UAD Sound City Studios Plug‑In
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Get the authentic sound of the world's most famous rock & roll studio.
Produce music in one of the most famous recording studios in history — including the room, mics, iconic console, and outboard gear — as heard on classic records from Nirvana, Metallica, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Rage Against the Machine, and more.*
Add the vibe and character of this legendary space to your drums, guitars, vocals, synths and more — right in your own bedroom or home studio.Included Version
UAD Native
Runs on your Mac or PC without UA hardware.UAD Native plug-ins run on both macOS 10.15 Catalina or newer and Windows 10 and 11. Go to our UA Support page for system requirements.
- Place your drums, guitars, vocals, and more inside Sound City Studios' famous Studio A
- Transform your sources with a collection of vintage hit-making mics
- Sculpt perfect guitar tones with expertly placed cabinet and mic setups
- Get the authentic tone of an iconic '70s custom British console, including 3-band EQ and inline compression, based on the legendary Sound City Studios' desk
- Smash your tracks with Sound City Studios' collection of analog outboard gear including "secret weapon" Dolby A-style effects**, 1176 limiting, and more
- Put your sources in Sound City Studios' lush-sounding reverb chamber
TAKE A LISTEN
Immerse Yourself in a Historic Room
Sound City Studios' famous Studio A is the birthplace of hundreds of hit records. Voiced with original multitrack recordings cut at Sound City Studios, we expertly captured the distinct "warts and all" character — with historical setup guidance from engineers who used it everyday — so you can easily put your productions in the same space where magic was made.
Easily Find Your Sweet Spot
Simply choose your source — vocals, drums, guitar, ensembles, or piano — and get proven room and mic setups, from the big reflective sound used on Nirvana's Nevermind to Tom Petty's intimate "wood" corner.* You can even re-mic your guitars with a selection of perfectly placed cabinets and room mics.
Reposition Vintage Mics with Dynamic Room Modeling
Go far beyond historic setups and customize your space by moving a stunning collection of classic condenser and ribbon mics from AKG, Neumann, and RCA — in realtime for authentic room sounds beyond the original chart-topping positions.**
Explore a Legendary Custom British Console
The centerpiece of Studio A since the early '70s, Sound City Studios' custom-made console artfully colored everything that ran through it. Now you can get the same satisfying analog character and tone with perfect emulations of a vintage British 3-band EQ and bus compressor on all your sources.
Crush, Gate, or Add "Air" with Secret Weapon Compression
Along with the legendary limiting of the iconic Rev E 1176 compressor, Sound City Studios gives you the first-ever emulation of the Dolby A301** noise reduction system — a multiband EQ/limiter used and abused by Sound City Studios' engineers — so you can get the same glossy-to-hyped background vocals and explosive drum sounds heard on decades of hit records.
Add Chart-Topping Ambience with Iconic Reverb Chamber
Put the finishing touch on your tracks with the same natural, open-sounding reverb used by Queens of the Stone Age, Phoebe Bridgers, Death Cab for Cutie, and more. Plus, you can season your ambient space using perfectly placed pairs of dynamic, small-diaphragm condenser, and ribbon mics.*
*Use of artist names does not constitute official endorsement of Sound City Studios software.
**All trademarks are property of their respective owners and used only to represent the effects modeled as part of Sound City Studio software.
Disclaimer: The famous Sound City Studios is located in Van Nuys, California where it was originally founded. Sound City Studios has no affiliation with Sound City Amplification, LLC. For information on Sound City Amplification products visit their website at soundcityamp.com.
UAD Sound City Studios Tour
Learn how to add classic drum ambience, re‑amp guitar tones, and craft unique airy background vocals using the UAD Sound City Studios plug-in.
“The UAD Sound City Studios plug‑in sounds amazing, letting you put your performances into one of the greatest sounding studios of all time!”
– Butch Vig (Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters)
“The UAD Sound City Studios plug‑in sounds just the way I remember that room – and heck, I even own one of Sound City’s original AKG C24 microphones from the good old days.”
– Sylvia Massy (Tool, Johnny Cash, System of a Down)
“There’s an explosive magic to Sound City's live room that‘s electrified so many seminal records. UA not only captured the sound of that room, but has gone to great lengths to model the outboard gear that’s integral to those recordings.”
– Billy Bush (Garbage, Dolly Parton, Paul McCartney)
“The UAD Sound City Studios plug‑in can put any sound into the legendary studio's live room. The ability to change the mics and their positions is fantastic, you can really dial the room sound.”
– Richard Rainey (U2, Paul McCartney, Van Morrison)
“I’m doing percussion overdubs in hotel rooms on tour, and Sound City Studios makes everything sound finished. It’s nuts.”
– Joey Waronker (Atoms for Peace, Beck, Other Lives)
“Some of my favorite albums were recorded at Sound City, so it’s amazing to have such a faithful reproduction at my fingertips.”
– Jeff Balding (Taylor Swift, The Eagles, Florida Georgia Line)
“The Sound City Studios plug‑in adds life and vibe to dry drum tracks with its great mic configurations. And the console section sounds fantastic!”
– Mark Needham (The Killers, Neon Trees, P!nk)
“The UAD Sound City Studios plug‑in is more than just a room emulation – it’s a toolkit that can take your tracks to a whole new level of sonic Nirvana!”
– Adam Whittaker (The Damned, The Saw Doctors, Evergreen)
“UAD Sound City Studios is the perfect acoustic "space" plug-in, and its compression, reverb chamber, and EQ sections make it all-encompassing for re-amping.”
– Joe Chiccarelli (The Strokes, U2, Jason Mraz, Morrissey)Customer Reviews
J. Gideon
March 13, 2025
Rock/Pop Soundtrack of Our Lives
There are documentaries about this recording studio - and the mojo of its rooms in particular - and that alone should tell you all you need to know about its quality and sonic identity and...
Read MoreM. Green
March 1, 2025
Great sound but…
Even with my m1 studio, it is still a couple hog! I have 24 DSP chips impatiently waiting for a UAD release!
Read MoreS. Svoum
February 16, 2025
Value for money
Easily make recording simple sounds to feel like professional.Very good plug-in for amateur home studios.Buy it and make the...
Read MoreL. Diossy
February 15, 2025
The best plugin in the world!!!
The best plugin I've ever used! I can't do without it anymore.
Read More -
Key Benefits
Place your drums, guitars, vocals, and more inside Sound City Studios' famous Studio A
Transform your sources with a collection of vintage, hit-making mics
Sculpt perfect guitar tones with expertly placed cabinet and mic setups
Get the authentic tone of an iconic '70s custom British console, including 3-band EQ and inline compression, based on the legendary Sound City Studios' desk
Smash your tracks with Sound City Studios' collection of analog outboard gear including "secret weapon" Dolby A-style effects**, 1176 limiting, and more
Put your sources in Sound City Studios' lush-sounding reverb chamber
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Customer Reviews
UAD Sound City Studios Plug-In
J. Gideon
Rock/Pop Soundtrack of Our Lives
There are documentaries about this recording studio - and the mojo of its rooms in particular - and that alone should tell you all you need to know about its quality and sonic identity and why so many of the best rock and pop artists over several decades have recorded there (the list is quite impressive to say the least). How Universal Audio managed to capture the sound of these rooms and mics is a mystery to me but I'm more interested in using them and finding the best rooms and mics for the song or instrument I am recording and mixing. Most importantly, what I've learned from this plug-in, and from these rooms and mics, is how unbelievably crucial these room tones are when it comes to bringing out songs, mixes, artists performances... all of it. Dry can be very cool... super cool at times... sometimes ridiculously cool when it's called for and benefits the tune/track/performance... but when you need a room sound to bring things out and give them life when they need it (acoustic/electric guitar, drums, piano, background vocals, lead vocals, overall mixes) there is nothing like a room that does that in a way that gives you so many choices to dial in a sound... just like they did at Sound City. Moving the mics around and finding the "sweet spots" of a particular room in relation to this or that instrument or amp (which is exactly what the engineers did to find the sound they were looking for) is the magic of what makes this studio so great and it's all here at your fingertips. I'm still learning my way around, but am quickly learning the beautiful difference even a subtle set up or change can make (i.e., a mic change or mic placement). It's actually a bit overwhelming at times, but what a great problem to have. : )
A. DOUMAIEV
5+
Merci pour votre travail formidable !
R. Cote
Good Software
To be honest, I haven't had much time to experiment with this software yet. But, the few times I have used it, I have been surprised by the sound and space (chamber) associated with this software. I have a Taylor and I find that my sound is still very good without the plugin but if I want to give depth, I use this plugin for that especially. As for the sound, I don't want to talk about it too much because it's a matter of taste.
M. Green
Great sound but…
Even with my m1 studio, it is still a couple hog! I have 24 DSP chips impatiently waiting for a UAD release!
C. Leitao
A full studio within a click
A must have plugin.
S. Svoum
Value for money
Easily make recording simple sounds to feel like professional.Very good plug-in for amateur home studios.Buy it and make the difference to your creations.Love it ❤️❤️❤️
L. Diossy
The best plugin in the world!!!
The best plugin I've ever used! I can't do without it anymore.
シ. クヌギ
As expected
I don't think any other plugins are needed. amazing !!!!!
D. Batty
sound city
its great, started to use it the same day I got it , no fuss it just works.
A. Lubinski
Amazing, game-changing plugin
Awesome, from practicing guitar for it feeling more natural, to busing the drums or even giving some air to the whole mix, very versatile and amazing sounding plugin
M. Vergeade
So Natural !
Incredible ! The way all the instruments find their place is stunning ! TSound City is magic !!!
E. Berger
Requires a bit of patience- but it delivers!
I used up most of the trial period before I decided that I want to buy it. In my Experience, it takes some time getting used to it.
The Plugin adds a very good sounding Room reverb, combined with the Impulse response of several classic Microphone set- ups.
I have used it on a close- miced Guitar Cab (Single Sennheiser E906 few cms from the grille), and that is one of the instances where it works really well.
However, certain samplers, for example have a lot of processing built into the samples themselves.
Sound City Studios adds a lot of character, so it is best to start off with a very dry and unprocessed signal. Close- miced sources work the best, and if there is the possibility to eliminate all kinds of reflections and colorations during the recording process, The plug- in can work it's magic.
The inbuild Impulse Responses of a Greenback- Loaded 4x12 and an AC30 Cabinet are among the best I have tried.
As others have stated, CPU usage is quite high.J. Ambrose
Big difference in my drums and acoustic guitars.
This is my first UAD plugin. I run a small commercial studio in Hickory NC. This plugin really helps with my drums. My drum room is tightly mic'd and small. I mainly use drum replacement and reverb/eq. This has really opened up my drum recordings.
H. Alkobi
The excitementer.
brilliant plugin that makse you better person.
j. Pitts
Sound City
This plugin is the secret sauce! It makes everything better
B. Roza
Strong plug-in
The sound city plug-in can be applied for lots of purposes. Besides that it can be a source of inspiration for setting up a mix.
L. Skipper
Flexible, versatile reverb
I have another studio reverb that I use on every mix, so I didn't think I needed this. But a trial on one of my mixes convinced me that this studio reverb is flexible enough to allow me to try out presets, and then dial in a reverb studio sound that gives the track just the sound I want.
P. O'Neill
Sound city Studio
I'm not a professional just a music room person. This plugin makes a big difference to the playback sound....like a professional recording.
A. Dimeck
Literally Plug & Go, Absolutely Love This Amazing Plugin !!!
Absolutely Love This Amazing Plugin !!!
For years I have heard successful working Producers & Mix Engineers talk in online video's about putting a particular VST plugin or piece of hardware gear on Your audio project to instanlty take it to the next level.
I put the UAD Sound City Studios Plugin on My Master Stereo Buss and for the 1st time ever My audio project's are now being taken to the next level !!!
This experience has gifted Me with an added confidence to continue to learn and keep improving My audio projects !!!R. Christe
Great Sound , but as a native plugin hardly usable.
It sounds awsome but even with powerful PCs there are problems with dropouts and crackles if it is not used as the only plugin with only one instance in a project. It really is CPU-greeedy. UAD should offer a UAD-2 DSP version asap.
