Ever dreamed of making music in the same rooms as music legends? Universal Audio has just made that dream a little closer with the launch of their expanded Ocean Way Studios Deluxe plugin! This isn't just another plugin; it's a portal to the sonic spaces that shaped iconic recordings by artists like Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Whitney Houston, Radiohead, and Beck. Imagine having access to the very acoustics that helped create those timeless hits!
Available natively for both Mac and Windows in VST3, AU, and AAX formats, the Ocean Way Studios Deluxe offers a deep dive into the legendary Hollywood studios. Using UA’s innovative Dynamic Room Modeling technology, the plugin meticulously recreates Studio A and Studio B, both originally designed by the visionary Bill Putnam Sr., along with the unique reverb chambers that have made Ocean Way Studios a go-to destination for top-tier engineers and producers.
"With Ocean Way Studios Deluxe, our goal was to bring creators even closer to the authentic sound of these historic rooms," explains Lev Perrey, VP of Product at Universal Audio. "It's a complete reimagining of one of our most popular plugins, now featuring the chambers, analog consoles, and re-miking setups that define the Ocean Way sound."
But here's where it gets interesting... The plugin doesn't just stop at the rooms; it also includes detailed models of the studio's iconic gear. Studio A boasts the Focusrite 110 EQ with cut filters, while Studio B features the Dalcon console equipped with API 550A EQ. Classic dynamics processing is handled by emulations of the Fairchild 670, LA-2A, 1176LN, and dbx 160 compressors, alongside A-Type Air and Crush dynamics processors.
And this is the part most people miss... New re-miking systems add UREI 813 monitors – Bill Putnam’s dual 15-inch coaxial design – and Altec A-2 folded-horn cabinets, both essential components of the Ocean Way experience. This allows users to virtually place microphones within the space and reamp tracks through the modeled speaker systems, offering unprecedented control over their sound.
Additional enhancements include redesigned retina graphics, an updated interface, curated presets, and flexible routing options. Ocean Way Studios Deluxe is available either as a perpetual license or through a UAD Spark subscription, with an upgrade path available for existing Ocean Way Studios owners.
What do you think? Are you excited about the possibility of mixing in these legendary spaces? Do you think plugins like this truly capture the essence of a real studio, or is something lost in translation? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
