UAD Audio Plugins released Verve Analog Machines Essentials, an analog-style one knob saturation plugin for Windows and macOS. The plugin is free to download until April 30th.
A saturation plugin from the DSP giants at Universal Audio is a reason to celebrate, but the good news doesn’t end there.
Universal Audio also offers a free copy of the Galaxy Tape Echo plugin to the first 6,176 users who claim Verve Analog Machines.
So, if you’re fast enough, you can grab two free UAD plugins in one day.
Verve Analog Machines Essentials
Verve Analog Machines Essentials is an analog saturation plugin by Universal Audio.
UAD is known for some of the best DSP code on the VST plugin market, especially in the saturation department. Their emulations of classic analog hardware, like the Neve 1073 and Ampex ATR-102 Mastering Tape Recorder, are as close as you can get to real hardware.
The new Verve Analog Machines Essentials plugin takes some of that DSP magic and packs it into a more playful and user-oriented one-knob plugin form. It simplifies the processing workflow and provides the user with four analog-style effects: Sweeten, Warm, Thicken, and Vintagize.
In other words, Verve doesn’t emulate any particular hardware unit. Instead, it focuses on emulating the sound of analog hardware en général and lets you choose a particular aspect of analog processing that you need.
Sweeten
The Sweeten mode in Verve Analog Machines adds reel-to-reel tape saturation.
Sweeten simulates the subtle saturation effect of reel-to-reel tape recorders. You can use it for gentle overdrive and some light compression. UAD recommends using it on vocals, instruments, and the mix bus.
I tested the Sweeten mode on a drum track in a hip-hop beat I’m working on, and it’s safe to say that it sounds excellent on drums. It glues the drums together and adds a bit of loudness without killing the transient.
You can also try adding more gain to make the plugin distort, but to my ears, it sounds best at moderate settings on drums and basslines.
Warm
Warm is a more distorted take on the tape saturation theme.
Warm is another tape machine emulation. However, this one is more focused on the lo-fi tape sound of a 4-track recorder instead of the pristine audio quality of a reel-to-reel tape machine.
This is my favorite Verve Analog Machines Essentials mode. It sounds wonderfully lo-fi and is very easy to use. I applied it to an analog pad, and it instantly brought life with light saturation and noticeable but not too obvious pitch modulation.
Warm won’t let you go crazy with lo-fi pitch artifacts like our BPB Dirty VHS plugin, but it shines as a more moderate effect. The trick is to apply it to multiple tracks across the mix and give your entire track a more analog feel.
Thicken
Thicken turns Verve Analog Machines Essentials into a gentle distortion box. It makes the sound fuller and gently overdriven without squashing the life out of it.
It’s the least interesting of the four available modes for me, but you can use it with great results on your rhythm section and the mix bus.
Vintagize
Lastly, the Vintagize mode simulates the sound of a semi-broken tape recorder you’d find in a thrift store or an old box in your parent’s basement.
As a big fan of lo-fi effects, I wasn’t blown away by Vintagize, mainly because it doesn’t sound any better than other similar plugins like Tape Cassette 2 and our free BPB Dirty VHS.
That said, if you don’t already own a bunch of lo-fi plugins, the Vintagize mode in Verve Analog Machines is an excellent starting point.
Free Download
You can download Verve Analog Machines Essentials from the product page below. The free download offer ends on April 30th.
Will you be able to keep using the plugin after April 30th? Yes, if you claimed your free Verve Analog Machines Essentials license before the deadline, you can keep using the plugin for free forever.
Verve Analog Machines Essentials is compatible with 64-bit VST, AU, and AAX plugin hosts on Windows and macOS. It is compatible with any DAW on the market and doesn’t require UAD hardware.
Download: Verve Analog Machines Essentials (FREE until April 30th!)
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57 Comments
Davey
onHey guys,
Can anybody let me know if the UAD plugins require an internet connection (after downloading the file) or downloading a “portal” which contains all the files? – I hate it! or ilok?
Thanks
Bob
onYou need the UA Connect portal to download and install their native plugins.
It’s the one thing about the native UA plugins that really bugs me. I’d prefer to download installers that I can backup but there’s no easy way to do this. Your plugins don’t even show up in your UA account on their website. They are only visible in UA Connect.
SI
onThis annoyed me too so once i’ve installed my plugins i fully uninstall the UA ‘Installer Hub Centre Connect Authorization Node License Product Manager Portal Central’ or whatever it’s called using AppCleaner (i’m on Mac). Then i re-install and use their installation app as needed. It doesn’t affect the functioning of the plugins thankfully.
Mike B
onNice!
FYI:
The first 6,176 users who sign up to download Verve Analog Machine Essentials will receive a free copy of Galaxy Tape Echo, while supplies last. Offer limited to 1 per user account. Offer cannot be exchanged for a different plug-in. Offer will be delivered to users once Verve Analog Machine Essentials surpasses 6,176 downloads.
Marc
onDid you get a free copy of Galaxy Tape Echo?
lessismore74
onAll copies are gone.
Febbie Ivaaden (Febbs!)
onI got my copy earlier today, probably was the last one :(
yzcoruhT
onHello. Does it need iLok? Thanks
Gery Zenz
onYes!
morgan
onHi, It does *not* require iLok
mx
onmaybe you should clarify if you mean ilok dongle or ilok application if this is a really important question to you.
Brenny C
onUA Connect requires Win 10 or higher. I’m one of the rare bedroom producers who us still on Win 8.1. (I like Win 8. It’s stable and I haven’t had any need to upgrade – until very recently. Don’t judge. Lol)
So if there’s anyone out there like me who hasn’t moved to Win 10 or 11 and you wanna download a UA plugin, you’ve been forewarned.
lessismore74
onToo late for the free Galaxy Echo, all copies are taken. Luckily, I got a copy with my new Volt 1 interface.
Gery Zenz
oniLok License Manager Application
IS
on“Verve Analog Machines also requires a valid iLok account and the iLok License Manager application.”
Richard
onDrew from Universal Audio answered a question about the Galaxy Tape Echo, that emails will be sent to those who qualify with instructions to redeem
FritzGerald
onWhere did he say that? Can you give us a link of the message?
Richard
onhttps://www.reddit.com/r/universalaudio/s/cxECZpDl7R
Gery Zenz
onsame link! scroll down!
Kerwin Alexander
onCan anyone tell me where the actual download is? I d/l the file, it was an .exe. I signed up for an iLok account and got the UA Connect. When open it shows UAD Plug-in Verve Analog Machines Essentials v1.00 51MB INSTALLED. How do I access this plugin?
Kerwin Alexander
onI found my answer thank you. Please disregard last message.
Paul
onDoes anyone know if the Galaxy Tape Echoes were already sent out? I think that I requested the free Verve Analog Machines Essentials before the 6,176 downloads, but I did not redeem it in UA Connect since I was on my phone. Does anyone know if I’m still elegible?
Alexxxxxx
onFrom the forum of UAD:
user: Did the qualifying emails go out already?
UAD support forum: nope.
It’ll be within a few days.
Paul
onAlright, thanks for the information!
Sergix
onI have ” Arturia- Tape MELLO-FI”, Do I need this plugin? Your opinion?
Alexxxxxx
onYep. it’s kinda but Arturia-tape mello fi it’s more for fx to introduce analog lofi tape with noise, wow etc indepently that the vst have distortion knob.
i another hand UAD Verve are emulations of analog tapes for saturate, clipping, and give character, tone shaping and increase loudness of a instrument or groups.
i’d tested and i think it´s a nice vst.
Alexxxxxx
ononly one thing in this essentials plugin.
no output or input for manage the volume lol, the pay version have this and it’s like :S
Sergix
onThanks for the answer! I removed all UAD plugins due to the always blurry interface. Moreover, for the sake of emulation, you need to install their installer, no, thank you))).
Alexxxxxx
onFrom the forum of UAD:
user: Did the qualifying emails go out already?
UAD support forum: nope.
It’ll be within a few days.
Alexxxxxx
onMore info:
UAD support user say this:
Today at 9:34 AM
#78
We’ve blown passed the 6176th download already. Galaxy promo is over.
Richard
onEmails are going out now. Just got mine
Ferenc Mosolyhozó
onAloha!
Recently I got the Galaxy Tape Echo redeem code from Universal Audio. I think that is the much better freebie from the two.
Bani
onIf anyone doesn’t want their Tape Echo I’ll gladly accept that redeem code lol
I downloaded Verve. But I guess I was too late
First Come, First Serve
onI already own the Galaxy Tape Exho! Here is my code!: RTWA-D1ND-07KD-41J0
Paul
onIf someone else does have another code, they won’t use, I would also gladly accept it :) It seems like I’m also not eligible.
Citizen
onI’m disappointed that I was too late for the free Galaxy Tape Echo. So I thought I may like to buy it, then I saw the price.
UA are delusional if they think this plugin is worth £199. A physical, made in a factory, real BOSS RE-202, brand new retail price is £299. No way should the software that expensive, Cubase Pro 13 is about £500. Are they saying the plugin is 40% the usefulness of a professional DAW? Crazy
Bani
onThey just sell it at that price so that no sane person would buy it, but buy a bundle instead. Selling bundles is much better business.
CITIZEN
onI hadn’t thought of that, but it makes total sense.
Well, it looks like I’m only gonna get the freebies. And this UA Connect thing, I dunno, may get rid of it all if it becomes too much of a pain.
Robin
onI would like to know when the Echo licenses ran out? anyone? I registered and downloaded early morning 4 April before any comments on here and no license code? It is difficult not to think that this is anything other than clickbait by United Audio. Why have a limit on the licenses? what does that achieve other than frustration to your potential customers, it doesn’t create a need or desire to have a product. No doubt we’ll see dozens of activation codes on Knobcloud soon.
Bthelick
onNot technically free by my definition.
It requires you set up the whole UAD connect thing, which is also ilok ‘protected’.
the most egregious anti consumer protection racket in audio history.
Let’s not forget UAD milked their customers with forced hardware for a decade.
I invested £8k in software from them I can no longer use. I’m not falling for it again. There’s plenty of other options these days.
Bani
onJust to be clear, you don’t need a dongle. Only an account.
Which I wouldn’t say is “not free”, by my definition. But annoying as h*ll, for sure.
Michal Ochedowski
onWhat do you mean by: I can no longer use them? I’m curious cause 8k is a lot of money. Heck even 1k is.
Rave Sbor
onWhat is the interest in UAD Delays codes as it would have been something like Soundtoys EchoBoy
Bani
onWith that criteria there is no use for pretty much any other delay other than echo boy. Different sound, different interface. Seems different enough.
earl
onHow are your experiences using this in the sweeten mode on the mixbus?
Do you think it’s really good for that purpose as they claim?
I’m not looking for lofi sound. I’m more after the hifi sound of a studio tape machine.
J
onIs it similar to Presonus Analog Delay? It was free a while ago.
earl
on@Tomislav, I know that you love the free Ferric TDS by VoS. Which one would you prefer for adding subtle hifi tape saturation on the whole mix, in the mastering stage or on a group?
Tomislav Zlatic
onI would prefer FerricTDS.
MRugaW
onWhat’s the CPU hit for this plugin. Hungry? Average? Light?
Steve
onUAD are one of the scummiest PITA companies I’ve ever had the displeasure to deal with.
I’d go into more detail, but my life isn’t long enough.
Steve
onUAD are one of the scummiest PITA companies I’ve ever had the displeasure to deal with.
I’d go into more detail, but my life isn’t long enough.
Steve
onP>S> Sry for the duplicate comment :S
Jai
onBehringer released a free synth called Behringer Vintage.
Tomislav Zlatic
onHere it is: https://bedroomproducersblog.com/2024/04/09/behringer-vintage-vst/
Wing Yee
onI’m a little behind with the free stuffs…
This Verve essential plugins and Behringer synth looks interesting, thanks!
ian
ondownloaded and installed the free ‘verve analog machines essentials ‘ on April 10, and i’m using it, but on my UA connect and in my plug-in window it’s indicating its demo-mode only… to last 5 days… will this demo-phase pass and i’ll continue to have access to it? Or am i missing something?
Dieumerci Lwaliba
onThanks