

- CAN YOU USE UAD PLUGINS WITHOUT THE APOLLO ATTACHED PLUS
- CAN YOU USE UAD PLUGINS WITHOUT THE APOLLO ATTACHED SERIES
This plug-in also includes a Mix control that allows the processed and dry sounds to be mixed for parallel compression. Precision Buss Compressor models a dual-VCA–type, single-band compressor, and sounds to me as though it is based on the famous SSL bus compressor certainly, it has the same ability to make mixes sound more cohesive.
CAN YOU USE UAD PLUGINS WITHOUT THE APOLLO ATTACHED SERIES
Universal Audio have also developed a series of plug-ins under the ‘Precision’ label, and there are three new entries in this category. Though it can be used on individual tracks, it is also good as a simple tool to help glue together the elements in a mix, and seems to help remove the raw edge from a track or mix without dulling it. The controls couldn’t be simpler: there are just Gain and Peak Reduction knobs either side of the central meter, and a switch to change from compression to limiting. Based on the original Teletronix solid-state optical LA3A Audio Leveler produced back in 1969, this design is capable of faster attack and release times than the earlier and more celebrated LA2A.

LA3A Audio Leveler is an altogether simpler proposition. The gate section is also extremely positive in operation, especially if you add a little hysteresis. The EQ can be assertive without sounding harsh or phasey, while the compressor adds consistency and density without killing the high end or making the sound seem squashed, and is a good choice for all routine compression tasks, including vocals.

Global controls include a phase switch, an output level control and separate bypass buttons for the EQ and dynamics sections.Īs you’d expect from its provenance, this channel strip is a great workhorse tool, and it operates very predictably. The EQ and dynamics sections can be patched so either comes first, and the EQ can also be placed in the compressor side-chain for frequency-conscious dynamics processes such as de-essing. The usual controls for Threshold and Range are joined by a Hysteresis control allowing the gate opening and closing thresholds to be set differently, which is a very effective way of avoiding gate ‘chatter’. The expander/gate likewise has variable release time with a choice of fast or slow attack. There’s a continuously adjustable ratio control, with a choice of preset fast or slow attack times, while release time ranges from 0.01 to 3 seconds, with a programme–dependent Auto option. The VCA-style compressor can be switched to operate as a limiter, and there’s a separate expander/gate.
CAN YOU USE UAD PLUGINS WITHOUT THE APOLLO ATTACHED PLUS
The EQ includes 12dB–per–octave high and low cut filters, plus a four-band EQ where the two mid sections are fully parametric and the outer bands can be switched between two fixed-Q ‘bell’ modes or the more conventional shelving operation. To tackle the new plug-ins in no particular order, Neve 88RS Channel Strip is based on the EQ and dynamics sections of the highly acclaimed Neve 88 Series console launched in 2001. The original UAD1 card itself has been covered in SOS many times before, so we’ll concentrate here on rounding up the latest and greatest of UA’s new plug-ins.

There’s also a new option for those who want to use the plug-ins on a laptop: the UAD Expander (see box). Universal Audio’s UAD1 card goes from strength to strength, with new plug–ins being added all the time, many based on vintage or classic analogue gear. New plug-ins continue to emerge from Universal Audio HQ at a scary rate, and their DSP-based effects and processors are now available to laptop users for the first time.
