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to run 21 mono versions of the same, and that just
with the smallest Solo card. If only I could have
gotten to test the Quad! The plug-ins seem to
recall identically no matter what
card I run them from, and projects
saved with UAD-1 opened fine
running from the new card.
There is a limit when running
a system with low latency, as
the load on the card is relative
to the system load. As there
has to be some latency for high
plug-in counts, the best practice
is to keep low latency sessions
for recording and change to
high buffers when mixing, and
hopefully you shouldn’t run
into problems with clicks. The
inclusion of RTAS really launches
the card with every option now
and opens the door for PT users, especially for LE
users; and the inclusion of the free Mellowmuse
42
UAD-2's 4K Channel Strip
ATA delay compensation plug-in, a feature not
included with this host, probably makes the
UAD-2 card a no.1 purchase for LE/MP users. But
even for PT users, its extra power
would be a great boost. Ever
since I started mixing on a native
system running a dual Quad core
Mac Pro, it seems almost weird
when mixing on an average PT
system, having to wait for plug-ins
to load or running out of power.
But with either system – host native
(Logic, Cubase LE, etc) or DSPbased
(Pro Tools) – it’s not just the
extra power, it’s the quality of the
plug-ins that UA brings to the table.
There are way too many to mention
here, but personally the Fairchild
is one of the best versions of this
classic hardware, as is the Plate 140;
whilst the Roland RE-201 and the Dimension D
aren’t emulated by many other manufacturers that
AUDIO MEDIA MAY 2009
universal audio uad-2
I know. Add to this the Precision Bus compressor,
LA2A Compressor, Neve, Pultec, and now Harrison
EQ, it’s an engineer’s delight to have these tools
at hand.
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Conclusion
Testing this UAD-2 Solo card in conjunction with
the existing UAD-1 card worked really well, and
whilst my initial thought was to replace them with
more UAD-2 cards, I am going to keep them for
the time being as both can offer great plug-in
counts, as the UAD-1 still makes use of the few
plugs not increased that much by the power
of the UAD-2. But that’s one of the great things
about the system: it’s so flexible, you can expand
it at any time with no major change to your
existing songs when it does come time to replace
the older cards or add a plug-in. Not only does
the UAD-2 come in different power sized cards,
but also with optional extra plug-in bundles, so
there are a lot of options to meet different budgets.
Add to this the growing plug-in family: the new
Harrison EQ plug-in offers yet more choice for
vintage lovers, as does the new UAD 4K, offering
quite different sound and shaping tools, whilst
the Little Lab’s IBP is the best plug-in I have seen
in a while, offering simple fixing options for phase
alignment, restoring tone and colour with multiple
audio tracks, as well as creating phase effects.
The UAD-2 card offers a great solution for those
looking for quality audio processing with the
added bonus of extra power, ease of use and setup.
Whether an existing user looking to upgrade
or complement existing systems, or new to the
whole UAD experience, you’ll seen see why
Universal Audio is one of the most respected audio
companies around. �
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INFORMATION
� Prices from GB£425.22 (UAD-2 Solo) –
GB£3,416.52 (UAD-2 Quad Omni)
(all prices exc.VAT)
� www.uaudio.com/promo
(Get up to US$500 free plug-ins with your UAD-2
purchase until the end of June 2009)
� Universal Audio Inc., 1700 Green Hills Road,
Scotts Valley, CA 95066-4926, USA
� +1 831 440 1176
� +1 831 461 1550
� www.uaudio.com
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