Thanks for your feedback and passion Barry. We don’t have to agree on every point you made, but we want you to know we’re listening. It’s people like you who keep us on our toes and push us to maintain UA’s legacy of craftsmanship. We hope you stay tuned and continue offering your input and support. We won’t disappoint.

I am so glad this video was made. I could not AGREE MORE. UAD used to be my favorite plugin company. But they started loosing me when I realized other companies just as good were charging far cheaper. And the nail in the coffin was their Piano and Moog plugins. UAD charges for one of these plugins what Arturia charges for all their instruments on sale. And what Spectrasonics charges for over 30 impeccably sampled keyboards. That’s when I realized UAD did not care about customers. They are hell bent on taking advantage of all of us.

Thanks I was looking into a new interface and this vid was very helpful.

I 💯 % agree. Everything you mentioned is the reason why I sold my Apollo and switch to Burl/RME. I really felt mislead by the fancy marketing and being sucked into a sales funnel with UAD.

Great video, Barry. I only bought into UAD solely for the fact that my pre-M1 macbook air couldn’t keep up with the CPU usage of using too many plugins. But like you said, with these new M1/M1X machines, that completely eliminates my need for relying on UAD’s DSP system

Excellent points, Barry. Especially NOW, w/ the cost of entry having increased by a good bit recently and over the last couple of years! Im on my 3rd Apollo. I originally had the Twin Duo USB (horrific experience when it came out on Windows which aided in my migration to Apple) which was replaced by the Twin Duo TB, and now currently the Apollo Twin Quad MKII. But recently, at just over 2 years old it had to be repaired by Sweetwater due to the failure of a 60 cent capacitor (C202) which the Tech readily mentioned was the most common issue they see! This wasn't a warranty repair mind you, so I had to come out of pocket a couple hundred bucks to repair a $1300 device purchased just a couple years prior! Now having said that, and despite it, I need more I/O. Now obviously I would love to stay within the UA ecosystem, so naturally I've looked into the X6 and X8. But with the prices being what they are now? And since I really just need more I/O not more DSP, it's forcing me really to look elsewhere sadly. It just doesn't make sense to spend $3100+tax for 8 more Ins/Outs and unneeded/outdated SHARC chips. As you mentioned, you can quite literally purchase a loaded M1 Mac Mini, and a Focusrite Clarett+ 8Pre, 1 year of Plugin alliance, and still have at least $500-$600 bucks left over to play with (not counting the PA voucher you'll get back) versus the cost of an X8! It just doesn't make sense any more. Or rather I should say.. *It's really no longer a sound decision*. 😉

Barry, Great Video! I am 55 years old and its taken until about 10 years ago for me to realize that no matter how much I spend on any technology device or software, it will eventually be obsolete. This type of thinking keeps me grounded when spending my hard earned money. I have a ton of obsolete stuff (M-Audio Lightbridge, old MOTU firewire interfaces, etc.). I realize there is some vintage gear that remain relevant, but not very much. Unless your producing for world-class artists, sometimes the difference between a $5,000 piece of hardware and it's $50 software equivalent is so minute, most people would never tell the difference when hearing a recording. Anyway, I think companies need to think about this when they try and charge astronomical prices for their stuff.

Great info!! Keep doing what your doing! Helping a lot!

I love my Apollo Twin, it was my upgrade on my entry level Komplete 6 starter interface and it was a fantastic level up. I’m at the point now where I’m looking at upgrading again to an 8/16 rack mounted unit and I find it really hard to justify putting more money into the UAD model in its current format. Hopefully they do have something planned for the future that includes a modernisation of their interface/dsp/plug-in offering.

Barry!! You nailed that man! I've had my finger on the UAD trigger so many times in the last few years but they are just too expensive and almost every other plugin maker has upped their game substantially. On top of the fact you can buy WA outboard gear for almost the same price as UAD plugins! ~Awesome stuff! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

First off let me say that I am a user of universal audio products. I’ve had their UAD card in my computer for a number of years and am very happy with its performance. Now with that being said, you are dead on point. With the advent of the M1, and the M1 X which is coming very shortly, I think the roadmap for universal audio and the SOC style chip is definitely A thinkable way to go. I also think that the plug-in alliance bundle is definitely a great product, which I also have myself. It is well thought out, and the plug-ins are just damn good. Great video, and well thought out. 👍🏽✌🏽

Thanks I was looking into UAD products appreciate the 1176 and others Thanks

This is REALLY interesting. You make a TON of amazing points and you really made me rethink my studio. As you were speaking I have to admit, I thought deeply and I panned back and forth from my UA 1176LN in my input section over to the Apollo Twin Quad Core that transports the summed mix from my Heritage Audio MCM-32 into my iMac, which by the way, you made me really want an M1 system now! And I felt a little bit betrayed by UA. I spent what is to someone like me a good deal of money because I didn't believe the cloned hardware would be as good as the original stuff and I wanted to stay in the curve as long as I could but in 2 short years it seems it is now behind the curve. With all that said, do we just keep replacing all this stuff? Is it really that detrimental to still use it? There are so many developments in audio technology but is it really a major factor in a world where Spotify uses ACC which even isn't as good of a format as Redbook Audio which is older than I am? I'm not making points at all I'm curious and asking real questions. I'm a new subscriber and I really like what you're doing.

This video was perfect - like you were yelling directly at me haha. Barry, what would you suggest for someone running an M1 machine that needs a top notch interface to build a studio around? 16 channels minimum to start, hopefully able to easily daisy chain and expand to 24+ sometime in the near future.

I was searching for something unrelated, but this video was too good to pass up leaving a comment. Great video.

Hey there Barry, thanks for this video. I’ve been looking to set my small home studio. I’ve had my eyes on an UA PCIe for months but I wasn’t sure if I should pull the trigger on that, until this video. Technology advanced so much in the last 6-7 years that I dont even believe the power computers are offering. Thank you!

You are correct; finally, someone said it. When you say "no one needs DSP processing" what you don't understand is that modern CPUs have DSP instructions in their ISAs; so, that's actually wrong: we *do* need DSP processing, just not from a separate DSP chip. A Shark DSP is just a processor with special ALUs, slightly special memory paths, and special instructions. Modern CPUs have those same capabilities but they actually run faster; the DSP capabilities in CPUs scale with the CPU implementation technology. I seriously doubt the DSP chip in UAD hardware is fabricated at 5nm like the Apple CPUs. The only issue is that the CPUs also need to run the OS and app GUI, but with multi-core CPUs, that's no longer a problem. DSPs will still have a place, but there's no longer a reason for them in mass-market audio. I should add that I hope UAD figures out a path forward. Luna is not that path.

Thank you Barry for your deeply reflected rant. And even though I am one of those who have only recently invested quite heavily in the UAD system, I totally agree with you on almost every aspect. I do still however that the quality of their highend (mkII) plugins are a tad infront of the competition, like Plugin Alliance. (I have good ears and decades of experience too.) BUT one thing for sure is, it won’t be for long anymore. The competition is closing in on UA at rapid speed. And PA’s aproach is so amazing on almost all levels. And regarding the aged Sharc processors, it’s just ridiculous. The thing is that I have a feeling that UA seems to care about their Legacy and unlike AVID actually also for their customers, so I expect that something is cocking. But you are right. We still have some serious signs of progress. And another Update of LUNA won’t cut it. For the same reasons there was a huge annoyment among their users, when they earlier this year launched the UAFX pedals. Not because they were not great, but because people were expecting UA to follow up on the list of ‘slank’ first. Such like, A DSP improvement or even better a Native solution. Legacy plugins that is in need of a MKII Update, and not to mention GUI/Retina updates. That process has taken ages and many important titles are still not there yet. So I’m not even talking about development of entirely new projects. Many UA users, I believe, will rather see improvement on the above than something fancy and new. Because of the very reason that they are professional, and you expect the tools you use day in and out, to be the same. To be the best they can be. And I believe you gotta be very ignorant as a developer not to see this. Especially in the light of rapid development and the competition. I hope that UA is aware of this, because like you I want them to succeed too.

You're the best, Barry! Thanks 🙏

Same here on this Macbook Air M1 Base model I'm typing on right now. Studio One Native M1 now and I'm blown away.

it wil be a while. The combo of UA plugs and unison pre amp for home and project studios are a win , means UA can catch em young lol

I completely agree with this entire video. I have been with universal for years Apollo 8, 8x, Octo satellite, Quad satellite x2, I also own 95% of all their plugins. I am currently demoing the Antelope Orion32 HD with Protools Ultimate and I am completely in love. I believe I made my decision plus I own most of the Plugin Alliance catalog sooo... Bye UA ✌🏾

I like this. I invested in UAD a few years back. I am very happy with their platform and plugins. The price though is ludicrous considering the offerings from other companies nowadays. I don't jive with Plugin Alliance (with a few exceptions) but Softube's and even a few other companies offerings are incredible. To me it is hard to say "better" because it is all subjective and we have our own individual uses for a plugin. But the price being what it is and the "sales" UAD has lowering it to ~$100 a plugin if you bundle is crazy making it a pretty easy choice. On top of that, if they did something crazy like a subscription model or lower there prices where they should be I would feel a bit bummed cause I spent a lot on them. Curious what they have in store for the future. I want them to succeed too. I am a hobbyist that invested pretty heavily in them buying 2 interfaces already. I love tracking with the FX it makes a huge difference to me which is why I lean towards UAD.

Great points love the passion!!!

i was considering the UAD X6 mainly because of the variable impedance that changes to mimic the hardware its emulating as far a preamps etc.. what would you recommend instead?

UA Analog 2-610 stereo tube pre-amp still the best. I use in my home stereo system. I love the physics of what tube audio still acomplishes in the psyche-accoustic phenomena of detail and instrument image placement. UAD acknowledged for DAW. Thank you for your insight.

love the channel, keep it up

These are some great points. I need to get me an M1....lol. But I just spent so much money this year on equipment....here we go again!

With UA adding Luna "extensions" of their UAD plugins that run on native CPU, you can definitely see them going in the direction of native plugins. The M1 chips truly are revolutionary. Can't wait to see what happens with the next generation of them (which should be released soon).

I agree, I bought an Apollo 8 in 2016 when dsp was still a good thing and plugins were priced all the same, via very expensive. Computers were capable back then with no external dsp but there really wasn't anything that could top unison technology. Then Slate came out with his Neve preamp model plugin that could do everything including no latency on recording without using any hardware. His were way less expensive. At the same time Waves went from Uad prices to like $40 a plugin. Now I just got sick of the pc Protools and downloaded the free Cakewalk. Besides a few Waves plugins I have not used any of my Uad plugins because cakewalk has it all. Besides UAD unison plugins are huge and you can't use many. They don't need to be that huge. So for now I use Uad hardware and plugins for recording only no mixing. When that hardware becomes outdated I don't plan on buying Uad. Too pricey and come on Uad give pc users Luna. You are neglecting pc users and there are many of us.

Heres the thing, I'm coming from a trained IT background, with CPUs getting faster every year, it no longer makes any sense to have non-native plugs. The best thing I did for my music making was building my own PC, a desktop i7 with 32GB of RAM. But you don't have to build your own, but try and avoid laptops, as laptop class CPUs are significantly slower than dssktop class ones. But a lot of all-in-one type desktops are using laptop class CPUs, so do your research and buy as fast a PC or Mac as you can afford!

I totally agree with you on all points about UHD. I feel the antelope Audio and his truly forward to working with their approach, and in recent years, they have fixed many of their service issues. I think that they are currently the best “interface with DSP” companies on the market.

I’ve had UAD for over 10 years. I’ve spent thousands and thousands of dollars on their products. However, I haven’t given them a dime in nearly 6 years. I’m still using a handful of their plugins, but even the ones I’ve stood by for years are slowly getting replaced by the competition. Great video… this is the truth.

I agree with every point even though i am highly invested in UAD for a long time. The only thing that speaks for the dsp sollution is the tracking without latency and the unison feature but i am also sure that latency is going to be a non issue with native plugins in the future or it might already be so, i havent tried as im using UA..:-) i love UA products as well but i agree that the sharc tecnology is ancient and forces people to by more dsp cores than they should have to. And its also really expensive. And something else that bothers me alot is that UA is one of few manufacturers that havent released native suport for apple silicon for their products almost a year later..

Very interesting perspective as I have had zero issue with having my limits with running UA Plugins with its Duo core DSP processor / not being able to use them without the interface. Never saw this angle as DPS never bothered me, if anything it helped me when my computers didn’t have the power and even now my 2019 intel MacBook Pro I still prefer having the DSP than not. I’d love to see a new “modern” interface with the updated chipset as I’m all about the power for the dollar. I truly loved this video and it opened my eyes to “problems” we have within the hardware side of these companies that I never really put together as my Apollo, and everyone else’s, is essentially another computer dedicated for audio processing. Why is it that your videos inspire me to make my own when I can’t find inspiration anywhere else!?! Seriously great video, great perspective, no hate at all, new window to look through, thanks Barry!

Hey Barry do you get latency in protools if you put a UAD plugin on a track duplicate the track, remove the UAD plugin even when delay compensation is on? Ive been fighting with this issue no help from either company. Example snare top disstessor and snare bottom nothing I can’t get them not to flam or get phase issues. Thanks love the content keep it up 👍

Yeah. I am SO GLAD I sold my Satellite with my Plugins altough I lost a lot of money. Buying into the UAD System about 10 month ago was one of the most costly mistake I ever made. Their system of hardware/plugins and that you can't sell the plugins separately is close to a scam. Not that they are bad, but compared to the competition, it is REDICULOUS. So glad I am OUT of that system!

I get it for mixing. What about low-latency recording/monitoring? How does an M1 stack up vs UAD DSP?

I own the Apollo X4 and was considering buying the X8 if they offer the free Satellite bundle this holiday season. A friend of mine hired me to build him a hi-end/entry level home studio and after weeks of research I decided to build his setup around the Apogee Symphony Desktop Interface and a TLM103 Mic. After running his setup for a month it’s very difficult for me to justify going deeper into the UAD rabbit hole. My X4 will be used for my portable setup. I’m considering running with Apogee or Antelope for my main setup soon. Especially since I can’t bypass the preamps on the X4 I currently have and the ecosystem itself is ridiculously expensive overtime. Great Video!

One of the best videos i´ve seen so far. And its one year old. I think you are right. I will sell my UAD stuff, although i m a big fan of some of the plugins like the preamps in the unison slot and the ocean way room simulation AND Luna. But these are things i will replace with other components to make music. Thanks sir ✌🏻

Totally agree. I've stayed out of the UAD game the past few years and have been glad I have.

I went with antelope audio instead of UAD, and while it does sound amazing. The thing broke (I don’t travel with it, it broke on its own) just sitting on my desk and would glitch out all the time. I sent it in for repair. Took SIX MONTHS. I get it back and they said it wasent even broken. Well sure enough not even 5mins into me testing it, it starts to glitch up. They’re sending me a brand new one, but just my own personal experience, and I am not pleased with them. So keep that in mind maybe if you’re thinking of choosing one of they’re products.

I couldn't agree more. I'll buy in once plugins run native.

Do I sense a “hardware vs software” comparison in the not-so-distant future?? Quick question; are you using any VI’s in your set-up? I’m using PT HD 10 and use some VI’s via VEPro due to the 32-bit wall. I’m curious to find out how well a current PT DSP system is handling tracking(low latency) while using VI’s(Instrument tracks) on the new M1x machines. Is the lower on board ram able to handle it? I know it also utilizes the processor for the ram deficit but is that software dependent or does Rosetta take care of that function currently? Thanks!!

5:20 Similar, if not better?? No, they are the exact SAME. PA and UAD use the same code. The plugins even null. (Go watch some Paul Third videos) Then at 11:20 asking them to make their plugins work without DSP when there is already PA doing that exact thing.. I think your video sheds light on the issue but without linking that UAD and PA are the same plugins, you missed some major opportunities to drive the point home even further. (Yes I know not all plugins that UAD offers is also offered by PA but many are)

My worry is that once UAD update their chips, all my UAD gear will become obsolete.

Great video Barry. I think you make some great points and Ive wondered for a while why these UAD plugins cant run natively. Glad I wasnt the only one. Ive been using DSP for so long it would take a great deal of work to learn a workflow thats solely out of Pro Tools. I still love Total Mix FX, and have enjoyed Console since I got my Apollo. Either way, the future is indeed bright for music creation and its exciting to think about whats down the road.

Preach it, Barry! I don't do a lot of work - my main client is my own imagination; yes, I'm educated in this craft. However, I own a spanking brand new 27" iMac, running Logic Pro through a Focusrite 18i20, and I cannot find one single reason to spend another dollar. My DAW-vs-computer platform offers me perpetual compatibility, along with a plethora of plugins and a sweet library of virtual instruments. Am I missing something? In my mind, if I can't get it done with my present rig, I never will. It's not about gear - it's all about hands-on winning and failing, hard work, and a 'never-say-die' attitude.

Uad native option would be great 👍.

When truth speaks the heart listens, thank you Sir for all your insights.

I WAS going to go down the path but I was too put off by the prices. Glad I made that decision. Thanks for confirming with this video.

I got the Apollo Twin and can barely run five of the new plugins in it. I was planning to get a satellite but then I realised that it would barely scratch the surface for what I need. Now after seeing this video, no way I am buying a Sattelite when I have a Threadripper that can run so many Plugin Alliance, Waves, Softube plugins. Amazing analysis btw. Subbed.

In my experience, DSP has a place, and that place is tracking. I own Carbon, two TDM HD rigs, Antelope, and Apollos, as well as two M1 Macs and a newer Mac Pro. Yes, computers are powerful these days, but still not where they need to be to replace that experience. it's also true that some native developers are catching up in quality to UA (that's been their target for nearly two decades). Excluding the LUNA path, in my opinion there are two reasons to have an Apollo-based setup: reliable low latency performance at any stage in the production, and access to the UAD plugins. I own most PA, some SoundToys, all Waves, some Softube, SSL, some Slate, Arturia, etc., but I have not found a better version of any of the real classic studio staples: 1176, API 2500, LA2A, 1073, Studer, Ampex, 175b, etc.

Man this hits right on point for me! I’ve always wanted to go with a UAD interface and try out the echo system. Probably at least twice a year I consider it, but every time I think about it, it comes down to me being discouraged by all the compatibility issues I read and the lack of speed to keep up with technology like the M1. The lack of being able to function with other technology like OBS, zoom, and iOS. So it’s always hard for me to buy in. Thus why I’ve gone with Apogee since it seems like they are keeping up with the changing technology around them.

I'm so glad I found your channel. I'm starting out my home studio after 35 years of playing live and making records over the years. I almost invested $4000 on all kinds of UAD equipment because I thought I had to have the best only to find out I could invest $650 in an Mac Mini M2 and a Focusrite rackmount 8 preamp input with talkback for $650 out the door. $1300 vs. $4000. when you said "Is the extra $2800 worth what your getting?" and I had to ask myself what makes sense? Picking up my new M2 tomorrow and Interface this weekend. Like that you say what you think.

What camera did u film this with? It’s crystal clear

Respectfully, while I agree with much said in the video (even though I run 2 large UA Facebook groups) I am one who does print while recording - and that means using a DSP based interface works well. I do 'not' use DSP based plugins for most mix processing. Just a few choice UA plugins along with many 3rd party native plugins. (I actually removed a UA OCTO Satellite from my setup and will probably sell it in the near future.) But again, when tracking in real time - even with my powerful 12 core Mac Pro - using DSP/FPGA processing in real time while not having to change buffer settings or sample rates is a big advantage. Not so much when mixing.

LUNA is a reflection of what UAD believes is the future. Modeling analog workflows from the past. We are always being told that we need to "glue" our mixes better, and introduce "saturation" like the tape machines of the past. Sure, OK - but at the UAD price of entry it's really difficult to compete. And does UAD literally do those things better than everyone else? More importantly, who are we as musicians when we attempt to impress anyone other than the listener with our recordings? Who are we really recording for? People who want to hear our music will NEVER complain about "warmth" and "analog" and any other technical feature of how recordings are made. Either they like the song, or they don't (within reason, of course). With UAD, there is always a cap on everything - either not enough hardware, or far too expensive plugins. I sure wish I had a rack of 8xp's and all their plugins though! ha ha

Excellent rant, excellent critique !

Luna and + uad unison is sooo dope! Love this running system, using Neve 1084 without any latency, perfectly matched with this amazing sounding Apollo solo. I’m not a fanboy, I’m not working for uad but this is just my experience. I don’t use all the plugins. Some are quite similar to other much cheaper ones but some are extraordinary. Manley, Neve, Summing, Luna for Stem mixing. Great and well engineered system, with a long history of amazing hardware etc! Don’t forget how many plugins are based on these developers back in the 50‘s etc. this is not for everybody but cheap is not always the best way in life. People forgetting to pay for quality and that you don’t need everything for nothing. It’s better to have only what you really need!

What i think should happen, and this is my opinion, is Apple should buy UAD, and integrate the apollo lineup into their ecosystem, probably upgrade the Shark chip with a M1 based processor and integrate Luna and Logic into a Frankendaw with the best of both world.

At the time I purchased my Apollo I thought it change everything sound wise, but I always use vast majority PA, Sound Toys, and Softube plug-ins these days. Haven't purchased a UA plugin in years regardless of the sales because they still don't discount anywhere near enough. THERE IS NO REASON TO PAY THAT MUCH FOR PLUGINS ANYMORE PERIOD!! UA plugs absolutely sound fantastic, but UA as with Waves has lost the "WOW" factor for me. ...But I'd rather UA just keep doing what they are doing rather than put out gimmicky crap like Waves does these days.

I just upgraded from my old focusrite pro 40 to the apollo x6 sounds nice plenty of inputs/outputs came with some free plugins...my only concerns is the converters I got to hear some samples from antelope and I was blown away with their converters.it sound wide and lots details I'm using a rupert neve 5211 mic pre I dont Care for the pres on the apollo which antelope equivalent you think I should get ? I'm going to trade up.ive also heard uad converters are not mastering grade, which somewhat disappointed me.

I agree with you man. I must say though that we just invested so much money in UA. I totally see what you’re saying now after I’ve had this gear about a year now. My best friend is a producer and he uses PLAlliance and masterworx religiously. Cool vid. I subscribed!

I'm pretty sure that UA is acutely aware of the issues raised here. I initially gave you a thumbs down because you came off a bit strong, but I stuck with you and have to agree with alot of what you said. Times are changing. Exponential change is disruptive.

I think UAD should never go Subscription base. They separate the boys from the mens. And also I love the fact that the plugins process on the Shark cards and not your CPU. But I totally understand your view and where you coming from partner.

Great vid. How about c-vox c suite? I haven't seen anything as good as this. Please let me know if you know of any.

Love my Apollo Twin and alllll the plug-ins too…..as long as they continue to work on my 2013 MacBook Pro , I’m a happy man. M1 next year.

I use an M1 system, and even though it’s killer, most of my plugins and DAWs run in intel mode, which does eat up my CPU/RAM like crazy, I can only have a few instances of a plug-in alliance channel strip before a crash, so until everything goes native with M1, DSP does offer me a work around… for now at least, there is still an argument for DSP… but the real solution is move everything to silicon native rather than cling to the DSP bandaid

Add the unsizable plugins to the equation.

I'd been toying with buying into the UA ecosystem the last couple of months and this is just the video I needed to see. Moving right on past the UAD stuff.

Completely agree with this. I bought into the UAD hype a years back and picked up a Twin MKII as my first real audio interface. I used it for a few years until I switched to Windows from Mac and realized that my Twin MKII was not compatible with my Ryzen CPU/Mobo. I picked up a Motu M4 as a placeholder with the intention of replacing it later down the line, but it quickly grew on me and made me realize that I did not miss the Apollo whatsoever. I never really used the UAD plugins either because they were so expensive and other companies were offering competitive solutions at a fraction of the cost. I think with today's CPU's, DSP is a thing of the past and should no longer be a deciding factor when purchasing an audio interface. UAD will really have to innovate in order to stay ahead or the company will get buried by its competitors

Your content is distasteful and delivery uninspiring.

Thank you Sir for bringing this to everyone's attention. I purchased 2 Apollo x8's and I'm using the ADAT on each one. That being said I can only use 10 plugins on the 11th one a message pops up saying that's the limit. I was told that I would need to purchase the UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt 3 OCTO. Another $1699.00!!!! That's when I stopped buying anymore UA products. I'm not the only one that has these issues as another studio I do business with was experiencing the same thing. They sold their UA set up and purchase Antelope interfaces. And your comparison to AVID is spot on. Left the Pro Tools money pit a long time ago moving to Studio One and never looked back. When I purchased the Apollo's I tried Luna which was ok but it reminded me of Pro Tools. The work flow in Studio One is so much better for me. Right now I'd have to say Audient iD44 is a great interface but only 4 channels which can expand to 20 channels with ADAT. Wish they would make an 8 or 12 channel interface with Thunderbolt 3. As far as plugins UA has some great ones, one reason I made the move but if I had to do it all over again knowing what I know now, I would not have made the move. Thank you again for everything you do and have a great day. Stay safe and may God bless 🙏✝️

Great video Barry! I'm a producer/composer that mainly writes for production librarys. I have the old Apollo Twin Duo and a Satellite Octocore. And a couple thousand dollars of UA plug-ins. I still absolutely love my Apollo twin, but I barely ever turn on my satellite octocore. I havent bought any new UA plugins in a few years now. I really only use UA plugins to track guitars and basses. From my perspective I really wish UA would make some more visually modern and creative plugins. Don't get me wrong I love their emulations but if I reach for an EQ or compressor after tracking, the first one I go with is fabfilter. For mastering or widening its iZotope. But I'm not an engineer, I'm a producer and I need results quick and plugins that are intuitive and creative from a producer's perspective. I really hope they will consider this. Cheers!

I realized this a few months ago. U are 100% correct.

As someone looking to make some home studio purchases in the near future I enjoy these videos. There are so many options out there these days. I like you industry insights and discussion as far as the trends and trajectories of various companies. What kind of work do you do if you don't mind my asking? I would guess you are in product development? Keep it up!

They’ve shown what they can do by making instruments and even the api channel strip that run natively on Luna. My only complaint is being unable to offload plugs to the pc during the mixing phase.

As someone committed to the UAD platform, I truly believe they are working towards a transitional hybrid system. With options like Spark and Luna, you won't have to buy into the system for some things but there are definite benefits to do so. The good thing for me is, by working with Spark's native versions, I can continue to use some of the plugins I love and free up more resources for those that require the DSP. While there aren't a lot with native versions as of yet, its a start, and proof to me that they hear us, they are looking to the future and as long as they keep releasing great plugins, they should have no problem holding the reigns at the top for a while. I have invested in some of the hardware clones but I save those for critical use. UAD gets me the rest of the way 90% of the time. You are 100% correct about Plugin Alliance though, they offer many of the same plugins as UAD. Shadow Hills, Maag, etc are the same code and are phenomenal deals. Some of the other offerings are unique and exceptional as well. The Townsend Compressor has become one of my favorites.

This was a great rant - it's kinda convinced me to sell off my Apollo and go with all the stuff I've gotten in the latest IK group buy and a Clarett interface

I remember my Mac, always gave me the sound I wanted

Great opinion . I remember back in the day when Focusrite had their pre amps in the Mbox lol. The Preamps were worth more than the $ of the Mbox.

Wow, real talk. You are the truth, Barry! I made a purchase the other day on a Macbook Air M2 13.6 with 24GB of memory, 10 core GPU, and 2TB SSD @ $2700 and will probably bite the bullet with more mac purchases for my music needs, and still making purchases on the great outboard analog gear of all kinds, I have Avalon stuff, LA 610 mic pre, etc. I couldn't resist making a lower purchase on a great unit by warm, the Warm Audio WA-MPX 1-channel Tube Mic/Line/Instrument Preamp. I love that unit now; thanks for your passionate feeling about UAD. I've always felt they were over; price is why I purchased every one of (plugin alliance's excellent plugins).

M1 huh…. 🧐 interesting video. I have an Apollo quad interface with loads of expensive plugins... Thanks for sharing!

Finally, someone said it! Thank you 🙏

Thanks for the warning before I fall down that rabbit hole myself

I agree. An m1 and a Scarlett is all you need. I invested in UAD interface and a satellite several years ago and was disappointed to see that I need to invest in at least 2 more satellites to run at least 10 plugins... their processors or like dial up internet... I rarely use them. I went ahead and invested in an Avalon and an i7 Mac mini with 32gb... runs incredible. I jumped on the M1 MacBook Pro with 16gb... It’s a beast... somehow these guys are still debating... ???

I agree Barry! Just Subscribed!

Joyful tears in my eyes UAD, really, never seen a big company respond humbly to a review video. ❤UAD. My respect for you has increased immensely. Thank you.

6:34 You are talking directly to me who hasn’t yet spent a dime on UAD but will probably get a MacBook M1pro next year. Is there any interface you recommend with the quality of an Apollo but without the $$$$ spend on DSP that I may not need?

I'm a UAD user and I agree with what you're saying.. Now with Mac's M1 processor the need for additional DSP for plugins will become obsolete unless they upgrade their chips. The thing is that for now that I'm running an old Intel Mac so it makes sense as if I'd still be living in 2018. After I upgrade to an M1 then I'm sure it won't make sense to spend money on UAD if they don't upgrade they're hardware and plugins. I also agree with the clone gear comment as well.

I love UAD plugins but I totally agree with Barry Johns opinion about the strategy! Thanks

GREAT AND HONEST AND ALL TRUE!!!!

Honesty for $500 I got a Scarlett 18i20, and that thing is an absolute powerhouse, and with the money saved over buying a UA I can buy one or two nice hardware pre-amps and some phenomenal plug ins from Slate, McDSP or Waves. I also am a Pro Tools user, but more and more I've been using Studio One and loving it. On my next release I'm planning on doing the full edit/mix in Studio One and seeing how well it works. The main thing keeping me with Pro Tools is the fact that I've used it for well over 10 years now and I have so much muscle memory, and also the interface is super clean. However, Studio One is now fully updated to use M1 (also works with native and non-native plug ins!), which makes it solid as hell on my M1 Air.

Yea I agree with this. I actually upgraded from a Focusrite 2i2 to the Apollo Twin X which is great and I enjoy that the UAD plugins use DSP but I did not know that they couldn't be used without the apollo. I just knew UAD had a good interface and good plugins. I was under the assumption that the plugins work on a computer normally and an added benefit of getting the interface would be offloading the processing. The plugins I like the most for mixing are UAD actually and I do like the unison preamp tech, but just looking at the plugins, the prices are insane. For myself, I just wanted to upgrade my interface but now by buying some UAD plugins it's like I'm locked into this system that I didn't even realize existed at first

You are decent and fair!! You are speaking on my behalf and I think we all need to move on and leave the big names behind. The underdogs are the key to success and then they become the Top Dog and at that point, we will bet on the next UNDERDOG!!

Right there with you, been doing this for 40 years too. Working in Hardware/Software development just as long. The only constant in technology is change! I love my UA hardware and Software, I also agree they need to update with the times, I left ProTools 6 years ago and switched to Presonus Studio One, (love Presonus). I finally am getting rid of my old keyboards, and other musical and studio out dated stuff too. I really hope UA stays around a long, long time.

Hey, Barry. I am currently considering the path I should go for when I upgrade my interface (still rocking a UMC 404HD…) but what has been drawing me to UA is the Unison preamps and the ability to model other preamps. How do you feel about Unison, and what alternatives would you recommend to that system?

Hey Barry I known this is a older video but I want you know your thoughts on the Antelope Zen Series interfaces

I bought UAD's Cambridge EQ because I wanted a graphical EQ that can run in Console, it sounds awesome but it looks like it's a low res design from 2005 - what would it take to just re-do the graphics??