Candid opinions on UAD stuff

[blungo2]

Hi,

On other forums i wouldn't ask this as i know it would turn into some kind of insane flame war, but i'm confident that won't happen here.

I recently migrated from a mac book pro with a uad solo2 card to an imac. Of course the imac has no express card port and the card won't work with a card adaptor.

I have to say, i love some of the uad plugins, 1176, la2a, pultec, fairchild and am hurting without them. The only solution i see is to buy the uad satelite firewire, which i really can't afford right now, or switch directions completely, give up on the uad plugins and go with the waves CLA stuff, which i guess would cost me a bundle too.

So i'm looking for advice here. Is the satelite just an expensive dongle as the solo2 card was? Should i ditch it and go with waves, or should i stick with the uad hardware software thing and just live with it. I'm leaning towards just buying a satelite, but i kind of feel like a sucker for buying into their planned obselence system.

Your thoughts would be appreciated!

[T-rex]

I do believe its dumb to be tied to the limited dsp cards, especially when the dsp usage for the new UAD plug ins is so high. One stereo Manley Massive Passive for instance takes an entire Solo card! That is nuts.

With that said, I really do love the UAD plug ins and I don't think I would go without them. The other plug in companies are putting out great stuff, great native stuff the definitely can compete with UAD which I didn't feel was the case in the past. But I really like the bs "analog emulation" angle UAD does because I don't personally want an eq with infinite bands etc. I just want a really good sounding 3 or 4 band eq that I can grab and use and move on. The uad plugs while not being exactly like the hardware make sense to me that a lot of other plug ins with fancy gui's don't. Plus UAD has always been a cool company to deal with.

OK, now for my advice. If you really like the UAD stuff, try to trade someone your card for the solo satellite or sell your card and buy a used satellite. They seem to sell for the same price used and you keep your plugins - which you will take a huge hit if you sell. OR, grab an Ilok for $40 and then demo a ton of plugs and see if they are going to give you what you want before you make a big decision.
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[blungo2]

Thanks! Your reply kinda confirms my feeling of being a sucker for buying into their hardare/software thing. I'm gonna look at some waves bundles and see what happens.

[dgrieser]

Does your iMac have a Thunderbolt port? I've read somewhere that the laptop card works with TB ExpressCard adaptor. I'm hoping that's true because I'm in the same boat when this old MBP dies.

The UAD plugs are the best I've heard, but I have no experience with anything other than the stock plugs for Logic/Reaper. Just running tracks or the master bus through the Pultec without doing any EQ makes everything sound better. Love it.
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[blungo2]

It does. I bought a usb/express adaptor which doesn't work. I'm hesitant to spend more money on another which may or may not, but i'll look into it, thanks!

[blungo2]

It was super easy to return the usb/express card back to amazon.

Did a little research and it seems like the sonnet thunderbolt adaptor works with the uad card. http://www.studionu.com/uadforums/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=15408&sid=40a5fe6235ed42085bc2ec3d6caee40e&start=15

I hate to throw another $200 at this, but even just the waves CLA comps would cost me $350, so this might be worth it and if it doesn't work, i know amazon will take it back.

Pretty sure this is the route i'm going with for now, thanks!

[Nick Sevilla]

I love my UAD2 Quad Satellite.

I have to stay away from their plug ins store though.... dangerous territory that is, for my wallet.

I also have hardware UREI 1176s and the LA2A, and the plug ins work really close to the real things.

Not "the same" sonically, but work the same way in that they distort at the same gain stagings, and compress in the same slightly unpredictable way as the hardware does.

Cheers
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[dgrieser]

Please let us know if that Sonnet TB/Expresscard adaptor works with the UAD laptop card. I hope so!
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Hillbilly Chamber Music
http://hillbillychambermusic.bandcamp.com

[blungo2]

Will do. I ordered it his morning

[Jeff White]

[blungo2]

I should know pretty soon, the sonnet is already here and the thunderbolt cable shipped today. I'm keeping my fingers crossed...

[blungo2]

So the incredibly expensive thunderbolt cable just arrived and the solo card works fine with the sonnet adaptor! I did have to install the 6.3 uad drivers twice. I'm running mountain lion if that's relevant.

I'm excited to try out the new 1176s and the VOG.

[dgrieser]

Glad to hear it works. I'm mainly doing stuff with small track counts so the laptop card is about all I need.
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[blungo2]

Yeah, same here, higher track count stuff i do in abelton and use their own plug ins, but for more acousticy stuff i really like the uad plugins.

I didn't realize that if you already own the 1176LN that the new 1176 bundle is half price, i'm quite impressed with it and just bought em.

[dgrieser]

I keep telling myself no more UAD plugins--learn to use what I have. Now you tell me this. Thanks.
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Hillbilly Chamber Music
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