FYI: UA Plugin Sale

[EOengineer]

I’ve been looking for a sale to convince me to try their stuff as a fairly happy Plugin Alliance user.

I pickup up their distressor, the Classic Compressor Bundle, and the Creative Bundle for $50 each.

Seems like most of their stuff is on sale.

 

[Orvillain]

The Distressor is the best VST compressor around. End of.

 

[bikescene]

Starting last fall, the Universal Audio native plugins started to go on perpetual sale in a similar way that the Plugin Alliance stuff is.

The bundles are the cheapest ways to get their older plugins at around $8 each. I bought their Guitar FX and Essentials bundles at different points when they were $50 each.

Some plugins dip down to $40, like their new ATR-102 tape plugin last month.

I've tried to resist but they are clearly targeting users like me.

 

[Jarick]

They have a lot of cool stuff that isn't native...would love an SSL channel strip for instance, and that's on sale for $49 but hardware only!

 

[EOengineer]

They have a lot of cool stuff that isn't native...would love an SSL channel strip for instance, and that's on sale for $49 but hardware only!

The Brainworx channel strips are IMO on par with UA and frequently pop up for $29. I’ve yet to use anything from UA that was noticeably superior to Brainworx/Plugin Alliance if I’m being honest…distressor aside.

I did just grab sound city studios for $50 though so we will see.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

I’ve yet to use anything from UA that was noticeably superior to Brainworx/Plugin Alliance

Look no further than the delays and reverbs, Plugin Alliance has sorely been lacking on this front and UA have led the way for a while for them. 480L, RMX16, EMT250, AKG BX20, Capitol+Hitsville Chambers, EMT140.

There’s some good stuff in the Plugin Alliance bundle but it really depends on who coded each plugin (not the company of the piece of gear but the DSP engineer). They use a host of different people and some are definitely better than others. UA are way more consistent

 

[EOengineer]

Look no further than the delays and reverbs, Plugin Alliance has sorely been lacking on this front and UA have led the way for a while for them. 480L, RMX16, EMT250, AKG BX20, Capitol+Hitsville Chambers, EMT140.

There’s some good stuff in the Plugin Alliance bundle but it really depends on who coded each plugin (not the company of the piece of gear but the DSP engineer). They use a host of different people and some are definitely better than others. UA are way more consistent

I’ll check out their verbs. I do have the space echo but haven’t tried it yet, now I’m excited to hear it.

I’m not using any of the PA verbs or delays, but frequently use their townhouse bus compressor, the Lindell Neve and API stuff (oversampled), SSL G/E, the Black Box, and the kirchoff EQ. The Klive tape plugin isn’t bad either.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

I’ll check out their verbs. I do have the space echo but haven’t tried it yet, now I’m excited to hear it.

I’m not using any of the PA verbs or delays, but frequently use their townhouse bus compressor, the Lindell Neve and API stuff (oversampled), SSL G/E, the Black Box, and the kirchoff EQ. The Klive tape plugin isn’t bad either.

The Lindell stuff and Black Box are some of my favourites. I find the SSL’s OK (any of the ssl channels honestly would work fine) but the UA one does something at extreme settings that the others don’t. I quite like SSL’s own E series plugin too. A downside with UAD’s DSP stuff is they don’t suppose external sidechains and IMO it makes the gate way more useable when you key it externally.

 

[laxu]

Seems the current plugin bundles are a lot more pricy than in July. I paid 259 € for the 6 plugin bundle, now it's 327 €. Well actually 234 € as I combined a coupon code to it.

I recommend anyone considering these to always calculate the price per plugin because it does not end up as "more plugins = cheaper", sometimes the per plugin price is higher.

The Studio and Signature bundles seem like the best lower cost deals atm, and the somewhat buried Ultimate 12 deal at $599 is the best I see.

I wish they ported the Never preamps to native.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Seems the current plugin bundles are a lot more pricy than in July. I paid 259 € for the 6 plugin bundle, now it's 327 €. Well actually 234 € as I combined a coupon code to it.

I recommend anyone considering these to always calculate the price per plugin because it does not end up as "more plugins = cheaper", sometimes the per plugin price is higher.

The Studio and Signature bundles seem like the best lower cost deals atm, and the somewhat buried Ultimate 12 deal at $599 is the best I see.

I wish they ported the Never preamps to native.

Neve stuff seems to have a different licensing agreement that makes me think it’s less likely we’ll see those ported fully. Neve sell their own HW and digital stuff and I think they’re cautious on how much they open things up. Would love the AMX and DMX native but i’m not getting my hopes up.

The preamp is somewhat pointless native IMO as to get the full benefit you need the Apollo preamps. The 1073 has the same preamp section if you want a native version, but you can’t buy it outright without owning hardware (it’s in Spark though). There are lots of Neve style preamp plugins that are solid, I like Lindell’s Neves (they actually sound more like my neve than UAD) and also Black Rooster does a nice simple neve preamp plugin.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Well well well, looks like some native amp sims and SSL ports. Very nice!

 

[Jarick]

That looks awesome like everything you need in one. Are there native SSL ports though? I didn’t see that in the bundle.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

That looks awesome like everything you need in one. Are there native SSL ports though? I didn’t see that in the bundle.

That 56 plugins is referencing a native bundle that they’ll update with the new native stuff (SSL+amp sims)

 

[Blix]

They're dropping some damn nice native plugs tomorrow, and I get them in my Spark subscription too!

UAD Dream '65 Reverb Amplifier
UAD Lion '68 Super Lead Amp
UAD Ruby '63 Top Boost Amplifier
SSL 4000G Bus Compressor
SSL 4000 E Channel Strip Collection

 

[Jarick]

Oh they ported the UAFX amps too? Dang I might have to check it out!

Is the bundle a lifetime deal or is it an annual subscription like Waves?

How's the performance of native plugins on a Mac M1?

 

[Blix]

Oh they ported the UAFX amps too? Dang I might have to check it out!

Is the bundle a lifetime deal or is it an annual subscription like Waves?

How's the performance of native plugins on a Mac M1?

Bundles are lifetime deals.

Just finished playing the Lion plugin for half an hour, sounds pretty damn fantastic.

 

[holoholo]

That’s cool they were able to port things in less than 4 years.

 

[Jarick]

Would LOVE to get an Ox Stomp plugin to try out!

 

[Sascha Franck]

The prices for their amp plugins are completely mad. And they're intro prices! Supposed to kick in at €327 each full price! Muahaha, morons!

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Ooof, didn't feel like upgrading from Signature Bundle V1 to V2 was very good value for me.

Turns out, for the same price (£200-£25 voucher) I can get Ultimate and have every single UAD plugin (sans 3rd party stuff). Like £8 per plugin for what I didn't have left. This is why the individual prices of UAD plugins seem crazy, you have to play their game.