UAD PolyMAX - This thing is Sick

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

I just updated on my 2021 Macbook Pro and: the fade is still there. Maybe he didn't understand it's only when you load the plugin? Opening/closing the GUI after that has no fade.

[abernathy]

Well damn. It was a temporary fluke re: fade. Now it's back. Yesterday on both my Macs, immediately following the updates install, I opened 4 different UADx instruments and a bunch of different effects and never had the fade. Was delightful while it lasted, and obviously they don't NEED to do the fade - it's just a GUI gimmick. So strange...

[zvenx]

Even though I have my licenses on a physical ilok (at some point the theory was it only happens if you have ilok cloud), on both mac and pc I have fades about 95% of the time.. sometimes it is less than others, no idea why.
That doesn't bother me nearly as much as their rhodes which is not immediately playable even when the gui is all up and looking good, and there is no meter to suggest that samples are loading, I just have to play till I hear sound.
rsp

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

That doesn't bother me nearly as much as their rhodes which is not immediately playable even when the gui is all up and looking good, and there is no meter to suggest that samples are loading, I just have to play till I hear sound.
rsp

IMO, UA's instruments are sub-standard. And not from a sound quality standpoint. But rather just about everything else. They do quite a bit to drag down the rest of the brand. Particularly for people who check out the instruments first.

But, they're still fairly new at making instruments and I think they'll get better in time. These things weren't even resizable at first and now they are.

[zvenx]

Interesting..
Been a UAD user since 2005, clearly DSP initially.
I think especially their compressors and preamps are the top of the heap for me.

Though I have all their instruments but Raven, the only ones that remain in my Prime Time Collection for use is the Waterfall (though I prefer the sound generally of ik's Hammond but prefer quite a few things feature wise of the uadx waterfall) and the rhodes, doesn't have as much bite as I like in my rhodes but for most things it will work. Has a lot less character than Keyscape's rhodes, but for somethings that is a good thing.

Though I have opal (uadx opal ), minimoog and polymax I dont use them. I have much better options soundwise for my tastes.

So I am curious to know in what ways you think the UADx instruments fail that is not soundwise that drag down the brand compared to the effects? Cause for me that is exactly where they fail the brand.
In General I find them too clean which is the exact opposite of why I love their effects (compressors and preamps especially).

That is with the new exception of floating preset browser, don't the uadx effects have the same functionality as the uadx instruments?
rsp

[audiouser720]

Interesting..
Been a UAD user since 2005, clearly DSP initially.
I think especially their compressors and preamps are the top of the heap for me.

Though I have all their instruments but Raven, the only ones that remain in my Prime Time Collection for use is the Waterfall (though I prefer the sound generally of ik's Hammond but prefer quite a few things feature wise of the uadx waterfall) and the rhodes, doesn't have as much bite as I like in my rhodes but for most things it will work. Has a lot less character than Keyscape's rhodes, but for somethings that is a good thing.

Though I have opal (uadx opal ), minimoog and polymax I dont use them. I have much better options soundwise for my tastes.

So I am curious to know in what ways you think the UADx instruments fail that is not soundwise that drag down the brand compared to the effects? Cause for me that is exactly where they fail the brand.
In General I find them too clean which is the exact opposite of why I love their effects (compressors and preamps especially).

That is with the new exception of floating preset browser, don't the uadx effects have the same functionality as the uadx instruments?
rsp

I can only speak for PolyMax and Opal.

I don’t particularly find them clean sounding. I would say they sound refined, but not sterile. They are in fact very similar to the Prophet 5 rev4 or Prophet 6 in terms of their sound properties.

The VCA in PolyMax is properly modelled so if you crank up the volume it starts to saturate nicely.

Maybe they sound clean comparing to other soft synths. Let’s take TAL-MOD. It sounds darker by default. I absolutely love that synth. I love the sound, love the interface and the features. In fact, the initial gratification is greater when programming sounds on it comparing to the UA synth. But when I get to the mixing stage TAL-MOD requires a lot more tweaking and effort to maintain low-end and midrange.

The UA synths just hold it together similarly to good analogue synths. Due to the detailed VCA modelling you have less battles to fight with the transients when mixing. The high-end remains present but never harsh. The low-end doesn’t get lost. Less compression and EQ needed generally speaking. They nicely sit in the mix.

[zvenx]

Strangely you are describing how I feel about Softube Model Synths not UADx.
To each their own.

rsp

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Ok, so from my perspective, here's where they fall a little short as instruments:

1. No MIDI Learn

2. Hardwired MIDI assignments - this is even worse than having no MIDI learn

3. Not all GUI parameters are automatable. There are quite a few things on the Minimoog at least that can't be automated or controlled by a control surface.

4. Plugins sound "good" but not "best in class" good. Example: the Rhodes isn't great. The Hammond doesn't even stack up to the IK version. Neither IMO stack up to Acoustic Samples VTines and B5 respectively. I've never even bothered to try their piano. Have that well-covered.

5. audiouser720 says the VCA in Polymax saturates when pushed. Great! Now where's the clean output volume trim to dial the volume back after boosting the VCA? Oh right. There isn't one! You'd need to use another plugin afterwards.

6. Opening the browser, moves the GUI to the right. That's just weird and just bothers me.

They're pretty good instruments overall, and sound good, but they're not as good at being instrument plugins as their FX are at being FX plugins if you get what I mean.

I also don't agree that PolyMax has the same level of character as the new Prophet Rev 4's. I have both and PolyMax is much more refined (which was a good word choice) sounding. Nowhere near as sloppy as the Rev 4 from a voice variation perspective. Nowhere near as much drive at normal output levels.

[audiouser720]

Ok, so from my perspective, here's where they fall a little short as instruments:

1. No MIDI Learn

2. Hardwired MIDI assignments - this is even worse than having no MIDI learn

3. Not all GUI parameters are automatable. There are quite a few things on the Minimoog at least that can't be automated or controlled by a control surface.

4. Plugins sound "good" but not "best in class" good. Example: the Rhodes isn't great. The Hammond doesn't even stack up to the IK version. Neither IMO stack up to Acoustic Samples VTines and B5 respectively. I've never even bothered to try their piano. Have that well-covered.

5. audiouser720 says the VCA in Polymax saturates when pushed. Great! Now where's the clean output volume trim to dial the volume back after boosting the VCA? Oh right. There isn't one! You'd need to use another plugin afterwards.

6. Opening the browser, moves the GUI to the right. That's just weird and just bothers me.

They're pretty good instruments overall, and sound good, but they're not as good at being instrument plugins as their FX are at being FX plugins if you get what I mean.

I also don't agree that PolyMax has the same level of character as the new Prophet Rev 4's. I have both and PolyMax is much more refined (which was a good word choice) sounding. Nowhere near as sloppy as the Rev 4 from a voice variation perspective. Nowhere near as much drive at normal output levels.

What are genuinely best in class sounding plugin synths in your opinion? Genuinely asking

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Synths? The U-he stuff. Softube is up there. TAL's J-8 is a favorite.

For electric pianos and organs, the Acoustic Samples instruments are top notch. Acoustic pianos? I love the Embertone Steniway in Kontakt.

[zvenx]

Agree with FET with best in class for synths.
Agreed with midi learn etc.
The strange part of your point 6 is they just changed for the effects but only for the au versions of their synths, not vst3 or aax. Preset browser now floats.
rsp

[Uncle E]

The strange part of your point 6 is they just changed for the effects but only for the au versions of their synths, not vst3 or aax.

Maybe it’s because Luna only loads AU’s.

[zvenx]

That was my guess too, I was thinking I bet you they purposely sabotaged non Luna users, until a luna user said yesterday they aren't seeing rhe new browser and Drew confirmed luna has its own fixed/attached browser.

rsp

[zerocrossing]

Ok, so from my perspective, here's where they fall a little short as instruments:

1. No MIDI Learn

2. Hardwired MIDI assignments - this is even worse than having no MIDI learn

3. Not all GUI parameters are automatable. There are quite a few things on the Minimoog at least that can't be automated or controlled by a control surface.

4. Plugins sound "good" but not "best in class" good. Example: the Rhodes isn't great. The Hammond doesn't even stack up to the IK version. Neither IMO stack up to Acoustic Samples VTines and B5 respectively. I've never even bothered to try their piano. Have that well-covered.

5. audiouser720 says the VCA in Polymax saturates when pushed. Great! Now where's the clean output volume trim to dial the volume back after boosting the VCA? Oh right. There isn't one! You'd need to use another plugin afterwards.

6. Opening the browser, moves the GUI to the right. That's just weird and just bothers me.

They're pretty good instruments overall, and sound good, but they're not as good at being instrument plugins as their FX are at being FX plugins if you get what I mean.

I also don't agree that PolyMax has the same level of character as the new Prophet Rev 4's. I have both and PolyMax is much more refined (which was a good word choice) sounding. Nowhere near as sloppy as the Rev 4 from a voice variation perspective. Nowhere near as much drive at normal output levels.

What are genuinely best in class sounding plugin synths in your opinion? Genuinely asking

It really depends on what you're talking about. If you're talking about a plugin that's trying to pass itself off as an analog synth, that's one thing. If you're talking about a synthesizer in general, that's a totally different thing. The truth is, almost all software synthesizers sound good these days. Whether or not they have the kind of character you like, well that's another story.

[audiouser720]

Ok, so from my perspective, here's where they fall a little short as instruments:

1. No MIDI Learn

2. Hardwired MIDI assignments - this is even worse than having no MIDI learn

3. Not all GUI parameters are automatable. There are quite a few things on the Minimoog at least that can't be automated or controlled by a control surface.

4. Plugins sound "good" but not "best in class" good. Example: the Rhodes isn't great. The Hammond doesn't even stack up to the IK version. Neither IMO stack up to Acoustic Samples VTines and B5 respectively. I've never even bothered to try their piano. Have that well-covered.

5. audiouser720 says the VCA in Polymax saturates when pushed. Great! Now where's the clean output volume trim to dial the volume back after boosting the VCA? Oh right. There isn't one! You'd need to use another plugin afterwards.

6. Opening the browser, moves the GUI to the right. That's just weird and just bothers me.

They're pretty good instruments overall, and sound good, but they're not as good at being instrument plugins as their FX are at being FX plugins if you get what I mean.

I also don't agree that PolyMax has the same level of character as the new Prophet Rev 4's. I have both and PolyMax is much more refined (which was a good word choice) sounding. Nowhere near as sloppy as the Rev 4 from a voice variation perspective. Nowhere near as much drive at normal output levels.

What are genuinely best in class sounding plugin synths in your opinion? Genuinely asking

It really depends on what you're talking about. If you're talking about a plugin that's trying to pass itself off as an analog synth, that's one thing. If you're talking about a synthesizer in general, that's a totally different thing. The truth is, almost all software synthesizers sound good these days. Whether or not they have the kind of character you like, well that's another story.

The first scenario, definitely. Pass itself off as an analogue synth.