Universal Audio UAFX Dream '65

Would be great, if it didn't have a low-headroom frontend that clips, introducing nasty digital artifacts. A lot of the point of a Deluxe is slamming it with pedals; can't really do that here. With an active pickup guitar, I couldn't actually get it to be clean.

Also, UA's terms of service means that they could revoke my access to the necessary app because they don't like this review. Won't matter to me - I refuse to give them any further money while such an egregious policy is in place. The pedal - when it was approached gently - does sound great. My original review is below, untouched. :)


Original continues below.

Better than the real thing? Eh, who cares: it's delightful, sounds and feels great, and allows for classic cranked California sounds without reaching volumes that will explode household pets.

Reverb sounds right.
Tremolo sounds right.
Feels responsive.
Even has the same overpowering bass response when cranked (cutting lows before hitting the amp is recommended: but the result is a sludgy grunge tone that would make your flannel shirts proud)

It's quite good!

I bought this when I compared my Walrus Audio ACS 1 with a friend's UAFX Dream.

Noticing that I was using the Fullerton voicing in the Walrus 95% of the time, it seemed like no doubt I would be better off with this pedal, which to me has a superior sound, with a lower price that the Walrus.

This is basically a Vibrato channel Deluxe Reverb in a box. The way it reacts to your playing and the way you turn the knobs is eerily similar to the real amp. In fact, if put side to side with a Tone Master version of the amp, I really doubt someone would notice the difference, if there is any.

Really, the only way I could tell a difference was when the "amp" was set to edge of breakup and playing as fast as I could. There is something in the way the top end is tamed as opposed to a real amp, which sags a little differently. When I pushed the master volume, the sound gets so compressed I can't tell any difference.

The mods are great, I have mine set to use the D-Tex mod when using the boost function, with the boost knob at full CCW. This way I get a more mid-pushed EQ, without the actual increase in volume, which is great for when you want to be heard without being of top of everyone else.

Other than that, I am always set at edge of breakup and use pedals to get more overdrive.

Stereo in and out is great for a wet/dry or true stereo rig and the build itself is excellent.

Now for the bad stuff: I had bought a Golden Reverberator, which I absolutely loved, but had to return because it's impossible to turn on trails mode without using the UAFX app, which NEVER works.

In fact, in three months with two pedals, I had it successfully connect to ONE of the pedals ONCE, to never being able to connect again. If had done that with the Reverb, I would've activated the trails mode and kept the pedal, because other than the actual pedal settings, I have no interest in artist settings or presets that I have to access with an app instead of using the physical switch of the pedal.

Instead I was able to connect the one time to the Dream '65, changed the switch functions to boost and live/preset and I'm home. I don't need anything else.

But why the hell does UAFX force us to use an app to change these things. Please, use dip swiches like everyone else, if you have no other way.

I got lucky with this one, to be able to connect to the app that one time. But I can guarantee I will never again buy another UAFX pedal if they force me to use the app, even if it comes with rainbows and unicorns.

Soundwise though, I mean, I returned the Walrus the next day...

The whole idea of controlling a guitar pedal with an app on your phone is on its own inorganic and bad, but it is something you can look past… If only it worked. Four out of five times I can’t connect the pedal to my phone. I’ve updated the firmware and have the latest version of the app, but almost every time I try to connect it’s not successful. I get prompts along the lines of “restart the pedal and try again”. For the last two days every time I try to connect the pedal the app just crashes and quits. It’s the buggiest worst app from a major reputable company I’ve ever used. It’s like it’s been developed by a low budget startup and not Universal Audio. I hate it. Another infuriating thing is the fact that this pedal cannot be controlled by midi, even though it has the necessary hardware. It has a usb c port, but you can’t use it to switch through presets via midi. Why? Universal Audio’s official response to this limitation is something along the lines of “we’re trying to keep it classic”. Why are we using an app to control the pedal then? I don’t have access to the presets that I have stored because the app doesn’t work. Honestly I’m contemplating returning the pedal just because of the app. It sounds amazing and has great build quality but the downsides to the issues I mentioned above shouldn’t be underestimated.

Ik had een stereo amp sim nodig voor opnames, oefenen via monitors en als pedalplatform. De Dream zou een uitzonderlijk goed geluid hebben, met mooie cleans en geschikt voor pedalen. Bijna een echte amp, werd beweerd.
En dat levert de Dream ook allemaal, hoewel de cleans nog meer aandacht mogen krijgen. In het begin is het wel even verschieten omdat de volume knop in feite eerder een gain knop is. Deze blijft best op heel laag (eerste kwartier) staan als je cleans wil. Reverb en tremolo zijn heel mooi. De Dream geeft een mooie heldere definitie aan de ruwe klank. Haalt de modder eruit en maakt de bassen tegelijk vol, de highs prachtig rond. De hoge klanken zijn heel uitgesproken en je kan er die Byrds twelve string jangle fantastisch mee doen zonder dat het schril wordt. De bestaande cabs en mod's van de pedaal zelf zijn al voldoende voor mij. Ik hou van de beperktheid van deze pedaal. De app en bonus sounds heb ik nog niet geprobeerd (app zou slecht werken ? Bij de space echo van UA viel die app wel mee).
Drie minpunten :
1. Sparklegeluiden bij overgang van ckean naar gritty klinken soms raar, als artefacts. Die had ik er liever uit gehad. Bij volledig clean zijn ze gelukkig niet aanwezig. Maar soms als je wat harder slaat in de tussenzone krijg je een rare clipping. Een detail, maar het werkte op mijn zenuwen.
2. Ik mis mid control bij distortion en fuzz. Alles klinkt heel goed maar enkel midscooped.
3. Het zou fijn zijn ook een normal channel te hebben met meer ruimte voor cleans zonder clip-artefacts, zoals de Ruby. Nu is er enkel de vibrato channel die mooie maar toch iets meer vuilere cleans geeft met dat clip-issue als je wat teveel gain opzoekt.