This month we’re talking about the much-celebrated UAD 4K plug-ins: the UAD 4K Buss Compressor and the UAD 4K Channel Strip. And we’re also taking some time to tout the manual that is installed with the UAD software. The UAD manual is a PDF document that is loaded with a wealth of information about not only what a control does and why it does it, but also helpful hints and the history of the unit that we modeled.

The CTC was noted for its uncanny ability to always sit perfectly in the mix and was used on many hit records, such as “Tell Me Something Good” by Rufus and “Low Rider” by War, for its spectacular short delay and doubling effects. Since its early discontinuation, the CTC has grown a very strong cult following and finds a home in such prestigious studios as Blackbird and Sunset Sound.

This month, we’re revisiting a couple of old favorites: the Helios Type 69 EQ and UA’s own LA-3A compressor. Entire albums have been mixed with just a Helios console and a couple of compressors, typically one optical (like the LA-3A or LA-2A), and one FET (like an 1176LN). The optical compressors were typically used for vocals, guitars, and bass.

In 2001, Jonathan Little of Little Labs released the IBP, or (In-Between-Phase) alignment tool, and the process of mic’ing has never been the same (in a good way). As a well respected studio tech in the LA studio scene, Jonathan Little had been dealing with phase issues the way everyone else did: you listen, and flip the phase switch. Ninety percent of the time, that did not fix it, so you had to go move the mics around.

UA’s software compressors fall somewhat into two types: vintage and simple to use, or modern with lots of flexibility. The LA-2A, LA-3A, and dbx 160 fall into the vintage, simple-to-use category. The Neve 33609, Neve 88RS, Precision Buss Compressor, Precision Multiband Compressor, and Precision Limiter fall into the more modern with-lots-of-flexibility category.

If UA were able to conceive a Moog product, what would it be? The answer is revealed in the soon-to-be-released Moog Multimode Filter, which delivers the first truly analog-sounding VCF (Voltage Controlled Filter) digital emulation made for mixing, performing, creating, or destroying. How can we claim this? The devil is in the details … read on-and then listen!

The Precision Mix series is an incredibly flexible and all-original lineup of plug-ins from Universal Audio. This series includes (in order of introduction) the Precision De-Esser, the Precision Buss Compressor, and the Precision Enhancer kHz. All three perform unique and valuable functions in your DAW-based studio, and they also are quite DSP efficient.