Universal Audio Announces UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt DSP Accelerators

Universal Audio has just gone deeper into audio space with its UAD-2 Satellite line – the relentless sound pioneers have introduced their new UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt DSP Accelerators.

Macs mixing with UAD-2 plugins are about to move even faster.

(Editor’s Update, 10/8/14: Universal Audio announced that this product is shipping as of 10/8/14) Shipping in early October, the UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt DSP Accelerators will allow Thunderbolt-equipped Mac users (according to Universal Audio, no PC drivers are planned at this time) to “supercharge” their systems and run larger mixes utilizing the DSP-intensive plug-ins UA is well known for.

Fitting comfortably on the desktop, the Satellite Thunderbolt will provide full access to UAD Powered Plug-Ins, including exclusive plugins from Studer, Ampex, Lexicon, Neve, Manley, SSL, and many more.

Available in QUAD or OCTO models with a choice of four or eight SHARC processors, UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt DSP Accelerators can also be integrated alongside UAD-2 PCIe cards and Thunderbolt-enabled Apollo interfaces, including Apollo Twin, Apollo, and Apollo 16 — for truly scalable mixing power.

There are multiple configurations to price out – for complete details on packaging and pricing, see the full details below from Universal Audio:

For an immediate out-of-the-box mixing experience, UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt DSP Accelerators are available in Core, Custom, and Ultimate software packages. The Core package includes the Analog Classics Plus plug-in bundle, while Custom adds a choice of any three individual UAD plug-ins at registration. The Satellite Thunderbolt OCTO Ultimate is UA’s flagship package, and includes more than 79 UA-developed plug-ins — up to and including UAD software v7.8.

UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt Street Pricing

• UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt – QUAD Core ($999)
• UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt – QUAD Custom ($1,399)
• UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt – OCTO Core ($1,499)
• UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt – OCTO Custom ($1,899)
• UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt – OCTO Ultimate ($5,999)

Key Features

• Run UAD Powered Plug-Ins via Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 connection on Macs for improved performance at higher sample rates, and reduced plug-in latency versus FireWire
• 4 (QUAD) or 8 (OCTO) SHARC processors provide a massive DSP boost for running large professional mixes
• Access over 90 plug-ins from Ampex, Lexicon, Roland, Studer, Neve, Manley, SSL, EMT, Empirical Labs, MXR and more
• Includes “Analog Classics Plus” plug-in bundle, featuring the UA 610-B Preamp & EQ and Legacy 
editions of the LA-2A Classic Audio Leveler, 1176LN / 1176SE Classic Limiting Amplifier, Fairchild 670 Tube Limiter, Pultec Pro Equalizers, UA Precision Enhancer Hz, CS-1 Precision Channel, and RealVerb Pro plug-ins
• Available with Core, Custom, and Ultimate 3 software packages
• Combine with other UAD-2 devices, including additional UAD-2 PCIe card(s) with a qualified Thunderbolt PCIe chassis, UAD-2 Satellite (FireWire), and Thunderbolt-equipped Apollo interfaces
• Dual Thunderbolt 2 ports for convenient daisy-chaining of Thunderbolt peripherals
• Fan-free construction for quiet operation
• Compatible with Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Live, and more

The back tells the whole story.

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