Unleash the Beast: UAFX Knuckles '92 Rev F Dual Rec Amplifier Pedal Review
Dive into the world of iconic Mesa Boogie tones with the UAFX Knuckles '92 Rev F Dual Rec Amplifier pedal.
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Universal Audio
Bill Putnam Sr. founded Universal Audio in 1958, having already built the first modern recording console and engineered records for Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles out of his own Chicago studio. The company closed for a time after Putnam's death in 1989 and was re-founded by his sons Jim and Bill Putnam Jr. in 1999, rebuilding around the Apollo interface line, which launched in 2012 and paired studio-grade converters with real-time plugin processing. The UAFX pedal line, launched more recently, brought the same modelling approach to the pedalboard. On GuitarBomb we mostly cover the UAFX pedals and the free plugin drops UA runs regularly. Here's what we've written.
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Founded1958
Based inScotts Valley, California, USA
FounderBill Putnam Sr
Articles here23
Makes
- Audio interfaces
- Plugins
- Effects pedals
- Microphones
- Outboard gear
Known for
- Apollo
- UAD-2
- 1176
- LA-2A
- UAFX pedals
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Universal Audio FAQ4 questions
What is Universal Audio known for?
Studio hardware and the plugin emulations of it. The company was founded by Bill Putnam Sr in 1958, wound down in the 1970s and was revived in 1999 by his sons; it is now run from Scotts Valley, California by Bill Putnam Jr. The 1176 compressor and LA-2A limiter are its best-known classic designs.
What is a UAD plugin?
Universal Audio's emulations of classic studio gear. They originally required UA's own DSP hardware — a UAD-2 card or an Apollo interface — to run, which is why UA plugins and UA interfaces were bought together. UA has since released native versions that run on the computer's own processor.
What are UAFX pedals?
UA's guitar pedal line, which puts the company's amp, cab and effect modelling into stompboxes. They are the reason a pro-audio company turns up in guitar coverage at all: the same modelling that ran on studio hardware now sells as Dream, Ruby, Woodrow and the delay and reverb boxes alongside them.
Do you need an Apollo interface to use UA plugins?
Not any more. UA's native plugin range runs on any modern computer without UA hardware. The DSP-accelerated versions still need an Apollo or a UAD-2 device, so check which licence a plugin is sold under before buying.