Hi, i want to try distressor, and i can also choose another plugin in the package.. Any suggestions? https://www.uaudio.com/products/uad-hip-hop-2-pack

 

They sound solid, but, since they're mainly analog emulations i feel there are better sounding options in 2025. Most people will use UAD because they already have it and know the plugins, also because they sound good compared to overall devs. But not my cup of tea.

 

Of what's available on that package, i'd say:
-dbx 160 if you want something for drums
-Fairchild 670 if you want "creamy" compression
-Studer 800 if you want heavy tape saturarion
-Ampex 102 if you want subtle tape saturarion
-1176 collection maybe but kinda redundant if you're going for the distressor.

The rest is kind of out there already, i mean these have also been emulated by other brands but i like UAD's take on them more.

There's also free trial if you want to try them.

 

You can get 3 months of spark for $1. Try 'em all (if native).

 

Thermionik Culture Vulture, but it isn't part of the ones you linked. So probably the Distressor.

Also, the A800 Studer is a good tape machine emulation. Verve is ok but it was already given away for free. Their DBX 160 is a good emulation, the G compressor is a good one, and the SSL 4000E channel strip is another. Their 224, Avalon, and the Moog are not bad either.

They are all good, but most are not much better than other developers' emulations of the same units.

 

I'd go for the Pultec, my fav coloring EQ. I also like the Galaxy Tape Echo & the Lexicon.

 

The Avalon doesnt get as much love as it deserves.

 

Sound City Studios is quite good actually.

 

Last weekend they had a sale where you could get their Vol2 Collection (which includes all but like 2-4 of all the "native" plugs for $124 on sale. (no Neve stuff as that isn't available outside of tethered to the hw etc)..

54 in all.

That was a pretty good deal. Not sure if it is still on....

 

Go for that Distressor+ Add Lexicon 224 or Voxbox.
If you not have Tape Or Channel Strip that would be = SSL + ATR-102.

I think most analog emulations are good, I'm talking about all developers in general, but UA has a little bit more, just like any plugin. You have to know what you do with it, they don't do magic either.

 

The Distressor one is great. the 160 emulation does the same as my hardware so I use that a lot. Sound City one is fantasic. Sometimes they emulate the idiosyncrasies of the originals TOO much if you know what I mean.. the Space Echo is good but annoying in that way.

 

The reverbs are their best IMO. They can smash pretty easy most of the analog reverb plugins from the market. They got personality and an expensive vibe.

 

S O U N D C I T Y, Greatest plugin of the last 5 years.

 

Where UA is still at the top of the emulation game:
AMS RMX16 - if you need 80's snares, this is it. If you tweak Alchemy Glow, it's a good native alternative. But the UA presets are next level (as usual)
AMS DMX - level pegging with the H910/H949 for microtuning pitch shift. But the Publison Infernal 90 is the king of pitch shift - no plugin though. Come on UA, talk those stubborn Frenchies into a deal!
Lexicon 224 - Original algo, end of story.
Lexicon 480L - Original algo. Lexicon PCM is a native contender for polished Lex reverb. But the 480L is really great sounding. That's why they're still in studios today.
Ampex 102 - genuinely great. One of the best tape emulations going, native or DSP.
A-type - seems better than other attempts

Equal or better options than UA:
Distressor - very good but Empirical Labs Arouser is essentially a native version. Softube have an emulation too.
Roland Chorus - get the Arturia native emulation. It cannot be beaten.
Neve 33609 buss compressor - Arturia is the best currently.
SSL buss compressor - get the bx_townhouse - I've heard nothing that can touch it
1176, LA2A, Pultec - countless native emulations, some are as good as UA. The Native Instruments Softube emulations for 1176 and LA2A are top contenders. Softtube Tube-tec for the Pultec.
Chandler Zener Bender - very easy and musical. There's a native version identical to UA's. I like it more than Pultecs.

I've probably overlooked many.

 

Massive Passive -> Pulsar Audio nailed it
Avalon -> Acustica nailed it
Motown Eq -> Nomad Factory nailed it
33609 -> Arturia nailed it, but my favorite is Acustica Gold
1073 -> TBTech nailed it
SSL -> PA nailed it
Ampex -> Cupwise nailed it
Distressor -> EL nailed it
API -> Pulsar Modular nailed it
1176 and LA2A -> DMG Audio nailed it
Pultec -> Apogee nailed it

The only analog emulations from UAD that i find no one did better are the Fairchild and the Studer. Those i give the praise for UAD. The other i prefer the mentioned versions or just don't care at all.

 

Yeah, while I'm not gonna make any claims on best reverbs on market as that can be so subjective and dependent on use case at hand, their Sound City Studios, Capital Chambers, and Motown etc etc have given me more mileage than I would have thought necessarily going in.

While Sound City Studios models more of the whole room/chain/mics/gear/etc etc, and the others available native are more like feeding a chamber etc,.... and while sure, there are ir's I'd imagine of a lot of this stuff.... they are just fun and useful... and I've found myself dropping them on a lark on guitars, vocals, synths, drums, whatever.... and just, while sure, admittedly video game playing the mic positions and whatnot, have spent some time with them, AFTER spending time with and being set (I thought) with other chains with other heralded verbs and whatnot ranging from Lex to Valhallas to eventides, st plate and many others all in ones and whatnot.... and I found myself just honestly liking the 'character' of the UAD experimentation.....

I'm sure it's not the same with everyone and taste etc, and I get people don't like UAD (I didn't for a long time), and iLok etc (but I'm stuck there regardless so).

I usually mix and match between different devs etc for different things, but since their prices have come down a GREAT GREAT deal (again, getting pretty much all native in their catalog for $124), and they are friendly with my cpu.

I get both sides of the argument on them, believe me, but I'll also admit when they get things right, and they absolutely do on a quite a few things.

 

i like UAD LA2A on vocals
and the channelstrip on drum rack
also the verve machines on bass