It's human nature. People tend to rate within their (spending) capability to prevent being unhappy all the time.

UAD works with the hardware designers. That’s why they don’t use bogus names and release with authorization. That either matters to you or not. Let your ears decide....

What I note with UAD is they don’t hype the sound, not always to their advantage by the way given how much stock people put in being blown away, or owning the ultimate LA2A etc.

Rather, they appear preoccupied with delivering accurate emulations, and sometimes in a marketplace where we don’t want understatement or nuance, it could make their product seem a touch - uninteresting?

For me, understatement is fine, authenticity means alot. Lesser plugin designers might hype the characteristics we expect to hear, and that doesn’t work for me in the long run.

The UAD SSL for example often gets criticism for being dark and disappointing in shoot outs, but I think its actually more accurate even than SSLs own plugin version of their buss comp. As a result, I find I always end up using the UAD SSL even if others start off promising something more.

Like all good things, sometimes you have to learn to appreciate whats not immediately obvious.

i dont think this is relevant nowadays..
UAD iis no better or worse than softube, plugiin alliance.... Those plugins available on both in fact null cancel. Its just a different platform and nothing more. The way I see it UAD is an expensive ilok. If there is an exclusive plugin you want, then you invest in the hardware so you can use it, just like you buy an ilok to be able to use most native plugins.

The Brainworx and Softube plugins indeed null, as they are the same plugins. But the SSL for example, and many others are not. They are UA code. There is no sonic difference for example between the UAD Chandler plugins and the native Softube ones.

And yes, there are plenty other good plugins out there these days. Still I would not want to replace quite some of the UAD plugins for others.

The 1176's, Pultecs, Fairchilds, LA-2's are simply the best out there. And no second guesses here. It just works. Luckily the 1176 and LA2 bundles are now also native.

There are also plugins which have no match at all. Like Ocean Ways, Capitol Chambers, Vulture Culture (yes there is a mode in Decapitator), AT-102. For these, I gladly keep my DSP cards up and running.

The channel strips have some severe competition these days. The Brainworks and Lindel strips are really excellent. But still, the UAD SSL-E channel brings something special. Engaging the compressor pushes a vocal like none of the competition does. The SSL-G mk2 adds some bottom weight I have not been able to get from any other G-clone.

But it's perfectly fine and possible to deliver good mixes without using them, and it also comes down to taste I guess.

That's exactly why I use AirWindows.

My takeaway from this discussion is that it's always the coded processing, primarily through the implemented algorithms, as well as the quality this code delivers on your music that is what matters. A fancy UI, or the name of it all doesn't matter more than it affects your interactions with the code via the available controls. It's really what's going beyond these concepts, that which you can only hear, that is the relevant thing.

The question of this thread was asked as if something subjective had already been proven and there was a consensus. As we know there's no consensus, there's only taste and preferences meeting coded audio algorithms executed in various ways resulting in processed audio.

Hello, You state your personal opinion as to if it were fact. Music, sound, etc, we're talking about art. Art is subjective. omegle ome tv
There is no right or wrong, better or worse. There are just different opinions. Hope you get it well.

That's why the Roland plugins don't carry the name anymore and why the EMT 140 got the brand only later on?

I have no idea how they operate. My point was simply that they work with manufacturers probably out of respect since they make gear also. To my mind that probably helps with accuracy in the emulation. They probably share some revenue which is only fair.

Conscious I’m responding to an old post and you probably know this by now:

No you don’t need any UAD DSP to subscribe and run their Spark native plugin bundle.

If you have DSP you get a license to also run the native version of any plugins you purchased. That’s all.

I'm certain a post claiming the DSP versions sound better than the Spark native ones will be forthcoming.

Yep, we’ve know this for years…

https://www.uaudio.com/webzine/2006/april/index5.html

Enjoy!

There actually is an IR pack of this room. Maybe not as comprehensive as UAD but it does exist.

Yes, I'm not surprised. But I don't consider preset packs, even with the IR tools to modify the IR in the same league as Ocean Way with distance, separation, mic choices etc.

I think the same could be said about Capital Chambers.

As usual, it all boils down to do you "need" it.

Indeed. I tried capturing some of the presets from Capitol Chambers with an IR, and though you can capture the heart, you cannot capture the soul. It just does not sound the same. So ended up buying the plugin (actually both Ocean Way and Capitol Chambers).

The Ocean Way has another great use, re-miking.

That depends what you’re evaluating. There certainly are right ways to code plugins to avoid undesirable artefacts such as aliasing as much as possible / eg upsampling as mentioned.

Of course if people can’t really hear the artefacts or even prefer the plug-in using the worse (cruder) algorithm / that’s different.

I think UAD are just really good at circuit modelling and creating high quality emulations. Traditionally the DSP allowed them to implement better modelling compared to most native plugins / when CPUs were slower.

For sure / they excel at what they do.

Surely the hate is because UAD2 DSP hardware has become more and more underpowered relative to native -and the DSP is expensive and a significant investment for many. Many UAD owners do seem to claim DSP is better in some way than native. Also the severe restrictions in terms of second hand plugin reselling.

Really great well modelled plugins - working with and approved by the hardware vendors in many cases. Just the DSP hasn’t kept up and is a real limitation and UA have sidestepped this issue by focussing on being able to run a handful of (very accurate) hardware emulations (in a typical mix using maybe an Octo) for less than it costs to buy a single actual hardware unit,

The question of this thread was asked as if something subjective had already been proven and there was a consensus. As we know there's no consensus, there's only taste and preferences meeting coded audio algorithms ometvs.com executed in various ways resulting in processed audio. omegle.site

Yes, as said above, Ocean Way presets are not like having Ocean Way.

But the reason I'm replying again, is a thanks to you for the Q-clone presets. It's a shame Waves has ignored creating a new GUI, and I assume gave up on marketing of the entire concept. Maybe one reason is that it's outright difficult to make Q-Clone work in Cubase without just taking a sample of the pulse and using that.

Bertom and Plug-in Doctor aren't the same.

Anyway, over the years, a lot of your Q-clone presets for those hardware tools, have been excellent starting points, therefore enabling me to make much smaller adjustments when necessary.

Curious if there's a list somewhere of "native" versions that literally null then UAD only specific versions?

I have plugin alliance everything bundle, some softube, waves diamond but thinking of getting UAD just to get the best, and not to waste money on plugins I already own

Not sure if there is a formal list like that...

So some are identical in native, and others are not. As for sticking with UAD in an attempt to have the best, the best really varies between manufacturers, with different manufacturers having different amazing plugins. For example for the best Pultec EQ, the general concensus is that it is the Apogee plugin. The best distressor I've seen is the antelope. The best LA2a is probably UAD, as I havent seen others make an LA2A. The best tape plugin is IK multimedia.

Anyways if you want the best of the best, dont stick with any one manufacturer is my point.

The Overloud LA2A and LA3A are excellent and were my choice. Haven’t tried the Antelope distress or, but the Softube MikeE is great. I’m just comparing the Lindell 50 vs the API Vision and… it’s a toss up. The Lindell is less expensive so will probably go that route at some point. The Pure Plate sounds better than the new Soundtoys to me, so will probably get it.

He is not wrong, it's his opinion. It doesn't matter how long he's been a member to gearspace or gearslutz. That doesn't even make any sense. I've been mixing for over a decade and I too have recently noticed that UAD can sometimes give better quality results. And that is my opinion.

So you quoted me from 2018 and you used your very first post to do it I have to say I think you can do better than that. but to answer you yes UAD does some really good plugins that's true, and sometimes they may give better quality results in a particular mix, that's also true, but sometimes something else is better in a particular mix so the answer I would say is, it depends, and better is subjective. Agreed?

Isn't that exactly what hey stated?

"that UAD can sometimes give better quality results"

You guys must be really bored!

What I would really like to know is why exactly does native UAD plug-ins sound so much better if I stand on my head and when I lie in the snow the non-native ones have the upper hand?
I also noticed that on Thursdays everything sounds better with some old fish on my speakers. Why is that though? Should I try with some Octopus?