Turtlerock Forum

is the UAD 2 laptop really better than compressors and reverb found in Logic etc?

My thinking is as I know synthesis really well, been a synth head since 1982, I should be able to brew up pretty spot on emulations of the UAD stuff if I heard it.
I mean I have a average sounding drum loop track that now sounds amazing since I have run it through 2 eqs, a compressor, a Valve Tone 62 and a PSP Vintage Warmer.

I LOVE Live 8 but prefer the overall sound of Logic

I have been thinking about buying a UAD2 laptop card for my MBPro but wonder if the compression and reverb you have to buy with the UAD2 is really worth the money?

I can submit the loop if people want to hear it.

here is the original loop and my quick version
http://www.sendspace.com/file/s294dd

whats the question here....

Live 8 vs Logic?

or Native Plugs vs UAD 2?

Or Both??

my 2c.

u prob wouldnt be able to tell Logic from Live if u blind tested urself...so use what u enjoy :-)

as for plugs, use what gives u the vibe!!

ps. where u get those driums from ?? I can hear the craziest jungle tunes being made with those sped up to 170 bpm :P

my question is UAD2 vs Logic plug ins.

I cant remember where I got the drums from

amnesia wrote:my question is UAD2 vs Logic plug ins.

I cant remember where I got the drums from

ahh..

have u compared ur results using Logic plugins to stuff u like?? as in released music u like?

I have and I havent. I am no longer releasing beat music, i now record purely analog modular improv, but I enjoy taking loops and seeing how I can engineer them.
This is really why I would like to see what the UAD2 stuff is like.

A bunch of my mates used to do noise, improv type stuff. I remember 1 show they had a tape machine running with the tape actually threaded though a thawed frozen chook, plus with all sorts of noise making devices on stage including a piano "gizzard". They had a band too which did all Avant Guarde music, they were called "Bluebeard", very very strange stuff.

This has nothing to do with plugins, just thought it was funny is all.

The UAD plugs are meant to be heaps better than most native plugs, I hav'nt used them but I've heard reasonable results from people who use them. I've never actually liked the sound of logic, most who use it love it so I'm not going to crap on it but to me it sounds really weird, pretty much every track I've ever listened to that was done on logic has the same sort or "synthetic sheen" sound. Hard to describe and put my finger on but I notice it all the time.

Just my opinion.

listened to the second half of the loop, with the processing, i think it could do with more low end beef...which prob can be done with a few different choices on your logic bass/mids eq...

compression sounds pretty good. im guessing though, with a UAD cocktail, a bit more phatness, saturation in the right places (analog blah blah etc)
some people reckon they can match UAD sounds with native plugs, so i guess it might come down to "what the driver is doing" sort of scenario.

imo, for 2-3K its prob not worth ur money...

to add to that, i think a PSP eq might do ur sound more favours than a stock Logic EQ...

just as an update

I wanted a UAD2 laptop but found out that the Manley Masive Passive takes up 78% cpu power alone so I could NOT run a FATSO at the same time in stereo :-(
I bought an eventide eclipse, focusrite liquidmix16, Sennheiser HD650, TC electronics Konnkt24D, and am going to either get the Thermionic Culture Vulutre OR Rooster, I have to test the CV first before I make a final decision :-)

Thanks for everyones help

just as an update

I wanted a UAD2 laptop but found out that the Manley Masive Passive takes up 78% cpu power alone so I could NOT run a FATSO at the same time in stereo :-(
I bought an eventide eclipse, focusrite liquidmix16, Sennheiser HD650, TC electronics Konnkt24D, and am going to either get the Thermionic Culture Vulutre OR Rooster, I have to test the CV first before I make a final decision :-)

Thanks for everyones help

heathen wrote:I've never actually liked the sound of logic, most who use it love it so I'm not going to crap on it but to me it sounds really weird, pretty much every track I've ever listened to that was done on logic has the same sort or "synthetic sheen" sound. Hard to describe and put my finger on but I notice it all the time.

funny, I think the same about protools.

just my opinion though ;-0

Chris

What do you think of the liquidmix? Thinking about getting one...

amnesia wrote:just as an update

I wanted a UAD2 laptop but found out that the Manley Masive Passive takes up 78% cpu power alone so I could NOT run a FATSO at the same time in stereo :-(
I bought an eventide eclipse, focusrite liquidmix16, Sennheiser HD650, TC electronics Konnkt24D, and am going to either get the Thermionic Culture Vulutre OR Rooster, I have to test the CV first before I make a final decision :-)

Thanks for everyones help

Linear wrote:

heathen wrote:I've never actually liked the sound of logic, most who use it love it so I'm not going to crap on it but to me it sounds really weird, pretty much every track I've ever listened to that was done on logic has the same sort or "synthetic sheen" sound. Hard to describe and put my finger on but I notice it all the time.

funny, I think the same about protools.

just my opinion though ;-0

Chris

....funny, I have never heard a discernible difference in the "sound" of respective DAW's, although I have never put a track up in both Logic and tools to compare.......but somehow i doubt there is a difference ;-(

Kurt

Havent used the liquid mix 16 as yet its in the mail....a friend recommended it to me, I would have gone the UAD2 route but its just not powerful enough on the laptop version.

Linear wrote:

heathen wrote:I've never actually liked the sound of logic, most who use it love it so I'm not going to crap on it but to me it sounds really weird, pretty much every track I've ever listened to that was done on logic has the same sort or "synthetic sheen" sound. Hard to describe and put my finger on but I notice it all the time.

funny, I think the same about protools.

just my opinion though ;-0

Chris

Yeah I don't like toolz either. Much prefer nuendo and Samplitude.

In defence of the Logic plugs, I find they are very good as "clean"/"transparent" tools. I'd be the first to admit that they do not have much character, but then again there is often a call for transparent plugins. I use the TRacks "vintage tube" EQs and compressors for my more coloured plugs on tracks, but then I'm very happy with Logic's plugs for the cleaner versions (although I do also use TREXs Linear Phase EQ as well). The Logic Space Designer impulse reverb is top notch IMHO.

Like all things, its as much about learning to use the tools you have to their best, rather than buying a new tool. Believe me, the "my mixes will sound so much better if only I had a [insert current obsession here]" approach is a slippery slope to dissatisfaction.

chris p wrote:In defence of the Logic plugs, I find they are very good as "clean"/"transparent" tools. I'd be the first to admit that they do not have much character, but then again there is often a call for transparent plugins. I use the TRacks "vintage tube" EQs and compressors for my more coloured plugs on tracks, but then I'm very happy with Logic's plugs for the cleaner versions (although I do also use TREXs Linear Phase EQ as well). The Logic Space Designer impulse reverb is top notch IMHO.

Like all things, its as much about learning to use the tools you have to their best, rather than buying a new tool. Believe me, the "my mixes will sound so much better if only I had a [insert current obsession here]" approach is a slippery slope to dissatisfaction.

+1
There are quite a free plugs as well that are quite handy for their more "distorted harmonics etc" sound. Camel Crusher and Rough Rider are two i use often. There are heaps more out there. Also if processor power is an issue the node ans freeze options are another option.

yeah uad is great. plate 140 is worth it. native plugins also good these days too.

little labs plug is a lifesaver and the spl td is cool too.

but... you max that card out with the newer plugs soo...... i never bought those super hungry ones.

amnesia wrote:I wanted a UAD2 laptop but found out that the Manley Masive Passive takes up 78% cpu power alone so I could NOT run a FATSO at the same time in stereo :-(
I bought an eventide eclipse, focusrite liquidmix16, Sennheiser HD650, TC electronics Konnkt24D, and am going to either get the Thermionic Culture Vulutre OR Rooster, I have to test the CV first before I make a final decision :-)

How are you finding the Eclipse Ross?

And let me know your thoughts on the Culture Vulture... thinking about grabbing one...

Hey Rustyo,
Need to put your name in ya post.
Cheers.

Like this?

heathen wrote:A bunch of my mates used to do noise, improv type stuff. I remember 1 show they had a tape machine running with the tape actually threaded though a thawed frozen chook.

can you hook me up with these guys? That sort of stuff really makes me totally reach for the panic button, in the best possible way of course.

usually i've found in my relatively novice experience ,

when you do live gigs for bands like this it can usually only mean that when you listen to the stereo buss rip,

that you just "happened" to have running into the laptop while said "thawed frozen chicken mix" was burning ones and zeros to hdd, the following morning you kinda wish that you hadnt taken up the singers challenge of drinking more oyster shots, jose and champagne than him, before, during and after the gig.

and, in hindsight, you realise its only then, that you kinda wish that the difference between owning UAD and ITB logic plugs could most likely have made some sort of difference. especially when you hear that phrase that the logic space designer plug just doesnt have a standard baseline patch to work with.

i mean shit, the band is running frozen chicken tape warmth, what kind of in the box plugs can handle that?

but then again..... i can honestly say that compared to the brains here, i have nothing. But i would love to hear that mix heath, i'm down with any band that utilises animal carcasses during a session.

ps: how many people here can admit to doing lovejobs and not accepting free booze. go on admit it, if you are, like, totally pro-fesh or a 7th day adventist then i can dig your style, but for the "normal" people, you can be semi nice and tell me that its only acceptable for the job/s that you don't get paid more than 3 pineapples for. or for them ones that you didnt sign up for but felt the need to remove that 12dB spike at 2K on the karaoke machine and then got stuck as the "guy who made that guy/girl sound dope mannn..."

oh and i cant answer the UAD vs ITB question, i havnt bought a UAD card so yehhhh. What. i have other thing to spend money on. like whitney houstons best of, or CCR's goldenest gold double cd... or even this http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Awesome-Emily-th ... 45f1fa7edc

i love the fact that the "crunch" pot has never been touched!

i'm going to bed now.

^ that post is making me scratch my head?

Mickstape wrote:

heathen wrote:A bunch of my mates used to do noise, improv type stuff. I remember 1 show they had a tape machine running with the tape actually threaded though a thawed frozen chook.

can you hook me up with these guys? That sort of stuff really makes me totally reach for the panic button, in the best possible way of course.

usually i've found in my relatively novice experience ,

when you do live gigs for bands like this it can usually only mean that when you listen to the stereo buss rip,

that you just "happened" to have running into the laptop while said "thawed frozen chicken mix" was burning ones and zeros to hdd, the following morning you kinda wish that you hadnt taken up the singers challenge of drinking more oyster shots, jose and champagne than him, before, during and after the gig.

and, in hindsight, you realise its only then, that you kinda wish that the difference between owning UAD and ITB logic plugs could most likely have made some sort of difference. especially when you hear that phrase that the logic space designer plug just doesnt have a standard baseline patch to work with.

i mean shit, the band is running frozen chicken tape warmth, what kind of in the box plugs can handle that?

but then again..... i can honestly say that compared to the brains here, i have nothing. But i would love to hear that mix heath, i'm down with any band that utilises animal carcasses during a session.

ps: how many people here can admit to doing lovejobs and not accepting free booze. go on admit it, if you are, like, totally pro-fesh or a 7th day adventist then i can dig your style, but for the "normal" people, you can be semi nice and tell me that its only acceptable for the job/s that you don't get paid more than 3 pineapples for. or for them ones that you didnt sign up for but felt the need to remove that 12dB spike at 2K on the karaoke machine and then got stuck as the "guy who made that guy/girl sound dope mannn..."

oh and i cant answer the UAD vs ITB question, i havnt bought a UAD card so yehhhh. What. i have other thing to spend money on. like whitney houstons best of, or CCR's goldenest gold double cd... or even this http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Awesome-Emily-th ... 45f1fa7edc

i love the fact that the "crunch" pot has never been touched!

i'm going to bed now.

Actually forgot to mention the frying pan with eggs and bacon frying (and miced up of course) on stage as well. These guys are'nt performing anymore and I'm not sure if anyone recorded it, I refused to do live sound by that time, especially for these guys heh.

Actually 1 gig they did was at Star City casino but this was thier normal show, a Mr Bungle esque type of set. Anyway they wore weird masks and stuff as you would expect with this type of show. The looks on the Rich Asian gamblers wandering past and having a gawk was priceless, I don't think they got another gig there.

Oh year the singer "Bortan" was in a band with me and my other guitarist mate, Bortan played keys and had everything including drums and samples synced from keyboard, we were doing the "Ramstein thing 2 years before Ramstein". Anyways he used to come on stage in a gimp mask with gaff tape stuck on himself in strategic places and just wearing a pair of undies also.

I can remember doing a show with a bunch of other metal bands and the other bands kept coming up to me and the other guitarist after our set saying you guys are great but we want to bash your singer.

Though no one could recognise him after taking off the gimp mask and letting his giant "Ned Kelly" type beard loose, I think they were even asking him to help find the singer and help sort him out. Hmmmm in hindsight I guess he just should'nt have exposed himself on stage, I think that's what did it. . :) They were the days.

Actually Capt Bluebeard may have ended up in an asylum for the criminally insane, not that he's done anything bad, he'd probably just feel comfy there while writing new material for a new album.

Ummmmm still not sure on those plugins though. :)

uad user here. there are probably better native options now, but the plate 140 is PIMPP

[quote="chribble"]uad user here. there are probably better native options now, but the plate 140 is PIMPP[/quote]

balls i have already posted this sorry

So how'd it go?

amnesia wrote:Kurt

Havent used the liquid mix 16 as yet its in the mail....a friend recommended it to me, I would have gone the UAD2 route but its just not powerful enough on the laptop version.

it is suppose to be here next week..I have had a run of bad luck with purchases lately all claiming they are ready to ship and having to wait a month :-

Don't you hate that!

amnesia wrote:it is suppose to be here next week..I have had a run of bad luck with purchases lately all claiming they are ready to ship and having to wait a month :-