UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt 3
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Get the rich analog sound of UAD plug-ins over Thunderbolt.
The UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt is a powerhouse DSP accelerator that gives Mac and Windows 10 users complete access to the world’s most detailed and authentic analog emulation plug-ins, available exclusively on the UAD platform.
Bolstered by next-generation connectivity, UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt 3 lets you run large professional mixes with the rich analog character of award-winning UA-developed plug-ins, including exclusive titles from Neve, Fender, Lexicon, Studer, and many more. Plus, it’s backward-compatible with Thunderbolt 1 and 2 UA devices.Run UAD Powered Plug-Ins on compatible Thunderbolt Mac or Windows 10 systems
Get a massive DSP boost for powering large professional mixes
Access over 100 plug-ins from Ampex,® Lexicon,® Helios,® Studer,® Neve,® Manley,® Capitol Studios,® API, and more
Start mixing right away with the included Analog Classics Plus plug‑in bundle
Get the sound of a professional analog studio “on the road,” courtesy of UAD plug‑ins
Combine with other UAD-2 devices, including UAD-2 PCIe card(s) and Thunderbolt-equipped Satellites and UA Audio Interfaces
UAD: The Industry’s Most Respected Collection of Audio Plug-Ins
From serious home recordists to multi-platinum mix engineers, UAD Powered Plug-Ins have been winning over audio professionals for more than 15 years. The reason is simple. No other plug-ins so faithfully capture the sound and behavior of classic analog equipment — from rare compressors and equalizers, to vintage reverb processors and tape machines.
The UAD library features over 100 plug-ins, co-developed with the biggest brands in audio. These plug-ins can be purchased with UAD-2 hardware from retailers as part of bundled packages, or you can buy UAD plug-ins à la carte from UA’s Online Store.
Learn More About UAD Plug-Ins ›
Powerful, Expandable Processing
UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt 3 is available in QUAD or OCTO models with either four or eight SHARC processors, respectively. It can also be integrated alongside UAD-2 PCIe DSP Accelerator cards and Thunderbolt-equipped UA Audio Interfaces, including Arrow, Apollo Twin, and Apollo X interfaces for truly scalable mixing power.
UAD Plug-In Craftsmanship: The Science Behind the Scenes
In developing UAD plug-ins, UA’s acclaimed engineers undertake intensive physical modeling of classic audio hardware — “rebuilding” vintage analog gear in the digital world, component by component. UAD plug-ins replicate the exact, sometimes quirky behavior of the most prized analog hardware in existence, bringing you rich, three-dimensional sound and harmonics "in the box.”
What Makes UAD Plug-Ins Different? ›
“UAD plug-ins are amazing...
I’ve used them on all my projects
for the last few years.”
– Dan Auerbach The Black Keys
“UAD-2 is the first plug-in set that replaces hardware I own – that's a big deal.”
– Vance Powell (The Raconteurs, Jars of Clay)
“The sonic quality of UAD plug-ins is unrivaled
— I use them in every mix.”
– Jaycen Joshua (Beyonce, Michael Jackson, Jay Z)
“UAD plug-ins are always my first choice. Now with the UAD-2 SatelIite, I can have them all the time.”
– Darrell Thorp (Beck, Radiohead, Charlotte Gainsbourg)
“My UAD-2 Satellite is quickly becoming a classic piece of outboard gear. I'm using it on every mix.”
– Joe Chiccarelli (Jason Mraz, Beck, The Strokes, Morrissey)
“UA gear really helps bring the tradition of classic recording to the modern workflow.”
– Fab Dupont (Shakira, Santigold, Jennifer Lopez)
“UAD is my new secret weapon in the studio. I get everything to sound the way I always wanted, way before the mixing. ”
– Ivan Barias (Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott, Estelle)
“The UAD-2 Satellite gives me access to the world-class plug-ins I've come to rely on, with way more power, and in a package that I can toss in my suitcase or backpack.”
– Ryan West (Eminem, Kid Cudi, Jay-Z)Customer Reviews
A. Davidson
November 7, 2024
It’s only took 20 years to invest into UA
I have never had so much fun mixing with UAD. I have been a long time Waves user. But this a real game changer. I bought an...
Read MoreK. Sarma
November 1, 2024
Absolutely Amazing Unit
Words cant justify what this beast can deliver.
Read MoreN. Wiggins
October 30, 2024
Should have bought this years ago......
Having grown up using some of the original hardware available for the UAD platform, I'm very happy to now have amazingly accurate software versions of these old friends in my studio. I've...
Read More -
Analog Classics Plus Bundle
With the Analog Classics Plus plug-in bundle, you’re ready to start mixing with legendary tube gear like the Fairchild® 670 and the Pultec® EQP-1A EQ. You also get a dedicated suite of powerful mixing plug-ins and UA’s landmark 610-B Tube Preamp and EQ plug-in.
- UA 610‐B
- Fairchild 670 Legacy
- Teletronix LA‐2A Legacy
- UA 1176LN Legacy
- UA 1176SE Legacy
- Pultec EQP‐1A Legacy
- Pultec Pro Legacy
- Precision Channel Strip
- Precision Reflection Engine
- Precision Delay Modulation
- Precision Delay Modulation L
- UA Precision Enhancer Hz
- RealVerb‐Pro
UA 610-B Tube Preamp and EQ
Impart your tracks with the iconic warmth and character of the classic hardware used to track everyone from Duke Ellington to Coldplay. By emulating the entire signal path, including tube amplifiers, transformers, and circuit nonlinearities, the 610-B Tube Preamp and EQ plug-in injects organic detail and saturation to any signal.
Fairchild® 670 (Legacy)
The world’s most coveted compressor, the classic Fairchild 670 tube limiter will give your tracks and mixes unmistakable tube warmth and character. Whether you’re looking for subtle compression on a lead vocal, or grittier textures that can work on guitars, bass, or a drum bus, the Fairchild 670 plug-in adds a classic “glow” to anything you run through it.
Teletronix® LA-2A Classic Leveling Amplifier (Legacy)
With its gentle, program dependent optical compression and meticulously designed tube amplifier, the LA-2A is the go-to compressor for professional mixers around the world — especially for vocals. Incredibly easy-to-use Peak Reduction and Gain controls gives you the ideal optical compression sound for guitar, bass, drums, and more.
1176SE/LN® Classic Limiting Amplifiers (Legacy)
Get classic, ultra-fast FET compression from the world’s most recognized compressor. The 1176 will impart punch, presence, and character as well as its signature distortion overtones on drums, vocals, guitars, and bass. The 1176LN has graced countless recordings, from Led Zeppelin, to the White Stripes and Michael Jackson.
Pultec® Pro Equalizers (Legacy)
Mix with two of the most sought-after hardware EQs ever made — the MEQ-5 Midrange Equalizer and the EQP-1A Program Equalizer. Both of these tube-based icons deliver offer smooth and silky EQ curves with an abundance of warm analog character.
Precision Mix Rack Collection
Featuring the Precision Channel Strip, Precision Reflection Engine, and Precision Delay Modulation plug-ins, the Precision Mix Rack Collection offers four modern, high-fidelity plug-ins for recording and mixing. Powerful and intuitive, Precision Mix Rack Collection gives you an impressive tool set — perfect for beginners and seasoned professionals alike.
UA Precision Enhancer Hz
Expertly dial-in your music’s low-end frequencies with the Precision Enhancer Hz plug-in. Able to yield exacting results with minimal adjustment, the Precision Enhancer Hz can add weight to kick drum samples, fatten up a synth bass, or simply make the low-end of your tracks more audible on smaller speakers.
RealVerb Pro
RealVerb Pro is a flexible, natural sounding reverb based on UA’s own unique set of algorithms. Allowing you to design the room just as you hear it, the RealVerb Pro goes beyond simply big/small or dark/bright, giving your sources distortion-free, smoothing diffusion control and ultra-long reverb tail.
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Key Features
Run UAD Powered Plug-Ins via Thunderbolt 3 on modern Mac and Windows 10 systems (backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 1 and 2 devices)
4 (QUAD) or 8 (OCTO) SHARC processors provide a massive DSP boost for running large professional mixes
Access over 100 plug-ins from Ampex, Lexicon, Studer, Neve, Manley, SSL, EMT, Helios, and more
Includes Analog Classics Plus bundle featuring Legacy editions of LA-2A Classic Audio Leveler, 1176 Classic Limiting Amplifiers, Pultec EQP-1A, Pultec Pro, and Fairchild 670 plug-ins, plus 610-B Tube Preamp & EQ, and more
Compatible with Pro Tools, Logic Pro X, Cubase, Live, and more
Combine with other Thunderbolt-equipped UAD-2 devices including PCIe card(s), UA Audio Interfaces, and additional Satellites
Dual Thunderbolt 3 ports for daisy-chaining of Thunderbolt peripherals
Also available with Custom software packages featuring user-selectable plug-ins
To see full system requirements, click here.
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Customer Reviews
UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt 3
P. Filipsky
I don't know why I waited
Great strength for my studio
A. Davidson
It’s only took 20 years to invest into UA
I have never had so much fun mixing with UAD. I have been a long time Waves user. But this a real game changer. I bought an Apollo Solo and then the satellite. I would recommend both units .
K. Sarma
Absolutely Amazing Unit
Words cant justify what this beast can deliver.
N. Wiggins
Should have bought this years ago......
Having grown up using some of the original hardware available for the UAD platform, I'm very happy to now have amazingly accurate software versions of these old friends in my studio. I've been involved previously with audio plug-in development, so I totally appreciate the quality of products and the user-experience UA give us. Installation of my UAD-2 Satellite Quad TB3 was straightforward and I 'm looking forward to adding even more friends - both old and new - to my workflow.
D. Nagl
Crazy thing !!!
I Like it
D. Nagl
Crazy thing !!!
I Like it
D. Pollock
Just what I needed!!!
I wanted to focus on making my mixes better and UAD saved the day! The UAD accelerator was exactly what I needed.
R. Hollywood
Very genuine
awesome
Â. Đạt
wow
VERY GOOD
J. Bosnjak
UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt 3
Fantastic, It’s better than I expected. Can’t believe I waited so long to purchase one.
p. Besnard
Wonderful machine for mixing!
I use for mixing a lot off pkug in .
With an appollo 8xp and one octo sattellite you can run for mixinf about 55 uad plugin. You can use some low-end, requiring a lot of dsp, such as the 4k ssl channel, or reverb .
I use about a hundred plug load of my mixes, so I opted for a second octo satellite, also connected in thunderbolt the system works wonderfully.K. Hudson
Best long awaited purchase!
This is the best purchase I waited so long to complete. Takes so much off my computer and the sound quality is immaculate!
E. Aho
WARNING - THEY LAST ABOUT 8 YEARS
These Sharc CPU chips are technology from about 2006. The board on the Satellites lasts about 8 years at the outside. Once the board goes bad it will cost you close to $800 to fix it. Or you have to buy a new one for $1000+. Guaranteed obsolescence and guaranteed profit for Universal Audio unless you just want to sell the plugins you've invested thousands of dollars in.
m. stallings
quad UAD-2 SATELLITE
didnt want to make this purchase...but, since I'm using UAD Luna almost exclusively, I was having to freeze a lot of tracks using my apollo twn...Freezing is a great feature of Luna, but cumbersome with mix flow....not sure why its so expensive, but???
since Im almost exclusively using UAD software.....glad I bit the bullet.
It sounds like there will be less and less need for DSP with UAD in the future, but I suspect it will be years before this quad is obsolete?k. kostoglou
LOVE IT!
with my apollo twin and the satellite i got all i want!
k. kostoglou
LOVE IT!
with my apollo twin and the satellite i got all i want!
b. otsoua
Otsoua b un plus sur la chaine
possédant déjà plusieurs plugins, j e m'attendais avoir lors de l'achat du satellite d'autres, .Bref il fonctionne bien c'est plus pour mon studio je suis satisfait
K. Sluiter
no substitute for dedicated DSP
As much as I love and use the Spark plug in offerings, the plug in's that I use day to day require the dedicated DSP that only the satellites offer. I often create mixes that evoke the era of large format mixing consoles and racks of digital reverb-all at 96K! There is no other way I know of to create that other than having a pile of UAD plugs.
T. VanOstrand
The sound of Freedom
I got the Octo accelerator and I love it. No more juggling plug ins to audition them on tracks and when I find a chain that works there is no compromising. Between the Native and Apollo only plugins my mixes have never sounded better.
J. Ross
It’s a life saver.
If you don’t know already, Apollo plug-ins use a lot of DSP. I’m new to recording so I bought a Twin X and it really didn’t have enough DSP for me and I don’t use a lot of tracks. Anyway, a friend turned me onto this and now I’m rocking! Lots of power and I can record and mix without worrying about running out gas. I now have ten cards instead of two and it’s cheaper than upgrading to a bigger interface. Highly recommended!
