Pretty much this product is what a lot of people predicted many years ago. Well, probably they've been working on this for a long time secretly. Yes, UA indeed will tie up a full software recording system (aka DAW) into its range of Apollo hardware. What I find weird and funny though, in all the videos available of the reps from UA describing the system, they are going out of their way not to call the LUNA system a DAW. Man, are my eyes deceiving me or not? Cause I see a DAW! It may be a different beast of a DAW but it is a DAW!
Anyway, MAC ONLY at launch.

 

Since it's only available for their current customer base, this DAW is not a competitor /challenger.
When (if) they decide to release it to everyone, things might change. For now, it is only an experiment, some kind of add on.

 

I understand why they don't call it a DAW. It's different than other DAWs in that Luna is a GUI on top of/powered by Appolo hardware. Without the hardware, it won't run, launch, boot, be useful in any way.

Soooooo..., maybe just maybe it looks like a DAW like a motorcycle looks like a bicycle, and while they are clearly related and one is the conceptual offspring of the other, there are two separate words for each, despite the common (cycle) suffix.

Now, 20 years ago, a UK-BE company (Soundscape) had already come up with the concept (behind Luna) of a Digital Audio System (software powered by audio interfaces with onboard DSP, and a library of (excellent) plug-ins available to purchase. Soundscape systems were of a very high quality (I still have two of their interfaces in my racks) and the software had zero bugs (you can read that again: zero bugs).

Twenty years on then, it's just a case of coming up with a clever name/acronym for Luna other than DAW, and catchier that DRS (Digital Recording System). I heard the product had been in Dev for the previous 5 years, and in conceptual debate for a couple of years before that. If they've not yet come up with a name, well, maybe you can? DAS (Digital Audio System) is a little clunky and too Teutonic sounding (for some), so for now, Luna it is.

 

It's far too soon to say one way or another, and is certainly not an experiment. Luna has been seven years in the making, with five years of R&D and testing so I wouldn't bet money against UAD.

For starters, they wiped the floor with and buried TC Electronics' wonky solution 12-15 years ago, pretty much inserted themselves front and center in the plugin conversation and market, basically dinosaur'ed the mighty Waves and Wave Arts to the junk yard, and spearheaded much of the industry's Vintage renaissance (on both software and hardware fronts).

This is a company headed by visionaries and seasoned professionals. They think before they do, and what they do, they do thoughtfully. Now, nobody's perfect and the company might hit a snag with this "kind of add on" (do you work for Avid, I must ask?) but, talking about Avid, and seeing their struggles and how mostly only Netflix (which insists on all its content being produced and delivered on Avid A/V platforms for global interoperability) is keeping them alive these days, my money's on Luna for the foreseeable future.

 

Looks cool. I'm kind of hyped to know more about this, just for the sake of information

 

I don't think "experiment" applies here at all! UA has a hardcore dedicated user base and seeing how popular UA's hardware is around the world, I'd not underestimate this system to gain footing in many production studios. Mind you, this system will be available free for Apollo users. So, all UA is doing is keeping its customers grounded even more in using their product. Business-wise, not a bad move (or risk) to take after all.

 

I understand that part. However, I feel that UA is trying to market this system as something that is much more than a DAW. It's all good and probably it DOES more than a DAW. It's just that at the end of the day, a user will launch it, run tasks, record, mix and master on it JUST as we do on a DAW.
I may be wrong but my belief is that over time they'll have no choice but to start letting go of forcing the media and industry of not seeing LUNA as a DAW because already they are defeated on the internet. under every post on Social Media, people already saying and seeing it as a DAW.

 

I like the UAD software plugins, i use em and i know Apollo audio cards sounds very good but to be a serious pro daw or das or wtf u like to call it, must be more "open" to other resources, so at moment we know it works with proprietary soundcards, is AU compatible, i would like to see it more friendly with VST2/3. To me at moment sounds too as a marketing operation... the fact that is only for Apollo cards is really sick, so now tell me why i should switch from PT HD to this system when i own already PCIe DSP UAD? When it will be out ill test for sure but for a moment is a big "i dont know"