JHT from New York, New York
jdalley1@nyc.rr.com
Subject:
You Can't Go Wrong
Quality:
I previously purchased the UAD-1 card within a couple of months after it was made available in the stores. By far, one of my best purchases of gear in over 25 years of doing music. So, the purchase of the Duo card was really a no-brainer. With the purchase of the card, you get the $500 voucher for UAD's high quality plugs.
Features:
UA is one of my favorite music gear companies -- very high quality stuff at rather reasonable prices. And the company is very responsive in keeping the drivers current and addressing any bugs or compatibility issues. This is perhaps the most important aspect of any computer-based gear.
In terms of features, this largely depends on the plugs you get. The only thing I'd like to see UA do to improve the UAD card is to come out with a few VST instruments. The Moog Filter is a step in that direction, presumably, they will come out with an emulation of the Mini-Moog or some other classic synths? An emulation of a Lexicon 224 wouldn't be bad either.
Ease of Use:
Again -- this largely depends on the plugs. The LA-2 compressor is real easy to use -- two virtual knobs and that's it. Things like Fatso though, are more complex and requires reading the manual to understand its controls. But the card itself is very easy. Easy to install and maintain in your DAW. Love it.
Value:
Highly realistic emulations (with numerous instances) of classic hardware that would set me back by over $100k if I had to go out and buy just one real LA-2, LN1176, Fatso, etc. For me, the UAD card is an AMAZING value.
Appearance:
It's a computer card, so...However, if you've spent anytime looking at computer cards, you can tell that the UAD-2 is a high quality piece.
Do you own this product?:
Yes