Universal Audio Paradise Guitar Studio

[Richard_G]

I fully expect by next summer at the latest, Paradise is likely to be included in some sale. $79 for Enigmatic and effects (I have the other amps already)...kinda on the fence.

Yeah, Paradise will probably be included in a sale sooner rather than later. I was in the same situation as you, but decided to pick it up. Having it now instead of waiting for it to be available in a sale is worth something too.

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

So I’m actually changing my tune here.
It might actually be way “better” for my use.

I was working on a solo break and put a bunch of sims on the track (too lazy to lean forward to turn on amps).
Anyways I had Paradise, NDSP whatever you call it 5150, Tonex and Audio Assaul. The tone I was looking for took me no time in Paradise, the others were just grating by comparison.

This might just become my in the box fave.

 

[jellodog]

I did a quick comparison between the UA Lion '68 and Ampknob BDM 75 models and actually preferred the Ampknob model.

Thanks for tipping me off. I prefer the BDM 75 too. The Lion is just kinda... insipid.

Bought the Bogren BDM bundle.

What I liked about Paradise was the Memory Man, EP III delays, the 140 Plate reverb and the 1176.

 

[Sascha Franck]

What I liked about Paradise was the Memory Man, EP III delays, the 140 Plate reverb and the 1176.

You need to watch their promos, really. I've got the Galaxy Tape Echo, the 1176, the Pure Plate and some others for free.

 

[laxu]

Today I tried the Paradise into my Fryette PS-100 and Bluetone 2x12 V30. I mostly tried the Lion model, and used my Tonex One as an audio interface just because it was the easiest to hook up.

Tonex was a bit weird as I had to disable everything in its modeling before it would work right with the plugin. But once that was sorted out it worked fine, obviously not that great for latency or anything.

In any case, the UA models are really nice when played loud through a poweramp and real cab too.

For comparison, I hooked up my BluGuitar Amp 1 ME and ran the Tonex into its fx loop, and compared the BluGuitar preamp vs UA Lion. The BluGuitar is still just damn great, it could do my favorite "Brown" Lion model tones on the Vintage channel and it was easier to dial in.

 

[Whizzinby]

Anyone know what pedal or rack unit the Pitch Shift Delay is based on? That joker is badass with the pitch set off, delay turned to a minimum and getting really cool modulated single repeats.

 

[metropolis_4]

Just installed the demo, boomer heaven!

Eh, no different to millenal, gen x or zoomer
Boomer also massively makes sense in the guitar realm when someone refers to boomer gear or boomer licks etc It’s generally referring to 60s to 80s or earlier, the distinction is real.

Some of you guys… you do realize there is a TON of new music that isn’t metal right? In fact most new music isn’t high gain modern metal.

Believe it or not the world of guitar gear/tones is NOT divided into the two categories of “Modern Metal” or “Boomer”.

I’m not sure what a persons age even has to do with it. I see “boomers” out there playing modern metal, and I see “gen Z-ers” out there playing bebop

 

[Dez]

Some of you guys… you do realize there is a TON of new music that isn’t metal right? In fact most new music isn’t high gain modern metal.

Believe it or not the world of guitar gear/tones is NOT divided into the two categories of “Modern Metal” or “Boomer”.

I’m not sure what a persons age even has to do with it. I see “boomers” out there playing modern metal, and I see “gen Z-ers” out there playing bebop

ok, Boomer

 

[Jarick]

Anyone know what pedal or rack unit the Pitch Shift Delay is based on? That joker is badass with the pitch set off, delay turned to a minimum and getting really cool modulated single repeats.

Probably an eventide micropitch delay which is based on the h3000 effect.

 

[[Nathan]]

Some of you guys… you do realize there is a TON of new music that isn’t metal right? In fact most new music isn’t high gain modern metal.

Believe it or not the world of guitar gear/tones is NOT divided into the two categories of “Modern Metal” or “Boomer”.

I’m not sure what a persons age even has to do with it. I see “boomers” out there playing modern metal, and I see “gen Z-ers” out there playing bebop

Old gear 4 old people

Funny how triggering the term is for some people when its really an innocent little poke thats no worse than millenial or zoomer, how dare we sprinkle a little bit of fun into our vocabulary.

 

[metropolis_4]

Old gear 4 old people

Funny how triggering the term is for some people when its really an innocent little poke thats no worse than millenial or zoomer, how dare we sprinkle a little bit of fun into our vocabulary.

I don’t care about the term at all. Say it all you want. I’m saying I think it’s stupid to try to associate gear with age groups.

As if nobody under 30 has ever used a Deluxe Reverb

Some people who are too entrenched in their style seem to forget the world is full of a lot of different kinds of music

 

[[Nathan]]

I don’t care about the term at all. Say it all you want. I’m saying I think it’s stupid to try to associate gear with age groups.

Eh, the term boomer amp is pretty common. I praised UAD Paradise and said its boomer heaven as a positive thing, but somehow its being received as some bad faith term

As if nobody under 30 has ever used a Deluxe Reverb

Great statement, I agree! I definitely think at least 1 person under the age of 30 has used a Deluxe Reverb.
However the data suggests that players under 30 are using modellers/digital/desktop solutions as well as entry level options like combos/solid state.

Some people who are too entrenched in their style seem to forget the world is full of a lot of different kinds of music

Were you talking about me or is this a general statement? Would be pretty funny if you were suggesting I only listen and have knowledge about "a single style" only.

As a bonus factoid I just asked chatgpt to list 10 boomer amps and this is the result. Wow, even chatgpt understands this common vernacular. The more we talk about it, the more real it is!

Here are 10 classic “boomer” guitar amps — the kinds of iconic rigs beloved by older generations of players and still revered today for tone and vibe:

1. Fender Twin Reverb – clean king and studio legend
2. Fender Bassman (4×10) – the grandfather of rock/Blues tone
3. Vox AC30 – chiming British classic
4. Marshall Plexi (JTM45/1959 Super Lead) – raw rock power
5. Marshall JMP 2203/2204 – ’70s rock workhorses
6. Ampeg Reverbrocket – early British-voiced amp
7. Selmer Treble & Bass – 60s UK classic
8. Hiwatt DR103 – big clean headroom (Pete Townshend rig)
9. Fender Deluxe Reverb (blackface) – studio and live staple
10. Vox AC15 – smaller sibling to AC30 with classic spark

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

I don’t care about the term at all. Say it all you want. I’m saying I think it’s stupid to try to associate gear with age groups.

As if nobody under 30 has ever used a Deluxe Reverb

Some people who are too entrenched in their style seem to forget the world is full of a lot of different kinds of music

There’s a lot of different music and a wide age range of people making that wide range of music. Buuuuuuut….

When it comes to amps, there’s not a looooooot of flavor outside boomer and modern. I mean, even the most modern are still Millenial, so it’s not like we’re talking all that narrow of a definition for either boomer or modern amp.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Seriously, who actually cares whether any guitar sound is labeled "boomer"? And even if so, it's been the friggin boomers who at least had some ideas to get creative with sound design and what not. Where's the non-boomer Fripps, Belews, Torns, Alomars and whomelse? Right, they don't exist. All you get is the same old chug, hypercompressed cleans (hello, Tim Henson...) and shimmer verb.
Apart from some modern metal stuff (which is almost as old as boomers already anyway...), guitar sound evolution seems to have stopped straight in the 70s (ok, add 80-ish cleans, if you want the full drama).

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

Seriously, who actually cares whether any guitar sound is labeled "boomer"? And even if so, it's been the friggin boomers who at least had some ideas to get creative with sound design and what not. Where's the non-boomer Fripps, Belews, Torns, Alomars and whomelse? Right, they don't exist. All you get is the same old chug, hypercompressed cleans (hello, Tim Henson...) and shimmer verb.
Apart from some modern metal stuff (which is almost as old as boomers already anyway...), guitar sound evolution seems to have stopped straight in the 70s (ok, add 80-ish cleans, if you want the full drama).

I think the reality here might be that guitarists are way more conservative than even bassists.
I mean look at the amount of “boomer” amps in modellers vs original designs.
Was der Bauer nicht kennt frißt er nicht.

 

[metropolis_4]

Eh, the term boomer amp is pretty common.

I’ve been playing guitar since I was a kid in the ‘90s, and I’ve been hanging out in guitar forums for 20 years, and this post is literally the first time I’ve ever heard the term “boomer amp”.

To me an amp is an instrument, and an instrument timeless. It’s what any individual musician chooses to do with the instrument that could be construed as ageist. But the instrument itself is just a tool to be used for the artistic expression of the musician who uses it.

It’s like saying paintbrushes are for old people because paintbrushes are old technology and old people use them. Who gives AF how old the tool is, let’s take a look at the actual art that the artists are creating with it.

There’s a lot of different music and a wide age range of people making that wide range of music. Buuuuuuut….

When it comes to amps, there’s not a looooooot of flavor outside boomer and modern. I mean, even the most modern are still Millenial, so it’s not like we’re talking all that narrow of a definition for either boomer or modern amp.

I disagree. I don’t know what “boomer flavor” even means, but I think when you look more closely each decade since the ‘40s has its own pretty well defined flavors of guitar amps. There’s a lot of nuance and progression in there

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

I’ve been playing guitar since I was a kid in the ‘90s, and I’ve been hanging out in guitar forums for 20 years, and this post is literally the first time I’ve ever heard the term “boomer amp”.

To me an amp is an instrument, and an instrument timeless. It’s what any individual musician chooses to do with the instrument that could be construed as ageist. But the instrument itself is just a tool to be used for the artistic expression of the musician who uses it.

It’s like saying paintbrushes are for old people because paintbrushes are old technology and old people use them. Who gives AF how old the tool is, let’s take a look at the actual art that the artists are creating with it.



I disagree. I don’t know what “boomer flavor” even means, but I think when you look more closely each decade since the ‘40s has its own pretty well defined flavors of guitar amps. There’s a lot of nuance and progression in there

A generation covers several decades. And boomer, in all its guises, almost always captures a good chunk of gen-x. Of course there is a wide range of amps from the 40s through the early 80s - but they also all have a LOT more in common with themselves than they do a 5153.

 

[FrankD77]

Using genome at the moment with a synergy and several tube (pre) amps. Introduction price was great but didn't press the button when i saw you could not bypass the amps.

For me that makes it not the complete solution. There are plenty of people i think that would love to see only cabs or Poweramp plus cabs.

Probably to protect the hardware
But two notes does it so i hope an update will add that option.

 

[Sascha Franck]

I think the reality here might be that guitarists are way more conservative than even bassists.

Absolutely this. And let's not even start to talk about keyboarders. Compared to those, even guitar amp modeling users still look like cavemen (well, of course I do know there's a vintage trend thing happening in some keyboarder circles, too).

 

[Dimiguitar]

Today I tried the Paradise into my Fryette PS-100 and Bluetone 2x12 V30. I mostly tried the Lion model, and used my Tonex One as an audio interface just because it was the easiest to hook up.

Tonex was a bit weird as I had to disable everything in its modeling before it would work right with the plugin. But once that was sorted out it worked fine, obviously not that great for latency or anything.

In any case, the UA models are really nice when played loud through a poweramp and real cab too.

For comparison, I hooked up my BluGuitar Amp 1 ME and ran the Tonex into its fx loop, and compared the BluGuitar preamp vs UA Lion. The BluGuitar is still just damn great, it could do my favorite "Brown" Lion model tones on the Vintage channel and it was easier to dial in.

Have you captured your amp 1 with tonex? Played some captures of that and was very unimpressed.

That said, I'm pretty sure the amp was dialed in like a turd, for my tastes, just like most tonex captures for any unit are.

So this says just about nothing for the amp 1, at least considering what I like.