Century Tube Channel Strip™
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Real time recording inspiration for vocals, guitars, and more.
Capturing “the moment” is crucial — and capturing that inspiration with the right sound is just as important. The new Century Tube Channel Strip plug-in hearkens back to the days before infinite undo and decision-deferral, to a time where making records was an immediate, visceral act of bold creativity.
With an organic tube mic preamp, transparent dynamics control, and intuitively voiced EQ, the Century plug-in is perfect for UA Interface users, allowing you to stay in the creative zone while you record, helping you capture first-take magic, with stunning results.Now You Can:
Enhance and simplify your recording workflow with a first-pass tool designed for tracking vocals, guitars, synths, and more
Stay in the creative zone and confidently print performances with a broad stroke, "do-no-harm," vintage-style tube channel strip
Easily flatter your performances with a vintage-style tube mic preamp, simple three-band EQ, and optical leveler on vocals, guitars, bass, drums, and more
Control UA Audio Interface mic preamp gain staging and impedance directly from the Century Tube Channel Strip plug-in via Unison™ technology
Take A Listen
5-Min UAD Tip
In this 5-Minute UAD Tip, learn how to use the UAD Century Tube Channel Strip plug-in to capture acoustic guitar and vocals with detail and emotion.
The Perfect Tube Mic Pre
The Century Tube Channel Strip's mic preamp will give all of your sources — especially vocals — a burnished tube color with the unmistakable warmth and detail that only a tube mic pre can provide. The stunning range of tones, from subtle to saturated, will coax inspiring performances no matter the genre. Tweak further with the Low/High gain switch to match the Century's Tube Preamp to your microphone, with the Low setting complementing more modern condensers, while the High position excels with dynamic and ribbon microphones.
Unison™ Technology for UA Audio Interfaces
Harnessing UA’s groundbreaking Unison technology, the Century Tube Channel Strip blurs the lines between analog and digital, giving you all of the important impedance, gain staging “sweet spots,” and circuit behaviors of a vintage tube preamp.
The secret is Unison’s bi-directional control and communication from the Century Tube Channel Strip plug-in to the digitally controlled mic preamps in UA Audio Interfaces.
Easy EQ Seasoning
With its intuitive, musically voiced, three-band EQ, the Century Tube Channel Strip is perfect for quickly bringing out the details in a breathy vocal, adding some punch to an overdriven electric guitar, or giving an acoustic rhythm guitar propulsive sizzle and shine.
Optimal Opto Leveler
Featuring a classic autoformer-driven optical leveler, the Century Tube Channel Strip’s dynamics section takes the guesswork out of compression settings with a single knob. You can quickly tame a dynamic vocal or bass performance and lock it into place, and add energy and harmonics to acoustic guitars or piano — all with a twist of a knob. The Century’s leveler can also compress as effect, adding grit and texture to keys and soft synths with character and vibe to spare.
Add Boutique Character and Color to Any Source
Of course, the Century Tube Channel Strip plug-in isn’t just for UA Audio Interface owners. UAD-2 hardware owners can employ the Century Tube Channel Strip plug-in for mixing and tone shaping — without ever leaving the box.
5-Min UAD Tip
In this video, learn how to craft unique guitar and bass DI tones using Century Tube Channel Strip plug-in.
“The Century Tube Channel Strip is a simple to use starting point for just about anyone — offering tube sound in a straight forward signal path.”
– John Paterno (Robbie Williams, Badly Drawn Boy, Bonnie Raitt)
“The Century Tube Channel Strip makes it effortless to get awesome, warm, vintage sounds from sterile sounding digital tracks.”
– Ian Boxill (Lenny White, Prince, 2Pac)
“The Century Tube Channel Strip powerfully combines the best of vintage and modern. On vocals and dialog, it imparts forwardness, sheen and body — remarkably simple, but versatile and effective.”
– Richard Chycki (Rush, Aerosmith, Dream Theater)Watch the Reviews
Customer Reviews
T. Zimmerman
September 19, 2019
Sleeper Hit
Because this channel strip is not a direct model of a vintage product, it has not gotten the attention it deserves. It is very versatile, is full of character and a breeze to operate....
Read MoreA. Wood
June 30, 2019
I'm not recording engineer
But I can get some great sounds out of this plugin. I'm also not familiar with the actual Century, but I love the way this plugin handles being overloaded. I've used it to fatten up vocals,...
Read MoreP. Bonney
June 22, 2019
Awesome on vocals!
I love this channel strip plugin for vocals! Has everything in it you need, and then some, to print proper to Pro Tools. With this plugin, I've gotten out of the habit of post processing to...
Read Morem. stallings
June 21, 2019
Perfect
So I’m a hobbyist and I need to limit choices in my recording chain. The pro’s appreciate the meticulous recreations of the vintage stuff, And these plugins are awesome. I’m a big fan...
Read MoreT. Kirby
June 18, 2019
Don't overlook!
It's easy to overlook this plugin next to those vintage giants, but I urge you to demo it. It has what many of the quirky hardware units don't have- fantastic product design. Using our...
Read MoreS. Smith
June 12, 2019
Sweeten anything with a great analog channel
Great, clean interface on a beautiful classic sound palette. What's not to like?! Does what it says on the tin with panache, and that's worth the price of admission, IMHO.
Read More -
Key Features
Vintage-inspired channel strip made for UA Audio Interface tracking, always easy to dial and musically flattering
Console-inspired tube preamp with bold and musical hardware sound
Three-band EQ with simple high and low shelf tone control and sweepable midrange
Performance-inspiring single knob optical dynamics control with firm yet transparent response
Physical input impedance and front panel control of gain staging and other preamp parameters with Unison Mic Preamp Technology
Requires a UAD DSP Accelerator or UA Audio Interface available from authorized dealers worldwide
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Customer Reviews
Century Tube Channel Strip
T. Zimmerman
Sleeper Hit
Because this channel strip is not a direct model of a vintage product, it has not gotten the attention it deserves. It is very versatile, is full of character and a breeze to operate. This is one of their best unison preamp / channel strips.
A. Wood
I'm not recording engineer
But I can get some great sounds out of this plugin. I'm also not familiar with the actual Century, but I love the way this plugin handles being overloaded. I've used it to fatten up vocals, add some beef to guitars, and "printed" it directly on vocal tracks via the Unison technology pre. It's super workable. I gave it 4 stars in case I write a review for a plugin that's worth 5.
P. Bonney
Awesome on vocals!
I love this channel strip plugin for vocals! Has everything in it you need, and then some, to print proper to Pro Tools. With this plugin, I've gotten out of the habit of post processing to bring my vocals to life. I've grown confident because of this plugin. With even a modest large condenser your vocals can sound creamy and even to raw and saturated while still maintaining clarity and smoothness. It's a simple layout, and it's easy to dial in just what you need to cut through a mix. Highly recommended.
m. stallings
Perfect
So I’m a hobbyist and I need to limit choices in my recording chain. The pro’s appreciate the meticulous recreations of the vintage stuff, And these plugins are awesome. I’m a big fan of these newer simple plug ins. Oxide tape, pure plate and now this channel strip. I can’t really tell the difference in sound between a neve channel strip or SSL; I’m sure that the pros can. I would get lost in fiddling with all of that stuff.
These plugins are so easy to use that I think offering all of those presets from mixers that I’ve never heard of is silly, ( I know that these are top folks, but I don’t care).
I can now easily track through the century, with just a few moves using my ears and not worrying if I’m doing it right, or fiddling with pre-sets that really don’t work for me.
Currently, I have all the plugins that I need for tracking, ( less is more). I will keep my eyes open for these newer simple non-vintage looking plug ins
Brilliant UAD!!! I can set up and track quickly and these simple tools are way more fun for me that the kinda cute vintage looking stuff. Clearly I’m just a hobby guy having a blast!!
MitchT. Kirby
Don't overlook!
It's easy to overlook this plugin next to those vintage giants, but I urge you to demo it. It has what many of the quirky hardware units don't have- fantastic product design. Using our mouse to tweak hundreds of settings can be frustrating, and the elegant simplicity of this plugin makes it so easy to mix with your ears rather than your brain. I actually love the sound and the versatility of the results that I get. The preamp has a huge useable range that blends organically with any source and the eq is great for sweetening. I'll opt for different colours if the task calls for it, and I'll certainly use it in conjunction with more complex tools, but surprisingly, I think this has become my go to. Put is this way, I have never once removed this plugin from a track.
S. Smith
Sweeten anything with a great analog channel
Great, clean interface on a beautiful classic sound palette. What's not to like?! Does what it says on the tin with panache, and that's worth the price of admission, IMHO.
I. Loncar
LITERALLY THE BEST UAD PRE
Can't imagine recording anything from now on without this. It's got such a beautiful tone to it... vocals & keys on this sound absolutely gorgeous. 10/10
b. boyd
U.A.'s masterful blurring of digital and analog realms makes Century Tube Channel Strip a joy to use!
I first put the C.T.C.S. on a drum buss, and immediately I was blown away with the realism of this plugin. The tube warmth it adds to otherwise generic midi instruments is the difference in night and day. Vocals at once receive the Universal Audio famed "sound", with just the smallest of tweaking a good track becomes a great track with all the sonic goodness a real high end console imparts, without the added expense or real estate needed. I've just recently got into U.A. via a UAD2 PCIe solo card, and I have to say I'm already working out which of my less used studio gear can go in order to fund an Apollo interface. I have a feeling U.A. is going to be the centerpiece of my rig very soon....
J. RAPHA
TRES TRES CONVAINCANT
Voici un préampli, parfaitement convaincant, qui amène sans rien faire, de suite, la touche magique. L'étage, tube préamp, à lui tout seul, vaut déjà le détour. L'équalizer est tres sympa à utiliser meme si j'aurais préféré un peu plus de réglages. Le compresseur n'est pas en reste lui non plus, il fonctionne très très bien. Il me manquait ce genre d'outils, parce que dès qu'on l'essaye, c'est fini on ne pourra plus s'en passer, vous pouvez me croire. Je l'ai surtout utilisé jusqu'à maintenant, principalement sur de la voix.
C'est top, c'est magique , ça apporte tout de suite le Truuuuuuuuuuuc.R. Busch
Century Channel
Ein absolut Modern klingender Channel... Sehr gutes Pondon zu Neve, SSL... U. S. W. Top plug-in Thanx to Uad & co
UAD User
Fun to use, lots of flavor
This is a great tool if you wanna hit a signal pretty hard on the way in and commit to something dirtier and more compressed than you might have otherwise. Use something else to refine, this is for broad strokes and in-the-moment inspiration.
J. Jordan
Almost brought me to tears....
I put this on my B3 tracks, distorted it to taste and color and vibe it gave totally made me forget it was a plug-in I was using. A very rewarding purchase.
C. Reinel
Colourful, fast and easy
Set the gain / drive, if you want give some more colour with the EQ and dynamics and adjust the recordinglevel. You're done.
Sounds great anyway.H. Fisher
Love it
One of the easiest and best sounding pre amps I’ve used this far!!! Might be my fave UA go to for a pre.
G. Herrera
Default magic
Surprised at how polished sounding this is, I really like it and use it on all my sessions one way or another, but for sure on Vox and bass guitar!!
M. Mastrojanni
real plug in fantastic *****
This plug in is really fantastic amazing and real
If you compare the hardware within this plugin you can't recognize the plugin and the hardware.
extraordinary for acoustic guitar and voices !!!
M. Mastrojanni
real plug in fantastic *****
This plug in is really fantastic amazing and real
If you compare the hardware within this plugin you can't recognize the plugin and the hardware.
extraordinary for acoustic guitar and voices !!!
N. de Leon
Warmth Transients
Yes indeed! UAD did a wonderful job on this plug-In. Warmth transients sounds for vocals, saxes, violin and acoustic guitar! Easy to use! The colors on those plug-ins are magnificent. The highs are silky! Love it!!!! AAA+
A. Londero
Century Tube Channel Strip
This channel strip is AMAZING !!!! I love the warmth it gives on my vocal and acoustic guitar it's a winner right in the box
A. Lopes dos Santos
Simplicity = Sophistication
CTCS. Classic. Tasty. Creamy. Simple. And “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication”, as Da Vinci taught us. Use everything on a “light mood” and it culdn’t be easier to setup a real nice basic sound to work with later on, throughout the recording process. I just love it. Highly recomended.
