UAD PolyMAX - This thing is Sick

[robelanator]

Free on PluginBoutique without loopcloud. Use

jlv3u9qc

I paid $26 for PolyMax in May. Oops.

Thanks! where do you input this code?

On the payment page during checkout (the last step of the process) there's a place to enter a coupon code.

[zerocrossing]

This has been my main VA since I bought it. It just sounds so good, and that one-page interface is a joy to use.

I like it, but it’s lacking even features my OB-6 has, which means that PolyMax is positively primitive! Ha.

Sounds good, but adding just a couple more features would catapult it to a top tier synth for me. A modulation slot or three, after touch, divide down (or independent) sub osc, etc. I think Repro walks the line much better in terms of simplicity and power.

Especially since it’s not an emulation of anything specific, it seems a missed opportunity.

It's just too basic for me to use as my primary soft synth. Opal is a better overall synth by UAD, but even more CPU hungry (they could've made Opal a little better, too).

Agreed. I'm confused as to how they hit on so many levels, and yet also missed on so many. No polyphonic aftertouch, I know, still a bit niche, but when one of the most affordable hardware polyphonic synths has it built in, it would make sense to support it. One LFO? What? Did we lose a war?

[Septic Underground]

Free on PluginBoutique without loopcloud. Use

jlv3u9qc

I paid $26 for PolyMax in May. Oops.

cheers, got it

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Agreed. I'm confused as to how they hit on so many levels, and yet also missed on so many. No polyphonic aftertouch, I know, still a bit niche, but when one of the most affordable hardware polyphonic synths has it built in, it would make sense to support it. One LFO? What? Did we lose a war?

Oh, I wanna play!

No MIDI Learn but hardwired MIDI assignments? Hardwired to what? They don't even make hardware. Did they imagine a hypothetical UA MIDI controller then hardwire their real virtual synth to its imaginary controls? Did they just look at the MIDI spec and say, "good enough" even though nothing actually adheres to that?

Absolutely baffling.

But yeah, otherwise, an ok synth. Sounds pretty good but clean.

[Danilo Villanova]

All the controls are exposed for automation in Bitwig and I was able to map them to my Nektar T6 keyboard and they work fine, they report the names and everything.

[vitocorleone123]

Agreed. I'm confused as to how they hit on so many levels, and yet also missed on so many. No polyphonic aftertouch, I know, still a bit niche, but when one of the most affordable hardware polyphonic synths has it built in, it would make sense to support it. One LFO? What? Did we lose a war?

Oh, I wanna play!

No MIDI Learn but hardwired MIDI assignments? Hardwired to what? They don't even make hardware. Did they imagine a hypothetical UA MIDI controller then hardwire their real virtual synth to its imaginary controls? Did they just look at the MIDI spec and say, "good enough" even though nothing actually adheres to that?

Absolutely baffling.

But yeah, otherwise, an ok synth. Sounds pretty good but clean.

Crank up the master volume for grit a la analog gain staging.

[Lbdunequest]

NWM

[RugerioDelStereo]

Just got it for free, thanx for the tip @vitocorleone123 !

it sounds pretty good, a lot of heft to the low-end, at least on my Yamaha's.

[chrisstiles]

Sounds good, and all the controls seem well thought out and voiced to very useful ranges.

[ThomasHelzle]

Hm - always heard good things about UAD and thought I should try this, but this is as boring as it gets.
If they want to attract new users with freebies, they should at least have some spunk and show some muscle, otherwise they leave me with a bit of a question mark on the whole brand.
Why would anybody pay 217 Euro for this?
And a downloader that tries to start itself on each boot without asking? Really?
Instant uninstall.

[Uncle E]

Hm - always heard good things about UAD and thought I should try this, but this is as boring as it gets.

As good as many Universal Audio plugins are, they're definitely not cutting edge. Ironically, their other synth, Opal, is probably their most cutting edge product.

And a downloader that tries to start itself on each boot without asking? Really?
Instant uninstall.

I imagine you could make it less intrusive by putting the license on a physical iLok and removing UA Connect.

[Examigan]

I just uninstalled UA Connect, rebooted, and it still works for me here.

[zerocrossing]

Hm - always heard good things about UAD and thought I should try this, but this is as boring as it gets.
If they want to attract new users with freebies, they should at least have some spunk and show some muscle, otherwise they leave me with a bit of a question mark on the whole brand.
Why would anybody pay 217 Euro for this?
And a downloader that tries to start itself on each boot without asking? Really?
Instant uninstall.

I think UAD's focus has been people who are comfortable using hardware, but are looking for the convenience of software. The fact that you couldn't use their software outside their software until recently sort of shows that mindset. If PolyMAX was a vintage hardware synthesizer, it would be more complex than almost anything. I'm imagining their target audience hasn't used a synth more complicated than a Jupiter 8. You and I aren't that audience, but I imagine there's a lot of people who actually love this synth because it's so basic, and the sound quality is definitely there.

[Gribs]

Is anyone else having issues with the PolyMAX GUI being chopped off? I tried both Bitwig and Cubase (Pro 12) and it is chopped in both DAWs. I got the plugin for "free" via my Loopcloud subscription. My laptop screen is 3480 x 2400.

[thecontrolcentre]

Free on PluginBoutique without loopcloud. Use

jlv3u9qc

I paid $26 for PolyMax in May. Oops.

Thanks for that