Product Overview

Massive Processing Infrastructure Meets Tailor-Made Software Flexibility for Windows

The Universal Audio UAD-2 Satellite USB OCTO Custom stands as the ultimate solution for professional power users operating on Windows systems who demand massive processing headroom alongside a customized sonic toolkit. Designed specifically for commercial project studios, busy mixing engineers, and electronic music producers whose creative momentum is broken by native PC processors throwing CPU overload errors, this desktop unit opens up the legendary world of UAD Powered Plug-Ins with zero strain on your primary host computer.

While complex non-linear analog behaviors—such as transformer saturation, tape head compression, and tube circuit harmonics—require incredible mathematical processing power, the OCTO Custom’s eight dedicated SHARC chips handle these workloads natively. Operating over ultra-stable, high-bandwidth USB 3.0 SuperSpeed ports, it allows you to stack deep, authentic mastering chains and dense channel strips across dozens of active stems without ever stuttering your DAW.

Product Description

The "Custom" Advantage – Build Your Own Dream Studio Toolkit:

The main highlight of the OCTO Custom package is the unparalleled software choice it offers. Standard accelerators limit you to a fixed starter set, but the Custom package gives you full freedom to personalize your audio toolkit. Upon registering your hardware on the Universal Audio website, you get to pick any three individual UAD plug-in titles from their entire award-winning catalog—regardless of their standalone retail price. Whether you want to add the rare Ampex ATR-102 Mastering Tape Machine, a legendary Neve 1073 Channel Strip, the Lexicon 480L Digital Reverb, or heavy-hitting SSL consoles, you can select the exact tools your specific mixing and mastering workflows require.

Eight SHARC Processors for Heavy-Hitting Mixing Power:

Beneath its durable, low-profile dark-grey metal chassis lies a powerhouse processing engine consisting of eight premium SHARC floating-point DSP chips. This flagship configuration provides the highest tier of processing power available in the desktop series, making it highly capable of running dense, resource-heavy plug-ins (like physical room modeling and multi-stage vintage console channels) simultaneously. The UAD-2 system is also completely modular and scalable: you can seamlessly link the Satellite USB OCTO Custom alongside existing Windows-compatible UAD-2 PCIe cards, or an Apollo Twin USB interface to expand your total DSP pool as your studio expands.

SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Performance & Windows Optimization:

By leveraging high-performance USB 3.0 SuperSpeed technology, this standalone accelerator offers optimized driver performance and significantly reduced plug-in latency compared to vintage FireWire configurations. It handles high-resolution audio processing across sample rates up to 192 kHz with excellent timing accuracy and stability. Its compact desktop form factor means you can easily take your entire UAD plugin rig on the road, turning any modern Windows laptop with a built-in USB 3.0 port into a world-class hybrid mixing console.

Includes the Pre-Activated Analog Classics Plus Plug-In Bundle:

In addition to your three chosen custom plugins, the hardware comes packed with the curated Analog Classics Plus software suite out of the box. This collection provides foundational analog tracking and mixing tools, featuring legendary legacy editions of the world-famous Teletronix LA-2A Optical Audio Leveler, the fast-acting 1176LN/1176SE Classic Limiting Amplifiers, the highly musical Pultec EQP-1A and Pultec Pro tube equalizers, and the legendary Fairchild 670 tube limiter. It also includes the UA 610-B Tube Preamp & EQ plugin, instantly infusing your cold digital tracks with organic analog warmth and depth.

Key Features

• OCTO SHARC DSP ENGINE: 8 independent floating-point SHARC processing chips provide maximum external DSP power to handle massive, complex UAD plugin chains.

• CUSTOM BUNDLE CHOICE: Lets you choose any 3 individual UAD plug-in titles within 45 days of registration from top brands like Neve, SSL, Manley, Ampex, and Lexicon.

• COMPLETE CPU LIBERATION: Completely offloads intensive plugin calculations from your host PC, freeing up native CPU power to manage heavy virtual instruments and DAW automation.

• HIGH-SPEED USB 3.0 SUPERSPEED: Delivers robust, fast-bandwidth connectivity with optimized driver performance and reduced plugin latency on Windows PCs.

• WINDOWS DESIGNED OPTIMIZATION: Tailored specifically for modern Windows environments to ensure reliable performance with Intel-compatible USB 3.0 host controllers.

• ANALOG CLASSICS PLUS BUNDLE: Includes legendary dynamic and EQ plugins like the LA-2A, 1176, Pultec EQP-1A, Fairchild 670, and UA 610-B Tube Preamp.

• UNIVERSAL DAW COMPATIBILITY: Runs flawlessly across all major Windows digital audio workstations, including Pro Tools, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live, and Studio One.

• FANLESS, DEAD-SILENT OPERATION: Premium aluminum chassis with a fan-free heat-sink design ensures your acoustic environment remains completely quiet during critical listening.

Technical Specifications