Universal Audio UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt Basics and FAQ
Q. What are the advantages of using Thunderbolt as opposed to FireWire?
Thunderbolt supports the PCIe protocol, which means you can run more plug-ins with lower latency inside the DAW compared to FireWire. Generally, Thunderbolt has 12 times the bandwidth FireWire 800 and 20 times that of USB-2.
FireWire Limits you to 55 stereo UAD plug-in instances at 44.1kHz and 512 minimum sample buffer. With Thunderbolt, the plug-in buffer is as low as the DAW buffer, and hundreds of plug-in instances can be run (depending on available DSP power).
Q. I already own an Apollo or Apollo 16. Can I add UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt to that system?
Yes. However, a Thunderbolt Option Card or Thunderbolt 2 Option Card for Apollo/Apollo 16 is required for compatibility, as well as UAD-2 software compatible with UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt.
Q. I already own a UAD-2 Satellite FireWire. Can I add UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt to that system?
Yes. However, make sure you are running current UAD-2 software compatible with UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt. Also, depending on your system, you may need the Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire Adapter for the UAD-2 Satellite FireWire connection.
Q. I already own a UAD-2 PCIe system. Can I add UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt to that system?
If you’re using a Thunderbolt equipped mac, UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt is fully compatible with PCIe UAD-2 cards within a qualified Thunderbolt chassis. If you have a Mac Pro with PCIe slots, UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt cannot be used because a Thunderbolt port is required.
Q. Can I use multiple UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt units together in the same system?
Yes. Connecting up to four UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt units together in a single system is a supported configuration.
Q. Does the UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt supply bus power?
Yes. The UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt can supply bus power to downstream devices. Note that UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt itself cannot be bus powered by Thunderbolt (the included power supply is required for operation).
Q. Can UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt be bus powered?
No, UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt requires use of the included external power supply.
Q. What is the difference between Thunderbolt 1 and Thunderbolt 2?
Thunderbolt 1 and 2 have the same total bandwidth (20 Gbps). Thunderbolt 1 is divided into two 10 Gbps channels, whereas Thunderbolt 2 contains a single 20 Gbps channel.
Q. What are the advantages of Thunderbolt 2 over Thunderbolt 1?
A 4K display at 60 Hz refresh rate requires more bandwidth than a single Thunderbolt 1 channel can provide. If you wish to use a 4K display at a refresh rate higher than 30 Hz, , the Mac and all devices before the 4K display must be Thunderbolt 2. All Currently shipping Thunderbolt 2 macs have two ports, so any Thunderbolt 1 devices can be placed on a different port than a 4K display.
Q. What computers support Thunderbolt 2?
Currently, only the Mac Pro (Late 2013) and Retina MacBook Pro (Late 2013 and Mid 2014) have Thunderbolt 2 ports.
Q. Is UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt compatible with my Thunderbolt 1 Mac?
Yes! With Thunderbolt 1 computers, UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt will perform as a Thunderbolt 1 device.
Q. What happens if I daisy chain Thunderbolt 1 and Thunderbolt 2 devices together?
Adding a Thunderbolt 1 device to a Thunderbolt 2 chain will down-shift subsequent devices to Thunderbolt 1 protocol (10 Gbps) This only affects 4K displays and larger-than-normal data throughput (like on large RAID hard drive arrays). UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt can daisy chain with up to six Thunderbolt 1 and/or Thunderbolt 2 devices.
Q. How many plug-ins can I run on UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt?
There are a lot of variables that determine instance count including sample rate, number of total UAD-2 devices, number or DSPs (QUAD or OCTO). For a complete breakdown of UAD Powered Plug-Ins instance counts, check out the UAD Instance Chart.
Q. I understand that the processing of the UAD plug-ins is done on UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt. Does that mean I can’t use the freeze features of my DAW?
You absolutely CAN use freeze on your DAW with UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt; just hit the freeze button and the audio channel gets processed faster than real-time, just like any other AU/VST plug-in.
Q. Does UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt work on Windows operating systems?
UAD-2 Thunderbolt Satellite is Mac only.
Q. Where can I see UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt specifications, system compatibility, and further details?
Universal Audio’s Support articles on Satellite Thunderbolt provide the comprehensive resource with all the details.
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