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3 compact pedals that draw from UA’s Max and Astra

Universal Audio returns to its past pedal success for the UAFX Teletronix LA-2A Studio Compressor, Flow Vintage Tremolo & Brigade Chorus and Vibrato

Hot on the heels of its first batch of compact effects, UA already has three more and again, they draw from sounds found on its larger UAFX pedal releases – in this case the Max Preamp & Dual Compressor  and Astra Modulation Machine  with the Teletronix LA-2A Studio Compressor, Flow Vintage Tremolo and Brigade Chorus and Vibrato.

Each features emulations of classic, prized hardware and effects. The Teletronix LA-2A speaks for itself as a recording industry standard and alternative compressor to the recent 1176 pedal release. The Flow Vintage Tremolo combines three voices from the UAFX Astra Modulation Machine: UA’s Dharma harmonic tremolo that proves the company doesn’t need to lean on past classics for great tones, 65 sine wave based on the Fender Deluxe Reverb (and also found in the Dream ’65 amp pedal) and the choppy square wave tremolo of, um, Square.


A volume control allows for boost potential and there’s an onboard tap tempo too. Players can choose between true and buffered bypass with an onboard switch.

The Brigade Chorus and Vibrato is based on one of the, for some the, best chorus pedals of them all; the Boss 1976 Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble. UA’s emulation for the Astra is superb and we expect the same warmth here.

Players have the option of turning the emulated preamp on or off, along with true and buffered bypass.


All in all, based on how great the Astra sounds, these are sure to impress and are aiming to be options for those who don’t want all the phaser and flanger sounds of the bigger pedal too, along with its stereo options.


The Teletronix LA-2A compression pedal emulates the optical tube compressor/limiter and is basically the UA plugin in a pedal. Unlike the parallel switch of the 1176 pedal, here there’s a Mix control for dialling in the level of parallel compression to taste. There’s also a switch to choose between stock and Fast Attack that’s tailored more for guitar needs.

All three pedals are $199 MAP each. More info at Universal Audio website.

Will Evans – Former CEO of Spitfire Audio – has launched a new company, Song Athletics. Specializing in sample packs and creator tools, Song Athletics is said to be a “celebration of independence, craft, community and culture” that plans to put “purpose over profit”.

The company’s first product is a sample pack entitled Some Drums. Featuring Marc Pell, a drummer known for his work with Mount Kimbie and Mica Levi. Some Drums is said to be made up of a collection of royalty-free “posh drum samples” recorded at the Isle of Wight’s Empire Sound studio on a ’60s Ludwig kit.

Here’s Some Drums samples demo:

Some Drums is made up of over 40 drum loops (with individual stems included) and more than 80 one shots that promise to add a sense of space and depth to your music. The pack is priced at £25, but the first 500 people to order will receive it free, so get involved.

In a statement on its website, Song Athletics says that it’s a “purposely small and creator-owned ‘slow business'” that aims to create a sustainable ecosystem and fuel artistic exploration. “Our approach to products is to be simple and refined”, it continues. “This reflects how we use them. If you want lots of control and features, other people do that much better.”

We told that Song Athletics have a “full roadmap” ahead, with more sample packs, virtual instruments, plugins and collaborations with artists and brands, so watch this space.

Find out more on Song Athletics website.

Arturia ‘high density’ 16Rig is the top of the AudioFuse range and ideal for your modular synths, analogue outboard and vintage keys. It has more analogue ins and outs than any other AudioFuse and a matrix of connectivity options.

Arturia has introduced AudioFuse 16Rig, an advanced audio & MIDI interface that they say is designed for hardware users that want to connect and synchronize their whole setup. In fact it is the most connected of the AudioFuse range thus far.

It does seem incredible that the original AudioFuse was announced way back in 2015. A very flexible and highly configurable interface with four analogue ins and multiple digital connectivity options.

Since then the AudioFuse range has been bolstered with the AudioFuse Studio, a 20-in, 18-out interface with four input channels, and AudioFuse 8Pre, another flexible interface with eight input channels.

Arturia then focussed on smaller and cheaper audio interfaces with its MiniFuses, but is right back at the top end of connectivity with its new AudioFuse 16Rig rack-mount/desktop interface.

It is ‘high density’ which means it adds more analogue inputs than any other Arturia interface, so is focussed on anyone with lots of hardware. That’s you, Eurorack and synth users.

Yes, while other AudioFuse specs are bolstered with digital I/O, Arturia is aiming 16Rig’s extra analogue connectivity at those of us with an increasingly hardware-based studio. So you get 16 analogue inputs (two with digitally controllable preamps around the front), a whopping 10 analogue outputs, plus up to four headphone outs.

There is digital connectivity as well, with ADAT delivering another 16 channels plus a full complement of MIDI connectors. You can even use the interface as a USB hub with three extra USB-A sockets on top of its USB-C computer connector.

Rig16 has digital mixing built in and a ton of audio and MIDI routing, best dealt with by way of the AudioFuse Control Centre app, which looks like it will easily you connect any inputs to any outputs you like, all by way of a routing matrix.

Arturia says that the two inputs around the front are great for plugging any non permanent hardware to your setup and there’s even a 3.5mm input next to them to plug your phone or other devices into.

While much of the routing and mixing can be done in Control Centre, 16Rig has been designed so that you can do pretty much everything from the front panel too, with a large dial stepping through main input, output, mix and setup menus, plus button options to take you to more important areas, faster.

AudioFuse 16Rig is clearly aimed at electronic music producers with lots of keyboards, sound modules, outboard and Eurorack gear. And really it’s all about that routing, connectivity and mixing flexibility.

Arturia wants you to use 16Rig in a setup where you can route your Eurorack through 16Rig into your outboard hardware and back again, all the time playing along with your vast vintage keyboard collection. Arturia claims its internal mixing takes the strain away from your DAW.

Specifications:

• 16 x TRS analog inputs
  • Includes 2 x high-quality digitally-controlled preamps
  • Inputs 3 & 4 also available as 3.5mm stereo input
• 12 x analog outputs
  • Includes 8 x DC-coupled TRS line outputs
  • Stereo monitor outputs
  • 35mm front-panel outputs for reamping, dual-headphones
• 2 x ADAT in, 2 x ADAT out
• Up to 16 channels of I/O at 48kHz, 8 channels at 88.2/96kHz
• Wordclock in & out
  • 1 x MIDI in, 2 x MIDI out/thru
• 5-pin DIN connectors
  • Route MIDI standalone
• Low-latency USB-C connection
• Class-compliant MIDI
  • 3 x USB hub connections
• Two internal standalone mixers
• No computer connection needed
  • Cue mixer for sub-mixing and added flexibility
  • Main mixer controllable by MIDI
• Color display with rotary control & menu buttons
• Desktop or 1U rackmount configuration
• Includes AudioFuse Control Center
• Includes AudioFuse Creative Suite
  • Analog Lab Intro
  • Comp DIODE-609* NEW
  • Pre 1973
  • Pre V76
  • Pre TridA
  • Filter MINI
  • Chorus JUN-6
  • Comp FET-76
  • Delay TAPE-201
  • Rev PLATE-140
  • Phaser BI-TRON

“AudioFuse 16Rig is clearly aimed at electronic music producers with lots of keyboards, sound modules, outboard and Eurorack gear”

The Arturia AudioFuse 16Rig is available now for $1,499/€1,299 and you can get more info from the Arturia website.