Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
Luna ’s splendid infrastructure , and proposed scope warrant more than 3.5 stars , but the DAW is still in its infancy and even the basics are still being flesh out . It also do work only with Universal Audio ’s Thunderbolt audio interface . For existing exploiter , it ’s useable now , as well as a tantalizing feel at the future . Others should wait a couple of iterations till UA ’s rival to Pro Tools matures .
Universal Audio ’s newLuna read Systemis a digital audio workstation ( DAW ) aimed foursquare at anyone who digs the analogue vibration and tape fipple flute / integrate console workflow . Actually , in this caseful , a digital emulation thereof — something UA ’s Apollo audio interface with their on - board DSP processing and plug - in architecture are known for .
The kicker ? Luna isfreeif you already own a UA Thunderbolt port . If you do n’t , the ante is $ 500 for UA ’s entry - levelArrow . just mug change , but if my initial hand - on is any indicant , you may be uncoerced to pony up — in due meter .
Universal Audio’s Luna with two windows open showing the two main views: timeline and mixer.
At the moment , there are minor bugs and unimplemented features , though few than you might expect for a 1.x broadcast that was released early for a world rife with clamoring shut - ins .
mark : There ’s a spate of word in this article about UA ’s hardware - only plug - in computer architecture . As of 3/30/2022 , the company ’s newSpark serviceallows users to access these extremely - blackleg stopper - Immigration and Naturalization Service running natively on the Mac . $ 20 per calendar month .
On November 9th , 2023 , UA untethered Luna from its interface and free a version that will run with any caller ’s hardware . Consider it now a 4 star production . It ’s still free , so have at it !
Universal Audio’s Luna with two windows open showing the two main views: timeline and mixer.
Under the hood
I spent about 15 minutes luxuriating in Luna ’s fresh - railcar spirit and getting used to the general layout . That was more than enough clip for the schematical and operable resemblance toPro Toolsto sinkhole in . Even the keyboard cutoff are mostly the same . It ’s not note for distinction , but the users of Avid ’s flagship DAW will palpate at home right off the bat .
After the rupture - in period , it was prison term to turn over into some of the impressive stuff belong on under the hood . First and foremost there ’s the largely seamless melding of the Apollo interface DSP outcome with those that are data processor - rendered . Formerly , UA ’s separate Console program was required to place up the Apollo ’s DSP effect on cue mixes ( what the artist hears in the headphones ) and stimulation . Now Luna manage all that so visits to Console are rare .
As a byproduct of this DAW / hardware desegregation , there ’s no configuring of the audio user interface . Inputs appear automatically and there ’s no buffer storage size setting . When you make a cue stick mix it ’s actually happening on the user interface , and you could even turn the 48 volt phantom power on and off .
UA’s tape extension plugins.
Luna allows you to mix sample rate freely , which , while not unique in the DAW world , is completely lucid . The audio railway locomotive can re - try and play anything from 44.1kHz to 192kHz on the fly , while background rendering creates files matching the current task sample rate that will be used eventually to reduce the processing overhead this charge per unit juggling incurs . I tried spell a mess of files from 44.1kHz to 96kHz and there was never a singultus .
Luna also features “ reference , ” which are proprietary sound and MIDI plug - indium that plant into the mixer . Out of the gate there two audio extension that mimic the saturated audio of tape : Oxide ( generic and include for free ) and Studer A800 ( $ 299 if you do n’t already own the DSP version ) ; plus another that imitate the bus summing ( mixing audio signaling from multiple channels ) of a Neve 80 serial parallel commixture desk ( $ 299 ) .
The only musical instrument digital interface extension in Luna 1.01 is the free ARP arpeggiator . It ’s capable and comfortable to utilize , but nothing over-the-top . Its existence does , however , point out the potential for further MIDI mayhem .
The sole MIDI extension at Luna launch was the ARP arpeggiator.
You may have notice that the Neve and Studer extension be a middling bit . As noted , they ’re also exclusive to Luna , as are the instruments that I ’ll cover in a bit . grownup pourboire : If the free stuff wo n’t do , wait for the frequent UA sales agreement or buy them in discounted megabucks . After see the Neve summate demonstration , trust me — the tricky slope of plug - in collecting will be tough to ward off . UA let you demo them for 14 day . Be unattackable friends .
While UA ’s plug - inch are expensive , Luna permit you to apply your third - party AU ( Audio Unit ) cud - ins . Most of them at any rate ; a few of my older instruments would n’t debase , and at least one new one would n’t make noise . All UA plugins scat on the audio port and are limit by its DSP power .
All audio file are stored in a unmarried packet ( a brochure lift to appear as a undivided single file under macOS ) with a database track them as well as your actions . They ’re all saved as a thing of path — there ’s no user initiated spare social function .
Luna stores all MIDI and audio files, as well as settings and a history of actions in a macOS package for easy transfer. Continual save and tracking facilitate infinite undo and redo.
I ca n’t recite you how much I enjoy the want of “ bring through your study ? ” dialog boxes andinfinite undo and redoacross sessions . The latter is a handy and highly addictive feature of speech I ’ve been pushing on every computer software trafficker I know since I first saw it in theWrite!text editor in chief .
Interface and navigation
If you ’re at all familiar with Corvus monedula such as Apple ’s Logic or Avid ’s Pro Tools , you wo n’t be startled by anything you see in Luna . Pleased perhaps , but not surprised . lead the political program and there ’s the common timeline with track that household audio frequency or MIDI clips . select an icon and you have an evenly familiar meld console table sentiment with faders , pommel , insert expansion slot , etc .
As shown below , you’re able to have multiple alternate window sporting sport on these two main layouts . The image render three ; you’re able to have more .
While not revolutionary , Luna ’s layout is logically organize , allows you to show or obliterate just about everything , and the vivid designers somehow managed to marry skeuomorphism and 2D modernity in an agreeable fashion . taste perception motley , but I wish the tone .
Luna allows multiple “alternate” windows showing variations on the timeline or mixer layout. A nice take on screen sets or multi-view.
That said , there ’s quite a moment of tiny , abject - contrast text edition . The interface does n’t surmount , so I had to crank my display ’s smartness and consort at 2048×1152 on my 27 - inch 5 K iMac . Sharper eye credibly wo n’t care .
From left to rightfield , the timeline window contains a “ Focus web web browser ” where you ’ll chance instruments , presets , track lean ( show / hide ) and options bear on to the current job or object ; a “ Focus distribution channel ” sociable strip for the presently selected rail ; track headers that contain the arm , solo , dumb buttons , etc . ; the timeline / track video display with ruler for beats , time , sample , pacing , sentence signatures , and markers ; and a mixer landing strip for the admonisher mixture .
The social is the aforementioned classic excogitation , with slots divided into areas for Luna instruments ; Unison ( see The UA Ecosystem below ) effect ; as well standard inserts for other DSP and AU effects . Various particular on the mixer can be show or blot out , and slip can be group for wholesale changes . ThePower , Remove , Copy ( paste ) , andSet defaultbuttons to the left of the mixer cartoon strip are “ modifiers ” that let you easily perform detailed configuration of multiple track .
This is a basic Luna timeline layout. On top are the transport and main options, as well as one version of the drop-down “workflow” menu. Below are the focus browser, focus channel strip, track headers and timeline, and monitor strip.
At the top of both the timeline and mixer window are the tape transport console / display segment that hides drop - down “ Workflow ” bill of fare provide redaction , MIDI , recording , and meld option / command . There ’s also the UA logotype at the upper left which you press to see publicizing , the extension / instrument store , and change setting . you could shroud any of the pane or rulers I ’ve described except the transport , the timeline and mixer in their respective views , and the bars and beats rule .
As I said , I care the flavor , but as of this writing there ’s an abundance of oddities , inconsistencies , and deletion . Several that jump out immediately were the timeline not scrolling to keep up with the call ; the lack of keyboard shortcuts to show / obliterate screen elements ; and the right mouse button at times appeal a context carte du jour ( not well-nigh often enough ) , and other clip mimicking the odd release .
Recording
Recording was a breeze , and careen solid . you could kick in and out of record fashion at will while playing and doing other work without dropouts . Luna allows multiple versions of whole runway , à la Logic , as well as classic “ takes ” give from loop recording . Comping , i.e. , taking the adept bits from multiple issue is a shade irksome , pull you to copy and paste to the “ comprehensive examination ” take . There are currently no take lanes as with Logic or splitting a clip and scrolling through takes as in Ableton Live .
Latency ( the time from play to hearing through the Speaker ) with Luna and theApollo Twin X Quadthat UA lend me was minimal with ARM ( Accelerated Realtime Monitoring ) enable , but I did n’t stack plugins on the stimulant channel or cue mix as some do . I used only pre - AMP with microphone and adenosine monophosphate sims with guitars , and latency was for certain scummy enough to sing or play to .
One very skillful touch : when you finish a looped recording , the last partial take is throw away if there ’s nothing meaningful in it .
The basic Luna mixer layout. UA uses the Power, Remove, Copy/paste, and Set default “modifiers” to configure the mixer strips en masse.
Editing
All editing in Luna is done inline on the track , directly to , or within the clips . intimately all operations can be performed on multiple object as well . The pointer changes coming into court to let you know what actions are possible at the current locating . For model , it becomes a half bracket in the lower corners where you’re able to change the start / end period of the clip . If you ’re not familiar with clip , call up of them as movable window that video display , represent , and move only a portion of a MIDI / sound file .
There ’s a keyboard crosscut ( “ e ” ) to expand clip to the full size of the seeable timeline , so you wo n’t miss a dedicated editor much , if at all . Automation can be edit either on top of the contentedness , or in its own lane below .
MIDI editing can be destructive — you’re able to alter the real contents of a MIDI magazine , however , as with programme such as Ableton Live , audio editing is non - destructive . Instead , you alter the playback property of snip such as start and end points , gain or pitch , and fades .
Luna’s transport/control bar has the usual playback functions but also controls layout configuration.
I found audio recording edit out very straightforward and quick , and I like being able to adjust the sales pitch and gain right on the clip header . The exclusion was blue-pencil ( moving , squeezing , or elongating notes ) using Luna ’s audio stretch / warp modes , of which there are six . Adding the warp marking is a breeze , but accurately affect them to the desired fix was a snatch unmanageable becasue the ruler ticking and alinement grid are difficult to see . How difficult varied with the color of the snip . See below .
Basic MIDI redaction , such as interchange location , duration , auction pitch , velocity , muting , etc . is also a duck soup . But you ca n’t interchange the pitch of MIDI clip as you’re able to audio clip , and there ’s no stretching or compression of Federal Reserve note in time to create tuplets , accellerandos or retardandos , etc .
utilise quantisation ( snap notes to the grid ) ask mousing to the focussing gore , rather than a pop - up . Which brings me to my other observance about the Luna port — it on a regular basis force your eye and cursor to the side ( focus browser app ) and top ( workflow card ) of the workspace rather than place functionality where the exploiter is currently focalise . Do your eyes and hands a favour and take the keyboard shortcuts ASAP .
Recording with Luna. If you loop record, takes are added, otherwise recording over an existing clip merely sends it to the back.
Instruments
UA has not only jumpstart feet first into the DAW marketplace , it ’s enter into another related section — virtual musical instrument . The admit Shape features a signally in high spirits - character set of taste instruments ; 10 GB worth of keyboards , plaque , strings and other stuff and nonsense that all sounds gravid . UA is only the conservator for many of the speech sound , which are certify from extremely - rate seller such as Spitfire and Orange Tree .
But this would n’t be UA if there were n’t salary selection : Ravel , a splendiferous Steinway “ B ” grand piano , and Moog , a very nice rendition of the illustrious monophonic synth from the 70 ’s . Both sound excellent , but are $ 300 a pa and as with extension , proprietary to Luna . You ’ll also find Spitfire symphonic instrument in the Luna in - app store .
Note that while it ’s not an egress for Luna ’s first multiplication Shape , Ravel , and Moog , there ’s presently no documentation for legal document with multiple audio outputs such as EZ Drummer or Kontakt . You ’ll need to use multiple rails and case of the instruments as a workaround .
Gain and pitch tranpose controls are available directly on audio clips but not MIDI clips.
The UA ecosystem
Luna is irrevocably entwined with UA ’s Apollo Thunderbolt interfaces , which feature anywhere from 1 to 6 DSPs ( Digital Signal Processors ) that run proprietary plug - Hoosier State , for transcription or mixture - down . How the Apollos sound is obviously key to whether you ’ll even desire to consider Luna . forgetful answer : UA is n’t stupid — they vocalize great .
The aforementioned $ 1,399 Thunderbolt 2Twin X Quadand its four DSPs affect me with clean , well-nigh disturbance - gratis pre - amps and stellar end product . But you may get that for a lot less . It ’s the DSPUnison plug - insthat “ … set the forcible input resistivity , gain scaffolding response , and other parameter … ” to mime classical hardware that sets Apollos aside .
The Twin X port ship with a big bucks of useful , humiliated - reaction time DSP - base plug - ins ( Unison and not ) , place from notable distribution channel strips , to reverb and compressor , and they all sound very good . If the detached stuff does n’t do the magic trick , there ’s also a vast form ofpay - to - playofferings . I demo’d a gross ton of them and each proved sonically superscript .
Editing a MIDI clip enlarged to fit the entire visible timeline in Luna
I was particularly impressed by the Ampeg B15 basso ampere and Marshall guitar amp simulation and how responsive they were when I plug into the high impedance ( Hi - Z ) remark . With a Rode 1a and various other microphones , the pre - amp emulations sway as well . There is a bit more input response time than with other user interface due to the processing , however , it ’s not debilitating .
I ’ll leave the argumentation as to the calibre or value of UA ’s interfaces and wad - ins versus other marketer ’s endeavor to the forums — there ’s a lot of very good hooey out there . However , I will say that there ’s a very salutary reason that UA sells a lot of clobber .
The master drawback to the Twin X is that there are only three inputs and you could use only two at a prison term . UA , as with other vendor , lists the number of inputs and outputs ( 10/6 in this case ) the interface can handle if you exposit it with an ADAT preamp module .
Audio stretching and warping is laughably easy, if you have eyesight keen enough to see the faint grid lines.
But there ’s also the aforementioned DSP - only nature of the addictive UA plug - inch . There ’s achart at the UA websitethat secern you what percentage of the DSP ’s juice is used by each plug - in at 44.1kHz . Multiply by how many you ’ll use to decide how many DSPs and which interface you ’ll need .
Note that UA does n’t ply Thunderbolt cable with any of its interfaces . If you ’re grease one’s palms new , add one to the Holy Order , or attempt a vendor that let in one for free .
Enticing, but not for everyone
I ’m fabulously impressed with Luna and its potential , but here ’s a quick pane / recapitulation of the considerations .
Luna is n’t even for all UA owner , many of whom utilise Windows . A interlingual rendition for that OS has been hinted at , but not promised . USB Apollo port possessor are out of luck as well , as UA has said it needs the capability of Thunderbolt to do Luna magic .
Additionally , Luna is singularly concentre on recording and basic editing . Outside of the ARP arpeggiator elongation , there are no features for those that like to dabble with beat , note of hand , or intelligent initiation . There ’s no side - chaining either , which is a huge deal for EDM ( Electronic Dance Music ) case .
Universal Audio’s Ravel piano instrument is a very nice sampling of a Steinway B.
I ’ve already bring up cost several fourth dimension , and UA hardware and chew - In are indeed pricy by struggling musician — excuse me , economical creative person — standards . However , $ 10,000 for a 16 - channel Apollo frame-up with all the passementerie , i.e. , all the DSP chew - Immigration and Naturalization Service , or around $ 6,000 for just the hardware and bundled chaw - indium that includes Luna is pretty reasonable for the audio eye of a small studio apartment . It ’s certain as heck a lot cheaper than buying all the hardware it will emulate .
If the $ 1,399 price shred of the Quad is a flake much for you , theTwin X Duohas the same preamps and AD / DA with half the DSP big businessman for $ 899 , and would llikely have done just as well in my low - emphasis tests . TheX4has four preamps for $ 1,799 . If I were going UA , I ’d opt for the latter , or step up to one of the stand mounts to be certain I never ran short on DSP .
A stellar job so far, but a tough decision
praise to Universal Audio for releasing a largely stable , keenly - focused DAW with fantastic sounding plugins and instruments . It ’s highly working right out of the gate , if not feature - complete . extra praise for lease it out into the mankind early so bored shut - ins can play with it . UA users will no doubt enjoy the experience .
Outsiders contemplating a move to the UA / Luna - verse should probably hold off for at least a couple of month until the company has ironed out the wrinkle . Unless of course , you ’re intensely odd and have the long horse to scratch the itch . At the very least , those clam will buy you some extremely up to , aurally pleasing computer hardware and chew - ins .
Luna is a merchant marine Cartesian product , so it get a military rating based on its current state and suitability to chore compare to interchangeable products . There are just a few too many interruption to neglect , however — yes , no good act ( the early release ) goes unpunished . But it ’s not hard to opine Luna getting better when development is a bit further along .
Universal Audio’s TwinX Duo audio interface. With two DSPs and two inputs (the Hi-Z interrupts one of the mic inputs), it allows tracking two instruments or processing two channels during mixdown. More inputs can be added via ADAT.
As there ’s no direction to preview Luna without UA hardware , you’re able to check out the documentationhere .
8/8/2020As of version 1.08 , Luna now supports auto - scrolling which ameliorates one of my complaints . Also , a long - time Logic themer is now deliveringalternative looksfor Luna . This may cover some of my complaints about sometimes short contrast .
10/6/202Version 1.1 adds a number of features including track groups , retarding force MIDI from virtual instruments to the tracks , and MIDI clock output .
