KVR Audio

HREQ · Post by **HREQ** » Sat May 27, 2023 2:25 am

Are the none native plugins still worth it? They are having a sale right now. I have PA 2022 bundle and slate subscription and waves diamond but ive never tried uad and always saw them as holy grail. The 3rd party native plugins from them like softtube and bx shadows etc are great, the uad spark has alot of plugins id want from them already. For the uad id still want like ocean way studios capitol chamber ssl e snd g channels and others

DJDJ · Post by **DJDJ** » Sat May 27, 2023 2:46 am

This may or may not be helpful to your situation, but here's my take...I finally just recently started using UAD spark / native stuff after always wanting to try them for years and years. Before I downloaded any of them, I already felt that I had pretty much all my plugins dialed in, with pretty much ideal plugins for each effect. I already had my favorite EQs, compressors, etc. So I wasn't exactly in a place of needing to like them, and if anything, I was kind of skeptical and less willing to embrace them.

So far, I've been really impressed. Particularly with the compressors and reverbs, but the delays, modulation, and eq's are all really nice too. The compressors are so good that I started using compression a lot more on my mixes just to use them, when I had largely given up on using compression to shape tone.

As I'm sure you know, every plugin company kind of has their own "sound". What I hear in the UAD plugins is this kind of polite refinement to the sound that often sounds "right", if what right is to you is the sound of classic records. There's clearly saturation going on under the hood with many of them, and I've been finding it easier to sit instruments in the mix since I've been using them. They're generally light to moderate in CPU use on my M1 machine, and the compressors & reverbs have pretty much made their way into my mix template permanently.

Regarding the EQs, I'm still finding myself leaning more toward Acustica stuff, but it's pretty hard to beat their EQs because they're sample based. But for algorithmic plugins, they do sound pretty good. I do generally like the UAD flavor a bit more than Waves. I dont own any Slate stuff, so I cant compare there.

The 175b / 176 are impressive. The Capitol compressor is great. The 1176s and LA2As are very good. Obviously this doesnt help answer your question directly because youre after the non-native stuff, and I dont own any UAD hardware, but hopefully I can convey a sense to you that some of their stuff is very good, other plugins are only average compared to the competition.

Hope that helps a bit. I really think it depends on what you have and what your needs are, but so far I've been impressed overall with what I've been hearing

zerocrossing · Post by **zerocrossing** » Sat May 27, 2023 2:52 am

I think so. I use the UAD plugins all the time on incoming mic and synthesizer signals.

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Sat May 27, 2023 3:21 am

UAD seems to be just about the only developer who really cares about modeling every nuance accurately.

j wazza · Post by **j wazza** » Sat May 27, 2023 5:44 am

Not worth the original price, but they have a sale on atm which is much cheaper.

I don't think they're the only dev who models everything accurately, softube definitely do that and there are lots of other convincing analog models

To me UAD isn't the best, but they are very good and there are lots of other very good devs, and for the current sale prices they are worth it.

FFHKVR · Post by **FFHKVR** » Sat May 27, 2023 7:25 am

UAD still worth it?
For me, yes.

vitocorleone123 · Post by **vitocorleone123** » Sat May 27, 2023 7:28 am

jamcat wrote: ↑Sat May 27, 2023 3:21 am UAD seems to be just about the only developer who really cares about modeling every nuance accurately.

You don’t have The Scream from Cytomic, do you? Puts UAD emulation to shame (and pretty much every other). Obsessive accuracy that you can tweak - all the components.

vitocorleone123 · Post by **vitocorleone123** » Sat May 27, 2023 7:34 am

HREQ wrote: ↑Sat May 27, 2023 2:25 am Are the none native plugins still worth it? They are having a sale right now. I have PA 2022 bundle and slate subscription and waves diamond but ive never tried uad and always saw them as holy grail. The 3rd party native plugins from them like softtube and bx shadows etc are great, the uad spark has alot of plugins id want from them already. For the uad id still want like ocean way studios capitol chamber ssl e snd g channels and others

They aren’t the Holy Grail of plugins. They are good. So far I’m finding I usually prefer other plugins I already have, but am adding some UAD to my wish list for Black Friday. No urgent purchases so far except Opal.

UAD is just another top-tier plugin maker. There’s several (eg Softube for another large one, or Kush for specialty, etc.). I don’t know anything about Waves or Slate - no subs for me. But UAD are pretty much all better than Plugin Alliance stuff, except maybe Lindell.

sacer · Post by **sacer** » Sat May 27, 2023 7:39 am

I have compared softube to UAD native and I preferred softube. The only advantage of UAD was the big amount of presets. So I rebuild all presets and in most cases they sound the same. When it comes to distortion, there is also much more character and prestige sound on softube. Compare their FET with softube MK2, or softube chandler with UAD Fairchild. Also Softube BUS Processor with their SSL. Also the Neve and API channel strips sounds equal until you add drive….
For me an other big problem - UAD has no sidechain, which is an often used effect to duck my synths.
So for me nothing special about their old code ….
What I really like is the UAD Hittsville chambers - a really nice reverb.

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Sat May 27, 2023 8:41 am

vitocorleone123 wrote: ↑Sat May 27, 2023 7:28 am
jamcat wrote: ↑Sat May 27, 2023 3:21 am UAD seems to be just about the only developer who really cares about modeling every nuance accurately.
You don’t have The Scream from Cytomic, do you? Puts UAD emulation to shame (and pretty much every other). Obsessive accuracy that you can tweak - all the components.

Emulation of what?

db3 · Post by **db3** » Sat May 27, 2023 8:47 am

As a recent convert to UAD I find they are up there with the very best. I would never pay full price but I've been selectively picking things up on sale or with promo codes. The current sale has some great offers along with a $25 thank you code with each order.

MogwaiBoy · Post by **MogwaiBoy** » Sat May 27, 2023 10:46 am

db3 wrote: ↑Sat May 27, 2023 8:47 am As a recent convert to UAD I find they are up there with the very best. I would never pay full price but I've been selectively picking things up on sale or with promo codes. The current sale has some great offers along with a $25 thank you code with each order.

With each order you get $25 towards the next?

I'm interested in the Dimension D chorus and Oxide tape, so maybe I'll buy one then the other, not both at the same time.

db3 · Post by **db3** » Sat May 27, 2023 11:14 am

MogwaiBoy wrote: ↑Sat May 27, 2023 10:46 am
db3 wrote: ↑Sat May 27, 2023 8:47 am As a recent convert to UAD I find they are up there with the very best. I would never pay full price but I've been selectively picking things up on sale or with promo codes. The current sale has some great offers along with a $25 thank you code with each order.
With each order you get $25 towards the next?

I'm interested in the Dimension D chorus and Oxide tape, so maybe I'll buy one then the other, not both at the same time.

Yes, I already had one TY code which I used to buy Oxide Tape. I received another TQ code in my cart after a short time and I used that to buy API channel. I then received another TQ code.

musicproducerdee · Post by **musicproducerdee** » Sat May 27, 2023 12:18 pm

The plugins itself are good. UAD Spark isn't. It's a workflow killer. Everytime you load a plugin, it'll load with a blurred UI. That happens because everytime you load a plugin, UAD Connect checks for a valid license and iLok cloud authorization. And yes, it happens for each and every plugin you load.
PS: UAD Spark doesn't work without an active internet connection, even if you have paid your subscription and activated the plugins on your system. You need to be connected to the internet at all times.

But if you're using the plugins without Spark, then yes, the plugins are pretty good if you're looking to get into analog emulation plugins.

Personally, I'm trying to move away from the whole *analog emulation* world of plugins. Enough of those already. Seems like all any developer cares these days about is making yet another analog emulation plugin. Feeding off the heritage of old gear and advertising it as *used by your favorite artist*. Yes, not a single song ever has been produced using that analog emulation plugin, which compares even remotely to the advertised artist. I'm so glad devs like Sonible, FabFilter, Tone Projects, Cableguys and more exist. Or else we'd have a whole market of just analog emulation plugins with 0 creativity whatsoever.

j wazza · Post by **j wazza** » Sat May 27, 2023 1:59 pm

db3 wrote: ↑Sat May 27, 2023 11:14 am Yes, I already had one TY code which I used to buy Oxide Tape. I received another TQ code in my cart after a short time and I used that to buy API channel. I then received another TQ code.

How long after did they send it? Been a few hours but not got another, I have the June voucher as well but that's 99 minimum spend