“Step inside the studio that made history”: Universal Audio's new plugin puts "America's Abbey Road" in your DAW

Launched in 2013, Universal Audio's Ocean Way Studios plugin introduced the concept of "dynamic room modelling" and studio emulation.

The technology seeks to bottle the sound of a studio – a combination of the acoustics of its rooms and the sonic character of its mics and mixing console – in software, giving music-makers working at home the opportunity to record as if they were working in a hallowed studio space; in this case, the historic Ocean Way Studios.

Often referred to as America's Abbey Road, Ocean Way was based on Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard, playing host to a dazzling list of iconic artists throughout its multi-decade history, first as United Western Recorders and then as Ocean Way Recording: Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Radiohead and Whitney Houston, to name a but a few.

Over a decade has passed since the launch of that plugin, and UA has seen fit to give Ocean Way Studios a lick of paint, releasing a refreshed and reimagined version today titled Ocean Way Studios Deluxe.

As with its predecessor, Ocean Way Studios Deluxe features two main modes: Reverb and Re-Mic. The Re-Mic mode processes your recordings as if they were re-amplified and re-recorded in Ocean Way's Studio A or Studio B, emulating the source and its distinct radiation patterns, the acoustics of the studio itself, and the sonic fingerprint of the speakers and microphones involved.

There's a broad choice of microphone types on offer, along with fine-grained control over set-up and placement. Ocean Way Studios Deluxe is equipped with two new re-mic setups based on emulations of the UREI 813 15" studio monitors and Altec A-2, enormous folded-horn cabinets used at Ocean Way for decades. The plugin offers a selection of 13 mic emulations that features everything from a U47 to an SM57, all of which can be repositioned in virtual space via the newly redesigned interface.

The plugin's Reverb Mode allows you to blend existing recordings with a meticulously modelled emulation of Ocean Way's natural ambience. The Deluxe version now features emulations of three of Ocean Way Studios' reverb chambers, originally designed by influential engineer and Universal Audio founder Bill Putnam Sr, the father of UA's current CEO.

Alongside this, you'll find a varied arsenal of modelled analogue gear from Ocean Way's extensive collection, including classic dynamics processors such as the Fairchild 670, 1176LN, LA-2A and dbx 160, alongside Studio A's Focusrite 110 EQ and Studio B's custom-built Dalcon console, complete with its API 550A EQ.

“With Ocean Way Studios Deluxe, we wanted to bring creators even closer to the sound of these historic rooms,” says Lev Perrey, VP of Product at Universal Audio. “It’s a complete re-imagining of one of our most beloved plugins—now featuring the chambers, analogue consoles, and re-miking setups—rebuilt from the ground up for modern music producers on any system.”

Ocean Way Studios Deluxe is available as a perpetual license for $249 or as part of UA's Spark subscription platform. Existing owners of the Ocean Way Studios plugin can upgrade for $49.

Find out more on UA's website.