UAD still worth it?

VST, AU, AAX, CLAP, etc. Plugin Virtual Effects Discussion
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aMUSEd wrote: Wed Nov 22, 2023 9:18 pm What I don't get about Luna is I own the API Vision Channel strip and Comp so how come I have to pay again for the Vision console and summing?
They should definitely have better upgrade paths for bundles. The summing is a separate thing though.

Perhaps email the support team and ask nicely. They did me a fairly good on the signature bundle, which I already owned > 2/3 of. They may do this for the API vision if you own the other bits.

*Could also be something to do with h their license agreement from API

Great channel strip though!

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Funkybot's Evil Twin wrote: Mon Nov 20, 2023 6:57 pm
jamcat wrote: Mon Nov 20, 2023 6:42 pm Neither IK nor Arturia’s Space Echo is as good as UAD,
The UAD one sucks too. Audio Thing Outer Space for the win here. I don't use the Arturia, but I'd rate it over the UA m'self.
I think audiothing is quite a different flavour. It's cleaner and more modern sounding, to me, so it maybe is more instantly impactful or in the face.

It can't do what the UAD one does in terms of the tape grunginess. The tape tones in the UAD are really good. The UAD can do that Radiohead type grungy tape saturation echo, where the crunch of the tape is the sound. UAD is also perhaps a bit more refined and subtle.

Softube Tape Echoes is also worth a mention in this category. It has its own unique sound, which is high quality, and its pretty flexible. A good take on a tape dub delay.

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_leras wrote: Wed Nov 22, 2023 9:57 pm
Funkybot's Evil Twin wrote: Mon Nov 20, 2023 6:57 pm
jamcat wrote: Mon Nov 20, 2023 6:42 pm Neither IK nor Arturia’s Space Echo is as good as UAD,
The UAD one sucks too. Audio Thing Outer Space for the win here. I don't use the Arturia, but I'd rate it over the UA m'self.
I think audiothing is quite a different flavour. It's cleaner and more modern sounding, to me, so it maybe is more instantly impactful or in the face.

It can't do what the UAD one does in terms of the tape grunginess. The tape tones in the UAD are really good. The UAD can do that Radiohead type grungy tape saturation echo, where the crunch of the tape is the sound. UAD is also perhaps a bit more refined and subtle.

Softube Tape Echoes is also worth a mention in this category. It has its own unique sound, which is high quality, and its pretty flexible. A good take on a tape dub delay.
The Softube Tape Echoes cover the Exhoplex hardware sound very well. I’ve never had a real one, but from recordings I think it does it well.

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_leras wrote: Wed Nov 22, 2023 9:30 pm
aMUSEd wrote: Wed Nov 22, 2023 9:18 pm What I don't get about Luna is I own the API Vision Channel strip and Comp so how come I have to pay again for the Vision console and summing?
They should definitely have better upgrade paths for bundles. The summing is a separate thing though.

Perhaps email the support team and ask nicely. They did me a fairly good on the signature bundle, which I already owned > 2/3 of. They may do this for the API vision if you own the other bits.

*Could also be something to do with h their license agreement from API

Great channel strip though!
Thanks yeah I did that already for the Signature and got a great deal as well so felt a bit cheeky to do it again but in for a penny.... :)

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The Sound City Studios plug is quite interesting. I bought the signature bundle and am quite happy with it so far. I am completely new to UAD. Something about the way they calibrate their plugins and presets seems to be part of the magic. They just sound good, even if you can eventually tweak other plugs to sound similar.

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Is there a limit of how many Pick 2 bundles one can do, per UAD account? With the current BF2023 sale, it seems that at $49.50 a plugin, it's the best deal...let's say when compared to the next-level-up Pick 6 bundle for $399 ($66.50 per plugin).

AFAICT, only one bundle can be in the cart at once, but is there a stipulation that stops me from turning around and buying another 2 plugins afterwards?

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At that point, why not pickup the entire Signature Bundle for $300?
THIS MUSIC HAS BEEN MIXED TO BE PLAYED LOUD SO TURN IT UP

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jamcat wrote: Sat Nov 25, 2023 12:43 am At that point, why not pickup the entire Signature Bundle for $300?
The Signature Bundle is all native plugins, and if you're mostly interested in the currently available native plugins, it's obviously the way to go for VFM. The pick any 2 is *any* plugin though, including DSP ones. So if you want two DSP plugins that aren't in Signature (or even just to pick up now, in the hope they'll be ported to native), this deal is sort of OK (although of late, when people are getting massive bundles for £100-300, even $49/per plugin seems expensive now.)

But who knows what the future holds - it seems that the way UA is going, no matter how good the current deal may be, there may be a better one in the future...

There's no limitations that I can see about buying that 2x bundle product as many times as you want, but I haven't tried...

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beely wrote: Sat Nov 25, 2023 12:59 am But who knows what the future holds ... there may be a better one in the future...
That's how they get ya. :hihi:

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jamcat wrote: Sat Nov 25, 2023 12:43 am At that point, why not pickup the entire Signature Bundle for $300?
I see it for $499?

I originally was going to pick up the Essentials Bundle + a Pick 2. But then after demoing plugins (I'm new to UAD and giddy that some are finally Native), well, one things leads to another, and I'm thinking about a few extra, select ones.
VitaminD wrote: Sat Nov 25, 2023 1:08 am That's how they get ya. :hihi:
That's how they all get ya!

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2:43AM wrote: Sat Nov 25, 2023 1:26 am
jamcat wrote: Sat Nov 25, 2023 12:43 am At that point, why not pickup the entire Signature Bundle for $300?
I see it for $499?
You can get it here for $284:

https://plugindiscounts.com/product/uni ... n-upgrade/

If you don’t own any UAD plugins at all to upgrade, you can get the basic UAD LA-2A for free here, first:

https://plugindiscounts.com/product/uni ... ompressor/

Also, the Signature Bundle will likely provide the best upgrade path in the future as the native plugins expand.
Last edited by jamcat on Sat Nov 25, 2023 2:08 am, edited 1 time in total.
THIS MUSIC HAS BEEN MIXED TO BE PLAYED LOUD SO TURN IT UP

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jamcat wrote: Sat Nov 25, 2023 1:53 am
2:43AM wrote: Sat Nov 25, 2023 1:26 am
jamcat wrote: Sat Nov 25, 2023 12:43 am At that point, why not pickup the entire Signature Bundle for $300?
I see it for $499?
You can get it here for $284:

https://plugindiscounts.com/product/uni ... n-upgrade/

If you don’t own any UAD plugins at all to upgrade, you can get the basic UAD LA-2A for free here, first:

https://plugindiscounts.com/product/uni ... ompressor/
Awesome, mate! Thank you! Now that's a trick of the trade! So essentially, I sign up for the free LA-2A, then UPGRADE it to the bundle?

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2:43AM wrote: Sat Nov 25, 2023 2:08 am Awesome, mate! Thank you! Now that's a trick of the trade! So essentially, I sign up for the free LA-2A, then UPGRADE it to the bundle?
You probably don’t actually need to already own anything to get the upgrade. That seems to be how it’s been with UAD.

But if you find you can’t buy and/or register, you can get the free one and register it first, and you’re sure to be all set.
THIS MUSIC HAS BEEN MIXED TO BE PLAYED LOUD SO TURN IT UP

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jamcat wrote: Sat Nov 25, 2023 2:11 am You probably don’t actually need to already own anything to get the upgrade. That seems to be how it’s been with UAD.
Buying just the Signature Bundle and registering worked! :tu: No need to pursue the LA-2A Collection first. Thank you for providing the link to the sale.

I'm really looking forward to using the UAD versions of the some of the plugins I already have. For example, I A/B'ed UAD Pultec vs. Waves Puigtec, which I always thought was OK, and UAD blew it out of the water. The bottom-end was rounder and smoother. Top-end was similar, but still the UAD was slightly less harsh. I really like the LA-2A Gray version; seems smooth and cohesive. I already have a feeling the API 2500 is better than the Waves version. That one always seemed flat to me. And yeah, gimme that Lexicon 224 action!

'Nuff said! Thanks again!

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_leras wrote: Wed Nov 22, 2023 9:57 pm
Funkybot's Evil Twin wrote: Mon Nov 20, 2023 6:57 pm
jamcat wrote: Mon Nov 20, 2023 6:42 pm Neither IK nor Arturia’s Space Echo is as good as UAD,
The UAD one sucks too. Audio Thing Outer Space for the win here. I don't use the Arturia, but I'd rate it over the UA m'self.
I think audiothing is quite a different flavour. It's cleaner and more modern sounding, to me, so it maybe is more instantly impactful or in the face.

It can't do what the UAD one does in terms of the tape grunginess. The tape tones in the UAD are really good. The UAD can do that Radiohead type grungy tape saturation echo, where the crunch of the tape is the sound. UAD is also perhaps a bit more refined and subtle.

Softube Tape Echoes is also worth a mention in this category. It has its own unique sound, which is high quality, and its pretty flexible. A good take on a tape dub delay.
The UAD one isn’t very good. Strong pass on that one. Audio Thing is better. Softube is good. Echoleffe is the one I got and kept.

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