UADx Native Plugins + Spark Subscription Explained! (DSP vs NATIVE Null Test)

Soooo.... you dont need the hardware anymore now right seing the performances of a M2....

One thing I hope people realize about Spark (which I didn't know)... the Spark subscription does NOT give you the DSP version of the plugins!
So for example, you will have the UADx version of the Neve plugin, but you will NOT be able to use it as a preamp (unless of course, you bought it regardless of the subscription). Just something to keep in mind.

Ed with UAD spark can I use the neve 1073 preamp in a UNISON slot? It won't let me. Does it make a difference if it doesn't go unison?

Is there native VST without Spark payment, hope yes? Though there is no Moog native magically outside of Luna, right?

Subscription is not the way to go. Just buy them

UADx versions of pultec and fairchild plugins would be amazing

So does Unison really make any difference in any way you can actually hear?

But if I have UAD-2 Satellite with plugins, how can I use spark without paying subscription?
I don't see option to download spark as a separated program. Or I just can't find it?

Only thing left to know of importance is how does your CPU handle the X plugins vs using the DSP? Would
I buy a UA Apollo interface/satellite or a new computer?

If you were in the market to now purchase an apollo interface, which would you buy the solo or twin x? I was thinking of purchasing the twin x because of the extra DSP but with the plugins being able to go native now does it now make more sense to go with the SOLO interface and pay nearly half the price for it?

I have a keen ear, I’ve used both the DSPs and Natives and can hoe stay say the DSPs still give the best emulation of the hardware but the native plugins come in a really close second … especially if you don’t want to buy an Apollo or are working with a budget, there’s a slight difference in their color but beyond that not too much of a difference

Excellent video Ed, as always

Can I run the Spark plugins along side DSP versions in my apollo?

To all the UA fanboys that for years claimed that UA plugins sounded better because of DSP this video will require you to seek emotional and financial counseling.🤣🤣🤣

Monthly subscriptions are only suitable for people who have regular steady incomes, ironically a lot of professional recordists, writers and engineers haven’t got that stability. Especially since pandemic destroyed the income of musicians who would normally pay for mixing and mastering services. I am sure those who treat recording as a glorified side project or who are extremely wealthy/successful will disagree with me here but the reality of lower paid work, increasing rents, electricity and so forth make life extremely hard for full time musicians.

I was not expecting native support but is it being driven by the chip shortage to making the hardware?

I own an Apollo x6 and Apollo X16 as well as two Satelites. I don't consider their DSP Worthless. I built a i7 9700 CPU Windows PC for my studio and in my experience having the DSP is still worth it. Now UA had Native Plugins I can already hear people complaining the plugins slow their PC down.

So glad i always kept my old setup...
Native all the way..

Also available for $150 annual sub = $12.50 per month.

I have too many UA Plugins. This is a fair deal. I finally get to work with these during my long commutes.

Decision time. My Slate sub is still running. Have several purchased Waves and over $3,000 in purchased UAD plugs and hardware.

They need to give me Waterfall for free!

So sounds like I’ll need to purchase an I- lock device in order to run these natively?

UAD just throwing away the covetousness and only advantage they had over everybody else. And that was the mere fact if you wanted their plugins you had to pay and there was no way around it. Give this a few days and these are gonna be cracked and littered all over the web like everything else. UAD is just gonna be mixed in with the ever increasing onslaught of offerings and fade into obscurity. Good job. Swear they better not add the C-Vox plugin.

So this means that their DSP units were just another form of business which they might not be selling around too much anymore and thats why they are resorting to a subscription based environment? What is this? Waves 2.0?

How's the CPU hit?

I’d never rent plug ins .

for some weird reason despite that i own 1176, vision ans LAs they show as demos in ilok and also had to enable subscription

What does it cost monthly? Waiting for windows version.

So you can’t track vocals with these plugins on ur appolo twin interface ?

Keyboard player are ya?

So now if I we buy a new DSP version of a plug-in in (and not enter into the subscription) is the native version of the plug-in included?

I feel like this is a bad move for UA. They're basically revealing to the world that their software never required any extra mystical DSP dedicated hardware to function and sound great. Don't get me wrong, both the hardware and software that UA sell are high quality products and the combination does provide near zero latency. But to be told we need hardware to power the software has just been revealed to be one big con.

Makes sense if you have the M1 computer. It can handle it

After my UAD-1 became obsolete i've never looked at DSP accelerated plugins again. Expensive plugins that i can not use anymore. Yes i know, UAD did a UAD-1 to 2 for a discount, but, i already paid for those plugins. Native is the only way to go to be future proof, for most plugins anyway.

thank you man! I was upset until you clarified they are compensating us.

The other day I decided I'd had enough of Waves, and got rid of all of it. The stupidly annoying Waves Central has driven me crazy for years, why not just sell their bloody plugins as downloadable VST etc and that's it, but I digress. So from that moment I said I'm only going to mix using my Fabfilter and SSL suites of plugins, as there is everything I need....... are these plugins "better" in some way than what I'm using now? Cheers Ed, great vid as always!

About time. (although, I did check it wasn't April 1st)

Complete pisstake if you ask me

Loyal customers for years have been shafted

Now it makes sense why they released the volt

I'm glad I didn't spend thousands of dollars for uad hardware and plugins 🤣

amazing by uad

Cool video man! I have mixed feelings about this. I'm happy the plugins are not dependent on DSP now, but not happy that my Quad Satellite is basically worthless. I totally love using the plugins on the Apollo in real-time, but sigh... this is bitter-sweet.

One upside is I have access to plugins that aren't a part of the subscription and can now use as many UAD plugins as my computer can handle. No more DSP errors.

I would buy individual or even packs but would never support subscriptions. Subscription with no purchase option is what hurt Adobe and send people looking for alternatives

Native, unless you own an M1 mac - then its rosetta for you. I'll wait for the updates

I hope they give the option to buy them natively. I've wanted the la2a forever but didn't want to buy an apollo for one plugin.

Cool video man. If you have any kind of relationship with UAD, can you suggest that they make the 176 and 175b collection, Ocean Ways Studios, and Capitol Chambers part of their native bundle?

Ed I'm new to Mac I tried to update Luna and install UA connect which I did for both but when I try to open the new Luna icon on my Mac screen it starts the process all over again wanting me to drag the Luna icon into the apps icon . Then if I try to replace the older version it tells me that I have Luna open . It's downloaded already the only way I got it to continue was to keep both versions but what do I do after highlighting the 2nd version of luna it finder . If I try to open it's just gonna start all over . I got the UA connect page downloaded but when I click on Spark plug-ins on the page it remains empty . I got the email saying I'm good to go with the trial. Does it take time to populate ? It's been 20 minutes and still nada.

Opal sounds amazing!

MAN MY X6 Rack just Updated 100% Along with my New AVID S1 and IPad Pro 11.5 😎🎯 I just realized or should I say it said in that you said if you already own what they’re offering you can receive them free natively and I own the heritage edition which comes with the LA to a collection along with the leveling collection and pure plate Nice just checked my ILOK have New UA native plug ins that I don’t have to pay for each month UA Thank you!! this makes up for the 15$ Thunderbolt 3 Cable you don’t put in the 2700$ 3000$ 1200& 900$ Apollo Interface’s Boxes 😅😎.