Imagine stepping into the legendary studios where icons like Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and Whitney Houston recorded their timeless hits. Now, Universal Audio is bringing that experience right to your fingertips with the Ocean Way Studios Deluxe plugin—a game-changer for music producers and audio enthusiasts. But here's where it gets exciting: this isn't just an update; it's a complete reimagining of their award-winning studio emulation plugin, now packed with features that let you recreate the magic of these historic Hollywood rooms.
Available natively for Mac and Windows in VST3, AU, and AAX formats, Ocean Way Studios Deluxe uses Universal Audio’s Dynamic Room Modelling technology to faithfully replicate Studio A and Studio B—both masterfully designed by the legendary Bill Putnam Sr. And this is the part most people miss: it also includes three custom reverb chambers that have made Ocean Way Studios a go-to destination for top engineers and producers. These chambers are the secret sauce behind the studio’s iconic sound, and now they’re at your disposal.
Lev Perrey, VP of Product at Universal Audio, sums it up perfectly: “With Ocean Way Studios Deluxe, we wanted to bring creators even closer to the sound of these historic rooms. It’s a complete re-imagining of one of our most beloved plugins—now featuring the chambers, analog consoles, and re-miking setups.” But here’s the controversial part: while some purists argue that nothing beats recording in the actual studio, this plugin challenges that notion by offering an incredibly detailed and accessible alternative.
The plugin doesn’t stop at room emulation—it also includes authentic models of Ocean Way’s prized gear. Studio A features the Focusrite 110 EQ with cut filters, while Studio B boasts the Dalcon console paired with the API 550A EQ. For dynamics processing, you get classics like the Fairchild 670, LA-2A, 1176LN, and dbx 160 compressors, alongside modern additions like the A-Type Air and Crush processors. Here’s where it gets even more intriguing: new re-miking systems let you place virtual microphones in the space and reamp tracks through modeled speaker systems, including the UREI 813 monitors (Bill Putnam’s iconic dual 15-inch coaxial design) and the Altec A-2 folded-horn cabinets.
Additional features include stunning retina graphics, an intuitive interface redesign, curated presets, and flexible routing options. Ocean Way Studios Deluxe is available as a perpetual license or through a UAD Spark subscription, with an upgrade path for existing Ocean Way Studios users. But here’s the question we’re all thinking: Can a plugin truly replace the experience of recording in a legendary studio, or is it just a high-tech imitation? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
For more details, head over to Universal Audio’s website here. And while you’re at it, catch up on all the latest news here.
