UAD-2 DSP Accelerator Package | UAD Plug-Ins

Overview

UAD-2 PCIe DSP Accelerator Cards

Key Features

Run UAD Powered Plug-Ins on Mac and PC towers and PCIe expansion chassis
Access nearly 60 plug-ins from Ampex, Lexicon, Roland, Studer, Neve, Manley, SSL, EMT, Empirical Labs, MXR and more (sold separately)
Includes DSP Accelerator Card (PCIe format), plus a choice of Core, Custom or Ultimate UAD plug-in packages
Available in SOLO, DUO, QUAD, and OCTO models w/ 1, 2, 4, or 8 SHARC processors
Gives native systems a DSP boost for running larger mixes, with rich, sonically complex plug-ins
All packages include “Analog Classics” bundle featuring LA-2A Classic Audio Leveler, 1176LN / 1176SE Classic Limiting Amplifiers, Pultec EQP-1A, and Realverb Pro plug-ins
Compatible with Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Live, Digital Performer and more
Combine with other UAD-2 devices, including additional UAD-2 PCIe card(s), UAD-2 Satellite (FireWire), and Apollo audio interface
VST, AU, RTAS support; Mac OS X Snow Leopard/Lion/Mountain Lion and Windows 7 compatible

Stunning analog power for your Mac or PC tower.
Ready to super-charge your Mac or PC tower with world-class analog sound? UAD-2 DSP Accelerator cards provide full access to UAD Powered Plug-Ins, including exclusive plug-ins from Studer, Ampex, Lexicon, Neve, Manley, Roland, SSL and more. The UAD-2 packages feature a user-installable PCIe-format processing card for your desktop tower or compatible expansion chassis, plus the “Analog Classics” plug-in bundle (VST/AU/RTAS), giving you vintage tone and character, right out of the box.

Watch the overview video.

UAD-2: The industry’s most respected collection of audio plug-ins.
From serious home recordists to multi-platinum mix engineers, UAD Powered Plug-Ins have been winning over audio professionals for more than 10 years. The reason is simple. No other plug-ins so faithfully capture the sound and behavior of classic analog equipment — from rare compressors and equalizers, to vintage reverb processors and tape machines.

The award-winning UAD library features nearly 60 plug-ins, co-developed with the biggest brands in audio. These plug-ins can be purchased with UAD-2 hardware from retailers as part of bundled “Custom” and “Ultimate” packages, or you can buy UAD plug-ins à la carte from UA’s Online Store.

Expandable processing power, from SOLO to OCTO.
UAD-2 DSP Accelerator cards are available in four distinct processor levels: SOLO, DUO, QUAD, and OCTO. With scalable processing power from one (SOLO) to eight (OCTO) individual Analog Devices SHARC processors, UAD DSP Accelerators offer a big mixing horsepower “boost” to your host Mac or PC workstation.

Much like a studio rack filled with dedicated analog gear, UAD PCIe cards let you reliably run larger mixes, filled with rich, sonically complex plug-ins — no matter what the rest of your system is doing. For example, a UAD-2 OCTO can run up to 80 mono instances of our groundbreaking Studer A800 Tape Machine plug-in — a processing task that would bring a native workstation to its knees.

Available as Core, Custom, and Ultimate software packages.
UAD-2 DSP Accelerators are available as “Core,” “Custom,” and “Ultimate” software packages. The Core package includes the Analog Classics plug-in bundle (see contents above right). The Custom package includes Analog Classics bundle, plus it lets you pick any three individual UAD plug-ins at registration. The OCTO Ultimate is UA’s flagship package, and includes more than 55 UA-developed plug-ins up to and including UAD software v6.3.

UAD plug-in craftsmanship: The science behind the scenes.
Most people don’t immediately think of audio software when they hear the word “craftsmanship.” But that’s what separates UAD plug-ins from the rest. One of the most common responses we hear from UAD users is, “Wow, I didn’t know plug-ins could sound this good.” That’s because in developing UAD-2 plug-ins, UA’s engineering group undertakes a thorough physical modeling of classic audio hardware. This process means that we essentially “rebuild” vintage analog gear in the digital world, component by component. It’s how UAD plug-ins replicate the exact, sometimes quirky, behavior of analog hardware — bringing its rich, three-dimensional sound and harmonics "in the box."

Compare UAD-2 packages, read UAD-2 FAQs, Specifications, Videos, or Customer Reviews.

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All UAD-2 cards are compatible with PCIe-equipped Mac and PC towers, and select PCIe and Thunderbolt expansion chassis.

MODEL

PROCESSOR

USER

INCLUDED PLUG-INS

UAD-2
SOLO Core

1 x SHARC processor

Home Recordists

Analog Classics bundle*

UAD-2
DUO Core

2 x SHARC processor

Project Studios

Analog Classics bundle*

UAD-2
DUO Custom

2 x SHARC processor

Project Studios

Custom Bundle*
Analog Classics bundle*

UAD-2
QUAD Core

4 x SHARC processor

Professional Users

Analog Classics bundle*

UAD-2
QUAD Custom

4 x SHARC processor

Professional Users

Custom Bundle*
Analog Classics bundle*

UAD-2
OCTO Core

8 x SHARC processor

Professional Power Users

Analog Classics bundle*

UAD-2
OCTO Custom

8 x SHARC processor

Professional Power Users

Custom Bundle*
Analog Classics bundle*

UAD-2
OCTO Ultimate

8 x SHARC processor

Professional Power Users

Ultimate Bundle: 55+
UA Developed Powered
Plug-Ins, up to and including
software v6.3.

* The Analog Classics bundle includes the LA-2A Classic Audio Leveler, 1176 LN & SE Limiting Amplifiers, Pultec EQP-1A Program Equalizer, RealVerb Pro Room Modeler, and CS-1 ChannelStrip

* The Custom package includes The Analog Classics bundle, plus it lets you pick any three individual UAD plug-ins at registration.

Interested in running UAD-2 plug-ins over FireWire? Compare UAD-2 Satellite FireWire 400/800 DSP Accelerators here.

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FAQ

So, what exactly is the UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins platform, anyway?

The UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins Platform is a range of very high-quality audio plug-ins, powered by dedicated hardware DSP accelerators (either PCIe format or Firewire 400/800 format). UAD-2 plug-ins can be used in any VST, AU, or RTAS compatible audio software on Mac and PC — including Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Cubase, Nuendo, Live, Digital Performer, GarageBand, Sonar and Bias to name a few.

I can already run VST / AU / RTAS plug-ins on my computer. Why should I buy a UAD-2?

For starters, UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins offer warm sonic qualities and character not found in other VST / AU / RTAS plug-ins. Our software engineering group includes some of the world’s leading DSP authorities — including PhD-level scientists from Stanford, MIT, and Cambridge — who undertake thorough physical modeling of classic audio hardware. This process means that we essentially “rebuild” classic analog gear in the digital world. It’s a much more difficult and time-consuming process than using signal modeling (like many other “emulation” plug-ins). But it means that UAD-2 plug-ins not only sound like the original vintage hardware; they behave like the original devices, at even the most extreme settings.

The quality and accuracy of UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins can also be attributed to the relationships UA has with our plug-in partners. We go right to the source of the hardware — whether it’s Roland, Neve, Manley, Studer, SSL, Lexicon, Empirical Labs, EMT, Trident, etc. — using original manufacturer’s schematics and “golden” units, working side-by-side with the original designers throughout the development process. This ensures that UAD-2 plug-in emulations are as close to their analog counterparts as possible. Of course, ultimately “hearing is believing,” and we are confident you’ll be more than pleased with the sound.

What does UAD-2 “DSP Accelerators” mean, exactly?

You may have experienced, on occasion, that your computer lacks sufficient power to run the number of plug-ins that you desire. With UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins, the actual plug-in processing is offloaded to UAD-2 hardware with Analog Devices SHARC processor(s); this frees up your computer to do other things, like mixing audio, running samplers, or soft synths. The end result is that you can run more professional mixes on your system, and can add substantial power to your studio.

Why don’t I just buy a more powerful computer?

Well, that depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. If you need to bolster the overall power and performance of your system, then a new computer is certainly a good solution. However, if you’re specifically looking to maximize your music productions, adding a UAD-2 DSP Accelerator will help in two major ways.

First, the UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins Platform offers an integrated solution — the software and hardware are specifically tailored for one another to provide optimum performance and reliability for audio plug-ins. Secondly, because of their high-quality design, UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins are very demanding in terms of processing power. Some of our newest, most complex plug-ins, would drag a typical host computer to its knees after only a handful of instances. So, if more dedicated audio power and higher audio quality is your primary goal, you should definitely look into the UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins platform.

Do UAD-2 DSP Accelerators and UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins work better on Mac or PC? And what DAW software works best?

UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins, and all of our PCIe / ExpressCard UAD-2 DSP Accelerators*, are equally compatible with both Mac and PC. The UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins library will run well in all major VST/RTAS/AU-compatible audio software including Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, Digital Performer, Live, and more, whether on Mac or PC.

*Note: The UAD-2 Satellite DUO & QUAD FireWire DSP Accelerators are compatible with Intel-based Mac computers only — not PCs. For UAD-2 Satellite compatibility details, please visit www.uaudio.com/support/uad/satellite-support.

Can I run multiple UAD-2 DSP Accelerator hardware devices (including Satellites and PCIe card models) simultaneously?

Absolutely. You can combine up to (4) UAD-2 DSP Accelerators within the same system, depending on your available PCIe and/or FireWire ports / bandwidth. Doing so will let you run even more UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins at the same time.

What UAD-2 hardware / software packages are available, and what do they include?

Click here for the UAD-2 PCIe DSP Accelerator Cards

Click here for the Satellite DSP Accelerators (FireWire)

How do I add more UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins?

Beyond the retail packages above, UAD-2 Powered Plug-In titles can be purchased around the clock directly from UA's Online Store. With a variety of payment options and downloadable authorizations, UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins are downloadable and available for use within a few simple mouse clicks.

Can I demo individual UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins without having to buy them?

Yes. All UAD-2 Powered Plug-ins packages come with free 14-day demos of ALL currently available plug-ins, so that you can evaluate any of them in your own studio before purchasing. Also, every time you purchase a UAD-2 plug-in from our online store, we reset all of your 14-day demo periods on the un-purchased plug-ins.

Which type of UAD-2 hardware should I choose: PCIe or FireWire?

That really depends on your needs, and your system’s connections. If you’re running a desktop “tower” with available PCIe slots, and plan to use that as your primary system, then our PCIe-based UAD-2 DSP Accelerator cards are your best options.

If you’re working on a newer, Intel-based iMac or MacBook Pro, the UAD-2 Satellite DUOs and QUADs offer portable “plug-and-play” FireWire 800/400 solutions. Beyond iMacs and MacBook Pros, the UAD-2 Satellites are for anyone who has filled their existing PCIe card slots, and/or wants a portable UAD-2 solution.

Note that UAD-2 Satellites can be “linked” to existing UAD-2 systems, and you can combine up to four UAD cards/devices in a single system. So the UAD-2 Powered Plug-In Platform lets you mix and match a selection of dedicated UAD-2 DSP Accelerators to meet your needs.

How does the UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins Platform compare with other DSP devices and plug-in libraries?

In our admittedly biased opinion, we believe there is no comparison. While there are many good plug-ins on the market, if you want the best sounding, and most accurate software emulations of professional analog recording hardware — to make your computer-based productions sound like classic, “real” studio recordings — the UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins platform stands alone.

So, which type of UAD-2 DSP Accelerator Package is better?

That really depends. But generally speaking:

The PCIe card format UAD-2 DSP Accelerators are ideal for desktop production.
The FireWire 800/400-based UAD-2 Satellite DSP Accelerators are ideal for Intel-based, Mac systems running OSX 10.6.8 or higher, with available FireWire 800/400 ports — including select iMacs and MacBook Pros.

How many UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins can I expect to run?

For a complete breakdown of UAD Powered Plug-Ins instance counts for each UAD-2 DSP Accelerator, check out the UAD Instance Chart.

I notice that the DSP chips look different on the UAD-2 OCTO. What is the difference between the silver chips on the SOLO/DUO/QUAD and the black chips on the OCTO?

The UAD-2 OCTO, along with UAD-2 Satellite and Apollo, use SHARC 21469 processor chips while PCIe-based UAD-2 SOLO/DUO/QUAD cards use the SHARC 21369. The newer 21469 chips are smaller and consume less power than the 21369, allowing 8 processors on a "short" PCIe card for the OCTO. There are no compatibility issues between the chips; you can freely mix and match all UAD-2 products. The algorithms and sound quality of UAD Powered Plug-Ins are exactly the same for all UAD-2 products.

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Reviews

Reviews

Ronnie Vanucci
The Killers
"The UAD plug-ins allow us [The Killers] to get into the wheelhouse of the sounds of yesteryear. It's another instrument in the band these days."

Jim James
My Morning Jacket
"The UAD Powered Plug-ins collection is such a great tool kit. So many tools under one roof and all at your fingertips in a fraction of a second."

Ivan Barias
(Musiq Soulchild, Faith Evans)
“The UAD-2 is the 21st century musician's best friend."

Darrell Thorp
(Beck, Radiohead, Charlotte Gainsbourg)
"Knowing the abilities of the DSP and the incredible quality and tonality of the plug-ins, the UAD-2 has become such a first response tool in my everyday recording and mixing."

Peter Kirn
Create Digital Music
"It’s difficult to describe UA’s plug-ins until you’ve tried them. It’s a bit like having chocolate sauce at your disposal, sonically speaking."
Garrett Haines
(Tape Op Magazine)
"Universal Audio’s achievements in capturing the sonics of equalization, transformers, and control interaction need to be recognized. This goes beyond software models; they’re getting to the heart of the gear."

Matt Knobel
(Lenny Kravitz)
"The family of effects that I have with my UAD-2 is incomparable with any other when it comes to working in the box yet having an 'out of boxy experience'."

Garrett "Jacknife" Lee
(R.E.M., The Cars)
"Wow! How did i do without it [UAD-2]? The 1073 EQ! 1176LN! Dimension D! The EMT reverbs! Fairchild 670!"

Paul Moak
(Third Day, Matthew Mayfield)
"The flexibility is priceless and has won me over on UAD for life. Thanks for making a great product!"

Jose Cancela & Amy Marie Beauchamp
(HBO Sports, NFL, NBA)
“The UAD-2 has time and time again given sterile samples warmth, depth and brilliance."
Garrett "Jacknife" Lee
(R.E.M., The Cars)
"I @#$%ing love my UAD-2 card! Doing my first proper mix [The Cars] with it. Wow! How did i do without it?"

Hank Shocklee
(Public Enemy)
“I like to use the UAD plug-ins to their extremes and push them to get the crazy sound I use to set my productions apart."

Craig Anderton
(Keyboard)
"Essentially, the UAD-2 SOLO/Laptop lets you stuff a rack of great-sounding analog gear into your laptop. Need I say more?"

Jono Buchanan
Future Music (UK)
"The accuracy & quality of [UA's] recent additions [shows] their recreations of classic hardware are only improving."

Greg Parkin
(Capitol Studios & Mastering)
“It is fitting that UA continues to provide a platform for our engineers to innovate."
Hans Zimmer
(The Dark Knight)
"I personally only have the one big UAD-2 QUAD in my computer. It's holding up great and covers all my needs... So far."

Ivan Barias
(Raheem Devaughn)
"I absolutely love my SOLO/Laptop. I can finally take my favorite and very expensive studio gear on the road with me."

Ivan Barias
(Musiq Soulchild)
"UAD is my new secret weapon in the studio. I get everything to sound the way I always wanted, way before the mixing."

Ivan Barias
(Keyshia Cole, 2Pac)
"Before UAD life in the studio was like television before HD. Everything sounds incredibly detailed now."

Carl Cox
DJ
"I do a lot of mixes on the road, & the availability of world-class [UAD] plug-ins that don't suck the life out of my system is invaluable."
Future Music UK
(Future Music UK)
"Genuinely allows you to turn each channel of your DAW into a virtual Neve channel strip."

Mick Glossup
(Frank Zappa, Van Morrison, UFO)
"I have to say that [UAD Powered Plug-Ins] are better than any other plug-ins I've used."

John Paterno
(Los Lobos, Bonnie Raitt)
"This [UAD-2] is a 'game changer' for me ... The sound, responsiveness, and detail [of the plug-ins] are great!"

Mick Glossup
(Van Morrison)
"There is a common character in [UAD plug-ins], which I would describe as rich, warm, full-sounding, and inspiring to use."

Nathaniel Kunkel
(Lyle Lovett, Nirvana)
"With the UAD-2, UA has provided something that I have been missing from my plugs for a long time: inspiration."
Gareth Jones
(Grizzly Bear, Depeche Mode)
"When I'm mixing in the box I turn to my UAD-2 QUAD Core & the extensive plug-ins ... clients love it too."

J.J. Blair
(Rod Stewart, George Benson)
"I was never into mixing completely in the box until I started using UAD cards ... I'm loving it more and more."

Jim Dalrymple
(The Loop)
"[I use] the Fairchild Compressor, Neve 1081, Neve 1073, LA-2A and the 1176 Compressor. They all give you something different."

Jim Dalrymple
(The Loop)
"My UAD-2 QUAD is one of the best investments I’ve made for my music. I have all of the plug-ins."

Elliot Mazer
(Neil Young, Janis Joplin)
"Since the UAD-2 SOLO/Laptop card fits in a pocket, I was able to do more work on the plane"
Eli Janney
(Wilco, Wheat)
"I’m heavily into the [UAD-2] cards. They just sound really, really good ... the new cards give you a lot of horsepower."

Jim Dalrymple
(Macworld)
"While there are a lot of plug-in choices [on the market], I have found none better than Universal Audio."

Vance Powell
(The Raconteurs, Jars of Clay)
"The UAD-2 is the first plug-in set that replaces gear I own, hardware-wise, and that's a big deal."

John Baccigaluppi
(TapeOp Magazine)
"[With the UAD-2] ... everything worked perfectly with the sonic quality we’ve come to expect from the UAD series."

Elliot Mazer
(Neil Young)
"I can mix anyplace with my UAD-2 SOLO/Laptop. I get to use the same UAD plug-ins on my portable that I use on my big MacPro."
Hank Shocklee
(Public Enemy)
"I can surely say that working with the UAD family of plug-ins has greatly increased the sound of my projects"

Charlie Clouser
(NIN, "Saw" Soundtracks)
"The UAD-2 provides so much DSP that I can really lay the plug-ins on thick without giving it a second thought"

Rik Simpson
(Coldplay)
"The sound of the UAD software is the closest thing in analog modeling ... it actually sounds like the real gear."

Ryan West
(Kanye West, T.I., T-Pain)
"I'm not sure what mathematical voodoo they do over there [at UA], but I like it and I won't mix without it."

Gavin Monaghan
(The Twang)
"I'd never even think of tackling a session without UAD plug-ins."
Nathaniel Kunkel
(Sting)
"I use my UAD cards every time I mix ... the quality of the plug-ins make mixing 'in the box' not only easier, but really fun."

Frank Filipetti
(Carly Simon)
"I go to my UAD plug-ins just as naturally as I do any hardware ... UAD is now an essential part of my mixing arsenal"

Ulrich Wild
(Pantera)
"The new UAD-2 cards are extremely powerful ... I completely abandoned analog gear for mixing and I rely heavily on this system"

Peter Frampton

"I just love this SOLO/Laptop widget, thingy to death. It was so worth the wait... Multiple Fairchilds on a buss? Now that's too cool.”

Just Blaze
(Jay-Z, Kanye West)
"[The SOLO/Laptop] is perfect ... it takes the processing load off of my computer ... I'm thoroughly happy with it"
David Grissom
(Mellencamp, Buddy Guy)
"The UAD-2 plug-ins have become the backbone of my mixes ... I've been able to eliminate my console altogether."

Nathaniel Kunkel
(James Taylor, Lyle Lovett)
"The thing that I feel no one's really talking about is that this [the UAD-2] is a paradigm shift."

Frank Filipetti
(Carly Simon, Korn)
"I don't need anything else to mix with, other than the UAD plug-ins. Everything else I use is hardware."

Gavin Monaghan
(The Twang)
"Thanks to my UAD-2 quad, I can have a vintage Neve 1073 on every channel without mortgaging my house."

Frank Filipetti
(James Taylor, Rod Stewart)
“I wish more companies paid attention to what you guys are doing at UA ... it's right on the money."
Stuart Price
(The Killers)
"You judge [the UAD-2] by how many people you recommend it to, and everyone I have worked with has now gone and got one."

Joe Chiccarelli
(Frank Zappa, U2)
"The [UAD2] SOLO/Laptop has proven to be one of the best signal processing devices available."

Paul Moak
(Third Day, Matthew Mayfield)
"As an analog junkie and an audiofile, this [UAD-2] is the best of both worlds for me."

Ryan Hewitt
(Red Hot Chili Peppers)
"So now I have my UAD on everything, and I'm using the EMT 140 and the EMT 250 as effects. It's so much easier."

Aziz Ibrahim
(Simply Red, The Stone Roses)
"The UAD-2 QUAD is just what I need to run all the plug-ins for a session."
Neil Mclellan
(TapeOp)
"I've recommended the UAD platform to all of my friends, and once they heard it, there was no looking back."

John Paterno
(Los Lobos, Bonnie Raitt)
"The sound of these [UAD Powered Plug-Ins] will definitely change the way I approach mixing in the computer."

Gino Robair
(Electronic Musician)
"Whether mixing or mastering, the SOLO/Laptop is the best addition you can make to your system for less than 5 bills."

Gino Robair
(Electronic Musician)
"UA has come to the rescue: The SOLO/Laptop gives you travel-friendly access to the marvelous range of UAD Plug-Ins."

Paul White
(Sound On Sound)
"UA has given their UAD-2 platform extra appeal with yet more accurate recreations of classic studio hardware ..."
J.J. Blair
(Rod Stewart, George Benson)
"Way to go, Universal Audio! Thanks for helping me achieve the sounds in the box that I really want to hear."

Ed MacFarlane
(Friendly Fires)
"[I use] the 6176 as my preamp & compressor, and I've been using the UAD plug-ins once the track's in the computer."

D. James Goodwin
(The Bravery)
"I decided to sell my hardware SPL TD4, and my vintage dbx 160 rack, because the UAD became my go-to choice. Bravo to UA"

Paul White
(Sound On Sound)
"[Cooper Time Cube, EMT 250, or FATSO] ... for the real vintage character, I don't think UA have any rivals at the moment."

Craig Anderton
(EQ Magazine)
"A game-changer ... the UAD-2 [SOLO/Laptop's] DSP lets you save your computer's precious CPU power for other functions"
D. James Goodwin
(The Bravery)
"UAD plug-ins are my new benchmark for how processors should sound, look, and function.”

D. James Goodwin
(The Bravery)
"When I finally decided to try the UAD platform, I was immediately floored by the realism. These things sounded amazing."

Jim Dalrymple
(The Loop)
"I find that the UA plug-ins allow me to control that [dynamic] range of frequencies better than anything else."

JR Hutson
(Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild)
"[Once] I got the UAD Powered Plug-Ins, I can get things so much closer to what they're supposed to sound like."

Justin Niebank
(Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts)
“[W]hen you came out with the UAD-2, I jumped on that, even before the software came out. I adore it.”
Roy Davis Jr.

"A mix is not complete without UAD Powered Plug-Ins on it!!!"

Frederick Norén
(Sound on Sound)
"[For DSP-based systems]...the UAD2 platform is a good alternative, with great-sounding, humanely priced plug-ins."

David Bryson
(Counting Crows)
“Loving my SOLO/Laptop and my UAD plugs. They really do sound great.”

Eli Crews
(Electronic Musician)
"With the UAD-2, Universal Audio has made one of the most attractive plug-in families even harder to live without."

Jason Blum
(Remix Magazine)
"The only thing better than UAD plug-ins is more of them."
Cian Ciaran
(Super Furry Animals)
"[With the UAD-2] It's like having the right tools to do the right job ... Because you know all the gear's quality."

Paul Vnuk, Jr.
(Recording Magazine)
"The UAD-2 ... is a huge improvement over everything that made the UAD-1 the leader in its class."

Craig Anderton
(EQ Magazine)
"The UAD concept [is] the 21st century equivalent of a rack of special-purpose processors ... maybe even an entire mixer."

Mike Senior
(Sound On Sound)
"UAD-2 is an enormous leap forward from the UAD-1"

Craig Anderton
(Keyboard)
"The UAD-2 is much more powerful than the original ... the UAD concept is no longer to just replace a few cool pieces of gear"
Mike Senior
(Sound on Sound)
"Universal Audio are a force to be reckoned with in terms of the quality of their audio processing"

Barry Rudolph
(Mix Magazine)
"The UAD-2 breaks all the UAD-1's limitations ... it's a dream come true for all DAW users.”

Rob James
(Resolution Magazine)
"[UAD Powered Plug-Ins] have more character than many native or TDM plug-ins, while being a great deal more affordable."

Craig Anderton
(EQ Magazine)
"It's the strikingly realistic, and musical, emulations of vintage (and not so vintage) gear [that hooks people on the UAD-2]."

Future Publishing
(MusicRadar.com)
"Offering several times the power of the UAD-1, this powered plug-in system is very impressive."
Andy Hong
(TapeOp)
"I'd have to say that the UAD plug-ins blow similar TDM plug-ins out of the water"

Jono Buchanan
(Future Music UK)
"It's now possible to turn your DAW into a full Neve console, for a fraction of the cost of a real desk."

David Riggs

"There is a God and he uses the UAD plugins. The best set of plug-ins anywhere. Period."

Matt Knobel
(Lenny Kravitz)
"With the UAD-2 , you put it on and it sounds like a Fairchild. It makes it so much easier to get what you're looking for."

Mike Senior
(Sound on Sound)
"The UAD-2 gives access to some of the best-sounding analogue emulation plug-ins available ... a mouth-watering prospect."
Matt Boudreau
(Keith Urban)
"The bottom line is, it's got so much more power ... it allowed me to use whatever plug-in I wanted, whenever I wanted"

Geoff Sanoff
(Pro Sound News)
"I keep saying to people that plug-ins are only going to get better, and UAD keeps proving me right."

Carmen Rizzo

"I make a living with the UA plug-ins, because I use them every single day on every session."

John Cuniberti
(Joe Satriani, The Meters)
"I was able to plug-in the Neve 1081 and the 1176LN on 32 channels with room to spare for the fantastic EMT 140."

User Ratings

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Average Rating (350 Reviews)

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Replacement Duo Card
by S. McClure (Thursday 6 September, 2012)
Service department was incredibly helpful in solving my problems with my card. They replaced it immediately. I swear by my card. I can't live without it! It brings my mixes to life. It's like having 10 racks full of processing at you fingertips. How did we ever do without this? Universal Audio ROCK … Read More
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- 5 Star
by A. Onyeche (Wednesday 8 August, 2012)
Let's not pull any punches here. This is a little bad boy DSP processor. I replaced my 1E with it and it out pro-forms it. Sweet like candy. For the price it's the best way to get onto the platform. Expansion has been made so easy due to the fab drivers just keep adding cards. To keep it real, every … Read More
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by M. Mercado (Saturday 21 July, 2012)
Wow, this things got some juice! I recently upgraded from XP to Windows 7. I upgraded from 2 UAD-1 PCI cards to the UAD-2 DUO. I opened up some of my old mixes that were tapped out, and man, there's plenty of power to spare. I didn't even bother installing the UAD-1 cards, there's plenty of power … Read More
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by K. Monaco (Saturday 7 July, 2012)
Misinformed sales people and poor customer support made the upgrade to UAD2 platform from a UAD1 card a horrific experience. Lost over a thousand dollars of registered plug-ins on original card and got "sorry about that" as a peace offering. The product is "okay" not any better than others available … Read More
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by L. Landuzzi (Wednesday 27 June, 2012)
I have Pro Tools HD 2 with last Pro Tools HD 10.2 software. I've used and tried tons of DSP plugins (TDM) ad native plugins (Waves, McDsp, Heat, Avid, Soundtoys, Softube, etc.) I was thinking that adding a UAD-2 to my system would be ... something you can live without: well, I was wrong ! UAD-2 … Read More

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Artists

Vampire Weekend Production Goes Mobile with Apollo

Ariel Rechtshaid and Rostam Batmanglij produced Vampire Weekend's latest album with Apollo and UAD-2. Read More

Paul Blakemore, Grammy-Winning Mastering Engineer

Paul Blakemore's experienced ear for solving mastering "puzzles" has earned him multiple Grammys. Read More

Ken Lewis Crafts Hits for Fun, Kanye West

Top acts call on Ken Lewis to turn their musical ideas into platinum hits. Read More
Nashville Producer Jay Joyce Brings the Rock Edge

Producer, engineer, and musician Jay Joyce has developed a thriving career in both the rock and country recording scenes. Read More

Damian Taylor Brings "The Weirdness"

The Grammy-nominated producer explains how he got Battle Born, The Killers' latest album, battle-ready with Universal Audio. Read More

Ryan Hewitt

In this UA Artist Tips & Tricks video, Ryan Hewitt demonstrates how he used UAD Powered Plug-In favorites on The Avett Brothers' latest album. Read More
Top Engineers Top "Desert Island" Plug-Ins

If you were stuck on a desert island with your recording studio, what UAD plug-ins could you not live without?… Read More

Capturing '60s Soul with UAD Plug-Ins

Learn how Culture Club producer Steve Levine used UAD Powered Plug-ins to recreate the classic sound of 1960s soul. Read More

R&B Engineer Tremaine Williams

Tremaine reflects on how UAD Powered Plug-Ins have helped to further his quest for audio perfection. Read More
Audio Legend Joe Chiccarelli

The Grammy-winning producer, mixer, and engineer is responsible for capturing some of modern times’ most beloved sounds. Read More

Joe Chiccarelli

See and hear Producer/Engineer Joe Chiccarelli demonstrate UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins on Young The Giant's, "My Body". Read More

Producer/Engineer Billy Bush Mixes Garbage

Bush uses UA tools extensively while sculpting the band’s edgy guitars, driving percussion grooves, and glistening electronics. Read More

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Features & Specs

UAD-2 PCIe DSP Accelerator Cards

Features:

Run UAD Powered Plug-Ins on Mac and PC towers and PCIe expansion chassis
Access nearly 60 plug-ins from Ampex, Lexicon, Roland, Studer, Neve, Manley, SSL, EMT, Empirical Labs, MXR and more (sold separately)
Includes DSP Accelerator Card (PCIe format), plus a choice of Core, Custom or Ultimate UAD plug-in packages
Available in SOLO, DUO, QUAD, and OCTO models w/ 1, 2, 4, or 8 SHARC processors
Gives native systems a DSP boost for running larger mixes, with rich, sonically complex plug-ins
All packages include “Analog Classics” bundle featuring LA-2A Classic Audio Leveler, 1176LN / 1176SE Classic Limiting Amplifiers, Pultec EQP-1A and Realverb Pro plug-ins.
Compatible with Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Live, Digital Performer and more
Combine with other UAD-2 devices, including additional UAD-2 PCIe card(s), UAD-2 Satellite (FireWire), and Apollo audio interface
VST, AU, RTAS support; Mac OS X Snow Leopard/Lion/Mountain Lion and Windows 7 compatible

See the UAD Instance Chart here

Specifications:

High-bandwidth x1 PCI Express card (PCIe 2.0 compatible)
UAD-2 SOLO: low-profile, half-height, short PCIe card
UAD-2 DUO/QUAD/OCTO: full-height, short PCIe card
1, 2, 4 or 8 Analog Devices SHARC floating-point processors
Supports VST, RTAS, and Audio Units plug-in formats
44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192kHz sample rate support for all plug-ins
14-day full function demo for all plug-ins; try before you buy

UAD Minimum System Requirements

(Win) Windows 7 64-Bit Edition w/SP1
(Mac) OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard, 10.7 Lion, or 10.8 Mountain Lion
2 gigabytes available disk space
Available PCI Express (PCIe) slot for each UAD-2 card
Available FireWire 800 port* for UAD-2 Satellite, Apollo, or Apollo 16
1024 x 800 minimum display resolution (UAD-2 PCIe and UAD-2 Satellite)
1024 x 900 minimum display resolution (Apollo and Apollo 16)
Internet connection to download software and authorize UAD plug-ins
Compatible VST, Audio Units, or RTAS plug-in host application software

*On Windows systems, Apollo, Apollo 16, and UAD-2 Satellite require a qualified PCIe-to-FireWire adapter card. See the product support pages for details: Apollo | UAD-2 Satellite

Operating systems not listed above are unqualified. Although unqualified operating systems may work, they are untested and unsupported. Prior UAD software for older operating systems and discontinued UAD products is available in the UAD software archives.

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Docs

UAD System Manual

UAD Plug-Ins Manual

UA 2012 Product Catalog.pdf

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Paul Blakemore

Engineer Paul Blakemore on Mastering Grammy-Winning Hits with UAD Plug-Ins. Read the interview…

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Customer Reviews 350 Reviews

UAD-2 PCIe DSP Accelerator Cards

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