So, Ove past few weeks while waiting for my interview for the internship i've swapped over and learned pro tools and took to some upgrading around the studio.

I have entered into the UAD ecosystem... i know..

My question to all of you who have been here or still reside.
What should I be watching out for? Any quirks in plugins?

Besides me being very broke from buying the plugins the rest of my life lol
what should I be expecting?

Im going from a entry level UPhoria to Arrow . will I be blown away?
Yes I know I need more DPS in future, but for rite now tracking with 2-3 plugins is ok i UAD lives up to hype.

 

There are two things will irritate you: no external sidechaining and slow latency. You can click a little button on the lower control bar will get UAD to use the CPU to dramatically reduce the latency (looks like a mic), but the side chaining?

Apart from that you are about to get access to some of the most exciting and unique plugs around. The thing is nobody ever really pays the list price. You get to play a game with UAD where they offer you teasers and deals. Look out for any four plugs/collections (not bundles) deals. That way you can get the Big Bucks Plugs for a pop. I got the Sonnox limiter for around $12 by trading coupons. You'll work it out. Good starting points: the Massenburg EQ, the Precision range - do the jobs for a fraction of the price, and the reverbs. Oh the reverbs.

 

Demo the unison preamps, decide which ones you like with your mic/voice, and don't buy more UAD plugs till you have more DSP. Unless you plan to bounce everything i guess. One chip isn't gonna get you far in mixing. I have an Apollo Duo and an Octo and sometimes I still end up at the limit if I'm mixing with the 1073 or SSL strip

I do suggest you check out the precision de esser though. That mofo is uniquely good

Re: the plugins - RTFM. UA emulates all kinds of nuances in how the hardware behaves and there's a lot of stuff that's not obvious going on in some of the plugins. Lots of good info in the manual.


Tbh you might end up regretting the arrow. I know I regret getting a Twin Duo. Not for the DSP, but I find myself wishing I'd bought something with more i/o. I have to play musical chairs with my mic, synths, and guitar.

 

Another tip. You get 14 days demo of anything. Buying anything, however cheap, often resets all your demos so you get another 14 days.

 

$12 for any UAD plugin is amazing!
I heard that when you buy a plugin UAD Resets the demo's on everything?
that will be very benificial!
And i cannot WAIT to try the pre amps.... I use waves 73 emulation a lot so the neve will be first to try cant hardly wait to hear what a proper emulation sounds like!

 

as far as not buying anymore before i get more DSP. I %100 agree.
Im going to find a nice unison pre and use the compressor that comes with the initial bundle for a long time.
Only buy anything new if its on sale, or trade like dude said.
satelites are soooo cheap though I see them up all the time. 300 bucks for Quad thats not bad.

MMM edited. More like 500 for the UAD Quads used.. but still
I dont see that kind of investment that just ups your power that much as needless.
Im ok with satellite prices..

 

I thought very very hard about that. I at my house just record vocals. i have for yeeeears.
All my production is done in the box so really I just needed the 2 ..
I was going to buy a 1 input apogee before the incredible deal I got on the arrow.

So nah, i feel that point a lot. anybody with outboard gear would absolutely . need more i.o

But for a In the box producer and a Rapper vocalist.. its just rite for tracking

PLUS.... really.. REALLY ...hoping I get that internship.. so if I do record slipknot lol they will have
the i.o

im on a never ending hunt for a GREAT de esser.. the one that came closest to pleasing me is Eiosis... I settle for Fab filter cause Eio isnt on sister site for mac.. but if its as amazing as you say.. ill be buying that before anything but I definitely will be first to demo!

 

Errr, if your character doesn't do much damage consider switching to a Fire Mage, they usually do the most damage per second (dps)

 

Pardon me?
Im exclusively a Half Elf, Dual Wielding Rogue, Chaotic evil of course..

*ahem*

 

Well, After a trip to south MPLS, and a interaction with a guy that looked like the rapper Riff Raff..
It's here.

Im absolutely blown away.. it's seriously like hearing my voice for the first time..

and the 1073 ...braaaaaah Im selling my golden age pre today to purchase 1073 and another plugin while they are on sale.
love it, looks cool on the desk too.

 

It's def that good for me, anyway. It just makes things sound really smooth and natural where a lot of de-essers make things sound less dynamically offensive but just as harsh. Plus with the "custom shop" 50% discount and the $25 coupon you get you can buy it for like $25

Another reaaally nice one you can get fairly cheap with the CS discount is Oxide Tape. I think like $50. Just a really gorgeous soundgoodizer you could just throw on the master bus after mixing and not worry too much about multiple instances and DSP consumption

Here’s another tip btw, buy your plugins one at a time. Wait five minutes, get another post purchase $25 coupon, rinse and repeat.

Regarding I/O, if I had it to do over though I'd have waited and bought the Apollo x6. If you're gonna spend $800+ on an interface, may as well just save up a little longer. But what’s done is done. I’m otherwise super happy with it.

I got my octo for $800 from vintage king. Was a good deal, considering that even used they’re usually 900-1100. They have some good prices on b-stock stuff, and sometimes they have additional discounts in UAD b-stock

But yea the 1073 is prob my favorite UAD pre. Check out the V76 too. Idk what it is, but it just takes eq and compression so well.

 

Stepping out of my first 24hrs with UAD, Groggy, Sleepy eyed, but still could go for more.
It's like discovering masturbation.. sorry to be vulgar but it just is.
Im trying to be smart about my demo's doing 3-4 at a time to really get to know them

and you were spot on about that de esser. it's just perfect.. take me 2 fabs to get one that smooth.
that other thing about keeping stuff in your cart is correct as well, havent gotten any deals yet but i have not spent anything with UAD ethier yet purchased used.. If this sale can last few more days I can grab the 73 for $75 .

I know people complain about prices, but i've heard some of these units in real life and they are incredibly accurate.. I much rather pay $100 then $3000.
And as far as DSP goes. I guess i was fully prepared for the mixing down and etc.. i had a steady workflow off the bat.
Of course im already looking at Satellites with plugins ebay already but i can definitely go 4-6 Months with what I have.

Sure i got what rehabs call the pink fuzz rite now. All snow blind by the colors of sound.
but for rite now it was a dope ass night getting to know some really quality products.

 

Well... i've got good news
When you register a new device you get the 50% discount for 30 days. I think that applies to used devices too. Like I said, my satellite was b-stock, which I understand to mean used/refurbished. And it still gave me the 30 day discount. Btw UAD is usually pretty good about giving you a little slack on their promos, which might be good news for you. They were running a deal that I think if you got a device between sep 1 and oct 30 you get the analog pro bundle for free. I'm leaving for work in two minutes here, but see what you can turn up on google. It could have just been apollos tho, not sure. But if the Arrow qualifies, send them an e-mail. I registered mine a few days before the promo started and their support caught on and gave me the bundle without me even asking.

I think you need to buy at least one plugin before you get the $25 coupon. After that, you just keep getting them after every purchase.

For all the hate UAD gets, they have a few consumer friendly practices. And definitely some very consumer unfriendly ones. But hey, it's a mixed batch.

 

It usually means a product that has been returned within 30 days. It is considered new but since it was opened it sells a little lower as a B-stock product but comes with full warranty like new.
Cheers

 

im assuming i have to buy something first. When i mean used i mean..south side of city sketchy meet up used lol
wasnt even sure it worked till i got it home!
But i am completely sold and already planning my first few purchase. Ive read a ton of guides on buying plugins and all of them said exactly what Cav emp said

Thanks for the dope advice brah