So I am buying UAD-2 Solo Core for the first time. I am on a PC and using windows 7 and since I have i7 running, I will use the UAD Solo only for UAD plugins.
Here are my questions.

1. So I will plug in my motherboard PCI slot and Install the Plugins that are free and am I good to go?

2. Can I use it with the Pro Tools 12 AudioUTopia?

3. On average, how many UAD (probably the UAD free ones only, I'll buy some others later) plugins will i be able to run in this version of the UAD card?

Here is the specs of the UAD-2 solo core form some a random site

http://www.sudeepaudio.com/store/universalaudio/uad-2solocore


Any tips would also help

 

1. Yes, register your card with UAD and install their manager.

2. Don't know, don't see why it shouldn't work.

3. UAD instance chart http://www.uaudio.com/support/uad/compatibility/instance-chart.html

 

2. working

 

hello, all uad users , all audio love maker fellows hello too ,

congratulations for your first step, am certain you will like their products.

there exists the fourteen days long evaluation period for the downloaded stuff that includes all their plug-ins till the latest release version.

the plug-ins are known to work excellently within pro tools, me fails to see why they would not work with the liberated release.

the uad site is crammed with information, including loads of loads of marketing buzz, with regards to all their products.

all the best for all of us, plus then some for uad converts till becoming zealots...

 

Last edited: Jan 6, 2016

i'll take the chance to ask you guys what's with this UAD thing can someone explain it in detail ? thanks!

 

Their SHARC processors do the job instead of your CPU... Also their plugins can only be used if u own an UAD interface

 

Last edited: Jan 6, 2016

first of all I recommend you to buy Duo Core minimum

 

About the chart I dont understand! Can you give me an example of how many eq. Pultec eq (i know others will vary) will I be able to run on this Particular Uad solo?
And also can I use all the latest UAD Plugins with this UAD-2 Solo Core?

 

Last edited: Jan 6, 2016

The chart is pretty straightforward. Find the plugin instance and find the tab on top that corresponds to the card you have. For a solo card, you can run 16 stereo instances or 24 mono instances of any pultec legacy plugin.

With your solo card, you get the Analog Classics collection. It is basically a full set of processors to get you started on a full mix right away. The exact number of plugins you get will depend on the kind of card you buy. Legacy versions are basically UAD1 plugins ported to the UAD2 platform. It's only my appreciation that they sound better than any Waves equivalent, to give you an idea, but I'm sure other UA users will agree with me.

After a little while, you'll get greedy and want more and merrier. Don't worry. At least twice a year Universal Audio has storewide sales that offer you plugins at really handsome prices, and you are issued a discount coupon every other month, so you will have a chance to upgrade for really little dough. Don't let the price tags on their online store scare the hell out of you. To give you an idea, I combined the store discount with two coupons, and I bought a Chandler guitar amp emulation that lists for $199 for $19. With the same two coupons, I would have bought BX Digital V2 for $39 dollars, but I opted for the amp. Some coupons sometimes cover the full price of discounted plugins, and on sale, some plugins get to cost under 50 bucks.

Welcome to the UAD family.

BTW, if you can make the stretch, go for a Duo card at least. You'll be thankful in the long run.

 

Last edited: Jan 6, 2016

There is no solo for PC, only for Mac.

Solo core is good to add UAD plug-ins on one track/bus (i.e. vocals for example).
Not mixing entirely with UAD.

But UAD plug-ins have lots of issues. They focus more on analog reproduction and their GUI is usually awful. Complicated to master.

So I disagree with people saying you should buy a Duo (provided you're on Mac because as I said this choice can't be made for PCs).

I think for EQ for example, they have no graphical EQ, very poor GUI, unproductive workflow. So it's good to have pultec in your bag, but then again use it on vocals or acoustic guitar, but for other tracks it's a waste of time/money/complicated/unproductive.
Same for la2a and 1176, keep their emulation for your lead track.
You'll be much more productive if you use top EQs like AirEQ or Fabfilter Q2 on your tracks and keep the Pultec where it will make a difference (upfront lead vocal).

Keep in mind that UAD hardware also acts like a dongle. You can't open a UAD project anywhere without a hardware... Quite an important limitation. If you limit UAD to your lead track, you'll be able to at least bounce it in place before moving your computer.

If you don't care about $200, then buy the duo of course, you'll have more spare capacity for sure.

 

I have a Satellite Duo. I use the newer 1176's, Pultec and the Studer A800 practically on every mix I conduct. Also the Lexicon 224 gets quite a lot of use from me too (generally I find more use for Valhalla Vintage Verb though). Also their Neve 1073 is THE best 1073 modeling I've come across (I own a pair). I haven't had any GUI issues with them so far (If I want a graphical EQ I'll just use stock one from my DAW). Gainstaging in some of their plugins can be weird though; Their SSL ChStrip wants a really hot signal to get the compressor work properly. The input on the 1176 rarely goes past 9 o'clock on the other hand. Luckily these can be remedied with User Presets (I make my plugins open in User Default Presets).

The only real issue I have with them is I keep running out of juice. So far I've solved that by first using up my UAD processing power with all drum and bass tracks and then printing all that processing.

If you're on a laptop and have to keep working on the road, then an UAD Satellite could be really cumbersome to use (although I've never personally understood people who attempt to create world-class mixes on an aeroplane/train).

 

Disable Loadlock in the UAD Control Panel under Configuration to free up dsp-power from unused uad-plugins. Anyway, a Solo-Core is way to low, for example the new Neve 1073 Pre or Thermionic Culture Vulture eat the entire DSP % of that 1 core. I would highly recommend to buy a Duo at least, better a Quad or Octo.

 

A solo card is limited in DSP power for sure, but it is quiality DSP power and tracks can always be bounced.

Mixing is complicated to learn, and if someone puts their eyes on a UAD card, it is because they want the most faithful reproductions of high-class analog gear. It's not awful GUI, it's actually like the real deal.

Horses for courses. The legacy LA2A and 1176 are above average in sound quality, but the newer, full-featured versions are awesome. They sound great. I've never tried a hardware version of them, but I've compared different La2As and 1176 clones, and I always go back to them. BTW, UAD plugins are certified to be NEVE, SSL, and so on. Of course, this knob emulation workflow may not be good for the glowy, glossy Ableton lovers, and maybe they don't add much to an EDM producer, but for recording and mixing live instruments, they do an amazing job. No wonder you see tons of emulatons in hardware and software around the globe.

True. The biggest dongle, but at least, it's not a dummy dongle that only limits your license use. It actually does give you some processing power, however expensive it might be. Like I said before, the value of the dongle is compensated by the very thoughtful discounts and coupons a UAD user gets.

My case is a bit different anyway, because I have a Twin Duo, an Apollo interface, so I also enjoy the preamps whose impedance load can be changed by the plugins used, and the quality AD/DA conversion. I may have to bounce tracks at times, but it is good practice anyway, no matter how limited or not your processing power is.

 

well don't get me wrong, I think UAD Twin is a steal. For the same price at competitors (RME, Apogee...), you get industry-standard preamps (PGA2500) with certainly the best IC implementation. Only for that, Apollo Twin is a steal.

Then there is the plug-ins stuff, I would say, as an option. As you've probably guessed, I am not a huge fan. One point I'll agree with you is the quality of the sound. For hardware emulations, it's for sure the best developper. Again if you're after industry-standard sound, it's interesting to have la2a, 1176s, pultec and eventually Neve available.

But otherwise if you don't care about emulation of an antique machine, you just want the best sound with the best workflow and the speed to get what you have in mind, UAD plug-ins are certainly not the best. Only the result of your mix matters. If you have the best plug-ins but you can't use them, your mix will be poor despite multiple $$$ setup. On the contrary, some people may achieve a very acceptable mix with Izotope Nectar for example because it's easy and quick. The workflow does not target industry veterans with 30 years of experience comparing hardware manufacturers and eventually using them.
So I'd say it's good to have some UAD plug-ins available for ultra-sensitive tasks where you are particularly trained and sensitive (such as touching subtly a pure vocal), but a full-mix with UAD plug-ins, unless you've spent your entire life doing so at the studio with hardware, not sure it's worth the investment.