If you considered leaving the UAD ecosystem, which plugins would be hardest to replace?

[MrMusic55]

Hypothetically of course, but if you considered a move away from the UAD ecosystem, which plugins are on par with UAD quality and stability? Some of the companies I find comparable (and sometimes better) are:

Kazrog
Tone Projects
Klanghelm
Fuse Audio (use to be a UAD dev I think?)
Baby Audio
Valhalla DSP (probably the best reverb and delays period)
D16 Group (reverbs delays and everything else)
Arturia FX & Instruments
Waves.....
WavesFactory

Probably missing a lot more but curious what others would choose or find hard to replace if they moved away from the UADSphere!

 

[RogueM]

If you considered leaving the UAD ecosystem, which plugins would be hardest to replace?

Spoiler: THIS!

Console Recall, without a doubt!

 

[exoslime]

ha, thats a tough one..
my mixes rely alot on UAD plugins, i actually never ever have thought about IF i need to replace them, what to choose as replacement
but i guess, everything can be replaced if once needed

i mean, i still could crank out mixes only with all my fabfilter plugins since i´m also already using them alot in combination with UAD and they have alot of things under the hood.

but yeah, their Studer A800 and ATR102, the distressor, the Culture Vulture, the Capitol Chamber Rooms, the AKG BX and the AMS RMX would be really missing.

even though i like AI like RME better than my UA apollo (in terms of latency, driver etc) but to be able to use UAD plugins on the way in in the Console with no latency was and still is a huge benefit for my worklow, i dont want to miss.

 

[SameOh]

None. I'm not tied to any plugin in the world. That's a loser mindset.

 

[LesBrown]

Too many to mention. Quality and stability are one thing, but emulation of actual iconic hardware is another. Who has Manley plugins that are comparable? API, Neve, UA, etc.? For me, UAD is a reliable, one-stop shop of excellently emulated real-life hardware plugins. And I won't even approach the subject of Unison.

 

[LesBrown]

None. I'm not tied to any plugin in the world. That's a loser mindset.

Tied? No. Preferences, absolutely. Soy un perdador!

 

[Bear-Faced Cow]

It’s more than just the plug-ins for me. For me, it‘s also the ability to create recording chains on my Apollo with the plug-ins to get a not just a sound, but a feel, than simply using plug-ins in a DAW don’t give me.

jord

 

[David MacNeill]

I would never do that for three reasons:

1: They are wonderful and I understand them and they make me happy
2: It would orphan all my albums and singles for future remixing and sales to the film/TV industry
3: They are wonderful and I understand them and they make me happy

Did I mention that they are wonderful and I understand them and they make me happy?

 

[Neotrope]

Only thing I have switched out from UAD is the SSL stuff since I bought the control surfaces from SSL. Not going to leave UA/UAD2 since i like the DSP versions, and for me the classic Roland emulations, MXR, plate reverb, Lexicon, UA compressors, really nothing I'd replace them with. Sure, Logic Pro comes with ton of stuff, sure I got all the IK stuff on fire sale deal, sure Arturia and N.I. have put out some decent plugins for mixing/recording as well in recent times ... but the UA stuff sounds how I expect having cut my baby teeth at real studios as an intern in the late 70s and early 80s.

Of course, anybody can argue a good song, great performance, doesn't need any special treatment. If I lost all my UA stuff tomorrow, would just use the Logic Pro built in stuff and focus on the music not the production.

 

[chrisharbin]

The OP has made a legitimate thread, but.....

I considered not renewing my subscription because of the timing and that I'm trying to pull back on spending. Then I went a day or two where I kept opening older projects of various sorts and really couldn't think of anything that I could replace them with. The best example is the LA-3A. Who does that exactly? Who does the Rotary like UAD? I also use the Capitol Chambers quite a bit since they ported it. The point being, I'm pretty much tied to it.

Again, there is nothing wrong with the OP, I just think they do a better job at some things and I'm not aware of replacements. But some people bring up good options

 

[Eric Dahlberg]

UA channel strips -> Softube Console 1
Tapes -> IK

 

[DanteMurphy]

API Vision Console

 

[Alexxon]

Manley Vari-Mu & Massive Passive, 1073, API2500. These sounds better(for me personally) than any other emulations I've seen.

 

[klasaine]

For me, ultimately, it's the Unison thing. I could find other reverb, delays, fx, and compressors but I'd most likely end up going back to hardware pres and comps for going in.
Having said that, no one does a better Rhodes, Hammond, and Leslie. Their EMT 140 is unparalleled as well.

 

[MrMusic55]

API Vision Console

Yep I use that a lot, however the softube American Class A and Lindell 50 Series are also really really good.

API2500

THIS is definitely one I've had trouble replacing as I look around. The waves version is not good at all to my ears, I hear great things about DMG Audio TrackComp 2 though as they have multiple compressor types that are actually supposed to be super close to the hardware.

Nobody else really has Manley stuff like VoxBox but it's a lot of passive and vari-mu emulations although I haven't tried them.

Who does the Rotary like UAD?

Yikes yeah the UA rotary is very unique sounding and hard to get that from other simulations.

 

[MrMusic55]

Rhodes, Hammond, and Leslie.

Yeah I have been surprised at how other Rhodes plugins sound a bit lifeless after using UAD for a while. I have keyscape which gets the job done but the UA has a completely different feel even when playing it.

 

[LesBrown]

If you take away my UAD plugins, at least leave me Luna.

 

[bellows and brass]

Capital chambers is hard to substitute.

For me the point of using universal audio is more about dsp that actual plugins, as my computer is old and slow and I’d get nowhere without the hardware.

some brands not mentioned,
liquidsonics (probably the best reverbs)
Tokyo dawn labs TDR
Kush,

 

[stonebrook]

The most of the plugins that was mentioned are available native via Spark.
I sold all of my Apollos and satellites. Got a M1 Pro MacBook Pro with a Neumann MT48 and Spark sub. Rockz! Only plugins I am missing is Ocean Way and API 550/560.

Cheers!

 

[chrisharbin]

The most of the plugins that was mentioned are available native via Spark.
I sold all of my Apollos and satellites. Got a M1 Pro MacBook Pro with a Neumann MT48 and Spark sub. Rockz! Only plugins I am missing is Ocean Way and API 550/560.

Cheers!

Yeah, I'm selling my little solo. It's too long a story to go into but now that Luna is "free" and can use anything, I'd rather just go that route. It's a fine unit, but my Babyface Pro has like half the latency with no extra hit to the CPU.