Best UAD-2 plugins

[golden beers]

speaking as someone who has quite a few UAD comps and eq plugs, after demoing the strips i found them to be redundant. so it really depends on your plug-in plans. ie if you're going for a large collection or not.

just take half a day and demo all the plugs. a couple will jump out at you. (for me it was the Helios, the LA-3A, the Harrison and the Transient Designer)

[Lenzo]

Love both the fatso and the EMT250. But good advice above...take them all for a spin and then decide.
L.

[Entrainer]

Not a fan of the EQs.

I tend to like the ones that take the most power... but not by choice. Just happens they sound more realistic to me.

UAD Fatso
UAD 33609
EMT-250
RE-201
Moog Filter


Those are the "must haves" IMHO... the rest I can live without.

[kasprouch]

Originally Posted by Entrainer

... the rest I can live without.

sort of got to that point as well, and sold my account... def agree to focus on getting the very hungry emulations you cant get anywhere else.

[SWAN808]

I agree that UAD is now about their best offerings and hard to find in native...

EMT250
FATSO
Neve 33609

However - can anyone suggest an alternative in native for the UAD VCA VU? I love that little bugger! Its attack is really snappy....(please dont suggest Stillwell Major Tom....)

[jonnypowell]

For me.. (most use)

EMT 250
SPL Transient Designer
Roland Dimension D
Cambridge EQ

[Entrainer]

Originally Posted by SWAN808

However - can anyone suggest an alternative in native for the UAD VCA VU? I love that little bugger! Its attack is really snappy....(please dont suggest Stillwell Major Tom....)

digitalfishphones.com - free audio effects plugins

Block Fish...

go to advanced controls in back.

Can sound exactly like the VCA VU. I was stunned...
found out about it a year ago.

Oh yeah, it's free.

[Nolet]

Originally Posted by Wake

So I just got the UAD-2 solo for my mac pro with the 500 dollar flexi voucher...

Think I'm definitely leaning towards gettin the EL Fatso emulation as one plugin and maybe covering the additional 50 bucks to get the Neve 88RS channel strip.

The SPL Transient Designer seems cool too.

Any opinnions?

The Neve 88RS sees a lot of use here, but I record mostly with microphones...not a lot of synths. In this scenario the simple fact of having low end filters and some gentle compression is almost necessary on everything. To use an 1176 and a Cambrige or other eq only for that will fill up my card rather quick. So If you work with a lot of tracks that all need a tiny bit of tweaking to get rid of rumble and little compression just to tame it, then the 88RS is great.

[HomeProducer]

Originally Posted by Entrainer

Not a fan of the EQs.

I tend to like the ones that take the most power... but not by choice. Just happens they sound more realistic to me.

UAD Fatso
UAD 33609
EMT-250
RE-201
Moog Filter


Those are the "must haves" IMHO... the rest I can live without.

I have RE-201 and Moog Filter, they are nice.

You don't like the EQs. Did you try 88RS? I love the EQ.

[SWAN808]

Originally Posted by Entrainer

digitalfishphones.com - free audio effects plugins

Block Fish...

go to advanced controls in back.

Can sound exactly like the VCA VU. I was stunned...
found out about it a year ago.

Oh yeah, it's free.

oh I know Blockfish - but its not for Intel Macs!!! :(

Maybe Im thinking Cytomic Glue will be similar - and its a VCA emulation also...and it is quite punchy...?

[Wake]

Leaning towards...

Fatso,
SPL Transient Designer
RE-201
Moog Filter


Does anyone know if the dreamverb plugin is any good?? The video looks great.

ALSO, everything is on sale all this month at the UAD website. A great time to have gotten a UAD-2 card I say. (Plus I got my card on black friday with some smart price comparrison shopping I paid 575 for the flexi card that comes with the 500 dollar plugin voucher!)

75 bucks for a UAD-2 card is not a bad deal!

[golden beers]

dream verb is good. nothing amazing.

[golden beers]

wow thanks for the heads up, i have (edit $100!) in credit with them, might get myself a chrissy pressy!

[Wake]

Can it do anything Logic's Space Designer can't? SD is a great plugin and there's no point to a new 'verb if it can't do anything different or better.


OH and UAD is giving everyone a 25$ free voucher on TOP of the sale. NIce.

[Uncite]

Yes, they treat their customers well.

The Neve 88RS get's used more and more around here. The DBX 160, Neve 1073, RE-201 and the 1176 are also very good.

[cramseur]

Plate 140
Neve 1073
Pultec Pro

[Wake]

Cool 1176 and Pultec Pro come free with the card.

[Wake]

Originally Posted by Uncite

Yes, they treat their customers well.

The Neve 88RS get's used more and more around here. The DBX 160, Neve 1073, RE-201 and the 1176 are also very good.

Actually UAD has got a GREAT business strategy.

A DSP Card based system the eliminates piracy BUT provides high level of quality.
Good emulations of more expensive and sought after gear
Demo videos and reels that really show off the product.
Discounts and deals for the customers.

Prices are a tad bit too high on some things... buts that's just my opinion. However cant argue with $230 fatso.

[kasprouch]

Originally Posted by Wake

Cool 1176 and Pultec Pro come free with the card.

remember those are the SE versions though thumbsup

[infiniteposse]

I use a lot of UAD plugs on my mixes and at this point I have almost all of them except some of the newer $250 ones...

I have and love:

- EMT250
- Fatso (amazing and much less confusing than I thought it'd be)
- EMT140
- Neve 1073/1081/88RS - I use the 1081 a lot as it's got a lot more control than the 1073, but the 1073 is nice when less is needed for smaller tweaks.
- Space Echo
- Cooper Time Cube
- LA3A
- Occasionally the LA2A/1176 - great plugs, I've just used them a lot and like to try and use other things to avoid sounding homogeneous record after record.

I can live without Dreamverb. I guess it's never wowed me, but I think most of these things are about as useful as you are creative.

You're going to love your UAD. It's a great product and a cool company I enjoy supporting.

[superiorsound]

ssl 4k channel strip and comp is my fav. Its addicting cause as soon as you try you buy ah ha.

[HomeProducer]

I am thinking to get either the precision deesser or the enhancer. Please help me, which one is the better plugin.

[Entrainer]

Originally Posted by HomeProducer

You don't like the EQs. Did you try 88RS? I love the EQ.

I use a blend of Nebula EQs (1073, API, Doc Fear) and Duende X-EQ (algorithmix blue). I personally prefer that combination to anything I've heard from UAD...

But, that being said, the 33609 and Fatso are the best compressors I've heard in the computer (for compression you can hear).

[HomeProducer]

Originally Posted by Entrainer

33609 and Fatso are the best compressors I've heard in the computer (for compression you can hear).

I tried the 33609 in demo mode and was not so impressed (LN1176 suits me much better). But I didn't use it for natural sources like drumbus. Just the idea to have a fixed attack time is somewhat discouraging for me (same actually in the 88RS, but slow and fast mode work for many sources).

[ADamage]

Originally Posted by HomeProducer

I am thinking to get either the precision deesser or the enhancer. Please help me, which one is the better plugin.

If you did the survey last month you can get the de-esser for free with the 2 25,- coupons. It's only $49.

[HomeProducer]

used the survey coupon already. Would be 25$ to get it. Not much. Don't know if the enhancer is good.
Didn't find much reviews on the net.

[Syltagogotronix]

Moog filter, 1176, 88rs all get used a lot in my productions.

[golden beers]

Originally Posted by HomeProducer

I am thinking to get either the precision deesser or the enhancer. Please help me, which one is the better plugin.

classically a de-esser is made by side chaining eq: perhaps you could make one that you're happy with using your existing plugs.

basically when the level gets past a threshold you apply a hi-cut eq. never tried it in software should be simple no?

[golden beers]

i wasn't into the enhancer when i demo'ed it. didn't sound particularly nice to me.