Universal Audio UAD-2 Quad Omni: It's A Plugin Four-For-All, Or Something
While the Universal Audio UAS-2 Quad Omni might have a name that qualifies as "confusing" or "ridiculous" or even "doesn't make any sense out of context," it (the name) actually refers to the two main features of this hardware-accelerated plugin "Pak." The "Quad" is a reference to the SHARC 21369 floating-point processors that make up the core of the UAD-2 hardware, and "Omni" refers to the fact that the UAD-2 is everywhere, always, and can read your thoughts. It can greatly speed up your studio workflow, just don't consider using a non-UA plug in your session, unless you want to relive the classic Twilight Zone episode "It's a Good Life."
UAD-2 Quad Omni is the ultimate Universal Audio plugin bundle, comprised of thirty-four top-of-the-line plugins that rely on the UAD-2 accelerator card, and not your CPU, for processing power. Just peep this impressive (and impressively formatted) list:
- Compressors/Limiters
- 1176LN
- 1176SE
- Fairchild 670
- LA-2A
- LA-3A
- Neve 33609
- Neve 33609SE
- Precision Limiter
- Precision Multiband
- Precision Buss Compressor
- VCA VU
- Equalizers
- Pultec EQP-1A
- Pultec Pro
- Cambridge EQ
- Precision EQ
- Neve 1073
- Neve 1073SE
- Neve 1081
- Neve 1081SE
- Helios EQ
- Channel Strips
- CS-1
- Neve 88RS
- Reverbs
- Dreamverb
- Realverb Pro
- Plate 140
- Chorus/Delay
- Boss CE-1 Chorus
- Roland SDD-320 Dimension D
- Roland RE-201 Space Echo
- Special Processing
- Precision Enhancer kHz
- Precision De-Esser
- Precision Maximizer
- SPL Transient Designer
- Moog Multi-Mode Filter
- Moog Multi-Mode Filter SE
PHEW! Still with us? Cool.
Purchase of the UAD-2 Quad Omni Pak also includes a $50 (US) rebate towards the purchase of additional UA plugins (see, I knew "Omni" couldn't actually mean "all") and the ability to audition said plugins free of charge for fourteen days.
Now, while the owner-to-be will have to LITERALLY cough-up* $4,999 US for the UAD-2 Quad Omni Pak, this price does represent a $2,200 US savings over buying the plugins individually.
*advice on "coming up with" the dough: you're gonna want to swallow a little over five G's, just in case you can't regurgitate it right away. If you're having prolonged difficulty "forking it over," call a doctor, or just look at the price again.
UAD-2
This said, I own a couple and can assure you about the quality of their product. An MacPro with one quad UAD-2 is surely cheaper than a full Protool rig in my book.
UAD-2
Certainly, going Protools in today's music situation (I might say in the near future too) is not the smartest way to go. The industry have changed and I remember in the past, if we wanted the highest quality we needed to invest the largest bills. But today the quality-cost relationship is not a real issue (obviously, talking about professional grade gear). Compatibility between studios might be an excuse, but only for a chosen few artist with the need of working in different environments. I used to work full analog, logic and protools. Nowadays my set up is Quad PC, Nuendo, high end converter, Genelecs, UAD-2 and WAVES. Nobody has proved me that working with Protools will make my mixes better or my flow more interesting. Until then, I will keep working with UAD, Waves and Nuendo.
UAD-2 Rocks!!!
Post new comment