Is the UAD plugs really THAT much better?

[telebunke]

People tend to be a little less than objective when they have shelled out close to $900 for something, especially something they have had no opportunity to try out first.

$900 is actually about the same price range as Waves stuff, but with an additional DSP card.

Try out: Order from a store, where you have a 14-days-give-back-whyever-you-want right.

[MarkEdmonds]

in all honesty, for mixing "inside the box", the pultec pro is where it's at. whenever i work on anything, i slap a pultec pro on my mix bus -- no eq, just the plugin. it honestly makes everything sound bigger and better.

Probably because even when flat, it adds gain = louder is better.


http://www.chrismilne.com/uadforums/vie ... php?t=1965

[jones-y]

I just think that software tied to hardware tends to have more time and money spent on R&D.

True, but its not "just because..." The fact is, digital hardware designers have to design the hardware too. Not the case for native software. The hardware system has already been designed.

[StudioTan]

When you use rtas you do have an alternarive for the UAD vintage plugins. Bombfactory made them too. In fact UAD copied the Bombfactory concept including the Pultecs and Fairchilds. In a recent test the Bombfactory Pultec was choosen above the UAD and even above a Pultec hardware clone. Also the Bombfactory Fairchild sounds better then the UAD in my opinion.

Well I can tell you that the Bombfactory plug-ins sound like ass compared to the UAD plug-ins.

But then most of the people who claim the Bombfactory stuff is better are the same people who think that Pro-Tools is the best DAW in the world.

And it is...If you need a doorstop or boat anchor.

I auditioned the Bombfactory stuff a while ago and was not impressed (when comparing to various high-end AND mid-level outboard gear). However, I thought it was a step above any pc-based native plugins at the time, including all the Waves stuff. This was a while ago, mind you, and I haven't done any recent comparisons. Plus, I'm not a fan of Pro-Stools either. I guess I'm not cool enough because I don't have what the "big boys" are using. Oh well.

I'd really be interested if anyone out there that owns a UAD still reaches for an analog outboard piece of gear instead of the UAD for eq and/or compression, and what exactly that gear is.

[Kingston]

Nothing has yet [matched up to a hardware unit]. Software processors are still inferior to GOOD Outboard Hardware.

electro,

I get a totally excellent sound from my favourite software plugins. Some of these match or even top the type of hardware you listed when it comes to sound and flexibility. (and I can prove it)

You live in a warped elitist dream world. While you you are free to unnecessarily strain your hardware with 192khz projects, or not use the "inferior" plugins, I keep getting amazing fully digital 48khz sound.

[electro]

Nothing has yet [matched up to a hardware unit]. Software processors are still inferior to GOOD Outboard Hardware.

Some of these match or even top the type of hardware you listed when it comes to sound and flexibility. (and I can prove it)

Please provide the names of the plugs that top or even match the mentioned hardware.

"API 7600 channel strip
Trident EQ
Midas EQ
Manley Massive Passive"

[SJ_Digriz]

Some of these match or even top the type of hardware you listed when it comes to sound and flexibility. (and I can prove it)

Please provide the names of the plugs that top or even match the mentioned hardware.

"API 7600 channel strip
Trident EQ
Midas EQ
Manley Massive Passive"

I'd be interested in this too. Please let me know which one I missed that sounds as good as the MMP. All I can think is that the poster has never seen/heard/used one if they think the plugs are even in the ballpark.

[SJ_Digriz]

I love my UAD-1, but if I had a serious personal project to record, I would use my home project as a template and do it all over again in a real studio. Then I would have it mastered at a place that I KNOW has proper outboard gear and uses it.

[MickGael]

Please provide the names of the plugs that top or even match the mentioned hardware.
"API 7600 channel strip
Trident EQ
Midas EQ
Manley Massive Passive"

Boy, am I with you. There are several I like, but to be honest none that I have heard or used come close.

[Kingston]

Ok enough of this bullshit!

First of all, most of you nay-sayers seem to be fixed and obsessed (to put it mildly) with the idea that plugins have to be hardware emulations.

Youe lists are absolutely irrelevant, because the goal of digital plugin doesn't have to be 100% accurate emulation of those units. Hence I won't jump on the fashionable (but audio-wise rednecky) bandwagon of comparing the UAD1 to the real things although it would be valid.

Along these lines I could list a few,

Voxengo:

HarmoniEQ 1.1 (soft mode). The fact that you can even reproduce this sound on hardware should speak for itself. If you claim that his EQ sounds bad or inferior you are in the wrong line of duty and need consider a career change. Yes, it sounds digital, but GOOD digital. (some of this applies to GlissEQ2 as well, but it's not quite as smooth)

Polysquasher and Soniformer: Soniformer sound and shaping flexibility is in a class of its own. Same attributes apply here as on the first example.

Warmifier... yes, it actually sounds better than your hi end tube circuits on several sound types. Again, it sounds digital, but GOOD digital.

OtiumFX compadre and Kjaehus Audio GCO1:
Give me the analog compressor that gives the flexibility and sound of these and I'll stop my rant. Wait, you can't. This type of sound and shaping is pretty much only possible with digital comps.

I'll limit my range of examples to EQs and comps becuase this list would go on and on if I mentioned other types of effects.


Now before you get mad at me, I do realise and hear the different flavour of hi end analog equipment. It's just that they are not the holy grail of all audio life, and certainly not the only way to get a world class sound. Modern producer uses the best of both worlds. Remember the fact that you mostly have fairly generic non hi-end AD/DA converters with generic clocks. That alone is a major contributor to the "inferior" digital sound. Get a better sound on the way in, and the plugins will sound better. Shit goes in, shit comes out.


Many of you emulation fixated naysayers are standing in the way of digital revolution as a stumbling block to developers. New things could've been done on digital side a lot better if companies didn't always have to first think about the emulation fixated audience.

[StudioTan]

I love my UAD-1, but if I had a serious personal project to record, I would use my home project as a template and do it all over again in a real studio. Then I would have it mastered at a place that I KNOW has proper outboard gear and uses it.

Come on, SJ_Digriz! You won't be able to because all those real studios are going to replace all their acclaimed hardware with UADs, since it's clearly better!

[Henchman]

I love my UAD-1, but if I had a serious personal project to record, I would use my home project as a template and do it all over again in a real studio. Then I would have it mastered at a place that I KNOW has proper outboard gear and uses it.

Well, as someone who does this audio thning for a living, and has the credits to prove it. As well as having worked in big studio's and used the real hardware units.
I will tell you, that I do all my stuff in Nuendo, using UAD-1 cards.
All I do now is take my final mixes into a studio with pro monitoring, and check and tewak final levels in the mix.

I don't need a big studio to do good work anymore.

What big studio's are great for is recoridng bands, drums etc.

But I sure as hell don't need them anymore to mix.

Bye Bye.

[StudioTan]

Many of you emulation fixated naysayers are standing in the way of digital revolution as a stumbling block to developers. New things could've been done on digital side a lot better if companies didn't always have to first think about the emulation fixated audience.

I agree with this part. What only can be done in the digital realm should be taken advantage of much more by developers, rather than trying to emulate hardware.

It's like my personal opinion on certain drum machine tracks I've heard on numerous pop songs trying to emulate a real drummer, when clearly a good drummer would have done a much better job. The positive attributes of drum sequencing weren't taken advantage of in this case.

[SJ_Digriz]

All I do now is take my final mixes into a studio with pro monitoring, and check and tewak final levels in the mix.

I don't need a big studio to do good work anymore.

What big studio's are great for is recoridng bands, drums etc.
But I sure as hell don't need them anymore to mix.
Bye Bye.

I never said you couldn't mix in Nuendo or any other host. First you need proper hardware mics/preamps/converters to get the audio into the box BEFORE you can mix. I don't care how much you guys kick and scream. You can't even get close with 99% of the PC based cards. I don't even want to discuss pre-amps. You guys are idiots if you think recording direct with an Audio-buddy into some firewire audio interface has the presence of something recorded through a 737->MMP->MyTek A/D.

One thing to note though is that I play stuff live. I don't twiddle other peoples audio inside the computer. So, the need for a studio type setup for a lot of the initial recording is larger.

I could easily take that results, bring it back and mix with complete confidence on my computer.

Now, on to the next point. Once the audio is mixed you need to have it mastered. You can do a LOT for mastering inside a DAW these days. BUT, none of it touches what can be done in a place with good hardware. It's not even close.

I defy anyone to get the sound that is on the something like Bela Fleck "Tales from the Acoustic Planet". You can't. They even went the DAW route for part II of that series. IT SOUNDS LIKE SHIT.

[SJ_Digriz]

They even went the DAW route for part II of that series. IT SOUNDS LIKE SHIT.

Actually let me rephrase that. It actually sounds pretty good, unless you hear the other one. Then its like WTF did they do.