Native UAD Spark VST3 Plugins Out for PC+Mac (UAD Hardware Not Required to Purchase)

[nusound mind]

I have a question, I took the .99cent for 3 months Spark and now that they're available to purchase can I buy one of those bundles, cancel my sub and still keep all the work I've done? Or will I have to print all that work w/ the Spark versions of the plugins and the permanent licenses are like different files altogether?

Yes. You can buy now and cancel the sub.

Right, I understand that much, my concern is that the Spark versions of the plugins are different files than the permanent / perpetual licenses and thus would not replace the Spark versions I've used in my current projects.

Say I cancel my sub, buy one of the 3 bundles, uninstall the former, install the latter, will they show up in my daw in the same projects I used the Spark versions in?

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

I have a question, I took the .99cent for 3 months Spark and now that they're available to purchase can I buy one of those bundles, cancel my sub and still keep all the work I've done? Or will I have to print all that work w/ the Spark versions of the plugins and the permanent licenses are like different files altogether?

Yes. You can buy now and cancel the sub.

Right, I understand that much, my concern is that the Spark versions of the plugins are different files than the permanent / perpetual licenses and thus would not replace the Spark versions I've used in my current projects.

Say I cancel my sub, buy one of the 3 bundles, uninstall the former, install the latter, will they show up in my daw in the same projects I used the Spark versions in?

Yes. They're literally the exact same plugins between Spark and what's in the bundle. No difference at all. 100% the same code.

[nusound mind]

Alright thanks, I appreciate your help, wasn't sure but that's a relief. Spark is my only sub and I hadn't planned on reupping past the 3 months so being able to pick these up w/out the UAD hardware is great news. I'm a sucker for new software instruments, Opal and Polymax are really nice, plus the compressors and so forth UAD is already known for.

[Fornicras]

I tried Spark but if I am not missing it, it seems like most of the plugins do not have scaling on them? They are too small on my 4k display. That's why I didn't continue my Spark subscription.

[db3]

I tried Spark but if I am not missing it, it seems like most of the plugins do not have scaling on them? They are too small on my 4k display. That's why I didn't continue my Spark subscription.

Scaling has been added to native plugins.

[Fornicras]

I tried Spark but if I am not missing it, it seems like most of the plugins do not have scaling on them? They are too small on my 4k display. That's why I didn't continue my Spark subscription.

Scaling has been added to native plugins.

Oh really? That's great.
Why it wasn't an option on Spark then? Or it is now?

[db3]

It is now. Was added in the last round of updates.

[sacer]

I tried spark and have rebuild the presets with Softube iconic compressors, British an American Channel strip and TubeTech EQ collection. They both sound very similar, but when it comes to distortion and overdrive, I prefer the sound from Softube. Also softube has sidechain and a better more user friendly GUI where you can read the values.
Now I’ll try to replicate the Hitsville EQ presets with SPL PQ and have saved a lot of money.

[trackbout]

Nice to see that it's finally easy to compare apples to apples.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Now I’ll try to replicate the Hitsville EQ presets with SPL PQ and have saved a lot of money.

Check out Kazrog's new True 252 EQ. Inexpensive, regularly on sale and as good as the UAD. I have both.

[zerocrossing]

the hardware seems a bit pointless now, i think they should and will eventually let us buy the native plugins without hardware

Well, if you do a lot of tracking and you want latency free monitoring for the band, the hardware comes in handy. Also, the Unison Preamp technology is really nice, but only works with the hardware. I love running my mics though the Avalon pre.

[Tronam]

Is it really only ilok 3 or is the ilok key 2 also supported?

iLok 2 is supported.

Only Cloud and USB, no Machine Activation, right?

Sadly yes.

Would really like to have these available on a laptop, without needing to have an iLok or replying on an internet connection.

This was disappointing to me as well since I only work on a laptop now. I dislike it on principle, but in truth I'm always on the Internet anyway so it's not exactly a deal breaker in the end. I just hope UA will consider offering machine authorization in the future.

[donato]

Don’t forget to make sure you really want the plugins, because they’re NFR ilok licenses

Really? Hard pass.

[kritikon]

Hmmmm...this one passed me by. I had a look at their website and most of the individual plugins are way over-priced. $200 is acceptable if it's a truly top quality plugin, $300 is silly. Can't see that many takers at those prices, though I could be wrong.
The bundles definitely look more interesting, at least at the intro pricing. Mix bundle I think is quite good at $600. I could get that easily, trouble is the bundle includes a load of shite and woo amongst the good stuff:
LA2A - tick
1176 - tick
API 2500 undecided but likely useful (I doubt it's noticeably better than a few other decent sw comps)
All of the channel strips - woo (dunno who falls for that crap?)
Hitsville - meh, fixed band, why would I want that?
Pultec - I like the idea if it's a decent emu but again, fixed mid bands - didn't realise it was so limited.
2 x tape recorders - woo. Again who falls for that crap? I lived through that era - expensive tape wasn't bought to colour the mix, it was bought to be clean, clear and the best it could be back then. Same with mixers. Too many young'uns fooled by "colouration" advertising.
Lexicon 224 - tick, though not my first choice, I probably would use it.
Hitsville chambers - useless
Pure Plate - tick, though I don't use plates that often, def not anything I'd buy normally
Brigade Chorus - too limited and I don't need or want a tremolo.
Studio D - tick
Galaxy Tape Echo - undecided. Likely good but again - I don't use tape echoes that often.
Rotary Speaker - not for me.

Diamond edition the same except a few synths that don't wow me. Don't like Moog filters, one is wavetable which I hate, the other very vanilla. Hammond - meh.

That gives me only 4 effects that I actively want and a load of filler. Not great value to me.

There are a few individual plugins I'd consider but on principle I'm not paying $300 - they can f**k off. And to pay through the nose and have to use iLok? TBH that's probably the clincher and turn-off. If they were amazing, I'd consider using iLok, but they'd have to be the absolute dog's bollocks and then some.

Sadly disappointing to me. I have cash currently, I could splash for a bundle easily but...not tempting enough, probably not really even close. If they did something like $600 but only 10 plugins of choice rather than 20 fillers, I might jump at it.

[kritikon]

Just spotted their custom bundles:
3 for $700 - f**k off
6 for $1k - better but IMO still not that great value. I might possibly consider...
10 for $1300 - value-wise much better. But I don't think there are 10 I really want. 5 at best.