NAMM 2023: Universal Audio has revealed the latest effects pedals in its ongoing UAFX series: the Del-Verb Ambience Companion, Galaxy ‘74 Tape Echo and Reverb and Max Preamp & Dual Compressor.
The $349 pedals are available now and see the company both honing and diversifying in the premium pedal market following the success of its initial UAFX effects and amp emulators.
The Del-Verb is an especially interesting proposition given its wide potential appeal. It essentially offers the streamlined highlights of UA's previous Golden Reverberator and Starlight Echo Station pedals in a one-unit solution.
The new delay and reverb pedal takes three algorithms from each pedal to offer tape echo, analog Bucket Brigade and digital delay alongside spring, plate and hall reverb inspired by classic examples from effects and studio rack history.
On the reverb side, these are the Fender amp-inspired 'golden unit' spring reverb that was also used in the excellent UA Dream '65 amp emulator, plate reverb inspired by the EMT 140 and hall reverb that's a "bit-for-bit" recreation of the Lexicon 224 Digital Reverb from the tail end of the '70s.
Three top-tier sources of reverb on tap there, with ultra-streamlined control in the form of reverb wet level. Perhaps too streamlined for some players, but for many it could be an attractively simple approach after the deeper dives UAFX has taken previously.
The majority of the Del-Verb's hardware parameters are dedicated to the delay pedal side of the package, and again it's a hall-of-fame approach to iconic sources that have been modelled in detail by the UA team. We've already heard the results on the previous Starlight Echo Station with the Tape EP-III (Echoplex), Amalog DMM (Electro Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man) and Precision (based on UA's digital delay plugins) and been suitably impressed.
Players can set the delay time and feedback repeats, delay wet level, 'Color' character (record level for EP-III, input gain from the DMM and tone for Precision). The Modulation also has different options depending on the three algorithms: EP-III is 'new' tape when dialled to the left and worn to the right, DMM is vibrato left and chorus right, while Precision is flanger left and chorus right.
The right footswitch can be assigned to tap tempo and other functions via the UAFX Control mobile app.
The Galaxy '74 Tape Echo follows the UAD plugin digital recreation of the Roland Space Echo, and enters a newly competitive marketplace following Boss's own RE-202 and RE-2 releases last year, as well as the NUX NDD-7 Tape Echo. But UA is not holding back with this, hailing the Galaxy as "the most authentic emulation of the classic mid-'70s Roland Space Echo hardware".
In addition to offering doubled delay times that the original didn't, footswitch options allow players to add tap tempo, adjust real-time effects and customise oscillation sounds via the UAFX Control app.
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Lastly, the Max Preamp & Dual Compressor pedal might not be as obviously exciting as the reverb and delay of the other two to some, but is the most interesting of the trio for us in that it's offering some of UA's most popular plugins in pedal form for the very first time. The Max could offer the key to elevating your tones to a different level in the studio and beyond.
The proposition is three iconic compressors that have featured on countless classic albums, plus an accurately modelled classic tube preamp: the 1176 Peak Limiter (as featured on UA's recent Volt interfaces too), Teletronix LA-2A, and the 1972 MXR Dyna Comp together, alongside the Solo 610 preamp.
The potential to stack compressors opens new possibilities alongside a preamp that you can dial in. And the UA Control app also offers serial and parallel options and sidechain bass filter. The company is also working on a dual mono mode to have a different compressor on each side that should be added as an option later.
Like the previous UAFX releases, all three of these new pedals need a 400mA 9VDC so it might be time to upgrade that pedal power supply!
We'll have reviews of all three on MusicRadar soon. Meanwhile, you can find out more at Universal Audio. or purchase from Andertons in the UK for £325 each, $349 at Sweetwater and €379 from Thomann.
