rest is with plugs like the Fairchild (which the CLOSEST I�ve seen anything come is the Sonnox plug but it�s still not as good) which is a wonderful warming compressor, the LA2A which has to be the best vocal friendly compressor ever, the Plate 140 reverb (which maybe with the right convolutions you could match this but the Plate 140 is instantly usable with like 2 knob tweaks) and the fact that UAD has teamed up with like every sought after company in the world to make new plugins (distressor emulation just came out, Lexicon coming soon & others). I�ve had 2xUAD-1�s in the studio for nearly 3yrs and the only reason I want to sell them is to get the UAD2.

some good points. If only they would ditch the cards, UAD would have absolutely no disadvantages. No more latency, no more governor on how many plugins you can load... I think the biggest advantage with UAD is that they have covered all the bases. Like Waves, you really don't need another plugin suite.

The SPL Transient designer looks like the first plug I'm going to be wanting.....wow is all I can say. 3 knobs and it can do all that? LOL

quote:

Originally posted by Magnus Very curious how these are Stephen. I've been thinking about getting one myself. Please keep us updated. Also I'm sure you already know but in case you didn't, there is a $200 mail in rebate on these going until the end of the month HERE

Yea this was one of the deciding factors since my stupid @$$ of course waits until February is over where I could have gotten 30% off on all plugs if I bought 3, which I would have. I couldn't decide between the Flexi or Neve because I wanted the SSL 4k comp but I'm rolling the dice on this Neve comp.

This months promo is terrible. I'll be sitting on my voucher money and learning what it already comes with until I see good deals on what I want. It comes with plenty to get started. I sure would like to have that transient designer though.

They wont ditch the cards, makes it a secure platform and is therefore more appealing to Manley, Lexicon, Studer, dbx etc...
People call the card a dongle - fine - id rather have a dongle that takes the load off my cpu. Even tho i have a 3 gig quad the amount of stuff i run on the card plus instruments already pushes me close to the limit, id definitely be bouncing a lot more if i ran the equivalent UAD stuff on the cpu as well.
But in saying that i think they should have made the cards more powerful as they are quite expensive even with the vouchers...

As for plugins, FATSO on the mix buss all the time, cambridge handy for surgical cuts, havent purchased any of the other EQs really, im one of those who is happy with EQ8, does the job for me ... compressors i use are mainly the LA-2A and LA-3A, basically cos i bought them at the start and might as well use them now i have them, some people go crazy over them, i think they are ok, up to your own ears.......

I am demoing the EMT250 at the moment, will be hard to hold off buying it, thats the thing, you feel like buying every new plug that comes out lol

Dont discard the free included plugins, i love the flanger & delays (DM1-L) and Phaser, also use the RS-1 quite a bit, also the EX-1 compressor is a class job, great for snappy stuff and in a blind test on the uad forums i think more people preferred it to some of the other more glamourous comps Pultec is also there as well...

If you havent already, check out the UAD forums here

I want one just for the fatso & emt... been fighting myself from buying it for about 8 months now

quote:

Originally posted by Zombie0729 There�s no question the card sets are a bit of gimmick with today�s processing power. They�ve stayed true to the �pro-tools hardware� model but I can�t agree with your statement that there are software equivalents to a lot of the plugs. I�ve tried nearly all the pultec emulations (waves & IKm) neither of them sound like the real deal except the UAD one. The LA2A & 1176LN compressors also don�t have any reasonable competition either (especially compared to the real deal). I agree there are some good EQ�s similar to the Cambridge (which I use for almost all my mixing cuts) and the delay�s aren�t really that great for most dance music. The mastering plugs ie maximizer, limiter, multiband etc are similar in transparency to Ozone (I�ve tested these against each other well over 25 times, the end results are very very close). IMO I think where the UAD still stands taller than the rest is with plugs like the Fairchild (which the CLOSEST I�ve seen anything come is the Sonnox plug but it�s still not as good) which is a wonderful warming compressor, the LA2A which has to be the best vocal friendly compressor ever, the Plate 140 reverb (which maybe with the right convolutions you could match this but the Plate 140 is instantly usable with like 2 knob tweaks) and the fact that UAD has teamed up with like every sought after company in the world to make new plugins (distressor emulation just came out, Lexicon coming soon & others). I�ve had 2xUAD-1�s in the studio for nearly 3yrs and the only reason I want to sell them is to get the UAD2.

Native plugins can easily replace an UAD system nowdays. And the UAD plugins don't sound like the hardware units, it's just an emulation. Especially since harmonic distortion is ignored on alot of their emulation to conserve CPU power which native plugins actually do model.

.

quote:

Originally posted by meDina I want one just for the fatso & emt... been fighting myself from buying it for about 8 months now

yeah the fatso emulation looks dope as hell and would love to see what the pultec on the master channnel can do. psp vintage warmer and the vintage compressor from t-racks bundle is what i been using on master channel (along with a few logic plugs), wonder what the uad plugs can do to improve my mastering chain. been on the fence to get one of these cards as well but it just seems soo overpriced.

quote:

Originally posted by Timothy Native plugins can easily replace an UAD system nowdays. And the UAD plugins don't sound like the hardware units, it's just an emulation. Especially since harmonic distortion is ignored on alot of their emulation to conserve CPU power which native plugins actually do model. .

well, i might agree with you if i didn't have any real world experience but at NAMM 3 yrs ago they had all the vintage gear they were emulating alongside the plugs and no one could tell the difference on the LA2A or 1176N. I also worked in a big studio in SD for about a month and compared them myself, there was very little difference. LA2A & 1176 are suppose to be transparent compressors not colorers so maybe you're specifically talking about 1 or 2 plugins but from my own experiences they sound great next to the 20k real deals.

The 1176 is definitely not transparent. The LA2A was supposed to be but in reality, any optical compressor is going to be less transparent. Colour is the reason people use these tools. And those namm tests were most likely not done in a controlled environment. It is similar but I don't think any professional would not be able to tell the difference.

quote:

Originally posted by sot yeah the fatso emulation looks dope as hell and would love to see what the pultec on the master channnel can do. psp vintage warmer and the vintage compressor from t-racks bundle is what i been using on master channel (along with a few logic plugs), wonder what the uad plugs can do to improve my mastering chain. been on the fence to get one of these cards as well but it just seems soo overpriced.

To be honest the way things are now im not sure I would go out and buy what i have now (uad-1 and uad-2 quad flexi)
Its a lot of cash and ive cut down on my plugin usage, ive realised since i bought my first uad that a lot of these fancy EQs and compressors arent critically necessary and just as good results can be achieved with other cheaper solutions....imho

I've got a uad-2 and I use the la2a and 1176 quite a bit on stuff - works really well.

This link on gearslutz also might interest you.

GearSlutz Link

Mod be on some hatin' stuff on this side of tha board but Swamper reinstated my account so I ain't gonna cuss no more. I am going to keep it pg13 for the kids out there.

Universal audio plug ins are so good that the competition might as well just give up.
I put it in bold cause it is a pretty bold statement

I got 90 percent of them but this is the stuff I use the most in this order
LA2A, Neve 88, Neve 1173, 1176

Stuff (see didn't cuss ) I wish they would let me sell and buy something else:

VU compressor
Fairchild

Haven't played with the new fatso but word in the street says its good. But holy stuff this eats one entire UAD1 card.

Good luck.

how many plugins can you run till your 10 year old video card runs out of CPU ? Not so great is it. Many pros will argue that the competition sounds better and the lack of latency make the UAD less attractive. The only downside to waves is the WUP. The UAD is great , don't get me wrong but it isn't the end all and be all in the plugin world.

quote:

Originally posted by RichieV how many plugins can you run till your 10 year old video card runs out of CPU ? Not so great is it. Many pros will argue that the competition sounds better and the lack of latency make the UAD less attractive. The only downside to waves is the WUP. The UAD is great , don't get me wrong but it isn't the end all and be all in the plugin world.

My 10 year old videocard works great in my six year old g5 computer thank you very much. I leave the bleeding edge stuff for somebody else.

Homeboy I know peeps with 20k pro tools hook ups that buy these expansions so they can run the Universal audio plug-ins commercially. It ain't no coincidence that waves have done nothing but stuff (see didn't cuss) themselves and copy their plug-ins. But the waves stuff is so mid 90s now.
Plus Universal audio got a better business model. They ain't playing cat and mouse with their customers every universal audio user IS a paying customer no need to overcharge for plug-ins they sell real analog gear at they higher end of their catalog.
What is the best 1176 emulation on the market? See see...
And I got a real purple compressor here... I hope you are as impressed as I am. It cost me a bloody fortune

quote:

Originally posted by Existo22 What is the best 1176 emulation on the market? See see...

The Waves CLA 76 is just as close and it isn't handicapped by the dongle that adds latency with each plugin layer. You can run hundreds on a decent computer. You can't do that with UAD unless I suppose you have 4 quads running. Waves might seem 90s to you because you are running a cracked version from ions ago. You are quite uninformed. And as far as cat and mouse, every waves user is paying for theirs as well.

Sort of pandemic. The bedroom noobs getting their UAD cards having to tell everyone it is the best thing on the planet. it isn't. There are a few great options while UAD being one, it isn't the only one.

First he was like

quote:

Originally posted by RichieV The Waves CLA 76 is just as close and it isn't handicapped by the dongle that adds latency each with each plugin layer. You can run hundreds on a decent computer. You can't do that with UAD unless I suppose you have 4 quads running. Waves might seem 90s to you because you are running a cracked version from ions ago. You are clueless

But then...

quote:

Originally posted by RichieV The Waves CLA 76 is just as close and it isn't handicapped by the dongle that adds latency with each plugin layer. You can run hundreds on a decent computer. You can't do that with UAD unless I suppose you have 4 quads running. Waves might seem 90s to you because you are running a cracked version from ions ago. You are quite uninformed. And as far as cat and mouse, every waves user is paying for theirs as well. Sort of pandemic. The bedroom noobs getting their UAD cards having to tell everyone it is the best thing on the planet. it isn't. There are a few great options while UAD being one, it isn't the only one.

Why you diss me homie?
Come on now naughty naughty you are being very disrespectful here. I ain't running no cracked waves plugins and I don't really mess (see didn't cuss) with plug-ins. I use the UAD-1 card and the sonnox EQ and the stock logic plug-ins.
But I will tell you this. The universal audio neve stuff he bought is as good as it gets in the plug-in game. Trust. Plus nobody else using these unless they paying for them. Can't say the same about the waves the ilok was cracked again and is on every kids fruit loop session. Now how much money do you wanna throw at that? Like I said homie I don't really mess with plug-ins. Those plugins I mentioned I use daily but I also got various dynamics eq and multi-effects hardware.


All this stuff is hooked up to 5 patchbays interfaced with a soundcraft board interfaced with a dual 2.0 G5 that is ''running that old 10 year old videocard'' running ''god forbid'' logic 7 (that's like 6 years old now )

So tell me Mr. Professional... what plug-ins do the pros use these days?
So you think the waves stuff is better than the UAD version? Isn't that cute?
Tell me what is the best ''plug-in emulation''?
I wanna know....

1 here. If you say so I'll take your word for it.

I didn't diss you. I just think you are uninformed and your assumptions are wrong and it is frustrating having to deal with people that have only known one side of the argument. Am I incorrect in my assumption ? Have you had your card for longer than a year ? Is it safe to say you haven't ever used the real thing ?

I just can't stand the types of responses that don't look at things objectively. I said UAD make great plugins but they aren't the only ones. They have flaws and it serves no purpose to tell people they are the best and everyone else sucks. The owner of UAD wouldn't even agree to that.

And I don't understand what Waves being cracked has anything to do with their quality. And they haven't been cracked yet. And don't apologize. You are entitled to your opinion.

quote:

Originally posted by RichieV I didn't diss you. I just think you are uninformed and your assumptions are wrong and it is frustrating having to deal with people that have only known one side of the argument. Am I incorrect in my assumption ? Have you had your card for longer than a year ? Is it safe to say you haven't ever used the real thing ?

No see you are assuming stuff and you know what they say about assume

A. I don't use cracked waves plug-ins. I got plenty of real gear here.
B. Yes I have had my card for more than a year.
C. I have interned at a real studio were I was not paid in money but I was paid in peeping game.
They had all the vintage goodies there and I was the person patching them. Plus I have a purple compressor which is a perfect Rev D 1176 compressor. The use to sell these in kits back in the day. Ask the peeps at the prodigy forum. They will tell you the story.

quote:

Originally posted by RichieV I just can't stand the types of responses that don't look at things objectively. I said UAD make great plugins but they aren't the only ones. They have flaws and it serves no purpose to tell people they are the best and everyone else sucks. The owner of UAD wouldn't even agree to that.

I never said they are the only ones. I said that the UAD plug-ins are so good that the competition might as well just give up. And I put it in bold because let's face it that was a pretty bold statement. The truth is I played around with a friend of mines focusrite liquid mix eq compressor hook up and thought it was pretty cool as well.
But I already got that situation sorted here.

Homie honestly you are being disrespectful assuming that I was using cracked waves plug-ins and straight dissing me going on about how I am clueless... come one now naughty naughty... tone down the attitude nobody got beef with you here
Cheers

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