UAD still worth it?

[LoveEnigma18]

Surely a good deal if you just own Signature Edition 1 and haven't bought anything else since then.

I bought Manley Vari-Mu, Ampex ATR-102 and Verve Analog Machines separately after buying Signature Edition 1, so I am just evaluating if $199 is worth it for me, especially considering I am only partially interested in Topline Vocal Suite, SSL 4000 G Bus Compressor, SSL 4000 E Channel Strip, and LA-6176 Signature Channel Strip from the new ones.

Only unique thing really is the Topline Vocal Suite, as I have equivalents of the SSL and LA-6176 is probably not essential since I have many channel strips including the other UA ones.

Guess it may be better to wait for $39 deals on these plugins. Black Friday is not that far.

I haven't bought anything since Signature 1, so this is a decent deal for me. I know we'll see something on Black Friday but I doubt it will be better than $199. It is a game of timing now with UA.

I got Signature 1 for less than $199 but I think that was a glitch that only lasted a day or two.

Yes, overall it won't be better than $199 deal even if individual plugins were discounted heavily and you want at least a handful of them.

But in future, it will be good to keep in mind that UA is now doing bundle versions every year, in fact within a year apparently, so one may want to avoid individual purchases and just upgrade to the next bundle edition.

I may just upgrade as a couple of plugins are really awesome, especially Topline Vocal Suite. Hopefully, it will make my non-pro vocals just a bit better.

[jtsterays]

I want to buy UAD Signature 2. (Native version). What's your thoughts about UAD? I read so many different comments about US Connect and Ilok... for example soundtoys works perfectly for me. And does the better way to use the Ilok dongle for UAD? Any issues with UAD plugins? Thanks

If you are already fine with iLok dongle, then the native UADx is also fine (ignoring their terrible naming of the plugins so everything starts with UADx). The 'connect' app auto-starts with the OS, but that can be sorted, and the plugins work just like anything else.

If you have UAD hardware, it's annoying that there are two sets of plugins, and the DSP still helps a lot to mitigate heavy CPU usage of some of the plugins, and so I would say it's preferable if you have the hardware, but definitely not needed (unless a specific plugin is DSP only), and in fact if you're on Windows, the hardware is definitely a second-class citizen.

If you don't have anything at all already, it may be worth it, but I would check if you really need them before getting into the ecosystem - like many others, there's not much that makes them really 'special' unless you find something that calls to you uniquely.

Hey! Thanks for your comment! Well, at this moment I have polymax and verve and one preamp from UAD which was free. Honestly it's little strange for me that when I load them they are blurred and after some seconds it's looks ok. Seems that it's a license protection...
I don't have DSP from them...
Honestly you are right. I need to think what I need. Probably I need a good LA2A emulation. And maybe I am looking to Softube OPTO. Bus compressor also but it can be for example waves or cytomic. Or maybe Pro-c2 which I already have. Or maybe Presswerk from U-HE...
Pultec EQ are nice but in Cubase 13 I have now the emulation of this one...
Your thoughts about Softube BTW?

For compressors, check out Trackcomp. More accurate modeling, better value & workflow. Lots of compressors in one plugin with more to come. Also Cytomic Glue too (about to be V2 = gonna be the best Gbus emulation on the market). Honestly just buy all the Cytomic plugs, that company is the best at analog modeling. UAD is not the best anymore, but they're still a reliable choice and a safe buy, you won't be disappointed, however there are better alternatives nowadays imo. That said UAD does have some standouts (ATR-102, API Vision...). Also if you're an FL Studio user, UAD currently has some issues with latency/PDC.

[Alexander_D]

I want to buy UAD Signature 2. (Native version). What's your thoughts about UAD? I read so many different comments about US Connect and Ilok... for example soundtoys works perfectly for me. And does the better way to use the Ilok dongle for UAD? Any issues with UAD plugins? Thanks

If you are already fine with iLok dongle, then the native UADx is also fine (ignoring their terrible naming of the plugins so everything starts with UADx). The 'connect' app auto-starts with the OS, but that can be sorted, and the plugins work just like anything else.

If you have UAD hardware, it's annoying that there are two sets of plugins, and the DSP still helps a lot to mitigate heavy CPU usage of some of the plugins, and so I would say it's preferable if you have the hardware, but definitely not needed (unless a specific plugin is DSP only), and in fact if you're on Windows, the hardware is definitely a second-class citizen.

If you don't have anything at all already, it may be worth it, but I would check if you really need them before getting into the ecosystem - like many others, there's not much that makes them really 'special' unless you find something that calls to you uniquely.

Hey! Thanks for your comment! Well, at this moment I have polymax and verve and one preamp from UAD which was free. Honestly it's little strange for me that when I load them they are blurred and after some seconds it's looks ok. Seems that it's a license protection...
I don't have DSP from them...
Honestly you are right. I need to think what I need. Probably I need a good LA2A emulation. And maybe I am looking to Softube OPTO. Bus compressor also but it can be for example waves or cytomic. Or maybe Pro-c2 which I already have. Or maybe Presswerk from U-HE...
Pultec EQ are nice but in Cubase 13 I have now the emulation of this one...
Your thoughts about Softube BTW?

For compressors, check out Trackcomp. More accurate modeling, better value & workflow. Lots of compressors in one plugin with more to come. Also Cytomic Glue too (about to be V2 = gonna be the best Gbus emulation on the market). Honestly just buy all the Cytomic plugs, that company is the best at analog modeling. UAD is not the best anymore, but they're still a reliable choice and a safe buy, you won't be disappointed, however there are better alternatives nowadays imo. That said UAD does have some standouts (ATR-102, API Vision...). Also if you're an FL Studio user, UAD currently has some issues with latency/PDC.

What do you mean about V2? Cytomic will have version 2?
I am in Cubase 13 BTW.

I will check compressors. Also maybe check Klanghelm...

[jtsterays]

I want to buy UAD Signature 2. (Native version). What's your thoughts about UAD? I read so many different comments about US Connect and Ilok... for example soundtoys works perfectly for me. And does the better way to use the Ilok dongle for UAD? Any issues with UAD plugins? Thanks

If you are already fine with iLok dongle, then the native UADx is also fine (ignoring their terrible naming of the plugins so everything starts with UADx). The 'connect' app auto-starts with the OS, but that can be sorted, and the plugins work just like anything else.

If you have UAD hardware, it's annoying that there are two sets of plugins, and the DSP still helps a lot to mitigate heavy CPU usage of some of the plugins, and so I would say it's preferable if you have the hardware, but definitely not needed (unless a specific plugin is DSP only), and in fact if you're on Windows, the hardware is definitely a second-class citizen.

If you don't have anything at all already, it may be worth it, but I would check if you really need them before getting into the ecosystem - like many others, there's not much that makes them really 'special' unless you find something that calls to you uniquely.

Hey! Thanks for your comment! Well, at this moment I have polymax and verve and one preamp from UAD which was free. Honestly it's little strange for me that when I load them they are blurred and after some seconds it's looks ok. Seems that it's a license protection...
I don't have DSP from them...
Honestly you are right. I need to think what I need. Probably I need a good LA2A emulation. And maybe I am looking to Softube OPTO. Bus compressor also but it can be for example waves or cytomic. Or maybe Pro-c2 which I already have. Or maybe Presswerk from U-HE...
Pultec EQ are nice but in Cubase 13 I have now the emulation of this one...
Your thoughts about Softube BTW?

For compressors, check out Trackcomp. More accurate modeling, better value & workflow. Lots of compressors in one plugin with more to come. Also Cytomic Glue too (about to be V2 = gonna be the best Gbus emulation on the market). Honestly just buy all the Cytomic plugs, that company is the best at analog modeling. UAD is not the best anymore, but they're still a reliable choice and a safe buy, you won't be disappointed, however there are better alternatives nowadays imo. That said UAD does have some standouts (ATR-102, API Vision...). Also if you're an FL Studio user, UAD currently has some issues with latency/PDC.

What do you mean about V2? Cytomic will have version 2?
I am in Cubase 13 BTW.

I will check compressors. Also maybe check Klanghelm...

Yea, V2 soon, but soon with Cytomic is a reallyyyyyy long soon tho.

[Alexander_D]

I want to buy UAD Signature 2. (Native version). What's your thoughts about UAD? I read so many different comments about US Connect and Ilok... for example soundtoys works perfectly for me. And does the better way to use the Ilok dongle for UAD? Any issues with UAD plugins? Thanks

If you are already fine with iLok dongle, then the native UADx is also fine (ignoring their terrible naming of the plugins so everything starts with UADx). The 'connect' app auto-starts with the OS, but that can be sorted, and the plugins work just like anything else.

If you have UAD hardware, it's annoying that there are two sets of plugins, and the DSP still helps a lot to mitigate heavy CPU usage of some of the plugins, and so I would say it's preferable if you have the hardware, but definitely not needed (unless a specific plugin is DSP only), and in fact if you're on Windows, the hardware is definitely a second-class citizen.

If you don't have anything at all already, it may be worth it, but I would check if you really need them before getting into the ecosystem - like many others, there's not much that makes them really 'special' unless you find something that calls to you uniquely.

Hey! Thanks for your comment! Well, at this moment I have polymax and verve and one preamp from UAD which was free. Honestly it's little strange for me that when I load them they are blurred and after some seconds it's looks ok. Seems that it's a license protection...
I don't have DSP from them...
Honestly you are right. I need to think what I need. Probably I need a good LA2A emulation. And maybe I am looking to Softube OPTO. Bus compressor also but it can be for example waves or cytomic. Or maybe Pro-c2 which I already have. Or maybe Presswerk from U-HE...
Pultec EQ are nice but in Cubase 13 I have now the emulation of this one...
Your thoughts about Softube BTW?

For compressors, check out Trackcomp. More accurate modeling, better value & workflow. Lots of compressors in one plugin with more to come. Also Cytomic Glue too (about to be V2 = gonna be the best Gbus emulation on the market). Honestly just buy all the Cytomic plugs, that company is the best at analog modeling. UAD is not the best anymore, but they're still a reliable choice and a safe buy, you won't be disappointed, however there are better alternatives nowadays imo. That said UAD does have some standouts (ATR-102, API Vision...). Also if you're an FL Studio user, UAD currently has some issues with latency/PDC.

What do you mean about V2? Cytomic will have version 2?
I am in Cubase 13 BTW.

I will check compressors. Also maybe check Klanghelm...

Yea, V2 soon, but soon with Cytomic is a reallyyyyyy long soon tho.

Thanks maybe I will wait then v2... regarding UAD.. seems that I will skip them.... also for me it's really strange that when I am opening them I have a blurred fx for some seconds. Seems that it a license protection... but it's the pain...

[Sindikhate]

Best Pulteq stuff is Purple from Acustica Audio and with a little different flavor Ruby also from AA.

If you buy a compressor from Softube grab the FET one. But the UAD compressors are great too.

The spark sub for 99 bucks is really a no brainer as much as we dislike subs.

[Alexander_D]

Best Pulteq stuff is Purple from Acustica Audio and with a little different flavor Ruby also from AA.

If you buy a compressor from Softube grab the FET one. But the UAD compressors are great too.

The spark sub for 99 bucks is really a no brainer as much as we dislike subs.

Honestly I have. Pultec now in Cubase 13 stock. And it's really nice. I am already grab FET from Softube when it was free. Really nice compressor!

Thanks

[Sindikhate]

Best Pulteq stuff is Purple from Acustica Audio and with a little different flavor Ruby also from AA.

If you buy a compressor from Softube grab the FET one. But the UAD compressors are great too.

The spark sub for 99 bucks is really a no brainer as much as we dislike subs.

Honestly I have. Pultec now in Cubase 13 stock. And it's really nice. I am already grab FET from Softube when it was free. Really nice compressor!

Thanks

VCA was the free one, no?

[Alexander_D]

Best Pulteq stuff is Purple from Acustica Audio and with a little different flavor Ruby also from AA.

If you buy a compressor from Softube grab the FET one. But the UAD compressors are great too.

The spark sub for 99 bucks is really a no brainer as much as we dislike subs.

Honestly I have. Pultec now in Cubase 13 stock. And it's really nice. I am already grab FET from Softube when it was free. Really nice compressor!

Thanks

VCA was the free one, no?

Yes, it was. And I was grabbed it

[LoveEnigma18]

never mind

[_leras]

Not if I won't use them.. although I own over 74 uad plugins, there are only about 9 that I use often..
the api and neve preamp, the 1176's, the la 2a's, the 175/176, the atr 102, the softube Chander limited curve bender

That's just compression

Don't you use any EQ, delays or reverb?

[zvenx]

Yes I do, but from other developers.

I have way way more of course but these are my go tos in the categories you mention..


rsp

[Alexander_D]

UAD Signature 2 Bundle now for 300 USD... really don't know...

[Fornicras]

UAD Signature 2 Bundle now for 300 USD... really don't know...

That's really strange for me, I have Producer Bundle, which has some of the plugins of Signature Bundle already, however, I don't see a reduced price. It was the same price before buying Producer Bundle. (I can highly recommend Electra 88 EP from that bundle)

[Alexander_D]

UAD Signature 2 Bundle now for 300 USD... really don't know...

That's really strange for me, I have Producer Bundle, which has some of the plugins of Signature Bundle already, however, I don't see a reduced price. It was the same price before buying Producer Bundle. (I can highly recommend Electra 88 EP from that bundle)

Yes! And it's really strange politic regarding their customers...