AAX 64 for UAD Powered Plug-Ins is Here!

Available for free, the latest UAD software is compatible with Pro Tools 12 on Mac OS X and WIndows. This release supports the entire UAD-2 product lineup, including all Apollo interfaces, UAD-2 PCIe cards, and UAD-2 Satellite devices.

Now, UAD-2 and Apollo users on Mac and Windows can enjoy:

Total session and automation compatibility with earlier versions of Pro Tools
Access to the complete library of UAD Powered Plug-Ins in AAX 64
Seamless interoperability with Apollo series interfaces and Realtime UAD Processing
Support for Pro Tools 11/12’s faster-than-realtime (offline) bounce feature

With this update, we’ve also added the following enhancements for Pro Tools users:

AudioSuite processing for file-based workflows, which allows you to process files and selections with UAD plug-ins complete with handles.
Multi-mono support, so you can use UAD plug-ins on surround and stereo tracks with full linking and unlinking capability.

AAX 64 for UAD: Frequently Asked Questions

Is Pro Tools 12 supported?
Yes. UAD Software v8 or later is required for Pro Tools 12 support. (Earlier versions of UAD Software do not support Pro Tools 12)

What is AAX 64 support for UAD Powered Plug-Ins?
Support for Pro Tools 11 / 12's new AAX 64 plug-in architecture. Now you can use your UAD-2 PCIe card, UAD-2 Satellite unit, or Apollo-series interface to run AAX 64 plug-ins inside Pro Tools 11/12 on Mac OS X and Windows.

How much does the update to AAX 64 cost?
AAX 64 support is a free update for all UAD & Apollo owners.

Will sessions made in Pro Tools 10 (RTAS) load in Pro Tools 11/12 (AAX 64)?
Yes. Users can load any Pro Tools 10/RTAS project in Pro Tools 11/12 and all settings and automation are preserved.

Can UAD plug-in presets created with RTAS UAD plug-ins be used with AAX 64?
Yes.

Is the entire library of UAD plug-ins available in AAX 64 format?
Yes, all UAD plug-ins are available.

Which Mac OS and Pro Tools 11/12 versions are supported?
Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks, and Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite, with Pro Tools 11/12.

For information about UAD Yosemite compatibility, click here.

Which Windows and Pro Tools 11/12 versions are supported?
Windows 7, 8.1, & 10 with Pro Tools 11/12.

Are there any new features with UAD AAX 64 plug-ins?
Yes, AAX 64 support arrives with these significantly powerful feature benefits:

AudioSuite support (offline processing for audio clips)
Faster-than-realtime (offline) bounce
Multi-mono support (adjust independent settings for multi-channel tracks) for surround mixes and multi-channel tracks

How are UAD plug-ins working with Avid's new audio engine?
In general, everything works great. The new audio engine brings much requested improvements to CPU load for native processing and virtual instruments. There is one major difference that users should be aware of — Pro Tools 11/12 now runs all mixer plug-ins at high buffers, which can cause more internal mixer latency and uses more delay compensation memory.

So when using UAD plug-ins in Pro Tools, make sure you turn on Delay Compensation. To enable Delay Compensation in Pro Tools 11/12, go to the Options Menu and make sure "Delay Compensation" is checked. Unlike Pro Tools 10, you no longer have to choose a delay compensation length, just turn Delay Compensation on and it works up to the maximum delay time.

Do UAD AAX 64 plug-ins work in Pro Tools 10?
No, UAD AAX 64 plug-ins are exclusively 64-bit, so they are not available for use in Pro Tools 10 because Pro Tools 10 is a 32-bit app and supports 32-bit plug-ins only.

What about RTAS support? Are UAD plug-ins still supported in Pro Tools 10?
Yes, Pro Tools 10 is still supported and uses RTAS. RTAS will continue to be supported, but RTAS support will not include any of the new features of AAX 64 (AudioSuite, Multi-Mono, etc). Also note that UA does not support AAX 32, which was an interim version of AAX 64 for Pro Tools 10. Pro Tools 10 support for UAD uses RTAS exclusively.

Can I use Pro Tools 10 and 11 with UAD Software on the same computer system?
Yes. However, please note that co-installation of Pro Tools is only supported by Avid using specific versions of Pro Tools. Consult Avid's software release notes before installing multiple versions of Pro Tools.

Do UAD AAX 64 plug-ins run on HDX hardware?
No. UAD AAX 64 plug-ins are powered exclusively by UAD devices and Apollo interfaces.

Can I use UAD-2 devices along with HDX Systems?
Yes. UAD-2 PCIe or UAD-2 Satellite (FireWire) devices can run with HDX systems.

Can I use Apollo and/or Apollo 16 with HDX System?
It is not typical for a user to use Apollo or Apollo 16 with HDX. Apollo/Apollo 16 are NOT DigiLink interfaces, so they cannot connect directly to an HDX or HD Native card and be used as an interface for these systems. However, Apollo devices can run with HDX for plug-in processing (off of Apollo's SHARC DSP over Thunderbolt or FireWire) and Apollo can be run as an ADAT converter when using Flex Routing — but bear in mind, this still means using another DigiLink compatible interface with ADAT.

Note: Apollo 16 does not have ADAT so it cannot be used with Flex Routing in the same manner as Apollo DUO/QUAD.

Are all current UAD hardware devices supported under Pro Tools 11/12/AAX 64?
Yes, the complete hardware lineup is supported: All Apollo interfaces (FireWire or Thunderbolt) and all current UAD-2 hardware will be supported (all UAD-2 PCIe and UAD-2 Satellite/FireWire devices).

Are Apollo and/or UAD devices required to run AAX 64 plug-ins in Pro Tools 11/12?
Yes. UAD Powered Plug-Ins run off of any UAD-2 PCIe, UAD-2 Satellite (FireWire 800), Apollo DUO/QUAD, and Apollo 16 (via FireWire or Thunderbolt).

What is the difference between AAX 64 and AAX DSP 64?
AAX 64 and AAX DSP 64 describes the differences between plug-ins that run on a native host (AAX 64) and plug-ins that run on Avid's HDX DSP cards (AAX DSP 64). UA's AAX 64 implementation makes UAD plug-ins look like "native" plug-ins to Pro Tools 11/12, but the DSP is offloaded to our dedicated SHARC processors on UAD-2/Apollo.

Pro Tools 11/12 is a fully 64-bit application and does not support 32-bit plug-in formats. So older 32-bit plug-in formats like RTAS, TDM, AAX 32, AAX DSP 32 are not supported.

To download the latest UAD software, click here.

For more AAX 64 info on the latest UAD software, check out our release notes here.

— Darrin Fox