Universal Audio Arrow

A
rrow is a tiny
gun-metal box
which slips under
UA’s universally
loved Apollos at
the base of the
range. It’s ideally
suited to power-user music makers
on the move or as the ideal entry
system for those ‘going pro’ with
UA’s plugins.
As background, the UA universe is
an ever-growing collection of
world-class plugins most of which
emulate classic bits of studio gear.
These plugins are second to none,
but require UA’s UAD-2 DSP
hardware to take their strain and free
up your computer for more audio and
MIDI. It’s a luxurious way to make
music but one that means shelling
out for both hardware AND software.
Fortunately Arrow comes complete
with their Realtime Analog Classics
Bundle including hardware
luminaries the Teletronix LA-2A,
UA’s own 1176, Pultec’s EQP-1A
and even a stunningly on-point
Marshall Plexi amp emulation. The
result is that you’ll have hours of fun
out of the box before you even think
about 14-day try-before-you-buying
the Galaxy Tape Echo, Lexicon 224,
Studer A800 tape emulation or SSL
4000 G Bus Compressor to name
but a few. The Console software
manager works like a charm,
seamlessly installing and getting you
hooked before you part with about
£150 per plug or get a ‘pick any ten’
bundle for £999. They’re not cheap,
but they’re damn good.
Which is partly why Arrow is such
a welcome arrival. While it’s small,
portable, and their only bus-powered
box, it’s also their cheapest, so now
you’ve got spare cash to load her up.
At its most basic level it’s a
simple two-in, four-out interface with
two quality mic/line ins on the back
and an alternative Hi-Z (guitar) in on
the front. There’s two jack outs and
stereo headphone out. The inputs
are notable in that they use UA’s
Unison technology to – with an
appropriate plugin in place –
accurately emulate preamps from
Neve or Api for example, or the
impedance and gain staging of amps
from Fender or Gibson. All nigh-on
latency free. It’s a real bonus that
this signature feature has been
included on this baseline box and
they sound as great as they do on the
bigger units.
depending on the plugins at play.
In all, if you’ve the right computer,
have simple input requirements and
value quality, portability, ease and
elegance, Arrow is unbeatable – the
perfect gateway to UA’s world-class
plugins. Once you’re there, you won’t
want to go back.
The box itself is half the size of a
Jackie Collins novel, all metal, super
rugged and a single Thunderbolt 3
lead is all you need to power up and
start work. Arrow is the perfect
portable partner to Apple’s current
Thunderbolt 3 based MacBook Pro
(or less portable) iMac Pro machines.
This of course will limit its audience
but given that you don’t even get a
Thunderbolt 3 lead in the box, it’s
just as easy to buy a USB-C to
Thunderbolt 3 which will at least let
you use it on some less up-to-the-
minute Macs.
Similarly limiting is the fact that
Arrow is ‘only’ equipped with a single
‘Solo’ UAD-2 DSP chip while its
bigger brother Apollos comes in
‘Duo’ and ‘Quads’ able to run two, or
four times as many plugins. That
means that big projects – think 25
tracks each with a plug or two – will
max out this (currently) Solo-only box
THE PROS & CONS
+
Small, rugged, well
built… and
‘affordable’ for a
UAD-2 box
One lead to connect
and power, keeps it
simple and sleek
The best installation
and management
software in
the business
Great included
plugin bundle with
pay-to-play access to
perhaps the best
library in the world
-
Thunderbolt 3
limits its ability to
work with anything
other than the latest
machines
Ultimately it’s a
bit pricey for a
simple two-in,
four -out interface
Only Solo-powered.
Dual or Quad power
would have been
far preferrable
FM VERDICT
9.0
The portable gateway to UA’s
world. Well-built, keenly
priced. But compatibility
and Solo-only power may
mean it misses your target
A
which slips under
UA’s universally
loved Apollos at
the base of the
range. It’s ideally
suited to power-user music makers
on the move or as the ideal entry
system for those ‘going pro’ with
As background, the UA universe is
an ever-growing collection of
world-class plugins most of which
emulate classic bits of studio gear.
These plugins are second to none,
but require UA’s UAD-2 DSP
hardware to take their strain and free
hardware to take their strain and free
up your computer for more audio and
MIDI. It’s a luxurious way to make
music but one that means shelling
out for both hardware AND software.
Fortunately Arrow comes complete
with their Realtime Analog Classics
Bundle including hardware
luminaries the Teletronix LA-2A,
UA’s own 1176, Pultec’s EQP-1A
and even a stunningly on-point
Marshall Plexi amp emulation. The
+
Small, rugged, well
built… and
‘affordable’ for a
UAD-2 box
One lead to connect
and power, keeps it
simple and sleek
The best installation
and management
software in
the business
Great included
plugin bundle with
pay-to-play access to
perhaps the best
library in the world
rrow is a tiny
gun-metal box
which slips under
which slips under
UA’s universally
loved Apollos at
the base of the
range. It’s ideally
suited to power-user music makers
on the move or as the ideal entry
system for those ‘going pro’ with
As background, the UA universe is
an ever-growing collection of
world-class plugins most of which
The plugins are second to
none but it’s a way of working
that requires shelling out for
hardware and software
Universal Audio Arrow | Reviews
89
FMU332.rev_uaudio.indd 89 15/05/2018 17:47