Well, now that is nasty. They dropped UAD1 incl Nigel. I can live without Version 6.2 - but when they go 64 bit I will have to use jBridge forever instead of UAD upgrade. Because I want to keep my 3 UAD1 (in Magma Chassis, have no extra PCIe slot available,) as well as that damn old Nigel is my go-to plugin on bass-tracks…
This is a really shitty move from UAD.
You know, I’ve seen many complaints about it but I honestly don’t agree with them…
The UAD-1 came out many years ago, and the UAD-2 has been out for several years. As soon as the second card came out it should have been obvious the first would eventually be “discontinued”. In fact, it should have been obvious at the start of its production. Every hardware that goes into a computer gets obsolete and discontinued. From video cards to Avid/Digi DSP cards. We know this.
You can still use the card in the future, just not with future software. On top of that they offer a trade-in. Most companies don’t. In most other businesses when you invest in something you automatically assume the value will diminish over time. You make the investment with that in mind and hope you can get enough out of it before it’s “obsolete”. And then at some point in time you upgrade or whatever…
So, at the moment the only criticism I “get” is that some don’t need or can’t afford a new card and to them a discount on plugins would make more sense.
I have two UAD-1. My only criticism is the trade-in time. It’s too short, because 600€ is a lot of money for “nothing”
You mean there’s not enough time to save up for the trade-in? I can see that point…
Well, I can agree partially regarding the UAD1 Hardware, in combi with that trade-in offer it is ok. I own an UAD2 QUAD es well… Though I dislike the short lifetime of computer-based recording stuff, soft and hardware. If I buy a microfone I can use it till it breaks. Ok, I would be able to run for example the UAD1 with the old software for ages as well, when I just keep a current or old computer with XP or win 7…
BUT I really need that Nigel Plugin. If this plugin would be supported in the new software I would be ok.
I understand what you’re saying.
I think it’s just one of the downsides of software. Old software will cease to run on newer systems sooner or later. We just have to keep that in mind when we make purchases.
I am not amused, but saw this comming …
So, all UAD1s will go into the 2 editing suite’s PCs and stay on 6.1.
I will not shell out more cash for more UAD2s. I rather work with the UAD2 Powers I already have
and buy really necessary Plugs as native format. Honestly, I kinda have all plugs I need, anyhow, and UA
must come up with something really animalic to force me into shopping mode. The latest tape recorder emulations, e.g., are nice, but way too expensive and I found, I can do without them.
All in all, this seems an understandable move, but if was a wise move, too, remains to be seen …
Big K ( doesn’t like THIS Easter Egg…)
Same here.
I don’t think that I will trade those UAD1 cards for another UAD2 QUAD yet. Why… My system runs fine with 6.1 and currently I do not need an upgrade and I do not need more plugins - ATM I even do not have a clue how I ever can make use out of 300 different EQs and Comps which I own.
Maybe a day will come and UAD3 is released, then UAD2 investments will become just another waste of money.
Maybe a day will come and I need a version above 6.2 (well, 64bit is an argument, but fortunately jbridge works perfect here) - well, then I will slam those UAD1 in an old PC, just for rendering basstracks with Nigel - like reamping through some kind of stompbox 
Years is “too short”? Obviously you haven’t been keeping up with the UAD-2 happenings. JRRShop has been offering a healthy trade-in plan since the UAD-2 was announced…
I did this trade-in two years ago when moving from UAD-1 to 2. It’s not like it’s just appeared on the horizon…
VP
Sorry, I don’t know JRRShop. I live near “Thomann” here in Germany and can drive with my car to buy my things there (ok, Software most over INet). My first UAD card was from …? I don’t know when it was released, I have pay a lot of money together with a TC Powercore. Then I have decided to buy a second UAD for my system and PENG! short time later comes UAD-2. There so much things what you need to make music … micros, cable, strings for all my guitars, a/d converter, money for updates and new plugins, new computer all 4-5 years, new OS and if you play in no-cover bands like me, you need so much other stuff like posters, demos, info material, my eden bass-amp is smoked on stage … PENG! over 1000€ repair for amp and 4 speakers, not forget the petrol for the car, phone … the list could be very long. All this invested money must come back … in theoretical, but in practice … yeah, only a small part if you play not covermusic. Today, it’s very difficult for no commercially music. To much bands, the little pubs pay nothing or only a small gage and if you have bad luck, you must leasing you stage and you are your own organizer at your own financial risk. And the things will not be easily, since there is a smoking ban here in germany in the most event locations. People prefer a beergarden over a smoking ban pub. Because off all these things I have decided for future, only what come in, can get out 
And at the moment, there isn’t so much what come in (only!) by music, so therefore UAD-2 must waiting or UAD die in my DAW (my Powercore is already in a old cardboard box)
Oups … sorry for OT, do not talk about money 
Well, here is a personal update.
After I spent so much monay in the Powercore Plattform (hardware, sofware as well as time) and finally they decided to drop that product, and now that thing with UAD1 I decided to stop spending monay to DSP based solutions.
There are no advantages here, just disadvantages.
Disadvantages, beside the fact that you spent much monay in something which could be trash in a few years:
Latest UAD1/2 software runs perfect in 64 bit via jBridge, Powercore runs perfect via Bitbridge, using only the reverbs here.
So even when the UAD1 trade in is quite a fair offer, I will not do it. I do not have another PCIe slot available, though a second UAD2 Quad would be nice, but in my current setup - Uad2Quad and 3x UAD1 I usually do not max out - ok, when throwing Fatsos on every track… but I do not. I basically use the 1176, Pultecs, Cambridge, Fairchild, Harrison etc - all of them are light to the DSP… Lately I felt in Love with the Lexi 224… I do not want to miss the UAD plugins, they are my go-to plugins, but I will not spend any more monay here, I have all I need.
For some Manufacturers it seems a feasible way to generate business with vintage plugs:
Issue new drivers and get incompatible for older OS or bit rates.
+1
I got me a PoCo FW real cheap to free another slot on the MoBo and still to be able to use
some of the PoCo softwares.
With those ( still excellent ) UAD plugs… I got most and can’t see any ( to me ) useful new ones, atm.
Once native stuff matches the sound quality, I’ll drop UAD, as well.
Something that I would not have said 2 years ago.
Big K
Exactly!
And yea, I recently bought a Powercore X5 very cheap as well, just for the case of. Feels little bit strange to buy a dead product, but there are some plugins which I do not want to miss - Reverbs as I said. The other Stock-Plugins are mainly crap - exept some, Assimilator, DynEQ, X5 and stuff, those are cool and quite unique I would say.
Youp, … I found myself using only very few PoCo plugs. Mainly the Dynamic Eq, which is an excellent tool for many things like DeEssing and DeHumming, etc., …the Character ( out now as native plug ) and evtl. X3. I never bought into PoCo 3rd Party plugs.
Maybe if they become very affordable… but, like you, I have plenty of plugs of renowned manufacturers, already, and I … call me old-fashioned… I am after good sound in music rather than what extra-super plugs I can squeeze in. I am sure, we think the same on this.
They had to drop the UAD1 platform. It can’t be forced to work in the latest systems and 64-bit.
I’m very surprised they didn’t drop it earlier actually.
Imagine all the PT users that had HD3, 5 or 6 and then HDX came. Then they also announced at the same time, that PT10 was the last version to support the HD cards. Simply too old tech to bring into the 64bit age.
Pål
Do you know that or do you assume?
UAD1s are working just fine in Win7 64 bit PC with N5.5x on 32 & 64 bit & w/o bit bridge.
I have no problem when new UAD plugs that can’t make use of the UAD1, anymore, but kicking out UAD1 function completely from on to the other software release seems more of a business decision to safe on workload with the updates to come. However, they made that choice, voluntarily or forced by technological evolution, and we deal with it each in our own way. As I watch my own shopping habits I now tend towards purchasing native software and keep UADs on 6.1 till a “must-have” UAD plug comes along or the UAD1s die on me…
I worked at a friend’s larger analog studio the other week… Omg, it felt like comming home…
Servus, Big K
I stopped looking at new UAD Plugings ITM - even now after they have some really cool discounts… Best discount they ever had. Maybe they will drop UAD2 in a few years as well when they go native… So it makes no sence to me to spend money here.
I have to add:
It is not the money itself - compared to “real” gear it is still cheap… and after some years of usage it payed of big time. BUT what I am loosing when this happens and what it makes to a big PITA is, that I have to change my workflow a lot, beeing not able to use favorite tools anymore. In my case the Nigel is THE software for a great bass sound, I use it in 90% of my mixes. Loosing that would change “my” sound - of course there are substitudes… Guitar Rig, Sansamp etc, but for me that Nigel sound (you have to tweak it a lot and disable all those chorus/reflection things) is something special and when folks tell me “great bass sound on that album” then it was usually 60% Nigel.
I would happily throw away the UAD1 cards - WHEN all the old plugins are supported in UAD2.
So for now I am locked to UAD1 and the “old” software, no new plugins.