When was the last Native port of plugins? 5 months ago?

[Electronic]

Has it really been 5 months since the last Native port of plugins?

I was just wondering this the other day not noticing how time goes by so fast (wow!)

 

[chrisharbin]

It's been awhile but I don't think that long. Helios wasn't too long ago, and the Manley stuff wasn't that long ago. The Verve is a new plug added recently (handy for lofi).

As Drew has said, the heavy lifting is done. Now it's about new stuff, though I wish the SSL stuff was ported.

 

[Noisembryo]

As Drew has said, the heavy lifting is done. Now it's about new stuff, though I wish the SSL stuff was ported.

No, it's not...when they add SSL stuff (strip and compressor), ATR-102, Neve 1081 then we can talk about "heavy lifting" being done. I'd also like all API plugs to be ported...I don't always need whole channel strip.

 

[chrisharbin]

API? I thought that was all done. What am I missing here?

 

[Matt Hepworth]

Here's what's available - https://help.uaudio.com/hc/en-us/ar...g-ins-are-available-natively-and-in-UAD-Spark

You can also look at my latency & DSP chart at the top of the forum under Resources.
The Native plugins have a Bullet in the left-hand column.

 

[UniversalAudio]

Has it really been 5 months since the last Native port of plugins?

I was just wondering this the other day not noticing how time goes by so fast (wow!)

No it hasn't. 2 months. Helios and Manley Vari mu were released Feb 27th. And then Verve came 5 weeks later.

As mentioned, expect them to slow down now that much of the most used plugs have been released.

And also keep in mind that the native side is NOT meant to replace the DSP side of things. Apollos and DSP will remain the backbone of the ecosystem for YEARS to come.

 

[chrisharbin]

Yeah, there has been that. So, not so much eh?

 

[UA User]

I'd also like all API plugs to be ported...I don't always need whole channel strip.

It would be cool to have the API standalone preamp, 550A EQ, and 560 EQ ported.

 

[flandybob]

I guess keeping some heavy hitters like ATR or ocean way as dsp makes sense from a business perspective, still need that apollo or satellite to keep them working

I can live with that because you don’t typically need a ton of instances. SSL channel strip would be great though, dsp hog and the kind of plugin you want to strap on a lot of channels. Oh well, using the bx 4000e instead

 

[machinated]

expect them to slow down now that much of the most used plugs have been released

I was hoping things would ramp up now UA are in the swing of things.

regardless, there's been several nice UAD updates outside of new plugins that have been welcome. But man, how this company has changed. I used to get so excited with new releases, they'd be of really cool famous high end gear and they'd have release videos with amazing production.

The AMS DMX was the last release like that, which is technically a "direct developer" plugin, and that was in November 2021.

The last 5 or so years have been quite a shift from the 5 or so before that. Not to say that I haven't welcomed many of the changes, but there are certain aspects I miss.

 

[JamesNorth]

Yeah 5 months is just ... way off.

Hey, I'm also a bit bummed about the lack of new UA developed stuff ... and the slow-down of ports to native.

But the (REALLY BIG) thing is ... how many more pieces of hardware warrant making a plugin for? How many people would buy plugins of ultra-obscure EQs/preamps/comps that are left in the hardware world? That's the conclusion I'm sure UA have come to.

Verve is a killer tool - who cares what it's emulating ... it's a distortion / eq / comp in one to some extent and yeah it might be using some of their existing code on certain settings internally ... but it might also be new code. Who cares if that new code isn't an emulation of some random piece of gear? If it sounds good etc etc.

I'm also very glad to be a DSP user generally as even with modern day computers - DAWs are still hamstrung by their own CPU core access logic. I'm on an M2 Max Mac Studio here and I'm ALWAYS using DSP in my templates and it makes a huge difference to my system.

 

[hotspot]

Yes, bring new stuff to the addicts
I, for one, have enough of it, more than I could ever use up.
A few months without new exciting things gives me more time to focus on music. So far, all good.

 

[UniversalAudio]

I was hoping things would ramp up now UA are in the swing of things.

See this from the above post:
And also keep in mind that the native side is NOT meant to replace the DSP side of things. Apollos and DSP will remain the backbone of the ecosystem for YEARS to come.

 

[machinated]

See this from the above post:
And also keep in mind that the native side is NOT meant to replace the DSP side of things. Apollos and DSP will remain the backbone of the ecosystem for YEARS to come.

True, but there is so much potential for UAD to take advantage of the potential of what Native can offer (over DSP) that hasn't been tackled yet. I also feel like the longer UA takes to get products ported, the more likely people are to buy alternatives from other companies. I'm sure you can run off a long list of the imitation plugins other companies have made just by copying the UAD product line. As much as I still regard UAD as the benchmark of analog modelling, the gap is smaller than ever with the competition, and new products are being released all the time.

and on the other side, the last 5 years hardly feel like UAD has kicked on with the DSP side of things - there's very few releases from partner developers (bx/softube/sonnox have basically abandoned it), and UA's own pace has slowed somewhat.

The recent years of UAD feel like:

- LUNA was a big deal (but for me its a total no-go, unfortunately)
- Guitar pedals have been quite succesful (although there is some confusing design choices, poor app control, no MIDI support, lots of repackaging the same FX)
- Amp modelling has seen some cool products, but nothing ported to Native yet (why?)
- Ox has been quite successful but, again, the app control, updates, and porting any of it to Native hasn't happened
- Apollo's have kind of plateaued, partly because they are just so good now, partly because of the chip/parts shortage, partly due to the shift to native. Curious what the next refresh holds
- The native porting feels slow, and the handling of the subscription/perpetual sales generally feels like flying by the edge of your pants. IMO they are doing things right, but its too little and like 5 years later than it should have been.

There's definitely some interesting things going on, and things that I am a little interested in. But it doesn't feel like the exciting cutting edge company it once was to me any more. I really hope the next 5 years are much more exciting, although with where technology is headed who even knows what we'll be doing at that point

 

[UniversalAudio]

True, but there is so much potential for UAD to take advantage of the potential of what Native can offer (over DSP) that hasn't been tackled yet. I also feel like the longer UA takes to get products ported, the more likely people are to buy alternatives from other companies. I'm sure you can run off a long list of the imitation plugins other companies have made just by copying the UAD product line. As much as I still regard UAD as the benchmark of analog modelling, the gap is smaller than ever with the competition, and new products are being released all the time.

and on the other side, the last 5 years hardly feel like UAD has kicked on with the DSP side of things - there's very few releases from partner developers (bx/softube/sonnox have basically abandoned it), and UA's own pace has slowed somewhat.

The recent years of UAD feel like:

- LUNA was a big deal (but for me its a total no-go, unfortunately)
- Guitar pedals have been quite succesful (although there is some confusing design choices, poor app control, no MIDI support, lots of repackaging the same FX)
- Amp modelling has seen some cool products, but nothing ported to Native yet (why?)
- Ox has been quite successful but, again, the app control, updates, and porting any of it to Native hasn't happened
- Apollo's have kind of plateaued, partly because they are just so good now, partly because of the chip/parts shortage, partly due to the shift to native. Curious what the next refresh holds
- The native porting feels slow, and the handling of the subscription/perpetual sales generally feels like flying by the edge of your pants. IMO they are doing things right, but its too little and like 5 years later than it should have been.

There's definitely some interesting things going on, and things that I am a little interested in. But it doesn't feel like the exciting cutting edge company it once was to me any more. I really hope the next 5 years are much more exciting, although with where technology is headed who even knows what we'll be doing at that point

Excellent, thoughtful feedback.

A few thoughts.....

We have almost half of the library ported to complement DSP side of things. They work great together.

Sure, users have more choices than ever, but our sales are through the roof, both native and DSP.

Personal opinion here, but many companies used us to raise their profile. And we benefited from their presence on the platform, so it's all good.

Indeed, in an era where every other company is contracting, we are expanding. That means it'll be a little bumpy along the way and that's ok.

Again, thanks for taking the time to post.

 

[andy a]

Here's what's available - https://help.uaudio.com/hc/en-us/ar...g-ins-are-available-natively-and-in-UAD-Spark

That’s really an incredible collection of plug-ins, and all we REALLY need admittedly. But for me the obvious missing pieces are Ampex ATR-102
and UA 610. I suspect/hope the 610 is coming soon, as it was grouped in a recent promotion where everything else was Native. And I would think UAD would love to have Ampex in Spark to go with Studer - maybe Ampex won’t play?

More of my wishlist (and I’m noticing that all of these are ”branded” which seems to be a hindrance to Native porting at times):

Lexicon 480L
AMS RMX16
AMS DMX Digital Delay & Pitch Shifter
MXR Flanger/Doubler
KORG SDD-3000
EMT® 250
Cooper Time Cube

 

[Synthient Sound]

I hope the Native ports (and new plugins) don't slow down. The only reason I got into UAD is that Native became available and I use those all the time. Would like to see some of the modulation and time based effects come over like the Echoplex, MXR Flanger/Doubler, Korg SDD3000, etc that haven't made it yet-glad to have the Roland/Boss stuff though already.

 

[andy a]

I hope the Native ports (and new plugins) don't slow down. The only reason I got into UAD is that Native became available and I use those all the time. Would like to see some of the modulation and time based effects come over like the Echoplex, MXR Flanger/Doubler, Korg SDD3000, etc that haven't made it yet-glad to have the Roland/Boss stuff though already.

Oh yes, I would love the Echoplex as well!

 

[zvenx]

I have so much plugins, so much UA plugins too, I am not sure what more I would want new from UA.
I sure have enough eq's, preamps and compressors from them that I use (well especially the compressors).

And of course for them to port the rest of the UAD stuff to the Native platform, but new stuff.. hmmm...

I guess I would be curious to see how UA does a Clavinet and a Wurlitzer EP.. But beyond that I am not sure there is anything else I would want them to do..

I am way more interested in them doing a proper VST3 resize on both mac and pc and way more importantly for me a proper installer (you know the type where I can choose what I want to install, like I have been begging them to do for over 15 years now I think).

rsp

 

[machinated]

Excellent, thoughtful feedback.

A few thoughts.....

We have almost half of the library ported to complement DSP side of things. They work great together.

Sure, users have more choices than ever, but our sales are through the roof, both native and DSP.

Personal opinion here, but many companies used us to raise their profile. And we benefited from their presence on the platform, so it's all good.

Indeed, in an era where every other company is contracting, we are expanding. That means it'll be a little bumpy along the way and that's ok.

Again, thanks for taking the time to post.

I very much appreciate the dialog and opportunity to be forthright, and I'm glad you're so free to post your thoughts honestly too.

I totally agree that UAD made EVERYONE raise their game. Even still I read the old UA webzine articles about how they tackled complex non itineraries or unique release times, and a lot of companies still aren't modelling those things as well many years later. I love that attention to detail and welcome learning as much of it as possible. Its obviously a niche audience for that stuff, but for the ones who do care, they are very passionate about it. Products like Verve/Oxide/Century don't really lend themselves to that as much.

But yeah, while UA was DSP only it gave a lot of companies a very easy path to take for what native plugins to release. I think companies like Slate, IK, Arturia etc all owe UAD a TON, without UA then those products wouldn't have been as desirable. And I don't begrudge anyone for it, the more the merrier and there is room for everyone to flourish. As you say, UA benefits from it too.

It just kind of clicked with me that we KNOW UA is sat on a ton of amazing tech. There is a demand of customers that want to use it in particular ways that isn't being met yet - thats great for UA if they can get these products out soon, but less good if someone else gets there first.