UNIVERSAL AUDIO UAFX AMP EMULATORS

UNIVERSAL AUDIO UAFX AMP EMULATORS
104
GUITARIST SEPTEMBER 2022
2. Simply  ick down this
middle toggle switch to
store your sound as a
preset. On the Dream
and Ruby pedals you can
put it in the Alt position
to access alternate
parameters. On all
three of the pedals,
the right-hand toggle
switch o ers three
variations on the sound
with variable amounts of
boost set by the Boost
knob below. The circuits
are bypassed when
Boost is set to O
the pedal becomes an alternative preamp to
your own amp – this lets you easily switch
between your amp’s preamp and two
variations of the pedal’s sound.
Playing through all three pedals is a
revelation as they react organically with
all of the push-and-pull response of the
nominated amp, as well as delivering its
sound with exceptional accuracy. They
are the closest emulations to the real thing
that this reviewer has experienced. Things
never sound dry and sterile as the Dream ’65
has a superb spring reverb emulation, while
the other two non-reverb amps get a Room
knob that puts air around the sound with
ambience derived from the UA Ox Amp
Top Box for an authentic sense of space.
Need For Tweed
With no alternative functions for any of
its knobs, the Woodrow has the simplest
interface of the three pedals. It represents
a two-channel amplifier so you get
Instrument Volume and Mic Volume
knobs that can be used individually or
blended. EQ tasks are taken care of by a
single Tone knob that tweaks the top-end,
although prior to any of that, the choice
of speaker has a massive influence on the
tone on all three pedals. There’s a choice of
three types of boost: a stock clean preamp
boost; one based on the preamp of a Korg
SD3000 (beloved of The Edge); and that
old favourite, the preamp from an Echoplex
EP-3, which can really get things screaming.
Yes, that Neil Young lead sound is entirely
within your grasp.
Brit Voice
Ruby ’63 offers three channels, two of
which are based on a ’63 Top Boost amp.
The Normal channel, however, is actually
modelled on a non-TB ’61 amp complete
with a Rangemaster treble boost dialled
in with the Boost knob in true Brian May
and Rory Gallagher style, delivering
some instantly familiar classic tones.
Authentically for this channel, there’s a Cut
control for treble, but if you use either of the
Top Boost channels you get the additional
Treble and Bass knobs. The Brilliant
channel comes with an EP-3 preamp to
add some extra wallop, while the Vibrato
channel gets clean boost and has Speed and
Intensity controls for the tremolo to dial in
some authentic vintage throb.
Dream Machine
The Dream ’65 Reverb Amplifier is the
Vibrato channel of a black-panel Deluxe
Reverb in a box, so you get Volume, Bass,
Treble and Reverb knobs plus Speed and
Intensity for the tremolo as Alt parameters.
There are some solid clean tones here that
These pedals not
only sound exactly
like the amp they
are emulating but
offer the tactile feel of
playing through one
3. This USB socket is
purely for  rmware
updates, meaning direct-
to-computer recording
is not available. The Pair
button on the right-hand
side of the top panel is
for pairing your phone
via Bluetooth
4. The Room control,
beneath the Speaker
switch, adds room
sounds, derived from
UA’s Ox Amp Top Box, to
the Woodrow and Ruby.
It’s not available on
the Dream ’65 as it has
emulated spring reverb
2
3
THE RIVALS
Looking for a small pedal with amp and
speaker simulation? The most obvious rival
is the Strymon Iridium (£379), offering
a small range of essential amps (Fender
Deluxe, Vox AC30, Marshall Plexi) coupled
with a choice of nine cabinet IRs and the
chance to load your own. It also has a
dedicated headphone output, MIDI control
and an expression pedal input – all things
that are lacking in the UA pedals.
Walrus Audio’s Mako Series ACS1 Amp +
Cab Simulator (£365) offers much the
same sort of thing but features a dedicated
boost footswitch and sports three onboard
presets where the Strymon has one.
GIT489.rev_uadx.indd 104GIT489.rev_uadx.indd 104 04/08/2022 15:2304/08/2022 15:23