KVR Audio

kmonkey · Post by **kmonkey** » Sat Jul 27, 2024 9:00 am

It is not a streamlined version.

You can't edit flutter and things for which I am pretty 100% sure, this unit was never known.

Basically, every characteristic of the Ampex unit that was sought after (compression, eq, and saturation) is in this plugin. It is just that they sacrificed some features (noise and flutter) for better latency tradeoff. Good tradeoff.

Everything else is the same and yes assuming you pinpoint and tune noise and flutter on the DSP version - sound is the same between native and DSP.

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Sat Jul 27, 2024 7:58 pm

discogsaddict wrote: Sat Jul 27, 2024 8:15 am Either this is so they can sell a Pro one later or a new trend we will see with the native versions.

Ampex native has existed as a Luna extension for years. It’s a port of that.

Agreed · Post by **Agreed** » Sat Jul 27, 2024 11:36 pm

It also can't be used as a tape delay which the DSP version can. I don't see why there has to be a latency tradeoff for wow and flutter or noise adjustment, as those things are still happening and even seem to still be variable in presets (?), just not user exposed. And competing products don't necessarily have a lot of latency added (not all though). I'm very happy with its functions as they operate, and simultaneously really hope that we don't enter a period of reduced native releases for any reason.

On another forum, UAD Drew said that in future we could expect the opposite, and that native releases might be improved over the DSP versions. I appreciate the encouraging words. I think DSP did not get SCS, if I remember right, so it's not like it's been bad for native users in general, just a little concerned with what I *think* is the first time a native version has less features than the DSP version of the same plugin & hoping for more great ports in the future that aren't cut down in any way.

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Sun Jul 28, 2024 12:10 am

The way I see it is there are plenty of tape delays, and no shortage of ways to create authentic tape flanger and ADT. These are specialty effects that you would probably only use because you have a plugin and are looking for an excuse to use it.

But a standard, calibrated Ampex ATR-102 is something I will use on my master buss in absolutely every song.

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Mon Oct 07, 2024 10:05 pm

SSL 4000 E Channel and G Bus Compressor native ports drop tomorrow.

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Mon Oct 07, 2024 11:40 pm

Also supposed to be getting new features.

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Wed Oct 09, 2024 2:40 am

The bundle of both SSL plugins is $49.99 for new users, which is pretty good. $25 per.
$9.99 to upgrade an existing DSP-powered bundle.

What's new: side-chaining

TMaudio · Post by **TMaudio** » Wed Oct 09, 2024 3:32 am

jamcat wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2024 2:40 am The bundle of both SSL plugins is $49.99 for new users, which is pretty good. $25 per.
$9.99 to upgrade an existing DSP-powered bundle.

What's new: side-chaining

Where are you seeing $49.99 for the bundle? I see $199.

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Wed Oct 09, 2024 3:44 am

Oh, you’re right. I was seeing the regular upgrade price. I thought that was everyone’s price since it’s $9.99 with the upgrade coupon. Does that make sense? I didn’t think so!

Fornicras · Post by **Fornicras** » Wed Oct 09, 2024 5:55 am

I bought PA' SSL 4000 last week and UAD dropped this. Did anyone try? How is it compared to PAs?

Uncle E · Post by **Uncle E** » Wed Oct 09, 2024 5:56 am

I compared the UA bus compressor to the Stam hardware. Sounded pretty much the same.

Harry_HH · Post by **Harry_HH** » Wed Oct 09, 2024 6:00 am

UA native plugins are great - the handicap is that the UAC seems to be vulnerable, can stop working after the update, depending on your DAW or OS.

jamcat · Post by **jamcat** » Wed Oct 09, 2024 6:46 am

Fornicras wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2024 5:55 am I bought PA' SSL 4000 last week and UAD dropped this. Did anyone try? How is it compared to PAs?

I was literally comparing them just now.
I've used the Brainworx SSLs for a long time.

Honestly, I still prefer the Brainworx. The UADx has a tendency to distort much easier. And it's a crusty distortion. Brainworx SSL just sounds smoother, more natural, more organic, and dare I say more "analogue" than the UADx SSL.

Also, when strapped across every channel in an entire mix in a neutral "unity" setting, I was able to tell when the Brainworx plugins were on and when they were off 100% of the time in a blind listening test. But I really couldn't tell with the UADx. It was a total guess that I often got wrong. I think TMT is playing a part in that, but not exclusively.

The one thing the UADx 4000 E has going for it over Brainworx is it models the preamp. But if you're using it in the SSL's typical role as a mixing console channel (rather than as a recording console channel) then the preamps are moot. I may even reinstall Waves SSL EV2 just to compare the preamp modeling.

Now I'm not saying the UADx SSL 4000 E is bad, it's not. But I think the Brainworx is better, and it's not even really that close.

But I will say the UADx G Bus Compressor is really good. It really compares close to the bx Townhouse compressor, but perhaps even a hair better.

soapmak3r · Post by **soapmak3r** » Wed Oct 09, 2024 1:52 pm

The interfaces? No. The gen 2 of the 'X' series Apollo Twins is about £400 more expensive than the previous gen X. The gen 2 duo core now costs the about the same as the last gen quad core.

They also seem to be dropping support for the older Apollos like the Twin MKII, which isn't getting the update to enable SoundID reference monitor/headphone calibration.

It appears to be the bundled software that is grossly inflating the price, based on the software bundle tiers.
There is no option to buy without the bundled software, even if you already have everything that they are bundling.

Besides that, you get the same very limited I/O on the Twins, and the same ancient DSP chips that have not been updated in well over a decade now, and were due an upgrade in power about a decade ago. Their hardware just isn't, and never really was a good value proposition.

They have also started to slightly change the native versions of their plugins (adding sidechain support on the native versions), calling the '+' so that they can justify charging for them, when they said that the native ports would be free to owners of the DSP versions.
Also, their native only plugins are not very well optimized or are just repackaged versions of previously released plugins, sold at a premium.

Once my Twin MKII is done, I will be done with UAD hardware. The software I could take or leave for the most part.

mothra · Post by **mothra** » Wed Oct 09, 2024 3:28 pm

jamcat wrote: Wed Oct 09, 2024 2:40 am The bundle of both SSL plugins is $49.99 for new users, which is pretty good. $25 per.
$9.99 to upgrade an existing DSP-powered bundle.

What's new: side-chaining

WTF I've been waiting for these two so I can finally get rid of my last Waves plugs. I never got an email for it and its $200 for the bundle for me???

UAD still worth it?