There used to be this cross-grade thing with PA if I'm remembering right. If you buy a PA plugin you don't get the UAD version, but if you buy UAD you get the PA version for free. I think maybe Oxford Inflator might be included in that, but I'm guessing... My memory is hazy on what that applied to or how you even get that cross grade, but in order to authorise that they would need to authorise it somehow. That means some kind of searching for the same plugin and allowing it to run

 

This cross-grade thing did exist at some point several years ago, but it worked from original developer's side. E.g. if you had UAD Sonnox Inflator you could get a discount for Sonnox native version.
Anyway, it worked for just a short time. I have UAD, Softube, Sonnox and PA plugins and each of them is minding their own business now.

As for the OP's first question: UAD System File Report contains:
- Your operating system & version number
- Installed hardware & drivers versions
- Instaled UAD-2 hardware & ID
- Installed UAD software version information
- Current firmware on your UAD-2 devices
- Authorized (purchased) and DEMO-activated UAD plugins list
- Optional required software report (On Windows it's Visual C++ Redistributable etc...)
- UAD software installation paths

This may be useful for Support to detect and resolve possible issue you have. It's up to you if you wish to share this data, meaning they can't know all this unless you share it by your own will.

 

It was probably a few years ago when I did this install and saw this stuff happening. Could have been PA that caused the deauthorising and like you say, PA seems to keep out of stuff like this now. I have been buying stuff when I can afford and they allow both to exist. PA allows offline authorising, so that's cool in my mind

But UAD is smashing us over the head with these demands and they lose credibility when they demand to climb inside our computer like this... We're talking about the most hardcore of protections for software with this dongle, plus an extra iLok which is also the most advanced protection right now, then they demand the online stuff as well... This is what people who PAID UAD have to go through to use software that they own, when the VST2 versions that they bought are dead already... I'd like to disable all my VST2 stuff but UAD is pretty much the only thing that is essential. Instead of bringing all their software up to date, software that STILL costs nearly $10,000 if you want the lot, plus the hardware, is already outdated

This is all done under the guise of protecting their property... But this shit winds me up so much when everyone just accepts it. Our freedom is being eroded bit by bit and everyone just keeps conforming to it. At this rate it won't be long before lyrics become outlawed because they go against authority ("they're talking about a revolution"? "We've brought you into custody Tracey to find out who is talking about this revolution Tracey")... So much in music is protest, going against the grain, fighting for rights etc, but everyone seems to have given up and just accepted authorities giving us permission to make music

The bottom line, no matter what UAD has installed with UADx, you just have to look at the facts and ask yourself whether after making all these demands, in this situation, do you trust this Company to behave themselves? This isn't about historic reputations, this is about how they are adapting to the now, to protect their intellectual property. What measures have they taken up to this point? Is it appropriate? Could they use alternatives and would those be viable?

Then ask yourself about those Customers who already gave them shedloads of money for this dongle software, how have they catered for them to bring them into the current era?

Playtime your justification makes sense. What they are showing on the outside that they only know this list and ask for permission to access this information does imply that they don't have any access to other software etc. I do agree with your perspective and I think you may well be correct, but the measures that UAD have taken here, plus the white box thing that I've had after removing UADx doesn't look good

This might well be a PC issue and personally I think UAD should have stayed well away from PCs if they weren't going to support them properly. Moving into UADx and creating those broken down UAD Apollo single core things and beyond is taking the piss when they haven't really finished bringing the old stuff up to date

But even if you are right that they can't access our information, the online demands just don't make any sense in relation to Customers who already bought these plugins, when the dongles already authorised for 20 years and haven't been cracked. It shows how much thought they've given to those Customers when they locked the authorisation into an extra iLok protection, as well as online install of UAConnect as essential

It might be a closed system right now and they might not have done anything nefarious yet, but they've created a doorway to change that position whenver they feel like it and all of this adds up in my mind to say 'I can't trust them'... We all saw with Covid how far people with power will abuse that power if we give it to them. Its still in place in China FFS

 

Same here!

 

I agree on that. UA went over the top with their protection system, especially with UADx and diabolic UA Connect app. This thing drives me crazy even if all my UADx plugins are authorized on iLok USB.
And it still wants to go online and stay active every time you use UADx plugins

I, as well as number of other users were very vocal on UAD forums asking why all this fuss which is clearly slowing things down while working - but Universal Audio was just like "iLok and our UA Connect app is here to stay".

 

If they really spying my Computer, why would they still have my System Report than?

 

I haven't been on there for 2 or 3 years so I haven't seen this...

I didn't know about the necessity to stay online or go back online, whatever the minimum is. I was told that the plugins work offline, so I got an iLok and it doesn't work. My music PC has to go online to activate it. I'm glad I never commited further than that after what you've written here...

That's a disgrace to me and it tells me that they can't be trusted. Surely if I've been online once, activated, locked my plugins into my USB iLok, I should then be able to use them without having to go back online? Even activation via my Apollo dongle? Its just a big 'fuck you' to all the Customers

I can't see how anyone can trust them off the back of all of that... But we're all free to make our own decisions. I just know my own experiences and if people are asking its here for what its worth

 

@reziduchamp I have honestly seen the awful protection UAD has put into its UADx. However it would be really serious if it interfered with other plugins and developers, even disabling them. Besides doing so would be the end of its reputation as an audio company, going the way of Krause.

 

Even is a pain , reset your Mac , verify if UAD is working ok , if not , with the sistem having just "paid" software make a report and send them ...

 

Totally agree. I haven't been using UADx because I can't get it installed, so to be clear I can't say that they are doing anything bad. I just see a lot of things that don't make sense and I see good reason not to trust them... Personal opinion

It looks like one simple question to me - 'why do you want us online?' Offline is a clear and credible option, but they don't want us working that way. Why?

Everybody who owns a UAD dongle with legit software could be using VST3 versions by now. Why have they chosen to neglect those Customers?

@johnw real world examples of them holding us to ransom. In my experience when my Apollo fell to shit after an update it took me a month to get working again and I had to do it all on my own. They don't put that in the adverts when they're trying to get UADx PC Customers

 

Just to get this clear.. they don't want my UAD System Report File.. They want my MAC-System Report File! If I send it to them they will see all Information about my Mac, Drivers and installed Software and so on.. This way they will see that I've got some cracked Plugins too on my Mac..

In future I will stay away from cracks and buy more and more legit stuff If the Money is available. But I can't buy all I need right now..

 

Just get a fast USB-C or Thunderbolt external drive and install MacOS and your legit software on it. If the issue persists send in your report from a clean system and let them have at it.

It's always good to keep at least one external drive you can boot from and recover your work from. I guess this is an other reason. You can probably get a boot capable external drive for under a hundred bucks and just CYA in case of failure and in this instance as well.

 

If they were "spying" on your computer, you'd think they would have a way to exfiltrate your System Report without asking for it. It's only a few hundred kilobytes.

But in reference to your maxed out m1, that does not mean anything. My maxed out MacBook Pro did the exact same thing with UAD Solo X 40gbs Thunderbolt 3 connected. The only reason they didn't get to blame my computer, is that when I called the tech support line listed in the printed manual, that went to a disconnected extension. Then when I got another person on the phone at UAD, they acted like I deserved the problems with "their" interface because it's a *expensive consumer grade Toy* and not a Pro Audio device. I wouldn't even be surprised if they do not even build them at their own factory. They are FP = Foreign Product.

So if one has the money for a Maxed out Mac M1 Max machine, and a UAD Twin X; what plugins are you worried about them finding cracked copies of? Maybe you should just buy them instead of supporting a shitty, money-grubbing, company like UAD. "Try before buy" doesn't seem to be a legit concern here. Even so, Copy your /Plugins/Components and /VST3 folders and put them somewhere else. Empty your real Components/VST3 folders. Generate the Report. Put your plugins back. Simple.

My point is that they will be unwilling to accept responsibility for their product's problems. If they cannot blame cracked software, next it will be your computer or it's OS. They will maybe suggest you should be running Ventura. (only to find lots of other unsupported hardware). Then it will be Logic, because you should be running Luna, like a moron.

I never did get to test a Twin X. The one they shipped me was DOA brand-new out of the box. Shipped back, got Motu 828ES and could not be happier with their product or their technical support. F*ck UAD. My Sweetwater guy was great about the whole thing. No added shipping charges, no restocking fees, etc. Nothing like UAD.

 

Last edited: Dec 7, 2022

This is criminal!!!

 

I'd say to them that i'm a lawyer, government official, military, something like that. That your superiors don't allow you to give a system report BC it may give your personal data about secret things. So, they need to solve it other way if the problem persists.Why should you give personal data to a company? If they don't solve your problem saying it's not possible without the system report, i'd sue them, because they are not pledging with the warranty of the product. The only thing they need to know it's your OS and especifications about it. If the product it's not working in a OS that's designed to work it's THEIR fault, not because you have "something" on your computer. This is ridiculous

 

Last edited: Dec 7, 2022

The problem is that I can't reproduce this error because the clock always jumps randomly from internal to external (SPDIF or ADAT) and I'm not using ADAT or SPDIF devices at all. If I do what you suggested, it's likely that this problem will be solved, but I still don't know what is the real cause of this problem and where is it coming from or rather how to solve it..?

 

Im sorry for ma boi R&B lover, but at least i have one more company at the list of companies i should avoid

 

I've all ready spend a lot of money in UAD Plugins and Hardware same goes for native PA Plugins. Like I said in an earlier Post here. In future I want to stay away from cracked Plugins and buy everything legit. But I can't buy everything what I need all at once because money is tight at the moment

Did you ever create that System Report File? It's bigger than just a few kilobytes. Mine is 8,1MB. You can do that on
Apple Menu / About this Mac / System Report File/ Save.

There you will see all your Installations History Entries. Applications, Patches, Drivers and what not.. It isn't as simple like hiding my cracked Components or VST Plugins

 

Mine is 4meg. But it bulks up, like you say. However, I would have figured you would have already wiped MacOS clean to even start your journey into Repeatedly Installing and Uninstalling the UAD software. So it would be more like mine. Anyway, not the point. For someone "spying" at HDD content level, it's a super small file in the greater scheme of things.

But it is actually just as simple. Nothing besides their software is any of their business, and MacOS prevents a failed component from causing most conflicts (like days of old and Extensions in MacOSX). They do not need to look at PLISTS which are immaterial to them.

They are asking you, to provide a reason for them to blame you. "Not Our Devices problem". No offer of a replacement unit. We can discuss further when you decide to keep the unit and come back to ask AS for help. Or to tell us about your replacement unit. I'd send them the file, and we'll see you in a few days. Speaking of which, do you have any legit plugins you might think about trading for a UAD Thermionic CV I can't use?

This is all of system report they should need to see. The rest has nothing to do with them. I would Recommend you make a Time Machine backup (Time Capsule), and then reinstall your MacOS onto a cleaned partition. (I always do this when installing a new interface, btw). then send them whatever. They are hoping this happens by asking you for it. Maybe they get lucky and you just will go away :

Model Name: Mac Pro
Model Identifier: MacPro5,1
Processor Name: Quad-Core Intel Xeon
Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
Number of Processors: 2
Total Number of Cores: 8
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache (per Processor): 12 MB
Memory: 64 GB
Boot ROM Version: MP51.0089.B00
SMC Version (system): 1.39f11
SMC Version (processor tray): 1.39f11
Serial Number (processor tray):
Hardware UUID: 5xx-

 

Last edited: Dec 7, 2022

The strange thing is I don't have just one Apollo I have two of em. Apollo X4, Apollo X8P and a Satellite Octo. But I've got these issues with both interfaces. No matter if they're connected together or seperately.. I don't thing it's an Hardware Issue it must have something to do with the software or the drivers. I don't have such issues with my RME Babyface Pro but this is not my main Interface.

Sure I can make a clean Install on an external SSD and install just PA and UAD Plugins, Cubase and Studio One and see if this issue is still there but if not than I still don't know on my Main System where this Issue is exactly coming from..