Universal Audio has released Cooper Time Cube Delay for its UAD Native platform, allowing the classic delay plugin to run without an Apollo interface or UAD-2 DSP hardware. Released on November 10, 2026, the Native version uses the computer’s CPU rather than dedicated UA DSP processing.
Universal Audio says the Native version is sonically identical to its DSP counterpart. The release also makes the plugin accessible to producers and mixing engineers who do not own Universal Audio hardware.
A Mechanical Delay Recreated in Software
The Cooper Time Cube is based on a mechanical delay system introduced in 1971 by Duane H. Cooper and Bill Putnam. The original Model 920-16 used coiled plastic tubing and microphone capsules to create two acoustic delay lines, with fixed delays of 14 ms and 16 ms. Connecting the lines in series produced a combined delay of 30 ms.
Universal Audio’s plugin recreates this design with independently adjustable delay channels. Users can control delay time, feedback, panning, and echo volume for each channel.
Additional features include tempo synchronization, selectable coil characteristics, Bass and Treble controls, and an input high-pass filter. Each delay channel offers a time range of 5–2,500 ms, with tempo-synchronized values ranging from 1/64 to 3/1.
Native Processing Eliminates the Need for DSP Hardware
The key change is hardware independence. The original UAD DSP version required compatible Universal Audio hardware, such as an Apollo interface or UAD-2 accelerator. The Native edition instead processes audio on the computer’s CPU, so users can run it without dedicated UA DSP hardware.
UAD Native plugins are available in VST3, Audio Units (AU), and AAX 64-bit formats and support major DAWs, including Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Ableton Live, and Studio One.
Existing DSP owners should be aware that the Native edition requires a separate license. Eligible owners can upgrade for $1 through December 31, 2026; the upgrade price then increases to $2.99. New purchases made on or after November 10, 2026, include both Native and DSP licenses.
Pricing and Availability
Cooper Time Cube Delay is priced at $99, with an introductory offer bringing the price down to $49 through December 31, 2026.
Through November 30, 2026, customers can also add the plugin for $1 with a qualifying software purchase of $29 or more as part of Universal Audio’s Black Friday promotion. Cooper Time Cube Delay is also included in the UAD Spark Studio subscription.
Moving to native processing makes Cooper Time Cube Delay available to users without Apollo or UAD-2 hardware. The plugin retains the feature set of the original DSP version while removing the need for dedicated UA processing hardware.
