Softube or UAD?

[Alexander_D]

Klanghelm is one of my most revered plugin brands for the no-bullshit way Tony does business and the fact that he's supported plugins that I bought more than a decade ago the whole time. DC8C3 is a badass compressor and my favorite ducker, go-to tool for me.

Sounds sweet! I needs glue compressor and probably alternative of la2a...

[jens]

Sounds sweet! I needs glue compressor and probably alternative of la2a...

https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/prod ... xla-3.html

[Alexander_D]

Sounds sweet! I needs glue compressor and probably alternative of la2a...

https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/prod ... xla-3.html

Thanks

[_leras]

For me UAD are the best plugins available. I wouldn't swap them for anything.

There are also great plugins from other places too. I fill in the gaps from other companies, but there's not a bad UAD plug in at all.

[jamcat]

If you are explicitly looking for complete, authentic models of 1176s, LA-2As, Fairchilds, Manleys, etc., then UAD is the only choice.

Only in your dreams. In reality there's many other companies emulating the same gear - at least - just as well. And if (say) Softube adds additional parameters, filters and what not, that doesn't make the emulation any less authentic - that's complete nonsense.

As for T-RackS, I used to use it for its models of all of the above, but now I use UAD for them instead, and it is a world of difference.

Only in your dreams.


By the way: in the past the UAD fanboys used to claim that the UAD algorithms can only run on the dedicated DSPs they use and are therefor superior to any native plugins.
And now that UAD went native as well (because less and less people bought this absurd claim), the followers of their cult adapted their religious propaganda to this new, unfortunately undeniable reality, but as you can witness (by reading jamcat's posts here) the basic belief still persists.

The problem with IK's emulations is that they always leave important stuff out, rather than add stuff that doesn't belong. Take the White 2A, for example. It leaves out the R37 pre-emphasis control, which is actually a pretty important component in an LA-2A.

The cumulative effect of switching from mainly T-RackS models to UAD and Brainworx models, for me, was impossible to miss. Tracks sound much more defined and refined.

As for what some people said about running on dedicated DSPs, you're bringing your old friend the strawman, as usual. I never said it, so don't try to muddy the discussion with it. I will say, though, I suspect when people made that argument 20 years ago, it was at least more relevant than today.

[sin night]

I think I have virtually every UAD native plugin (I bought their big bundle at BF 2023) but I don’t have any of their hardware. I spent a few hours testing them before making my purchase and, when comparing them to what I already had from other brands, they seemed the best to me (maybe it’s just how they are calibrated, who knows, but the way they reacted felt “good”, they clicked with me, I was getting the results I expected).

I also have a bunch of Softube plugins and they sound good too. I think it comes down to personal preferences (and sales, maybe?)


One thing to note is that, AFAIK, you can sell UAD plugins only together with a piece of UAD hardware. If you have only the native license, your plugins are NFR.
It’s not a big deal to me in this specific case because I don’t plan to ever sell them down the line (although I still don’t like this part of their policy), but it may be a deal breaker for some people.

[jens]

Take the White 2A, for example. It leaves out the R37 pre-emphasis control, which is actually a pretty important component in an LA-2A.

I assume IK simply modelled one of the original units, which didn't have the r37...

pretty important? Hardly - after all it's a screw on the backside, so typically a royal pain to even reach and thus most users of the hardware most probably won't ever touch it (studio time is serious money) - don't get me wrong: I'm not at all saying it's a useless control (even though its original purpose ceased to exist decades ago), but I'll take the brilliant T-Racks R-L/mid-side functionaliy over it any day of the week - that is a super useful feature the UAD ones don't offer.

[Alexander_D]

Take the White 2A, for example. It leaves out the R37 pre-emphasis control, which is actually a pretty important component in an LA-2A.

I assume IK simply modelled one of the original units, which didn't have the r37...

pretty important? Hardly - after all it's a screw on the backside, so typically a royal pain to even reach and thus most users of the hardware most probably won't ever touch it (studio time is serious money) - don't get me wrong: I'm not at all saying it's a useless control (even though its original purpose ceased to exist decades ago), but I'll take the brilliant T-Racks R-L/mid-side functionaliy over it any day of the week - that is a super useful feature the UAD ones don't offer.

T-Racks was announced Version 6!

[Alexander_D]

I think I have virtually every UAD native plugin (I bought their big bundle at BF 2023) but I don’t have any of their hardware. I spent a few hours testing them before making my purchase and, when comparing them to what I already had from other brands, they seemed the best to me (maybe it’s just how they are calibrated, who knows, but the way they reacted felt “good”, they clicked with me, I was getting the results I expected).

I also have a bunch of Softube plugins and they sound good too. I think it comes down to personal preferences (and sales, maybe?)


One thing to note is that, AFAIK, you can sell UAD plugins only together with a piece of UAD hardware. If you have only the native license, your plugins are NFR.
It’s not a big deal to me in this specific case because I don’t plan to ever sell them down the line (although I still don’t like this part of their policy), but it may be a deal breaker for some people.

Hello. Thank you very much for your thoughts... BTW what the price was on Black Friday? Right now the Signature bundle is 300 USD

[sin night]

The current price is what I spent last year (more or less) at BF.

[9headshydra]

I assume IK simply modelled one of the original units, which didn't have the r37...

This is where UA emulation is a very luxury approch, 3 different LA2A and 3 different 1176 wich are by far the most pleasant emulations I ever try (and they get both SC filter and blending abilities)

R37 (emphasis, specific SC filter) is way more usefull than MS for such comp, beyond fact that it's also a particularity of an hardware LA2A, to be able to tweak it on the plate is just convenient

I use Live and it's not that much complicated to create MS processing for any plugins when actually needed :

1) create a rack
2) make two chains :
in the first chain put an utility at 0%, followed by the effects you need for the mono part of the signal
in the 2nd chain put an utility at 200%, flip the phase, followed by the effects you need for the stereo part of the signal

[Harry_HH]

”This is where UA emulation is a very luxury approch”,

Yes - if you happen to get your UA plugins in use.
I have 30 licenses, but only 8 plugins working at the moment. Won’t install the UAC in the danger the rest of my UA plugins stop working. Their support is useles.

[Alexander_D]

”This is where UA emulation is a very luxury approch”,

Yes - if you happen to get your UA plugins in use.
I have 30 licenses, but only 8 plugins working at the moment. Won’t install the UAC in the danger the rest of my UA plugins stop working. Their support is useles.

Hmm. I think that their native versions works well... Or no?

[Harry_HH]

Only the native to my knowledge - version requires the UAC, which is the cause for the trouble - or in fact the unsynchrony of the UAC + Pace + DAW.
You may be lucky and avoid problems, but this seems to be lucky change - any new version of the UAC may make your UA native plugins unusable.
That happened to me after all was well first few months.

[andymcbain]

I've been collecting UAD Native plugins for about a year now. They're solid, sound good to me and are now very affordable at their sale prices. UA connect has given me no issues on my Mac in my home studio. Very happy.

Not much experience with Softube stuff, though I know it's also well regarded.

The best thing to do as always is to demo a bunch of them in a session and see what works for you. Ideally do it without seeing the plugin's interface so you're focusing on the sound without being influenced by the looks... or just close your eyes