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Are UAD plug-ins worth it?

The trick with UAD is to shop sales, coupons and retailer deals. I picked up my second Octo satellite a couple months ago from Amazon - it included a 3 plugin Custom bundle for only about $150 over the price of a bare Octo. Plus UAD was offering free plugins (Lex 480, Cap Chambers, Avalon 737 & UA 175/176) on Octo's at the time. Upon registering, you get access to the Custom Shop (50% off) as well as coupons. I built out my collection to include everything I would really use/want and my average cost per plugin was quite low - probably less than $50. They had a deal last year where if you bought an Apollo X8/X16, you got a free Octo satellite.

Nobody pays retail for UAD.

And UAD threads always turn out like this (and if you think it's bad here, try this on Gearslutz!). I get the argument that mixing with Waves, Tracks, Slate, SoftTube, Fabfilter, Vienna Suite, PA, etc may not be the ultimate factor in getting the gig or even noticeable by the client. And I'm retired (both from the day job and from making music for money), so I have no clients except for me. But I still choose to use UAD for many things because I can hear the difference, it's quicker to get where I want to go sonically and the DSP is very handy to keep from further loading my CPU, even with my iMac Pro 10 core.

I also use a Townsend L22 microphone, and the Bill Putnam & Oceanway Sphere mic models are UAD-only. And the Unison preamps with the Apollo, and ...

There is a race to bottom on so many things creative these days (don't get me started on photography), and the UAD hate is IMHO part of that. I chose the Townsend mic because I couldn't justify spending $10K+ on high end microphones. But I don't go around spamming every microphone thread with "buy a Townsend Sphere - all those fancy mics are a waste of money". And, yes, I do love the Sphere :)

Your expensive dongle got you trapped!

(Just kidding)
 
with money to burn, it's not a particularly good deal.

So if Valerie already has a a $5,000 vocal mic

It depends on the singer. I recorded my album vocals with a $500 EV RE-20, because I sound better on it than a Neumann U47.

And as Bill pointed out, a Sphere with the UAD plug-ins gets you lots of good microphone sounds. Actually even the Slate one does pretty well.
 
Why would you buy the WHOLE collection?!
UAD plugins are phenomenal.
Their best emulations are in a class of their own.
But buying the whole collection is a waste of money.
Research and find out what you need and wait for a sale (one will come soon, probably before the summer)
In the meantime, you can get their octo card or an Apollo x and get familiar with the whole concept, plus you will get a few free plugins to get you started.
 
Anyway, just did a search:
you can get a UAD octo for $1200, and there is a sale at UAD so you can get the 10 plugins bundle for $1000, for a total of $2200.
 
I have UAD, and like them very much, but I imagine that getting the whole shooting match would be complete overkill. I have a decent selection that I've collected over the years and added to during sales and the like.

One thing worth noting is that with UAD when you actually install you get the full set and you have a 30 day trial on every single plugin - You can start these 30 day trials going individually, so you can test and work out if you really want a particular one. Every time you buy a new plugin, the 30 day trial counter is reset, and you can start trilling them again.

So I do like them, particularly the Unison technology, and the interfaces are good too. But I could never envisage a situation where Id want the full set.
 
Here's some recommendations if you want to get started with one of the Custom bundles:

  1. Lexicon 480L
  2. Capitol Chambers
  3. Ocean Way studios
  4. Massenburg MDWEQ5 parametric EQ
  5. K-Stereo processor
  6. Neve 1073 preamp/EQ collection (mkII version) if you do recording
  7. LA-2 collection (mkII version)
  8. Century Tube channel strip - generic tube channel strip/preamp
  9. Ampex ATR-102
  10. Empirical Labs Fatso
These represent IMHO the stuff that is pretty general purpose and either unique to UAD or things which they do better than a native alternative. The Neve & Century are UNISON and the Century is based on the UA 610 A/B preamps. If you get this as part of a Custom bundle (where price doesn't matter), you might be better served getting the 610 A/B collection.

If you need chorus type effects (guitar/synth/e-piano), the Roland & Dytronic emulations are excellent along with the Cooper Time Cube (i.e. the garden hose delay).

There are a ton of outstanding vintage compressors available depending on what flavor you like - Fairchild mkII, 1176 mkII, API bus compressor, SSL G bus compressor, Distressor, UA 175/176 etc. Demo and see what you like.

The Helios, SSL channel strip, other Neve channel strips, UA 610 and API Vision channel strip are all excellent UNISON preamps, if you like what one of those does with your microphones.

I'm not a guitar player, so I can't advise on the amp sims.
 
Valerie - as you can see..the gamut of opinion and suggestion runs from north to south, east to west...I hope by now though you've been able to glean from all this some relevant questions about your own process. Are you mixing, mastering, tracking? UAD plugins emulate old technology that would generally cost thousands if you were to purchase the hardware...so comparatively speaking you do get "for a fraction of the cost" the option to adorn your tracks with proven and exceptional audio gear.

However, the difference in having ALL that software is knowing How to use it, When to use it, and what style of music to use it on for the greatest impact... What do you plan to do with it anyway? Build a studio to rent out, use yourself, or hire an engineer? Honestly, there are less expensive alternatives that are just as good. You just have to dig a little deeper and continue doing what you did at the beginning of this post...ask questions.

Ultimately the proof will be in quality of your workflow, musicianship or samples used, microphone/s, interface, speakers, creative ability, computer processor, etc.. oh yea plugins too. Obviously you have more than 7Gs, however, the most pressing caveat is whether to spend all that on UAD plugins...prevailing forum wisdom says "No - Wait".
 
if I might, I have one more comment and then I'm out...

I've been involved with professional audio, in one form or another, for over 40 years. The race to the bottom is real, and I choose to not participate.

"Good enough is the new quality" - can't remember who said it, but it is true. And it irks me.

It irks me that someone would listen to and judge a recording based on a lossy MP3 copy through ear buds. Don't get me wrong, that's a very convenient setup, but it is not a setting for critical listening.

It irks me more that people no longer strive for excellence, they settle for good enough. We all lose when that happens.

I am NOT suggesting that one should spend every penny they have on gear, but rather that one should make informed decisions based on their goals, their workflow, their income, and yes, opinions of others sometimes.

Two examples -

I also have a Townsend Labs Sphere L22, I think the microphone alone was worth what I paid for it - it is a great sounding and extremely well behave microphone. Add in the software and it is a mind-blowing experience. I have not used the Slate virtual microphone in a long time, but my experience then was not entirely positive. I think I knew I had to own an L22 withing 5 minutes of opening the box. OK, maybe 10 minutes.

That meant a compromise - it would be a while, if ever, before I bought a "really cool" microphone. Which works out for me because I no longer record others, and I have a very nice microphone locker already - no ELA M 251s mind you, but some really good workhorse microphones, that I still use along side the L22.

There are two microphones I still dream of owning, two pairs actually - a pair of U67s and a pair of KM84s. I'm less excited about the U67s because the Townsend Labs model sounds as good as any U67 I've used - that could be poor memory, or I want it to after the purchase, regardless I am really pretty happy with the U-67 models, and have no need for the real hardware anymore (especially since a U67 in pristine condition would be nigh impossible to find!)

The KM-84 is a different deal - there is a model of the KM-54 (tube predecessor to the solid state KM-84) in one of the Townsend Labs collections. It is also very good, but it is not a replacement for the real hardware. There is something missing in terms of the sound, and it is impossible to place the L22 the same way I'd place a KM-84.

And this is not fantasy or even nostalgia - I spent a little over a month with a pair of KM-84s late last year. I had borrowed them to prove to myself that they were not all that special. Sadly I was wrong, they are that special.

A pair in decent shape would cost about $3k, which I could afford, except I no longer record anyone but myself, the microphones would never pay for themselves. Pity! All my other microphones paid for themselves long ago. I was willing to gamble that the L22 might, or might not pay for itself. Can't make that same gamble with a pair of KM-84s. So I just have to get better at using the microphones I own.

Example 2 - where I have gone fully over to the side of "good enough". I still play out (well before the lockdown) a few times a year. I have all the guitars, amplifiers, and stomp boxes I've collected over the last 40 years. I can get some amazing tones with them.

When I play out I take one, maybe two guitars, and a Line6 Helix. No one in the audience knows, or cares, that I do not have a Marshall stack and a Fender Twin behind me, they couldn't tell the difference in the settings where I play.

I'm not selling off the gear, and I still use it for recording - some of the time. But I won't lug that stuff out for a casual gig or even a pit gig. AND, music directors like me better when I show up with a backpack instead of a cart full of gear.

All this to suggest that everything, including "good enough" plugins, has a place.

If you care enough to strive for that last 10% (or 20% or whatever rule you prefer) then invest in the best you can afford. Even if you are the only one that knows, there is a benefit for always shooting for the best. And there is a benefit to only investing what you can afford.

Tricky balancing act, glad I collected the majority of my gear decades ago!!!

So to Val my advice remains the same... start small, an interface and an accellerator, and a handful of plugins you can use on most of your projects. Add plugins, and even horsepower as sales allow, and needs demand.

I think the UA plugins are better, to my ears, and worth the investment. Only you can decide if that is true for you.

One last reason to start small(ish)... should you decide that I am full of (fill in the blank) and they are no better than their less expensive counterparts you will have no problem re-selling, and you will lose very little of your investment. If you purchase the entire collection you will have a lot more trouble finding a buyer.

OK... I'm done<G>!
 
Hello all,

Hope you are safe in these particular times.

Maybe there is a thread about this but I received an investment from my family and I got quoted the whole satellite with all the uad plug ins for 7k.

Since i have the funds : are these relevant? I already have the fabfilters and my soundcard is the uad quad.

Thank you all for chiming in!

Valérie
Has anyone compared the sound of the brainworx plugins in UAD with the native versions of the same plugins? Love to know what people think 💭
 
if I might, I have one more comment and then I'm out...

I've been involved with professional audio, in one form or another, for over 40 years. The race to the bottom is real, and I choose to not participate.

"Good enough is the new quality" - can't remember who said it, but it is true. And it irks me.

It irks me that someone would listen to and judge a recording based on a lossy MP3 copy through ear buds. Don't get me wrong, that's a very convenient setup, but it is not a setting for critical listening.

It irks me more that people no longer strive for excellence, they settle for good enough. We all lose when that happens.

I am NOT suggesting that one should spend every penny they have on gear, but rather that one should make informed decisions based on their goals, their workflow, their income, and yes, opinions of others sometimes.

Two examples -

I also have a Townsend Labs Sphere L22, I think the microphone alone was worth what I paid for it - it is a great sounding and extremely well behave microphone. Add in the software and it is a mind-blowing experience. I have not used the Slate virtual microphone in a long time, but my experience then was not entirely positive. I think I knew I had to own an L22 withing 5 minutes of opening the box. OK, maybe 10 minutes.

That meant a compromise - it would be a while, if ever, before I bought a "really cool" microphone. Which works out for me because I no longer record others, and I have a very nice microphone locker already - no ELA M 251s mind you, but some really good workhorse microphones, that I still use along side the L22.

There are two microphones I still dream of owning, two pairs actually - a pair of U67s and a pair of KM84s. I'm less excited about the U67s because the Townsend Labs model sounds as good as any U67 I've used - that could be poor memory, or I want it to after the purchase, regardless I am really pretty happy with the U-67 models, and have no need for the real hardware anymore (especially since a U67 in pristine condition would be nigh impossible to find!)

The KM-84 is a different deal - there is a model of the KM-54 (tube predecessor to the solid state KM-84) in one of the Townsend Labs collections. It is also very good, but it is not a replacement for the real hardware. There is something missing in terms of the sound, and it is impossible to place the L22 the same way I'd place a KM-84.

And this is not fantasy or even nostalgia - I spent a little over a month with a pair of KM-84s late last year. I had borrowed them to prove to myself that they were not all that special. Sadly I was wrong, they are that special.

A pair in decent shape would cost about $3k, which I could afford, except I no longer record anyone but myself, the microphones would never pay for themselves. Pity! All my other microphones paid for themselves long ago. I was willing to gamble that the L22 might, or might not pay for itself. Can't make that same gamble with a pair of KM-84s. So I just have to get better at using the microphones I own.

Example 2 - where I have gone fully over to the side of "good enough". I still play out (well before the lockdown) a few times a year. I have all the guitars, amplifiers, and stomp boxes I've collected over the last 40 years. I can get some amazing tones with them.

When I play out I take one, maybe two guitars, and a Line6 Helix. No one in the audience knows, or cares, that I do not have a Marshall stack and a Fender Twin behind me, they couldn't tell the difference in the settings where I play.

I'm not selling off the gear, and I still use it for recording - some of the time. But I won't lug that stuff out for a casual gig or even a pit gig. AND, music directors like me better when I show up with a backpack instead of a cart full of gear.

All this to suggest that everything, including "good enough" plugins, has a place.

If you care enough to strive for that last 10% (or 20% or whatever rule you prefer) then invest in the best you can afford. Even if you are the only one that knows, there is a benefit for always shooting for the best. And there is a benefit to only investing what you can afford.

Tricky balancing act, glad I collected the majority of my gear decades ago!!!

So to Val my advice remains the same... start small, an interface and an accellerator, and a handful of plugins you can use on most of your projects. Add plugins, and even horsepower as sales allow, and needs demand.

I think the UA plugins are better, to my ears, and worth the investment. Only you can decide if that is true for you.

One last reason to start small(ish)... should you decide that I am full of (fill in the blank) and they are no better than their less expensive counterparts you will have no problem re-selling, and you will lose very little of your investment. If you purchase the entire collection you will have a lot more trouble finding a buyer.

OK... I'm done<G>!

It's a good platform and all, but since I need to use more plugins than my Quad DSP supports, I got used to using native plugins such as Fabfilter, Waves and some Plugin Alliance. Sometimes other brands too. Sincerely, I could live without UAD at this stage, but their stuff sounds good, like the Fairchild limiter.

Regarding OP, U$7k might be too much for a UAD budget, I have about 14-20 plugins including the freebies and that is enough for me. That money is way better spent on some external hardware from Kush or API perhaps, or even a high end workstation keyboard or synthetizer.

BTW, the Quad is enough if I'm controlling the instances I use. I used to have a Solo PCI-E so quad was a big upgrade (Thermionic Culture Vulture fan here)

Remember it's no good to have all the plugins considering you always will have a DSP bottleneck (no matter what DSP unit you got)
 
My best friend is a mixing engineer and has a lot of UAD stuff, but I know for sure he’d say to get the Slate bundle, much better value and their stuff is really good
 
The difference between native plugins and UAD´s was enormous some years ago. Now they still remain excellent plugins but, to me at least, the gap is not that big anymore. Price is a factor as well: we have plugins costing 30$ that sound terrific(MJUC).

So i´d rather go for something native, scalable, not hardware dependant and invest my money on other areas. I am no mixer though, just a plain composer/sound designer.
 
It’s the same DSP so they should sound the same.
Actually, the algorithm may be the same, but the implementation will, by necessity, be different, since one is written for a general purpose CPU and the other is written for a special purpose (DSP) cpu. I doubt that the differences are material, but I would not expect a null test to be perfectly zero.

And to the previous question, I am curious as hell myself, but can't bring myself to spend money on two different versions of any of the plugins just to satisfy that curiousity.

I own a ton of plugins from both companies, but have yet to duplicate<G>
 
The "real" prices are what you get quoted around the holiday season late November/ December, mostly around 50% off. I would wait till around then and save 3k+
 
Any thoughts on Apples transition to ARM cpu and how it will affect existing UAD systems?
 
UA is probably one of the companies with the least to do, since their code runs on their hardware they only need to update the drivers (which is not trivial, I know), and maybe part of the console.

In theory, an ARM processor might be an even better host for the SHARC chips - in theory anyway<G>.
 
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