Lets make a List of native plugins that replace UAD...

[NewSc2]

True. I have an iPod nano. The mix must pass muster in that gawd awful thing

Sony Discmans (or even worse, the Panashibas and other knock-offs) w/ their default headband phones and earbuds were arguably much worse, sound-quality wise.

[NewSc2]

I think what's keeping many people away from UAD is the exorbitant price of the UAD2 Quad. I know the Solo and Duo are much cheaper, but looking at the UAD plugin counts -- a UAD2 Duo only yields 16-22 instances of their 4K Stereo Channel Strip, and with Moog filters, Plate reverbs, Fatso compressors, and more -- it seems like I'd push that to the limit too easily.

Now I know I probably won't -- I don't use plugins that liberally, but I've never ever pushed Logic on my Mac Pro to anywhere near its limits, and I have mixed songs with 20+ stereo tracks or more.

Anyway -- to the OP, and for discussion, how do the LiquidMix and Nebula stuff compare? LiquidMix 16 is currently going for $199, and Liquid Mix 32 units can be had for $399 refurb on eBay.

[Klipspringer]

True. I have an iPod nano. The mix must pass muster in that gawd awful thing

Sony Discmans (or even worse, the Panashibas and other knock-offs) w/ their default headband phones and earbuds were arguably much worse, sound-quality wise.

I'm not really down on the iPod But you bring up a good point. There was this debate amongst audiophiles, back when I cared, about sources. The thinking was that if your source (turntable) was crappy then then whole audio chain would be compromised. So even if you had the best speakers, a cruddy turntable would compromise the whole thing.

So for the Discman, since CDs are theoretically a better audio source, it would follow that they are inherently superior to anything an iPod could produce.

I don't really buy the argument, but that was how it went.

[electro]

I think what's keeping many people away from UAD is the exorbitant price of the UAD2 Quad. I know the Solo and Duo are much cheaper, but looking at the UAD plugin counts -- a UAD2 Duo only yields 16-22 instances of their 4K Stereo Channel Strip, and with Moog filters, Plate reverbs, Fatso compressors, and more -- it seems like I'd push that to the limit too easily.

And who wants a UAD2 Solo when you only have 1 or 2 spare PCIe slots? Most of the newest boards still have at least 2 PCI slots.

[buscemi]

And who wants a UAD2 Solo when you only have 1 or 2 spare PCIe slots? Most of the newest boards still have at least 2 PCI slots.

One UAD1 works for me, I will probably just pick up one more and later get a UAD2 solo or duo. But I am just and old school simple rock guy used to dealing with one or two of the hardware units at a time and printing tracks to commit. As always YMMV. Mine does as you can see.

[sureno]

just got a UAD2 Quad baby

[electro]

What I'd expect a flagship DSP card like UAD Quad to crunch per session.
System Latency 64 buffer:

24 Full Channel Strips (4K Channel Strip)
1 Bus Comp (4K Bus Compressor)
1 Reverb send (EMT 250 or EMT 140)
3 or 4 specialty FX (1 Fatso on master bus + some other FX)
3 or 4 outboard Comps/EQs (Pultec Pro, VCA VU, 1176LN, LA2A)

Can anybody with a UAD Quad confirm this and report the DSP load?

[SWAN808]

What I'd expect a flagship DSP card like UAD Quad to crunch per session.
System Latency 64 buffer:

24 Full Channel Strips (4K Channel Strip)
1 Bus Comp (4K Bus Compressor)
1 Reverb send (EMT 250 or EMT 140)
3 or 4 specialty FX (1 Fatso on master bus + some other FX)
3 or 4 outboard Comps/EQs (Pultec Pro, VCA VU, 1176LN, LA2A)

Can anybody with a UAD Quad confirm this and report the DSP load?

It just happens that using mainly 4k channel strips you will majorly be lowering your plugin count. They are heavily oversampled and thus very dsp heavy compared to the 88RS channel strip or similar Waves or Duende. I think its a bit of a shame how dsp heavy they are seeing as they are a channel strip which is something you would want to use in numbers. The 4k strip is basically unusable on the UAD1 platform. That said - they allegedly do sound good.

http://www.uaudio.com/support/uad/charts.html

[lmnop]

If anyone has the Liquidmix could you comment on how it compares against the UAD stuff. BTW, I will need a new computer to run a UAD2 pcie card, so if I can just spend a few hundred and get some great plugins to enhance my current UAD situation that would be good. I use my 2 UAD-1's for mostly the 1176, LA2A, Pultec, Precision Deesser, Cambridge, Fairchild.

[SWAN808]

If anyone has the Liquidmix could you comment on how it compares against the UAD stuff. BTW, I will need a new computer to run a UAD2 pcie card, so if I can just spend a few hundred and get some great plugins to enhance my current UAD situation that would be good. I use my 2 UAD-1's for mostly the 1176, LA2A, Pultec, Precision Deesser, Cambridge, Fairchild.

if you are happy with those plugins I'd stick with your UAD1s! Unless you really want the Cooper Time CUbe/EMT 250/FATSO...

[electro]

If anyone has the Liquidmix could you comment on how it compares against the UAD stuff. BTW, I will need a new computer to run a UAD2 pcie card, so if I can just spend a few hundred and get some great plugins to enhance my current UAD situation that would be good. I use my 2 UAD-1's for mostly the 1176, LA2A, Pultec, Precision Deesser, Cambridge, Fairchild.

Acusticaudio Nebula is a better technology than liquidmix. The availiable libraries are getting better and Nvidia CUDA support is getting better.

http://www.acusticaudio.net/modules.php?name=Forums

[electro]

What I'd expect a flagship DSP card like UAD Quad to crunch per session.
System Latency 64 buffer:

24 Full Channel Strips (4K Channel Strip)
1 Bus Comp (4K Bus Compressor)
1 Reverb send (EMT 250 or EMT 140)
3 or 4 specialty FX (1 Fatso on master bus + some other FX)
3 or 4 outboard Comps/EQs (Pultec Pro, VCA VU, 1176LN, LA2A)

Can anybody with a UAD Quad confirm this and report the DSP load?

It just happens that using mainly 4k channel strips you will majorly be lowering your plugin count. They are heavily oversampled and thus very dsp heavy compared to the 88RS channel strip or similar Waves or Duende. I think its a bit of a shame how dsp heavy they are seeing as they are a channel strip which is something you would want to use in numbers. The 4k strip is basically unusable on the UAD1 platform. That said - they allegedly do sound good.

http://www.uaudio.com/support/uad/charts.html

The chart says you can get 33 on a single Quad. So if you only load 24, what % DSP does that leave you with?

[SWAN808]

What I'd expect a flagship DSP card like UAD Quad to crunch per session.
System Latency 64 buffer:

24 Full Channel Strips (4K Channel Strip)
1 Bus Comp (4K Bus Compressor)
1 Reverb send (EMT 250 or EMT 140)
3 or 4 specialty FX (1 Fatso on master bus + some other FX)
3 or 4 outboard Comps/EQs (Pultec Pro, VCA VU, 1176LN, LA2A)

Can anybody with a UAD Quad confirm this and report the DSP load?

It just happens that using mainly 4k channel strips you will majorly be lowering your plugin count. They are heavily oversampled and thus very dsp heavy compared to the 88RS channel strip or similar Waves or Duende. I think its a bit of a shame how dsp heavy they are seeing as they are a channel strip which is something you would want to use in numbers. The 4k strip is basically unusable on the UAD1 platform. That said - they allegedly do sound good.

http://www.uaudio.com/support/uad/charts.html

The chart says you can get 33 on a single Quad. So if you only load 24, what % DSP does that leave you with?

Gill and Jack have 5 apples and James wants half from his friend Jacks share. How many Apples will Jack get?

Ha ha I dont know you do the math.

[electro]

Sure, but I want a real world example (proof) from someone with a UAD Quad, not the theoretical #s from the chart.

[SWAN808]

Sure, but I want a real world example (proof) from someone with a UAD Quad, not the theoretical #s from the chart.

fair enough but fwiw IME those charts are reliable.