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Univeral Audio Luna


cclarry

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Also, it is Mac only...

Universal Audio has introduced Luna Recording System, a full-featured music creation, recording, and analog-style production system shaped by over 60 years of analog audio exploration.

Luna transforms UA's Apollo interfaces into a fully integrated recording system. Luna Recording System consists of a UA Thunderbolt-equipped audio interface, the Luna Application, Luna Extensions, and Luna Instruments.

Key Luna Recording System features include its deep Apollo interface integration, built-in Neve Summing, Multitrack Tape Emulation, and all-new Luna Instruments — UA's long-awaited foray into software‑based instruments.

Deep Apollo Integration — Fast, Natural Workflow
Unlike traditional DAW software, Luna Recording System's tight hardware-software integration allows quickly routing and recording audio through DSP-powered UAD plug-ins with no discernible latency via the new Accelerated Realtime Monitoring feature. Accelerated Realtime Monitoring is poised to be a major revelation for those unaccustomed to working on a $10k+ DSP-assisted recording system; music production will instantly seem more robust, dependable, and intuitive, without latency or monitoring hassles.

Built-In Neve Summing — Instant Classic Console Sound
Luna Recording System offers precisely emulated audio summing circuitry from the Neve 80-Series audio mixing consoles designed by Neve Electronics in the 1960s and early 1970s, featuring the harmonically rich sound of the Neve 1272 summing amplifier. Far beyond a "summing plug-in," Neve Summing is a Luna Extension built-in to the fabric of Luna's mixer — and can instantly transform a clean technical mix into a classic-sounding recording filled with energy and life.

Integrated Multitrack Tape — Warmth and Punch on Demand
Luna's audio transport features integrated Multitrack Tape emulation via the included "Oxide" Luna Extension — providing sonic qualities commonly described by audio engineers as "warmth" and "cohesion" on every desired audio or instrument track. Luna Recording System users may choose to further explore various magnetic tape sounds with the optional Studer A800 Tape Recorder Extension (sold separately).

All-New Luna Instruments — Incredible Realism to Fuel Inspiration
Luna is further distinguished by all-new software-based Luna Instruments — bringing Universal Audio's expertise in electrical and acoustic modeling, sampling, synthesis, and signal processing to virtual instruments for the first time ever. The resulting software instruments are ultra-realistic, responsive, and "alive" with inspiration.

At launch, available Luna Instruments will include:

Moog Minimoog — developed in partnership with Moog Music, the Moog Minimoog is an accurate emulation of the archetypal 1971 Moog synthesizer.

Ravel grand piano — a model of a Steinway Model B grand piano based on UA's proprietary sampling, physical modeling, and new Ultra-Resonance technology — providing all the sonic nuance of this studio classic.

Shape — a complete creative toolkit with vintage keys, drums/percussion, guitar/bass, orchestral content, and realtime synthesis, courtesy of Universal Audio, Spitfire Audio, Orange Tree Samples, Loops de la Creme, and more — included free in Luna.

Luna will be available as a free download for Thunderbolt-equipped Apollo and Arrow audio interface owners for macOS systems and is shipping in Spring 2020. Luna is not compatible with Apollo FireWire or Apollo Twin USB.

Edited by cclarry
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LUNA is obviously only (at least now) for Macs & UA TB environment but what I like about it very much is its workflow oriented approach. At least what I saw watching NAMM UA transmissions. Something still lacking in many tasks in CbB.

I believe (call me workflow fanatic if you wish) any even single additional click or key press is too much. And it's very nice (I always dreamed about it) there is integration all soft levels in just one app. No separate app for talking to drivers, setting buffers etc... Just 1 single app which is taking care about everything. Hard to reach it by DAW manufactures which are not making hardware.

And of course their main advantage real-time-ish work 'without' latency. Their  absolutely strongest point. They stopped to try convince (at least with LUNA) their plugins are best emulation in every their implementation (what I ma not so sure to be honest ;) - @cclarry, don't kill me, at least not before humans reach Mars ;)

They focused at latency free recording/mixing even with heavily loaded slots (however no miracles it needs more Apollo's chips with additional plugins/extentions)

Anyway their advertise with LUNA tape & console emu provided - what as we know Sonar did years ago ;)

Although their extensions - of course - because of integration with hardware are giving different experience and quality... But we could be proud as Cakewalk team provided it to us (at cost of CPU and more rough estimations) so long ago with their ProC ;)

But still I believe Skylight is the top  ;) The main concept of this GUI is brilliant. Just maybe a  little polishing in places where workflow is not optimal...

For some reason Sonicscoop missed CbB in their last DAW review even although CbB is free and its power is higher than one of  some of reviewed DAWs... It is really unfair...  I believe CbB still has potential to be at very top about Windows DAWs and maybe force some journalists not to  underestimate it constantly... 

I hope our beloved devels this year remove the biggest weakness (imho) of CbB which is kind of unacceptable level of crashiness especially when working in low memory condition situations (using many demanding VST/VSTi easily leads to it). While in recording and simple mixing cases it works for me acceptable bigger production/creative/fun projects are just killing with constant crashing... and forcing to go to S1 which doesn't not have Skylight so I am not happy because of it...

Little whining at the morning, sorry, still dreaming and hoping CbB will be the one and only on Windows if asking anybody about DAW ;)

 

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11 hours ago, Zo said:

Mixbuss is the answer Piotr 

Not quite, Zo. MB has no any integration at drivers level, and is not able to use dedicated chipsets to move load to make work 'latency free'. It is just DAW with integrated console emu in it and workflow oriented on console operations (this is similarity to LUNA).

LUNA integrated all layers so it is not quite just DAW.

In fact, I tried Mixbuss 32C when it was strongly discounted. Unfortunately it had terrible bugs (or features?) which rejected me instantly.

First it was unreadable with very small letters at labels, so I set bigger zoom and then in many/most context I was unable to scroll down to reach sliders (unbelievable, first time I see something like this).  Also I don't like labels for EQ like 45%... 

It sounded nice I must admit but I don't like to fight against program to do anything. Still have 2 powefull DAWs and some console emulations including Harrison console ;)

 

 

 

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30 minutes ago, John Bohlen said:

So I need to buy an expensive dongle (Apollo) and a Mac to use this? 🤣. Fab Dupont says Luna is aimed to replace Ableton Live... uhm, yeah right. 😂

Yep, Apollo  is kind of dongle here :)   And only for those of Apollos which have thunderbolt.  However in cons is LUNA is free for all owners of TB Apollos.

But to be fair, to work in 'latency free ' system there is obvious technical requirement of existing of DSPs outside PC/Mac to move load there and also not to waste time for transmitting IO <-> PC/Mac.

However I believe at some point they will offer Windows version as well. I have watched many interviews and few transmissions from them and they were very careful about future LUNA for Windows. They just said they were aware many users would be interested in Windows version.

Edited by Piotr
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Luna is reinventing the wheel.

They'll be 5+ years playing catch-up to all the major DAW applications.

The only advantage is slightly tighter integration with the Apollo series.

 

In the live NAMM demo, the engineer claimed "zero-latency" for the monitoring of effects/processing.

There's no such thing as zero latency... not even with hardware based DSP.

Luna is using (re-purposing) UA's "Unison" technology from the Apollo series.

Unison allows you to monitor any UAD plugin with ~2ms round-trip latency (which is excellent).

Note that Luna and Unison won't do this (2ms round-trip latency) with non UAD (3rd-party) plugins. 

Lowest possible round-trip latency (with 3rd-party plugins) is not Apollo's forte'.  RTL is on par with many of the better USB-2 audio interfaces.

 

You can use an Apollo with any DAW application... and be able to monitor thru UAD plugins with ~2ms round-trip latency.

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32 minutes ago, Piotr said:

Yep, Apollo  is kind of dongle here :)   And only for those of Apollos which have thunderbolt.  However in cons is LUNA is free for all owners of TB Apollos.

But to be fair, to work in 'latency free ' system there is obvious technical requirement of existing of DSPs outside PC/Mac to move load there and also not to waste time for transmitting IO <-> PC/Mac.

However I believe at some point they will offer Windows version as well. I have watched many interviews and few transmissions from them and they were very careful about future LUNA for Windows. They just said they were aware many users would be interested in Windows version.

The "latency-free" is going to work if you use UA plug-ins only and not for 3rd party plug-ins. This is just marketing garbage. All DAW's have latency compensation built-in. I don't find their hardware emulation plug-ins any better than say Waves or Softube. I used to have UAD-1/UAD-2 cards and quite a few of their plug-ins a long time ago. Sold all that I'm glad I got out of the UA ecosystem. As for their "built-in Neve summing" crap, Reason had SSL console summing for years. I'm sure the hardcore UA fans will jump on this. The sane people will steer away.

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50 minutes ago, Piotr said:

Not quite, Zo. MB has no any integration at drivers level, and is not able to use dedicated chipsets to move load to make work 'latency free'. It is just DAW with integrated console emu in it and workflow oriented on console operations (this is similarity to LUNA).

LUNA integrated all layers so it is not quite just DAW.

In fact, I tried Mixbuss 32C when it was strongly discounted. Unfortunately it had terrible bugs (or features?) which rejected me instantly.

First it was unreadable with very small letters at labels, so I set bigger zoom and then in many/most context I was unable to scroll down to reach sliders (unbelievable, first time I see something like this).  Also I don't like labels for EQ like 45%... 

It sounded nice I must admit but I don't like to fight against program to do anything. Still have 2 powefull DAWs and some console emulations including Harrison console ;)

 

 

 

I was talking more about the daw side workflow witch is imho exellent , the size is customisable (gui and text) and it sounds exellent .... i would use it for post production only personnaly

luna integration with soundcard is great , so is Steinberg with their interface and studio one also .... the DSP side is a plus , 

For people doing recordings a lot this could be a pure beauty fo sure .....not so my case here ;)

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6 hours ago, John Bohlen said:

The "latency-free" is going to work if you use UA plug-ins only and not for 3rd party plug-ins.

Yes, I am aware of this but it is obvious because 3rd party plugs don't know anything about existence of external DSPs and have no idea how to communicate to them so how they could be working?

 

7 hours ago, John Bohlen said:

This is just marketing garbage.

:D yep, a lots of it for sure :) but well, they are need to sell to refund all investments in LUNA so I understand it  and automatically filtering content in my brain when watching especially sounding like we were in church ;)

 

7 hours ago, John Bohlen said:

All DAW's have latency compensation built-in.

Yep, but thing is about to get rid of latency completely in work when recording  even when simultaneously recording tracks  changing its sound by applying plugins, playing  VSTi (!), sending lots of cues and having real time experience for all musicians. At mixing stage we don't care a lot about latency but recording session is different animal,

 

7 hours ago, John Bohlen said:

I don't find their hardware emulation plug-ins any better than say Waves or Softube.

Happy to hear it :) As I cannot afford for 'dongle' to LUNA :) And already did plenty of investments in more open environment.

7 hours ago, John Bohlen said:

As for their "built-in Neve summing" crap, Reason had SSL console summing for years.

To be honest it doesn't sound like a crap on their presentation. But anyway true and also  Sonar Pro had also ProCh with 3 console emulations and tape. This is part when I am getting sad as I really would like to so how ProCH will grow up and lots of plugins manufacturers support it. :( Unfortunately there are only a few 3rd party plugins for it.

7 hours ago, John Bohlen said:

. The sane people will steer away.

Hm, I will for sure but mainly because it is out my range few times and already have some great and some decent interfaces, 2 great DAWs and bazylion of plugins so it would be madness to go there losing probably unbelievable amount of money invested.

But anyway, don't yell at me please ;) I believe such approach as LUNA is a future for recording systems but there are also other option on market with dedicated external DSPs or CPUs to get rid of latency problems so it would be interesting see competition on this ground. Just buying crisps and watching ;)

 

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7 hours ago, Zo said:

I was talking more about the daw side workflow witch is imho exellent , the size is customisable (gui and text)

The thing is after resizing I am not able to use volume fader, application seems not to be aware of resolution what is always very lame'ish... 

 

7 hours ago, Zo said:

luna integration with soundcard is great , so is Steinberg with their interface and studio one also .... the DSP side is a plus

yep. I am fan of anything what  once and for all removes things like perceptible latency, changing buffers for different tasks what is annoying. Despite I am using also Slate's stuff and he is preacher no external DSP needed everything can be done on the same machine ;)  LUNA is doing both, and seems to have great workflow. This is why raised my attention. But well I like also observe what is SpaceX doing but of course I will never fly to Moon or Mars ;)

Just I am curious type of animal ;)

7 hours ago, Zo said:

For people doing recordings a lot this could be a pure beauty fo sure .....not so my case here ;)

Yep, neither for me.  :)

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