UAD vs. WAVES

[AcoosticZoo]

I'm in the camp that prefers Native systems though. The only thing that's holding UAD back for me to purchase is that it's DSP based. I won't go back to DSP after what happened with Powercore. it's a big red flag imho.

The only thing I miss not having a UAD in my rig is the UAD EMT224 emulation. I can do most of my Mixing/Production duties on Waves Mercury + other 3rd parties plugins.

Kind Regards
Josef Horhay
Mixing Engineer
www.acoosticzoo.com

[timtoonz]

Originally Posted by AcoosticZoo

I'm in the camp that prefers Native systems though. The only thing that's holding UAD back for me to purchase is that it's DSP based. I won't go back to DSP after what happened with Powercore. it's a big red flag imho.

The only thing I miss not having a UAD in my rig is the UAD EMT224 emulation. I can do most of my Mixing/Production duties on Waves Mercury + other 3rd parties plugins.

Kind Regards
Josef Horhay
Mixing Engineer
www.acoosticzoo.com

Can't see how the Powercore experience is likely to be replicated by the UAD.

Whether it's "DSP based" or not has never been part of the equation for me. It's about the sound of the plugins and the quality of the emulations. UAD plugs sound so good, I don't really give a dang if there's a DSP involved. I'd use their software even if it came with a squirrel attached! It's all about the sound.

[Slikjmuzik]

Originally Posted by timtoonz

Can't see how the Powercore experience is likely to be replicated by the UAD.

Whether it's "DSP based" or not has never been part of the equation for me. It's about the sound of the plugins and the quality of the emulations. UAD plugs sound so good, I don't really give a dang if there's a DSP involved. I'd use their software even if it came with a squirrel attached! It's all about the sound.

I agree, they sound great, but the DSP is also why I continue using them. Without that DSP running them and my computer running CPU intensive virtual instruments and track count, I'd never be able to get through a mix. Fact.

[Camembert]

Originally Posted by clearwave

I voted for UAD.
I've spent a ton of money on that platform over the years. Therefore, its better.

I use Waves, no problem that I can't fix, it's well above what I can do in the mix! (in the mix, i' the mix..)

[traumerei1838]

Originally Posted by Camembert

I use Waves, no problem that I can't fix, it's well above what I can do in the mix! (in the mix, i' the mix..)

Cheese, is that you?

[soundgear]

Originally Posted by timtoonz

It's all about the sound.

That really is the only reason that matters
+1

[GlennR01]

Own both, use both, prefer UAD

[analogjeff]

most UAD stuff sounds warmer & fuller and has less of that digital top end so many of us dislike...

[analogjeff]

most UAD stuff sounds warmer & fuller to my ear and has less of that digital top end so many of us dislike...

[jrod9900]

UAD for sure. The Waves stuff isn't bad, but I feel I get more realism from the UAD stuff. Plus, and I think this is the bigger issue for me, I can use the card to free up my resources in a busy mix. That card takes a beating from me every time. My computer would prob be maxed out if it were not for that UAD quad card I have.

JROD

[Retinal]

I wish UA came out with a way to at least demo the plugins without the card

[duvalle]

Originally Posted by GlennR01

Own both, use both, prefer UAD

same here (1 x duo / 2x quad). but i have to say that the UI, A/B and VST3 (easy sidechain in cubase) is a big plus for waves. uad sticks to that pseudo realistic vintage UI which is not always handy .... wish they would change that. beside that i hope uad comes out with something new. i really don't need another eq/comp. maybe something like vcc or that long promised synth.

[deft_bonz]

Originally Posted by duvalle

beside that i hope uad comes out with something new. i really don't need another eq/comp. maybe something like vcc or that long promised synth.

+1

Why not more special effects with modular routings?

The plugin selection is quite boring after a while. Nothing creative there.

[Adura]

Both !
UAD are great sounding.
I love the Waves Signature Series.

[Aiyn Zahav]

This question has come to my mind recently

I just demoed Mercury, which included the CLA compressors. Wow. Those things are brilliant. I love the way they saturate when you drive them, and I usually find that I am unhappy with that behavior in most other comps, including softube.

Anyway, stuck now. It's the 1176 in particular I really liked. I also really liked the API 2500, but felt it was a little muddy. I got that feeling from the waves stuff. A little gritty.

Still, I need to trial more, API 2500 has side chain and its all VST3 64 bit. Beautiful. The Eq's are just beautiful too.

I'd quite like the API bundle, but when it comes to the 1176, it was so good I wonder if UAD is just 10% better it must be just amazing.

What this can do to you drum groove, wow.

I haven't been able to try SSL yet, but I know from trialing Duende that I like the SSL sound.

[Aiyn Zahav]

Then again that dirt may be my material and hitting the comp too hot.

[nickelironsteel]

waves. dsp is dead.

[stratton]

I use them both, all the time. I bought Waves SSL bundle to supplement my UA package. I always use Waves SSL Bus comp on the master and UA SSL Channel strip on the drum buss. After that, anything goes.

[Aiyn Zahav]

Originally Posted by nickelironsteel

waves. dsp is dead.

Dead or alive, It's the sound I'm after. If UAD is 10% better I'm all ears.

That said, waves is VST3 and 64-bit.

[Aiyn Zahav]

I am not 100% sure, but I think waves sounds better when run at 96Khz.

I noticed Brainworx and UAD run at very high sample rates. Brainworx always sounds crystal clear.

In fact, here is the difference between the same signal processed at 44 & 96, (bounced and phase flipped)

Waves CLA and API difference.wav

I am guessing then, all this hi frequency content would be missing at 44.1

So you must bear this in mind for comparisons.

[pcm70]

For me there is no competition between UAD an other company. I have worked strictly in analog nearly thirty years and UAD are the plugins that sit in the mix and it sounds like I was used to hear. Period! Not as good as hardware, but enough to be able to make a great mix with them.

[Aiyn Zahav]

Guys I also tested Brainworx the same way, and found there was a difference left over of high frequencies.

Am I doing this right? It's just the same exact sound bounced down while running at two different rates. 44.1 and 96K.

Now, the interesting thing here is than Brainworx plug-ins default to 4x over-sampling if your running at 44.1 and 2x over-sampling if your running at 96khz

So, 44.1kHz = 176.4 kHz
and 96kHz = 192 kHz

So, after phase inversion of one signal against the other I am left with high end sizzle. It's quite audiable and you can hear the entire track, including kicks, it's just a very high frequency version of the track.

So, if this small over sampling difference can make such a difference (if I am doing things right) then UAD automatically has better sound quality (in one respect) than anyone running at 44.1 with waves for example, since they run at 192 kHz all the time.

Unless waves oversamples, but I don't know by how much. I'd assume it's similar to brainworx, 2 or 4 times. Nothing in the manual of the API 2500

[Clonkified]

Although new to UAD, I find their new 1176 collection is fantastic. Better than the CLA compressors from Waves (different sound - but I feel UAD is objectively better).

[Aiyn Zahav]

Originally Posted by Clonkified

Although new to UAD, I find their new 1176 collection is fantastic. Better than the CLA compressors from Waves (different sound - but I feel UAD is objectively better).

How does the sound differ if you can quantify it? I really like how "sticky" waves CLA compressors are. When you crank up the input they "squash" the sound in a nice way. Terrible descriptions I know. But it's a soft compression rather than hard imo. And I like that. It's not harsh.

This is on 4/4 dance music mind you.

[Aiyn Zahav]

Originally Posted by analogjeff

most UAD stuff sounds warmer & fuller to my ear and has less of that digital top end so many of us dislike...

Again I wonder if this is to do with the very high sample rate they run on. Brainworx stuff always sounded clear and bright to me, and I found out they do 4x oversampling so that makes sense.

[FunkyTek]

Originally Posted by Clonkified

Although new to UAD, I find their new 1176 collection is fantastic. Better than the CLA compressors from Waves (different sound - but I feel UAD is objectively better).

Yes, the UAD 1176LN is great. Even though I have hardware, the UA PI gets used a lot.
But, I also have the Wave PLatum bundle and a couple of others like C6 and IR-1. Some very good PI's in there.

Not really sure it makes sense to say one company is better than the other. There are differences and those differences are good. It is nice to have both and be able to choose the right screw driver for the job.

[Jeezo]

The question for me was simple few month ago :

Is UAD is able to make some windows driver for the apollo or staellite (i use laptop also on the go) ? well , i started to smile when i heard this summer (baout last summer) , the other question was also simple :

Do i have everything i need to mix in the whole uad package : no , still need some tools
On the waves : i ain't missing nothing

do i need dsp ? no .....

And at the end what would cost me the quad omni versus the mercury at 50% ? and the choice was quik !!

No single regret ....


Sound ? seeing all my trusted dude telling me that they prfer this and that native alternative , nothing seems special or superior , even if some try to convice themselve, all my friends told me that if they had to make the choice today , the would certainly go native .....

[Clonkified]

Originally Posted by FunkyTek

Yes, the UAD 1176LN is great.

I was not talking about the 1176LN, but their new 1176 collection (Rev A, Rev E, and AE).

[nznexus]

I love waves. especially waves SSL. the best i ever heard

[Franco]

Five things that make California one of the best places on the planet:

1. Weather
2. Chicks
3. Cannabis
4. Food
5. Universal Audio