Recording - July 2015 - 40

Universal Audio

Reviews by Paul Vnuk Jr.

UAD-2 Powered Plug-ins Guitar Roundup
A collection of great guitar sounds from the UAD engine

When we think of UAD plug-ins, the first thing that comes to mind
is modeled recreations of classic studio boxes like the LA-2A,
1176LN, Pultec, Fairchild, 1073 and more. Aside from those
famous pieces, over the past decade Universal Audio has also
been amassing quite the collection of guitar-centered wares. It started with the long-discontinued Nigel back in the company's "Kind
Of Loud" days, which was one of the very first guitar amp/FX modeling plug-ins. The trend continues with the latest 8.1 software
update, adding a classic Marshall Plexi amplifier to the stable.
Here is a quick list of the many amps and effects pedals available in the UA-Verse, followed by a quick look at four of their
most recent 6-string additions.
Amps:
~ Softube Marshall Plexi Super Lead 1959
~ Brainworx Chandler Limited GAV19T (reviewed July 2014)
~ Brainworx ENGL E646 VS Ltd. Edition and E765 Retro Tube
~ Brainworx Friedman DS-40 and BE-100
~ Softube Vintage Amp Room, Bass Amp Room, and Metal Amp
Room
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Guitar Pedals and Effects:
Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808
Bermuda Triangle (Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Emulation)
Raw (Pro Co Rat Emulation)
Brainworx bx_tuner ("Hey, kids! I am only $19!")
MXR Flanger/Doubler
Echoplex EP-34 Tape Echo (reviewed February 2011)
Roland RE-201 Space Echo Tape Delay, Dimension D, and
BOSS CE-1 Chorus Ensemble (reviewed June 2007)

There is also the new Sound Machine Wood Works plug-in,
made to make acoustic guitar recordings done direct with a
pickup sound like a nice full-bodied miked guitar.
As you can see, this is a healthy list and stylistically covers a
lot of ground, from blues to country to death metal. While it may
not be as extensive and varied as some of the amp/FX modeling suites by competing companies, a strength here is that each
one of these is a solid, highly accurate model in its own right.
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RECORDING July 2015

That's why many of these plug-ins alone cost as much as one of
the entire aforementioned suites.
Now that we've given you a broad overview, on to four of the
newest arrivals!
Marshall Plexi Super Lead 1959
Developed for UA by the folks at Softube, this model was
done with the aid of well-known audio engineer Tony Platt (think
AC/DC), as well as Marshall's engineering staff supplying some
of their own personal vintage reference amps. No two ways
about it, this is the sound of '60s and '70s rock guitar.
As with most of the other newer amp models in UA's collection,
this is one amp, with one set of controls. This Marshall amp is not
like the Marshall amps of today with added voicings, 2-stage
drive setups, multiple channels, and other modern bits and bobs.
If you go into it looking for that instant hard rock/metal sound, you
may be disappointed... but classic rock? That's a different story.
Back in 1967 ("1959" is the model number) you got only the
simple controls of Presence, Bass, Middle and Treble. The Plexi
did offer two channel volumes, but to drive one into the other
required the use of a small 1/4" patch cable to literally jumper
the output of one channel into the other. On the plug-in version,
clicking on this 4-input area cycles through every possible combination, so you can find your sound and sweet spot.
I have been using this model for a few weeks and have
already had some great results with it in the studio. I will say that
many of the presets are "just okay" and are better thought of as
soup starters. This plug-in comes alive and does its job beautifully, once you start tweaking it for the guitar and the player in
your room, plus the song you are recording, and how it will sit
in the mix... and seriously, is that such a surprise? How many
vintage-1967 guitar amps with built-in "instant guitar god" presets have you seen?
For added tonal variation, Tony Platt helped pick out a variety
of his favored mics and mic positions. As with the other recent
UAD amp plug-ins like the Chandler, Friedman, and ENGL (those
three were created for the UAD-2 platform by Brainworx), the
mics and positions are set in stone. While this may sound limiting compared to the often-paralyzing variety of position tweaks

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