A Renowned Recording Studio in Your DAW

Ocean Way Studios Deluxe goes far beyond the original award-winning UAD Ocean Way Studios plug-in, giving your productions the legendary sound of music’s most historic rooms, reverb chambers, and microphones. Powered by UA’s exclusive Dynamic Room Modeling technology, now you can easily add the same dimension, space, and tone heard on recordings from Ray Charles and Frank Sinatra to Whitney Houston, Radiohead, and Beck.* 

Put Your Tracks in Legendary Studio A or Studio B

Designed by Bill Putnam Sr., Ocean Way’s Studio A and B remain two of the most celebrated recording spaces in the world. Now you can put your sources “inside” these iconic rooms and add the rich ambience that continues to inspire producers, engineers, and artists. 

When Universal Audio released Ocean Way Studios in 2013, it marked a breakthrough: the world’s first studio emulation. For the first time, those in the know could virtually access two of the most acoustically revered spaces in the world, equipped with the best microphone collection in the world, each expertly placed by studio owner and producer Allen Sides. The plug-in captured not just the sonic character of the rooms, but the intent and creative uses behind them — with a belief that recording spaces themselves are instruments. It made an even deeper impact with the knowledge these temples of sound started life as United Recorders, designed by Universal Audio’s founder, M.T. “Bill” Putnam.

Twelve years later, UA revisits this landmark title with Ocean Way Studios Deluxe: an evolution built on years of forward progress and design reflection. The update preserves the original room recordings while introducing an immersive interface, expanded source options, and all-new access to the one-of-a-kind studio tools that made Ocean Way Recording so legendary.

• Place your vocals, drums, guitars, and more inside Ocean Way Studios' legendary rooms
• Bring your sources to life in Bill Putnam Sr.'s original reverb chambers
• Transform any track with Ocean Way's original hit-making re-mic setups
• Shape your sound with the analog consoles and outboard gear heard on hundreds of iconic recordings 
• Put yourself in the control rooms of a world class recording studio with an enhanced user interface

*Use of artist names does not constitute official endorsement of Ocean Way Studios Deluxe software. 

In this article

• Operational Overview
• Quick Start
• Studio View
• Master Effects View
• Equalizer
• Dynamics
• Chambers
• Description Lists
• Technical Overview

Operational Overview

Ocean Way Studios Deluxe is a complete studio in the box, designed around the popular “re-mic” studio trick: blast the room with pre-recorded tracks over loudspeakers, and record that back in to transform your sound. The plug-in takes this re-miking concept much further. The plug-in replicates the radiating energy patterns of specific sources such as drums or piano, for unmatched sonic realism.

You can recreate specific recording setups in Studio A and Studio B, with an array of mics that can be dragged to new positions. 

Ocean Way Studios Deluxe includes much more than modeled room sound. The plug-in captures the entire audio path of both room's recording consoles and outboard equipment. You get deep creative control with features of the original consoles from both studios, outboard gear, and reverb chambers. Effects can be quickly enabled, reordered, and disabled. 

Ocean Way Studios Deluxe is built on the famous studio trick of “re-miking” the room for all-new sounds

Modes

Ocean Way Studios Deluxe offers two modes of operation. It can be used as a “Re-Mic” processor when full immersion within Ocean Way Studios Deluxe's studio space is desired, or in a traditional Reverb workflow using send and return paths mixed with dry signals.

Re-Mic

Use Re-Mic mode to mix through Ocean Way Studios Deluxe. Re-Mic mode entirely replaces your recordings with Ocean Way Studio A or Studio B, complete with microphone characteristics, room setup tweaks, and mic choices and locations. Re-Mic mode retains the source-to-mic “direct path” component, a crucial part of every microphone’s unique sound. For more information, see [Re-Mic mode].

Reverb

Use Reverb mode to mix Ocean Way Studios Deluxe with existing recordings. Reverb mode works as a reverb effect by programmatically removing Ocean Way Studios Deluxe's source-to-mic “direct path” component of the mics. Only the reverb signal of each studio's early reflections and decay are heard. For more information, see [Reverb mode].

Views

The Studio, Mixer, and Master Effects views present you with different ways to interact with the mics, level controls, and audio processors. The controls within each view are described later in this guide.

Studio View

Studio A View

Studio B View

In Studio View, you can make immediate changes to the studio sound. See [Studio View] for details.

• Choose Re-Mic or Reverb mode
• Choose from a variety of sound sources such as drums, guitar, vocals, and more
• Choose from extensive microphone options
  • Enable Close and Room mics and adjust their levels
  • Drag mics to reposition in the room
  • Adjust mic type, polar pattern, and on/off axis response
• Show/hide Mixer and Effects Views from the sidebar
• Quickly bypass or enable the Room (and mixer), Equalizer, Dynamics, and Chamber effects

Note that Studio View is always visible, but reduced in size when other views are displayed. 

Mixer

Mixer view allows you to adjust levels, balance, and other mix settings for the microphone channels, and to adjust the master controls. It also provides Predelay and Mix controls in Reverb mode. The Mixer has a different color scheme for each Studio. See [Mixer View] for details.

Mixer View (Studio A)	Mixer View (Studio B)

Master Effects

You can adjust the EQ, Dynamics, and Chamber post-mixer effects, as well as the master controls, in the Master Effects View. Effects can be rearranged by dragging. Note that the Master Effects have two different color schemes representing each studio’s console, and two different EQ modules for each of the two different Studios. See [Master Effects View] for details.

Master Effects View (Studio A)	Master Effects View (Studio B)

Equalizer

Each studio features a three band, semi-parametric EQ module used with the studio’s recording console. See [Equalizer] for details.

Dynamics

Ocean Way Studios Deluxe includes an easy-to-use dynamics module that gives you access to a range of venerable outboard dynamic processors found in Ocean Way’s control rooms. See [Dynamics] for details.

Chambers

In addition to the studio spaces, Ocean Way Studios Deluxe includes three reverb chambers. You can add reverb from any of these chambers to your sound. See [Chambers] for details.

Quick Start

Load the Ocean Way Studios Deluxe plug-in on a DAW track or bus. Ocean Way Studios Deluxe works great on stereo tracks or submixes. For example, you can place the plug-in directly on a stereo drum track, or you can place the plug-in on a stereo submix bus, and then route the outputs from several other tracks to that bus track.

Tip: Click the ⓘ symbol at the lower right side of the plug-in screen to see informational tips as you hover over items in Studio View. 

Make adjustments

• Choose a Studio (A or B).
• Click the Source menus to view and choose from available sources. Sources set the sound source positioning and mic setups.
• Drag the mics to adjust the spaciousness of the sound. 
• Drag the level sliders for each mic to balance the sound. 
• You can also choose different mics, adjust their polar patterns, enable and disable mic positions, and adjust effects. 

The following image shows an overview of the items you can adjust in the Ocean Way Studios Deluxe Studio View. 

Try a preset

Ocean Way Studios Deluxe includes many presets designed to work as excellent starting points. Click the Preset area to search, filter, and choose presets from the Preset Browser. For more information on managing presets, go here.

Studio View

Studio View presents a full visual representation of Studio A or B, including the Source placement, the studio configuration, and the mic locations. 

Studio A View

Studio B View

Mics are placed in the room to best suit each source, and the Distance parameter adjusts their relative distance from the source. Drag mics toward or away from the source. Mic stands illuminate when hovered, and a custom cursor shows the direction to drag.

Note: Mics that are muted or out of view are not shown in Studio View.

Studio View Controls

Studio View controls are always visible and available when the Mixer or Master Effects views are shown.

Tool tips

To show informational tool tips, click the ⓘ symbol at the lower right side of the plug-in screen. When highlighted, additional text is displayed as you hover over items in Studio View. 

Studio

Choose a studio. Each studio has a unique room design and mic placements. The current studio is highlighted.

Tip: Hold Shift while changing studios to retain current microphone and Equalizer selections.

Studio A is Ocean Way's most spacious studio, equally suitable for small groups or full orchestras. With a rich sound, exceptionally clear low end, and super smooth decay, Studio A is a study in classic studio design. 

Studio B is Bill Putnam Sr.'s crowning achievement in studio design. This flawless miniature concert hall makes for bigger-than-life recordings. The long isolation room is incredible for re-miking solos and instrument buses. 

Mode

Ocean Way Studios Deluxe offers two modes of operation: Re-Mic and Reverb.

Re-Mic

Re-Mic mode entirely replaces your recordings with Ocean Way Studios Deluxe's complete room and microphone characteristics. Re-Mic mode retains the source-to-mic “direct path” component, a crucial part of every microphone’s unique sound. Predelay and Mix are not available in Re-Mic mode.

Important: For the intended design results and to minimize phasing when Ocean Way Studios Deluxe is in Re-Mic mode, exercise caution to ensure the original dry signal is not mixed with Ocean Way Studios Deluxe's processed output, as phase issues can occur. If you want to preserve your original dry source, use Reverb mode instead.

Reverb

Reverb mode works as a short reverb effect by programmatically removing Ocean Way Studios Deluxe's source-to-mic “direct path” component of the mics. With Reverb mode, only the ambience of the studio's early reflections and decay are heard. Due to the inherent nature of the Ocean Way Studios Deluxe design, changes to the microphone Distance and Gain settings are less audible in Reverb mode than in Re-Mic mode. Predelay, Mix, and Wet Solo are only available in Reverb mode.

Source

A variety of audio sources and their natural radiating patterns were modeled for Ocean Way Studios Deluxe. An audio source’s placement within a room influences the energy of sound waves throughout the room. Therefore, the active source can have a significant impact on the sound in the room.

Tip: Although all placements are optimized, any type of audio can be used with any source selection. Experimentation is encouraged. 

Choosing your source

To change the active source, hover over the Source category (Drums, Acoustic, Speakers, Vocal, or Ensemble), then select the desired source setup from the drop menu. The mic selections and recorded positions are displayed in the Studio View, and the bar highlights the selected category.

When you choose a Source, the mic options and positions return to their default settings.

Note: This selection does not change the mixer’s Filter, Polarity, Mute, Balance, or Level settings.

Source loading progress

When you select a new source, the source bar may flash while the plug-in updates the algorithm. Algorithm loading is displayed whenever the Source, Mic Select, Mic Distance, or Mic Polar Pattern controls are modified. The complete sound of these control setting changes are not heard until the display stops flashing. Sonic artifacts and/or additional host CPU usage may occur while the algorithm is updating. 

Note that studio and source changes take longer than microphone changes to update. Other parameter changes are subject to shorter updates and are not reflected in the display. See [Loading time and audio effects] for related information.

Microphones

The microphone channels each have their own set of controls. Close mics are closest to the source, while Room mics are further from the source, to capture more room sound. Selecting a studio or source loads curated sets of default microphones. Not all microphones are available for all sources, and some mics have different features than others. For a list of available microphones and their descriptions, see [Available microphones in Ocean Way Studios Deluxe].

Dragging mics to adjust Distance

You can adjust microphone Distance by dragging mics. This is the same adjustment as changing the Distance control in Mixer View. 

Note: In Studio B, the 4006 microphone in the Room 2 position is offscreen. 

Mouse cursor when dragging mics

Mic controls

The mic controls are at the bottom of Studio View.

Mic selections

For each channel you can select microphones within the mic selector footer. The selected mic is highlighted. Hover over the microphone selector to reveal mic images, and click to change the active microphone. The number of available microphones per channel, and their placements in the room, differ for each source.

Tip: Hold Shift while selecting a new microphone to retain the current mic to source Distance. 

Mic levels

Below each mic, a horizontal slider allows you to quickly adjust the mic level for each mic or mic pair. This is the same adjustment as moving the faders in Mixer View.

Mic polar patterns

You can switch some mics between cardioid and omnidirectional (omni) patterns. To change a mic’s polar pattern, click the polar pattern you want to use. Cardioid patterns are more focused and produce a tighter, more directional response, while omni patterns capture more room sound and produce a less directional image.

Mic placement (on- or off-axis)

When you select the 4x12 or 2x12 cabinet in the Guitar category as the source, you can place the Close mic on-axis (the default setting) or off-axis. On-axis mics capture more of the brightness and edginess of the speaker, and off-axis mics capture a smoother, darker sound.

Output meter and master level control

The output meter shows the level at the output of the plug-in. Use the master level control to adjust the output volume level.

Tip: To quickly return to the unity gain position, Option + Click (macOS) or Alt + Click (Windows) the level control.

Mixer View

Mixer view allows you to adjust levels, balance, and other mix settings for the microphone channels, and adjust the master output controls. When in Reverb mode, it also provides Predelay, Mix, and Wet Solo controls.

Mixer View (Studio A)

To open the sidebar and show the Mixer, click the Mixer icon on the right side of the Studio View screen, or click the angle bracket (❮) to show the sidebar with the Mixer or Master Effects section. Click the active view icon or the bracket again (❯) to hide the sidebar.

Mixer View controls

The microphone channel strip controls are available in Mixer view. 

Distance knob

Distance varies the length between the microphones and the source. This control also updates when you drag mics in the room. The available ranges and default values for Distance depend on the selected Source and Microphones. 

Distance display

The Distance display shows the distance from the source to the microphones.

• If a number is displayed, this is the distance in feet from the source to the mic. The distance displayed is an average of the two mic’s distances.
• If FIXED is displayed, the mic channel Distance is fixed. Fixed position mics are specialized setups placed near studio surfaces or sources for specific audio results. For example, the guitar cabinet Close mics are fixed. 
• If Aligned is displayed, the mic channel is time-aligned. 

Tip: To return to the default value for the current microphone pair, click the DISTANCE text label, or click the MIN or MAX labels for minimum and maximum values.

Distance Align

When microphones are aligned, the sonic character of their placement in the room is maintained, but the time delay between the source and the microphones that occur in the physical realm is programmatically eliminated. To toggle microphone alignment on a channel, click the “clock” button below Distance. 

For additional details about this feature, see [Aligning microphones overview]. For related information, see [Latency].

Cut filters

Independent High Cut and Low Cut filters derived from the two Ocean Way Studios consoles can be enabled on each microphone channel. Click the button to toggle the filter state. The cut filter frequency varies among the sources and channels. See [Cut filter values] for the filter values.

Polarity invert

This button inverts the polarity (phase) of the microphone channel. Polarity may be useful when more than one microphone pair is enabled, but may be used creatively as well. See [Phase considerations] for related information.

Mute

The Mute button disables the microphone channel so it is no longer heard. Click the button to toggle the mute state. When a channel is muted:

• The mute button is lit in Mixer view
• The mic enable button is unlit in Studio view
• Mics are hidden in Studio view 

Tip: To quickly solo any microphone, Shift-click any Mute button in the Mixer, or any Enable button in Studio View. The selected mic channel is un-muted and the other mic channels are muted.

Balance

Balance adjusts the relative levels of the left and right mic signals, or pans a mono mic signal to the left or right. When the plug-in is used in a mono-in/mono-out configuration, this control is locked in the center position.

Tip: To quickly return to the center position, click the BALANCE text label. Click the L or R labels to pan hard left or right.

Gain Faders

These faders control the volume of the microphone channels. The gain range is from off to +10 dB. Gain is at unity when set to 0. This is the same adjustment as dragging the horizontal sliders in Studio View. 

Tip: To quickly return to the 0 dB (unity) position, click the associated “0” text label at the fader’s unity gain position. Click any fader label to jump to that value.

Bypass

Bypass disables the mixer, all microphones, and the overall contribution of the room’s sound. The button is lit when the room and mics are disabled. This is the same as enabling/disabling the Room in Studio View. This control bypasses the room and mics only. Master effects still process signal.

Tip: Use Bypass to process only with the Master Effects of Ocean Way Studios Deluxe. The Master fader remains available when bypassed to adjust the plug-in’s output level.

L/R Swap

This button reverses the left and right channels at the output of the mixer. L/R Swap is useful for changing the perspective from the audience position to the performer position. 

Note: L/R Swap changes the output of the main room only. The Master Effects signals are not swapped.

Mono

Ocean Way Studios Deluxe can be used in a mono-in/mono-out, mono-in/stereo out, or stereo-in/stereo-out configuration. The left/right stereo outputs of the mixer are summed to mono when the Mono button is engaged. When the plug-in is used in a mono-in/mono-out configuration, this control is always engaged and the left/right output channels are summed.

Note: The Mono button changes the output of the main room only. The Master Effects (for example, the Chamber) remain in stereo.

Master Fader

The Master fader controls the volume level at the output of the plug-in, from off to +10 dB. Gain is at unity when set to the zero position.

Tip: To quickly return to the 0 dB (unity) position, click the “0” text label at the fader’s unity gain position, or click any fader label to jump to that value.

Mixer View Reverb mode-only controls

These controls are only available when the plug-in is in Reverb mode. In Re-Mic mode, these controls cannot be adjusted.

Note: These controls adjust the main studio room sound only (the Chamber effect has its own controls).

Predelay

The amount of time between the dry signal and the onset of the reverb is controlled with this knob. The range is from 0 to 125 milliseconds. Predelay is cumulative with the inherent microphone delays.

Mix

Mix is used to set the amount of room and mic ambience when the plug-in is used in a track insert, versus a send/return configuration. The control determines the balance between the original dry signal and the processed signal.

If Wet Solo is enabled, this control is unavailable. 

Note: EQ, Reverb, and Dynamics are not affected by the Mix control. Reverb and Dynamics have their own separate mix/amount controls. 

Wet Solo

Wet Solo puts Ocean Way Studios Deluxe into 100% wet mode. When Wet Solo is on, it is the equivalent of setting the Dry/Wet knob value to 100%.

Wet Solo defaults to On, which is optimal when using Ocean Way Studios Deluxe in Reverb mode in the “traditional” reverb configuration (on a send/return bus). When Ocean Way Studios Deluxe is used on a channel insert in Reverb mode, deactivate Wet Solo to adjust the dry and wet mix.

This control uses a logarithmic taper to provide increased resolution when selecting lower values. When the knob is in the 12 o’clock position, the value is approximately 15%.

Master Effects View

The Master Effects view of the plug-in can be used to apply EQ, dynamics, and reverb chamber ambience. 

Master Effects View

To open the sidebar and show Master Effects, click the Master Effects icon on the right side of the Studio View screen, or click the angle brackets (❮ or ❯) to toggle the Mixer or Master Effects section.

Working with Master Effects

• To enable any effect, click its IN button to toggle the module on/off. A module is enabled when its button is lit.
• To toggle an effect module in Studio View, click its related icon.
• To reorder the effects, drag a Master Effect module to a new position. Hover over the bottom title strip of the module. A custom up/down cursor will appear. Drag the effect module vertically to the desired position.

Equalizer

The Equalizer module allows you to adjust the frequency balance of the output from the mixer. There are two Equalizer modules available. The 110 is the default EQ module for Studio A, and the 550 is the default EQ module for Studio B. To swap the Equalizer modules, toggle the EQ switch to 110 or 550, or click the 110 or 550 text labels.

Tip: Hold Shift while changing studios to retain the currently selected Equalizer.

110 EQ (left) and 550 EQ (right)

Equalizer controls

The two Equalizer modules have distinct controls and frequency settings. Settings for each EQ are saved when you switch EQ modules.

Gain

The gain for each equalizer band is adjusted with the upper knob. Rotate the control clockwise to increase the gain, or counter-clockwise to reduce the gain. The gain on the 110 EQ is continuous, while the gain on the 550 EQ is adjustable in 2 dB increments. 

Frequency

The equalizer filters and frequencies are specified with the lower knobs. To set the equalizer band frequency, rotate the knob or click the frequency text label.

Dynamics

The Dynamics module allows you to process the output of the mixer with six dynamics processors available in both studios.

Dynamics controls

Amount

Amount adjusts the gain reduction, expansion, or other dynamic effects applied to the signal. To add more of the effect, rotate the knob clockwise. 

Type

Rotate the switch or click the processor’s text label to select the dynamic processor type. 

Mix

Controls the mix of the source signal with the dynamic processor’s signal for parallel wet/dry effects. Rotate the knob clockwise to blend in more signal from the dynamics processor.

SC Link

Provides Linked (Stereo) or Unlinked (Dual Mono) dynamics sidechain operation.

• When SC Link is Off, the L/R dynamic processors are unlinked, and the amount of compression that occurs is completely independent for both channels, for creative effect. If one channel has higher signal peaks than the other channel, the left-right stereo image may shift.
• When SC Link is On, the L/R dynamic processors are stereo linked and the amount of dynamic processing is always the same for both channels. This setting prevents left-right shifting of the stereo image at the output that can occur when one channel has higher signal peaks compared to the other channel.

Tip: Click the text labels to switch the SC Link settings.

SC Filter

The SC Filter (sidechain filter) options allow you to filter the input signal to the dynamics detector, to control the dynamics process across the frequency range. This three-way switch has the following settings:

• Tilt (left) – Applies a 3 dB/octave linear filter, for a low to high shift in the dynamic response to the signal across the frequency range. 
• Off (middle) – No sidechain filter is applied.
• Low Cut (right) – Applies a 12 dB/octave low cut filter at 150 Hz to minimize low frequency detection and reduce “pumping” with bass-heavy content.

Tip: Click the filter icons to switch the SC Filter settings.

Chambers

The Chambers module allows you to mix in the return from one of three custom-designed reverb chambers available to both studios. The natural responses from the chambers are represented by the Long setting, but also includes four shorter “beyond reality” settings for increased flexibility.

Chamber controls

Chamber

The Chamber switch allows you to choose one of three chambers:

Amount

Adjusts the amount of chamber return signal, from 0–100%. This is not a wet/dry control, but a reverb level return. However, if you disable the Room and enable the Chamber, the reverb is fully wet (there is no dry component) and the Amount knob controls the reverb level for traditional send/return use.

Decay

The Decay switch includes five positions, from Short to Long. Long represents the original reverb time. Move the switch to adjust the decay. 

Tip: Click the text labels (and in between the text labels) to switch between the five decay lengths. 

Predelay

Predelay sets the amount of time before you hear the chamber return signal. Rotate the knob to set the predelay amount. The range is 0–250 ms. 

Tip: Click the 0, 50ms, or 250ms text labels to set Predelay to those values.

Width

Sets the stereo width of the chamber return signal. Rotate the knob to set the width from 0% (mono) to 100% (fully stereo). 

Tip: Click the 0, 50, or 100% text labels to set the Width to those values.

Description Lists

Available microphones*

*Microphone names are all trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way affiliated with Universal Audio, Inc. or Ocean Way Studios Deluxe. These microphone names, descriptions and images are provided for the sole purpose of identifying the specific microphones studied during Universal Audio’s sound model development and to describe certain microphone sound qualities and performance characteristics.

Cut filter values 

Technical Overview

Ocean Way Studios Deluxe is a landmark in ambience processing with UA’s proprietary Dynamic Room Modeling technology, an exclusive combination of signal processing and advanced measurement techniques. Eclipsing standard convolution reverbs, which can only provide a static snapshot, Dynamic Room Modeling opens up the full spectrum of the studio’s ambience possibilities. 

Specifically, Dynamic Room Modeling models the unique radiation properties of various sources, as recorded through a selection of microphones that can be repositioned in the room, in real time, by simply dragging the mics. This technology allows you to immerse your tracks in one of the world’s most famous recording studios, with an unparalleled level of sonic realism. 

Ideal mic selections and placements are provided in Ocean Way Studios Deluxe, along with a detailed package of Ocean Way Studios Deluxe's console and outboard effects — the exact room and setups used to record some of the biggest acts of all time. 

Dynamic Room Modeling is sonically superior in terms of overall model accuracy and dynamic customization to any previous room modeling technology.

Modes overview

Ocean Way Studios Deluxe offers two modes of operation: Re-Mic and Reverb. These modes process signals in fundamentally different ways. 

For additional details about Reverb and Re-Mic modes, see [Understanding Re-Mic mode] and [Understanding Reverb mode].

About recorded sound components

Whenever a sound source is recorded in a naturally reverberant space, there are three primary sound components (shown below) that are captured by the microphone.

• Direct signal – The sound path that travels directly between the source and the microphone, without any reflected sounds from the walls, floor, ceiling, and objects.
• Early reflections – The still-distinct individual reflections that are reflected off the walls, floor, ceiling, and objects before reaching the microphone.
• Late field (aka reverb tail or ambience) – The indistinct “wash” that decays over time, that consists of all reflections in the room. The tail is usually considered the main component of reverb.

Understanding Re-Mic mode

Re-Mic mode is a tool for “replacing” the original dry audio signal.

In Re-Mic mode, Ocean Way Studios Deluxe essentially plays your recorded tracks through virtual sources placed in the room, then captures them with an array of ideally-placed microphones. The processed signal captures the sonic signature of the studio, the source and its radiation patterns, and the microphones with more accuracy and realism than is possible with generic impulse response players or other reverb processing.

Using Re-Mic mode

Use Re-Mic mode to mix through Ocean Way Studios Deluxe. Re-Mic mode entirely replaces your recordings with Ocean Way Studios' complete room and microphone characteristics. Re-Mic mode retains the source-to-mic “direct path” component, a crucial part of every microphone’s unique sound. Predelay, Mix, and Wet Solo are not available in Re-Mic mode.

The illustration below shows how to configure the Re-Mic workflow in a DAW. In this example, all the drum outputs are routed to a submix bus instead of the main outputs. Ocean Way Studios Deluxe is inserted on the submix bus return, and the plug-in is configured in Re-Mic mode. Note that effect sends are not used in this configuration.

In Re-Mic mode, the dry/wet Mix control is not available, so the original dry signal does not stack or “phase” against the modeled direct component signal. Instead of an effect bus return (or mix control), the desired ambience is adjusted with the studio, source, and microphone selections, along with microphone placements and their relative levels.

Note: Because Re-Mic mode is the complete recorded signal, the plug-in output is inherently louder in Re-Mic mode.

DAW signal routing with Ocean Way Studios Deluxe in Re-Mic mode on a drum submix

Understanding Reverb mode

Use Reverb mode to mix Ocean Way Studios room sounds with existing recordings. Reverb mode works as a short reverb effect by programmatically removing Ocean Way Studios Deluxe's source-to-mic “direct path” component. With Reverb mode, only the ambience of the studio's early reflections and decay are heard. Predelay and Mix are available under Reverb.

Using Reverb mode

The illustration below shows a traditional auxiliary effect bus send/return configuration in a DAW. In this example, Ocean Way Studios Deluxe is inserted on the effects bus, the plug-in is configured in Reverb mode, and the Wet Solo control is enabled (100% wet). Individual reverb amounts are set with the send control for each individual channel, and the overall reverb amount is set with the bus return fader.

Tip: This configuration conserves CPU resources when the same effect settings are desired for multiple channels, instead of using multiple copies of the plug-in on individual channels.

Ocean Way Studios Deluxe can also be used on individual tracks as with any plug-in. In this case, adjust the track’s reverb amount with the Mix control.

DAW signal routing in Reverb mode using a traditional effect send/return configuration

Dual-mode (Re-Mic and Reverb mode) example

The illustration below shows how to use both Re-Mic and Reverb modes with two instances of the plug-in, combining the workflows of the two previous examples. The illustration combines a drum submix being used for Re-Mic mode, while a send/return routing is being used for guitar and vocals in Reverb mode.

DAW signal routing with two Ocean Way Studios Deluxe plug-in instances.
Re-Mic mode on the drum submix, Reverb mode for guitar and vocals

Ocean Way Studios Deluxe microphone details

In addition to the studio room acoustics, the microphones used in the development of Ocean Way Studios Deluxe are a significant contributor to the tonality and fidelity of the plug-in.

Ocean Way Studios Deluxe contains thirteen different types of microphones, in various combinations of pairs and single mics. 

Polar patterns

Available mic selections change with each source setting. For some mic selections, you can change the polar response between cardioid and omni. In Studio view, you can see (and change) the polar patterns of the mics that are currently active. 

In simplistic terms:

• Omni microphones are equally sensitive to sound pressure levels from all directions
• Cardioid microphones are more sensitive to sound from the front of the mic and less sensitive to sounds from the rear of the mic 
• Figure-8 microphones are equally sensitive at the front and rear of the mic, but less sensitive at the sides

The result of this is more room tone from omni and figure-8 mics, and more directionality from cardioid mics. Experiment with the different types of mics and polar patterns to find the sound that works best for your source.

On-axis and off-axis mics

When using a 4x12 or 2x12 Source from the Guitar category, close mics have the option of on-axis or off-axis placement. On-axis placement gives a brighter, more present and direct sound. Off-axis placement gives a darker sound with less of the “edginess” of the speaker cone and a smoother, less peaky response. 

Note: You cannot change polar patterns or mic distance for the 4x12 or 2x12 mics. 

Close, Room 1, and Room 2 mic positions

Three microphone setups are available for each Source, with various combinations of single microphones and microphone pairs. Each microphone or microphone pair can be active simultaneously for creative sonic blending. Close mics are closest to the source, while Room 1 and Room 2 mics are further from the source, to capture more room sound. You can freely adjust mic distances for most mics by dragging the mics. 

Note: Mics are fixed for the following sources:

• (Pair) 4006 Room 2 mics in Studio B, with the Vocal Group, Ensemble Horns, and Ensemble Strings
• (Single) Close mics in both studios, for Guitar 4x12 and 2x12 cabinets
• (Single) Close mics in both studios, for Vocal Solo

Independent controls

Each microphone or microphone pair has its own set of controls that can be independently adjusted. The individual microphone controls are Selection, Distance, High Cut Filter, Low Cut Filter, Polarity Invert, Balance, Mute, and Level. For details about how to operate these controls, see [Selecting and Adjusting Mics].

Generally speaking, the closer the microphones are to the source, the less room ambience is captured by the microphones, so room microphones will tend to have more ambience (sound more “live”) than close microphones.

Note: Just as in the physical realm, there can be signal phase interactions when using more than one microphone simultaneously. For details, see [Phase considerations].

Mic positions

The microphone placement positions within the studio rooms were designed in consultation with Allen Sides and studio staff. Changing the microphone positions can vary the ambience and stereo width of the microphone placement, depending on the microphone or microphones selected. 

Distance

The distance from the microphones to the source can be dynamically adjusted using the Distance controls, or by dragging the microphones. Just as when recording with microphones in the physical realm, the mic-to-source distance can have a significant impact on the sound that is captured.

The room will sound tighter and more present when mics are closer to the source; conversely, the room gets “bigger” when mics are further from the source. Ocean Way Studios Deluxe's modeling includes the proximity gain and increase in low frequencies that occurs in the physical realm; the signal can become noticeably louder and deeper as microphones are moved closer to the source.

Aligning microphones overview

When recording a sound source, there is an inherent delay between the source and the microphone. This delay is the time it takes for the sound waves to physically travel from the source to the mic (see [About recorded sound components]). The further the mic is from the source, the longer the delay time.

When a microphone pair in Ocean Way Studios Deluxe is aligned by clicking the Align button, the inherent mic delay is programmatically removed so the sound source “reaches” the mic instantaneously, without changing the mic position’s tonality. This setting is useful when the source audio signals need to remain time-aligned, or simply for their own physically-impossible sonic effects. This feature has the same result as adjusting track timing manually in a DAW. 

Removing the source-to-mic delay can be especially useful in these scenarios:

• If a source is recorded with a distant room mic, it will play back later in relation to sources that are close-miked. Typically, you can compensate for this delay in your DAW by manually shifting the track forward in time so it aligns with the other instruments. With Ocean Way Studios Deluxe, aligning the mics removes this delay automatically.
• When the microphone pair is distant from the source, the additional microphone delay can be problematic for performers when tracking while monitoring through the plug-in. Aligning the mics reduces this monitoring latency.

Tip: The most realistic emulation of the Ocean Way rooms occurs when channels are not aligned. This is because the inherent source-to-mic delays provide important auditory cues that our brains use to interpret the acoustic space.

Illustration of Distance Delay. When set to Aligned, distance delay time is eliminated.

Acoustic balancing

All rooms have time and frequency-dependent resonances that impact the loudness and sonic balances within the room. Microphone selection and placement and the audio source positions change these resonances and balances as well.

The acoustic responses of Ocean Way’s rooms are iconic, but still subject to these real acoustic principles. Because the plug-in accurately models the sound sources and microphone positions, certain combinations of sources, mics, and distances may cause the level balances to seem too quiet or too loud, or not perfectly centered in the stereo field. As you would in the real world, you can use the mic Gain, Balance, and Polarity controls to compensate for these imbalances or for creative control

Phase considerations

When recording in the physical world, it is possible for phase issues to occur when more than one microphone is used on a source. The sonic characteristic of “phasing” (comb filtering) results when frequencies that are being captured by more than one microphone are emphasized because they are summed (signals in phase) or de-emphasized because they are canceled (signals out of phase).

Phase issues resulting from the use of multiple microphones can usually be reduced by adjusting the placement of the microphone(s), or inverting a microphone’s polarity.

Phasing with Ocean Way Studios Deluxe

We worked hard to make phasing a non-issue with Ocean Way Studios Deluxe. However, if you do encounter phasing, simply moving a microphone or changing a mic channel's polarity will usually provide excellent results. Phasing is generally not an issue in Reverb mode due to removal of the microphone direct component.

Important: Phasing can occur if you mix unprocessed tracks with the same tracks processed through Ocean Way Studios Deluxe in Re-Mic mode (for example, by routing a send to an aux track with the plug-in). For illustrations of proper DAW routing in Re-Mic mode, see [Using Re-Mic mode] and [Dual-mode (Re-Mic and Reverb mode) example].

Latency

Ocean Way Studios Deluxe is subject to increased latency compared to other UAD plug-ins. The increased latency may be noticeable when tracking through Ocean Way Studios Deluxe if the plug-in is in Re-Mic mode and/or on individual tracks in Reverb mode. 

Therefore, when tracking live performances while monitoring through Ocean Way Studios Deluxe, we generally recommend using it in Reverb mode in a typical send/return configuration, where the additional time-based effect latency will not affect the monitored performance.

Tip: Latency can be reduced further by aligning mics.

Loading time and audio effects

When certain parameters are changed, Ocean Way Studios Deluxe’s modeling engine is updated and numerous recalculations are performed by the plug-in.

While these recalculations happen quickly, they are not instantaneous. Sonic artifacts may be audible, and CPU usage can increase, during these recalculations.

DAW automation limitations

Load time and/or sonic artifacts during algorithmic recalculations may be an impediment if controls are modified with DAW automation during mixdown. To prevent such artifacts, avoid adjusting these specific Ocean Way Studios Deluxe controls with DAW automation during mixdown:

• Source
• Mic selection
• Mic distance
• Mic polar pattern
• Mic orientation (on/off-axis)
• Mic Align setting
• Mic low and high cut filters
• Mic phase
• Mic channel mute
• Mic channel balance
• Mic channel level faders
• Plug-in mode (Re-Mic or Reverb)

If you require DAW automation for Ocean Way Studios Deluxe controls, it is recommended that only static snapshot automation (instead of continuous automation) be used for the above parameters. Additionally, static snapshot automation should be used only when the signal being processed is not audible. For example, automate only between musical phrases.

Product names used herein are trademarks of their respective owners, which are in no way affiliated with Universal Audio, Inc. These name(s) are used solely to identify products studied in the creation of the sound models found in Ocean Way Studios Deluxe.

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