I had an image of UNIVERSAL AUDIO as a manufacturer that created “a masterpiece that is still used today” developed by Mr. Bill Putnam. However, following his son Bill Putnam Jr. took over the company, it entered the digital field and has become the industry standard. I own almost all of the UAD-2 plug-ins, and I have the impression that they are all usable, with sounds that retain the nuances of vintage equipment but are not too old. I have high hopes that this pedal-type amp simulator for guitar will show its potential.
Designed with Proprietary Analog Modeling Technology
This time we review three models in the UAFX series, each emulating a vintage tube guitar amp. Judging from its appearance, tone, and features, the UAFX Dream ’65 Reverb Amplifier (Dream ’65) is a 1965 FENDER Deluxe Reverb. The UAFX Ruby ’63 Top Boost Amplifier (hereinfollowing Ruby ’63) is a 1963 VOX AC30. The UAFX Woodrow ’55 Instrument Amplifier (hereinfollowing referred to as Woodrow ’55) is modeled following the 1955 FENDER Tweed Deluxe. Due to the dual processor engine and unique analog modeling technology, even though it is small, it achieves a full-fledged sound.
For input, you can directly connect a guitar via the phone jack, or you can also connect the line out L/R of a synth. Connect to Mac/Windows via USB-C cable to get bonus effects and firmware updates.
Also, if you connect to a smartphone via Bluetooth, you can use the presets of famous artists and manage your own presets with the iOS / Android compatible app UAFX Control.
The AC adapter is sold separately, and an isolated type with 400mA or more at 9VDC/center negative is recommended (manufacturer’s genuine PSU-GP1-WW is also available).
The stomp pedal type housing is quite robust, and the torque of the knob feels luxurious and heavy. Just by touching the switches, I might tell that good parts were used.
You can choose from 3 types of speakers and boosters
The 3 products are equipped with 2 foot switches, 3 toggle switches and 6 knobs. The left foot switch switches effects on/off, and the right switches presets on/off. When a preset is on, the settings saved in the preset will be output, regardless of the state of the knobs and switches. The toggle switch is for switching speakers on the left and switching amp channels and boosters on the right. The central toggle switch allows you to save a preset by pressing and holding the lower right foot switch “PRESET” until the LED flashes and pushing it downward. For Dream ’65 and Ruby ’63 with tremolo, switching between amp operation and tremolo operation is also done from the central toggle switch. The contents that can be controlled by the six knobs differ depending on the model, but I was able to operate them intuitively by looking at the display on the panel.
Here are some of the major differences in the knobs, switches, and functions of each model. First of all, regarding the type of reverb installed. Dream ’65 has spring reverb, Ruby ’63 and Woodrow ’55 have room reverb. In addition, Woodrow ’55 had the characteristic that the microphone volume and the instrument volume were assigned to different knobs, and the tone might be adjusted by blending the two. Knobs and switches are grouped together for all three models so that the necessary operations can be performed easily.
There were many scenes where I mightn’t help but grin because I was able to reach the maniac part. For example, with the Dream ’65, you can easily switch between Celestion speakers and OXFORD speakers with a toggle switch, but that’s not the case with the actual machine, so I felt the possibility of new expressions.
It’s a raw sound, but it’s a recording that feels close, so it’s easy to get along with the orchestra
Let’s actually listen to the sound. This time, I input FENDER Stratocaster and GIBSON Les Paul into each of the three models, sent them to the audio interface APOGEE Symphony I/O MKII via JENSEN’s DI and mic pre NEVE 1081, and recorded them in AVID Pro Tools. Except for not using a microphone, the environment is almost the same as my usual guitar recording environment.
Start with Dream ’65. The galleon sound is very similar to the FENDER Twin Reverb. Normally, when I connect a Stratocaster to the Twin Reverb, the peaky high-frequency part can be annoying when I set it to a clean setting, so I often cut it with an EQ. It doesn’t stick out strangely, and it’s a tone that’s easy to use even in its unprocessed form.
The Ruby ’63 is an easy-to-use model that covers everything from UK rock-ish crunch to dense distortion reminiscent of Queen and Deep Purple. In the case of a real guitar amp, I think it’s common to feel that the distortion is less than what you’re looking for, but with Ruby ’63 you can use the treble booster function by setting the right toggle switch to “NORM”. I thought that it was designed to reach the itchy place.
Try Woodrow ’55 on a Les Paul. In the case of the actual Tweed Deluxe, it is too muddy and you should think, “This is a sound that only Neil Young can use?” There is a feeling that it is a familiar sound from the beginning even if it enters.
When you create an orchestra with a realistic drum or keyboard software and put a guitar on it, you usually need to process either the orchestra or the guitar a lot to bring the tone closer together. However, I had the impression that the sounds recorded by these three models blended smoothly into the orchestra. For creators who want to play the guitar as an extra to typing, isn’t it a great thing? When I first played without reverb, the sounds were too close and felt strange. Rather, I felt that the proximity of this sound was an advantage. In fact, when I put the orchestra and guitar into a realistic room reverb such as the UAD plug-in Ocean Way Studios, it sounded like one. Although the sound is close, it doesn’t have the typical sound of an emulator, “The sound of the pick hitting is too loud and it looks like a line recording.” It’s a feeling.
Good follow-up to picking nuances
A common feature of the three models is that they are able to follow the nuances of picking very well. Most amp emulators sound fine in ultra-clean and high-gain settings. However, when playing with a strong picking touch that is slightly crunchy, it is often not as good as a real amp. For example, with the Twin Reverb, it sounds like “only the arpeggios that are played strongly are distorted lightly, and the weaker ones are clean”, and with the AC30, “the distortion increases as the volume increases as the volume increases, and it rushes into the chorus”. I think that part is disgusting in alternative music. I was surprised that what I wanted to be able to do as a matter of course was realized as a matter of course. Also, turning down the volume of the guitar itself makes it clean, and turning it up makes it overdrive.
Overall, if you ask me if this sounds like a vintage guitar amp, I’d say no, but if you ask me if it sounds musically usable, definitely yes. Personally, I have the impression that all of UNIVERSAL AUDIO’s products put emphasis on “whether they can be used” rather than “whether they are similar”.
Kosuke Nakamura
[Profile]As a member of neina, he has exhibited his works from the prestigious Mille Plateaux in Germany. Since then, he has been active as a solo artist as KangarooPaw, and in recent years he is known for engineering Yuta Orisaka, Uchu Nekoko, and Nora Kaneko.
UNIVERSAL AUDIO UAFX Guitar Amp Emulators
open price
(Estimated market price: around 55,000 yen)
SPECIFICATIONS
●Common items
▪Input impedance: 500kΩ (monaural), 1MΩ (stereo) ▪Output impedance: 500Ω ▪Maximum input level: 12.2dBu ▪Maximum output level: 12.1dBu ▪Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz, ±3dB ▪Power supply: DC9V isolated / 400mA (minimum) / Center minus / 2.1 x 5.5mm barrel connector power supply (genuine PSU-GP1-WW is on sale) Dimensions: 92 (W) x 65 (H) x 141 (D) mm ▪Weight: 0.567kg
