Review of UAD-2 Manley Massive Passive VST Plug-in
UAD-2 Manley Massive Passive VST Plug-in Review
by Stonebridge Mastering
This blog post will contain examples and describe the experience of using the UAD-2 Manley Massive Passive. It was used at a professional world-class mastering studio, Stonebridge Mastering, located in Memphis, TN.
You even get to hear it combined with the sound of an actual analog Manley Vari-Mu, and with Crane Song AD/DA conversion! Get ready!
The Manley Massive Passive is a legendary EQ. There is no wondering why Universal Audio’s Massive Passive Plug-in for the UAD-2 has been so eagerly anticipated. Mixing and mastering engineers all over the world have been waiting! Of course, it is still only a tool, but it is a powerful tool.
Here at Stonebridge Mastering, we have been anticipating trying it out, since we do have the most powerful UAD-2 DSP cards offered — the UAD-2 Quad.
We have put off several mastering orders for some time which have flowed in from one of our associate studios, Southwest Studios in Phoenix, Arizona (Thanks Scott!). We did this so that we would have an opportunity to use the Massive Passive the day it came out. We have planned this for months, and today is the day!
Special thanks to the artists Soulful Reflections (Genre: Opera) and The Energy Disciples (Genre: Electronic/True R&B) who have allowed us to use their music in this post.
GETTING IT INSTALLED
Loading the demo of the Massive Passive was easy. The update for the UAD-2 Software is available on the http://www.uaudio.com website. A few seconds and it’s ready.
OPENING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME
The Massive Passive GUI is stunning, and the control knob movements seem to give you the tactile feeling you would get from adjusting the knobs of an analog Manley product. We can speak from experience because here at Stonebridge Mastering, we use UAD-2 plug-ins and analog gear including an actual analog Manley Vari-Mu unit. There is some mastering processing that is best done digitally and some that is best accomplished with analog gear. Depending on the recording, of course. Today we test the UAD-2 Massive Passive Plug-in to find out if it is truly mastering worthy.
SIGNAL PROCESSING WITH THE UAD-2 MANLEY MASSIVE PASSIVE VST PLUG-IN
For signal processing we used:
- UAD-2 Manley Massive Passive Plug-in
- Analog Pendulum OCL-2 Compressor
- Analog Manley Vari-Mu Limiter/Compressor
- Crane Song HEDD 192 AD/DA Conversion
- Crane Song Avocet Monitoring Control System
- Bowers and Wilkens Monitoring
- Bryston Amplification (IMAX)
- A well designed acoustic environment
- A few other processes…
WHAT I THINK OF IT
(This is not a stock photo, its actually us using it)
It sounds incredible. Using the Manley Massive Passive UAD-2 Plug-in gave me a feeling that I can only describe with a short allegory. Imagine that an old friend that you have loved and missed for a very long time knocks on your door on a day when you are feeling lonely. When you answer, that feeling in your heart: That’s the feeling.
I have already seen the complaints of some engineers. They have a problem running multiple instances of the UA Manley Massive Passive. Those complaints hurt me deeply when I think about the work that went into this product and its quality. The fact that you cannot run many instances simultaneously lets you know exactly how hard this software is working and how much work into it. I am sorry your computer can’t keep up with your demands. I think immediately back to engineers at Abbey Road like Sir George Martin and Geoff Emerick, who overcame much more difficulty in reaching their technical goals in their time. Come on, it’s a $5,000.00 unit that you are essentially getting for around $2,000.00. Of course, the hardware unit does not have multiple instances at all.
LISTEN FOR YOURSELF
Subjective opinions such as mine don’t matter. Only your opinion does. Please do keep in mind that these are MP3s and not full quality waves. Also, this was done in haste, and is the first time I have ever used this plug-in.
Soulful Reflections (Genre: Opera)
UNMASTERED BUT VOLUME ADJUSTED TO MATCH:
Soulful Reflections – UNMassive and UNMastered
MASTERED VERSION:
Soulful Reflections – Massive and Mastered
The Energy Disciples (Genre: Electronic/True R&B):
(The Producer of the Energy Disciples, Khari Wynn, wants you to know that these are just quick DJ mixes that were hastily done. The final project will be much further developed.)
UNMASTERED BUT VOLUME ADJUSTED TO MATCH:
Energy Disciples – UNMassive and UNMastered
MASTERED VERSION:
Energy Disciples – Massive and Mastered
Only a very small amount of time was spent on the mastering of these tracks in order to get this done today for this review. In reality, these tracks will be mastered and reviewed for several days at Stonebridge Mastering to ensure the highest quality.
SPECIAL THANKS
I have no ties to Universal Audio in any way other than as a customer. Thank you Universal Audio. I would like to give an individual thanks to each and every member of the Manley and UAD-2 team that worked to create this.
Including:
Dr. David Berners
Bill Putnam Sr.
EveAnna Manley
Will Shanks
…and all other contributors of whom I am not aware,
THANK YOU FROM GEBRE WADDELL, AUDIO MASTERING ENGINEER. I will enjoy honing my skills in using this tool to maximize the emotional experience of music that comes to me from around the world. May a portion of their future thanks to me be forwarded to you. I hope you all deeply enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Also, I thank you for the feeling that my studio is now more complete than ever.
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