Dodged a Universal Audio Bullet: update = Pulled Trigger

steadystate

steadystate

Fractal Fanatic
I've been very interested in UA plugins for a while now. The EP-34 plugin is especially alluring. Everything I've seen and heard about UA is stellar, and their video demos are impressive.

I was minutes away from pulling the trigger on a PCIe Octo system, when I ran across something that floored me: no MIDI control. Even though I had researched, I just assumed that a major plugin developer would have this basic feature in their plugins.

Bummer. But I'm glad I found out before purchase.
 
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If there are 'Keyboard Shortcuts'? You might be able to use 'Bomes' to convert midi commands into keyboard commands.

But I just realizes that that wont solve continuous controls though?
 
Moke said:
If there are 'Keyboard Shortcuts'? You might be able to use 'Bomes' to convert midi commands into keyboard commands.

But I just realizes that that wont solve continuous controls though?
Click to expand...
Nope. I want to control the parameters with any MIDI controller (including foot controller) or expression pedal. My initial project was to create a Hyperspace Pedal with the EP-34 plugin. Can't be done.
 
Interesting. The plugins are designed to be used in a DAW, not live. So it wasn't conceived, I'm sure, for live use or midi control. I have 3 UAD cards. I'm not a HUGE fan, even so. I mean I AM, of course, but sometimes their customer support is . . . well, they're working on it.
 
I can't believe here in 2018 we are still dependent on the MIDI protocol for anything. Yet here we are, nothing better exists for that purpose.
 
henryrobinett said:
Interesting. The plugins are designed to be used in a DAW, not live. So it wasn't conceived, I'm sure, for live use or midi control. I have 3 UAD cards. I'm not a HUGE fan, even so. I mean I AM, of course, but sometimes their customer support is . . . well, they're working on it.
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True, but the same could be said of most plugins. I have almost 1200 plugins (from free to expensive), and I believe all of them have MIDI control. I can't find one that doesn't. And a web search shows that I'm not the only one who thinks this omission is rather serious; serious enough to prevent a system purchase. The idea that you have to use your mouse to adjust a Moog resonant filter knob or an Echoplex delay time is just ridiculous, especially considering the price.
 
Robboman said:
I can't believe here in 2018 we are still dependent on the MIDI protocol for anything. Yet here we are, nothing better exists for that purpose.
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Yeah, I would have thought by now we d have the direct cortical -to -computer connection down pat........
 
That doesn't sound like a deal breaker to me

The PCI Octo is also probably overkill
A satallite quad is just fine

I have 8 uad2 processors and can't even get past 25% of one
 
Jeries said:
That doesn't sound like a deal breaker to me

The PCI Octo is also probably overkill
A satallite quad is just fine

I have 8 uad2 processors and can't even get past 25% of one
Click to expand...
For me, it's an absolute deal breaker. It depends on your intended purpose. I want to manipulate controls in realtime via a control surface (on my synth controller), my MIDI footcontroller, and MIDI expression pedals. Practically every other plugin brand allows it, even freeware. For some plugins, it isn't critical. For others, it is.

I based my preference for the Octo based on their instance chart and the specific plugins I wanted to run.
 
Robboman said:
I can't believe here in 2018 we are still dependent on the MIDI protocol for anything. Yet here we are, nothing better exists for that purpose.
Click to expand...
There are other protocols like Open Sound Control (OSC) but MIDI is quite good for what it is. It's lasted like 40 years and is so fundamental that it still rules the roost. English is a dumb and illogical language, yet here we are.
 
If you like the EP34 I was going to recommend checking into Audio Thing Outerspace but the first thing I see is it doesn't do MIDI either. Seems it not just a UAD thing.
 
mwd said:
If you like the EP34 I was going to recommend checking into Audio Thing Outerspace but the first thing I see is it doesn't do MIDI either. Seems it not just a UAD thing.
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Yeah, I need a MIDI controlled tape delay sim that simulates a sliding record head (not play head); basically an accurate model of an Echoplex. The UAD model is the only one I've ever seen that accurately mimics the Echoplex sliding record head behavior.
 
mwd said:
Read the paragraph entitled 'Delay Mahem'. It goes into EP34 automation and the author also mentions he has gotten great results at simulating moving head technique with Wave H-Delay. Which does offer MIDI functionality. You might extract some ideas.

...also here is an H-Delay manual.
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Thanks for the info. He is talking about modulating the EP-34 using DAW automation, not real time physical controllers. And I have H-Delay. It doesn't behave anything like an Echoplex. Like all others, it simulates the modulation behavior of a BBD or sliding play head. But I'm always all ears for any suggestions, so thanks.
 
steadystate said:
True, but the same could be said of most plugins. I have almost 1200 plugins (from free to expensive), and I believe all of them have MIDI control. I can't find one that doesn't. And a web search shows that I'm not the only one who thinks this omission is rather serious; serious enough to prevent a system purchase. The idea that you have to use your mouse to adjust a Moog resonant filter knob or an Echoplex delay time is just ridiculous, especially considering the price.
Click to expand...
Interesting. You can control it with control surfaces, like anything that supports HUI Mackie control and the like. I've never thought about.
 
Jeries said:
That doesn't sound like a deal breaker to me

The PCI Octo is also probably overkill
A satallite quad is just fine

I have 8 uad2 processors and can't even get past 25% of one
Click to expand...
Yeah. It totally depends what you need and what you need it for. For mixing it's very important. As I said I have three: a firewire Solo Satellite, and Solo PCIe that both work together and a Satellite Quad Thunderbolt for my MacBookPro. The two that go together, like you, I always have a lot of DSP left. But they're not even my main plugins. I just use the mouse. Not at all a deal breaker for me. I don't play guitar with my plugins. Or pedals.
 
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