Universal Audio is an American manufacturer of professional audio hardware and DSP software. The company is known for its classic analog hardware and emulations of vintage gear in software form.
Founded in 1958 in Chicago by Bill Putnam Sr., a pioneer in the development of modern recording.
In 1999, Universal Audio began developing digital signal processing software plugins for DAWs.
In 2001, the company introduced the UAD-1, a platform for running DSP plugins on a dedicated PCI card.
Today, Universal Audio continues to be a leading manufacturer of hardware and software for professional audio production.
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A desktop audio interface featuring improved audio conversion, two Unison-enabled mic preamps, and the ability to run UAD plugins in real-time.
A PCIe or Thunderbolt card that adds processing power to run UAD plugins in real-time on a DAW workstation.
A reactive load box and guitar amp recording solution featuring built-in speaker simulation, headphone output, and the ability to run UAD plugins in real-time.
UAD plugins are digital signal processing algorithms designed to emulate classic analog hardware in software form. They require a UAD-2 DSP Accelerator or Apollo interface to run in real-time.
Unison technology is a processing algorithm that allows Universal Audio mic preamp plugins to affect the impedance and gain structure of the Apollo or Arrow hardware they are running on.
Yes, Universal Audio makes several hardware compressors, including the 1176, LA-2A, and Fairchild 670 emulations.
No, UAD plugins require a UAD-2 DSP Accelerator or Apollo interface to run in real-time.
The Apollo Twin has more I/O options (including ADAT and SPDIF inputs), more DSP processing power (allowing for more simultaneous UAD plugins), and a higher-quality headphone amp than the Arrow. The Arrow is more portable and affordable.