AudioMedia - July 2008 - (Page 51)

Powered Plug-Ins > A maximum of four cards in any format can be used in the same system. So perhaps a more positive spin on the UAD approach is that you can buy as much or as little power as you like and upgrade to extra cores later. Unfortunately more modern PC designs are minimising the slot count, so this may not work for everyone, and a multi-DSP alternative would still be welcome. For now, plug-ins share themselves out across the cards automatically once they’re authorised. When you add new hardware, a simple and free online reauthorisation extends this to your new cores. UAD products are sold as bundles of two kinds – a fixed collection of plug-ins, or hardware+voucher bundle that you can spend on your own customised collection. The entry level ProjectPak includes the 1176SE compressor, the Pultec EQP-1A EQ, RealVerb Pro, the CS-1 channel strip, and the Nigel guitar processor. There are also generous fourteen-day trials of all of the other plug-ins in the collection. After that, picking a bundle becomes more of a challenge for the indecisive. There’s no simple ‘give me everything’ option. The ExtremePak comes closest but only offers around two thirds of the available Project1 30/5/08 3:02 pm Page 3 plug-ins. According to UA this is because new plug-ins are released regularly, but it shouldn’t be too hard to offer an annual subscription that covers all releases for that period. But do you want all of the plug-ins? UA’s speciality is emulations of vintage hardware, and the range covers classics like UA’s own hardware range to more specialised products like Roland’s Dimension D and RE-201 Space Echo. There’s also a pack of Neve emulations, a version of SPL’s Transient Designer, and a Precision range of processors. Unlike the Focusrite LiquidMix, which offers a single interface for all of its emulations, the UA approach is to recreate accurate panel graphics where possible. This can be distracting – it’s easy to waste time trying a different processor, fiddling with the settings, trying a different processor… Sound quality is proverbially subjective, but I found myself thinking that the sound of some of the UAD plug-ins wouldn’t necessarily be one I’d reach for first. There was a distance between plug-ins that sounded like they could become go-to processors – like the Helios Type 69 EQ – and others like the Cambridge EQ, which seemed to have more limited utility. A likely way to maximise the benefit from the UAD system is to spend a day trying out all of the processors to get a feel for their sonic flavour, and then picking a personal best-of list. Stand-outs for me included the Roland range, the Nigel suite, the Helios EQ, and the Plate 140 reverb. I was least excited by UA’s own emulations of the 1176LN and the LA2A – they may be useful on selected solo material, but perhaps not so much as a bus compressor for post, especially considering the alternatives offered by the competition. But results depend on musical applications, and these emulations are very popular with some users, so this is a very subjective view. Given that a ProjectPak costs just £200, and comes with two week trials of everything plus a $150 voucher, the UAD system is affordable and powerful, and well worth a punt. Buying a couple of cards and a good selection of plug-ins will push the cost to over four figures – but in context, that’s still very competitive, considering the features and the sound. The UAD system may not suit everyone’s needs, but it has the potential to make some mix engineers very happy. ∫ £From £200+VAT Information W www.uaudio.com/products/uad-dsp_menu.html Distributor W www.hhb.co.uk/hhb/uk/source/ The Bricasti Design Model7 Stereo Reverb Processor The team: The Bricasti Design Model 7 provides the highest level of musicality and ease of control imaginable in a processor dedicated to the task of reverberation. A modern high resolution digital design, utilizing a stunning array of the latest DSP processors, provides a platform for the long overdue next step in reverb processing algorithms. A separate fully differential analogue section and dedicated transformer based linear power supply provide the finest analogy specifications of any product of its kind. The new Bricasti Design Model 10 remote console is a dedicated hardware remote Controller for use with the M7 stereo reverb processor, it can control up to 8 units. The people team behind Bricasti, Brian Zolner and Charles Dowdell, have been in the reverb business for a long time, with many years experience working on the cutting edge of reverb technology design. The design philosophy of the Model 7 is a carefully considered statement of Bricasti’s vision of what the evolution of reverberation processing in its most classic form can be. SCV London, 40 Chigwell Lane, Oakwood Hill Industrial Estate, Loughton, Essex, IG10 3NY UK Tel: 020 8418 1470 www.scvlondon.co.uk http://www.uaudio.com/products/uad-dsp_menu.html http://www.hhb.co.uk/hhb/uk/source/ http://www.scvlondon.co.uk http://www.scvlondon.co.uk

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of AudioMedia - July 2008

AudioMedia - July 2008 Contents Recording Post Broadcast What's Up UK Geofocus: France For the Record Special Report: Develop Preview SE Electronics 4400 Sennheiser MKH800 Twin Tubetech Club Final Cut: Wanted Smart AV Tango Doctor Who Made in America DSP Roundup Product Sampler: Summer Hits Edirol R44 Video Guide AMSR Fame - Le Musical Waves MaxxBCL Yamaha AD8HR Special Supplement

AudioMedia - July 2008

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