Top 10 UA Pedals for 2025
Universal Audio has quickly become a powerhouse in the world of guitar pedals, delivering studio-quality effects with the same precision and innovation that made their plugins legendary.
As we step into 2025, UAD continues to push boundaries, offering pedals that combine pristine sound, intuitive controls, and cutting-edge digital processing. Whether you're after vintage-inspired tones, lush modulation, or high-fidelity amp modeling, there's a UA pedal that can elevate your rig.
In this guide, we’ve rounded up the top 10 Universal Audio pedals that every guitarist should check out this year. From classic analog warmth to modern digital flexibility, these pedals offer something for players of all styles. Whether you're a studio musician, a gigging guitarist, or a tone enthusiast, these selections will help you craft the perfect sound.
In a hurry? Check out our quick guide with all of the featured pedals at the end of the article.
Top 10 Universal Audio Pedals for 2025 - In-Depth Review
Universal Audio Astra Pedal
Main Features
- Authentic analog chorus, flanger, and tremolo effects from the '70s and '60s
- Explore classic Japanese and American amp sounds in one pedal
- Dual stereo engines for wide, immersive textures
- Simple controls for both live and preset modes
- Silent switching and true/buffered bypass options for versatility
The Universal Audio Astra is a complete modulation machine with authentic analog chorus, flanger, and tremolo effects. The pedal is inspired by classic Japanese and American studio gear from the ‘60s and ‘70s. As a bonus, you can also download the additional Phaser X90 and Dharma Trem 61 effects when you register your Astra pedal.
With the built-in switch, you can quickly choose between the three modes: “Chorus Brigade”, inspired by the BOSS CE-1 Chorus, “Flanger DBLR”, based on a late ‘70s bucket-brigade modulation rack, and “Trem 65”, a clone of the tremolo section of the Fender Deluxe Reverb 1965 amp.
What’s also interesting about this pedal, apart from the myriad of useful features such as stereo output and aux routing, is that you can create your own presets with the UAD software and call them on the fly with the dedicated footswitch. The Astra is a true modulation powerhouse.
Universal Audio Dream '65 Pedal
Main Features
- Three distinct amp modes for endless tonal options
- Built-in spring reverb and vibrato for vintage '60s tones
- Three speaker and mic options for unique sound customization
- 4-cable mode for enhanced channel switching and routing flexibility
- Bluetooth-enabled for seamless integration with the UAFX app
The Universal Audio Dream ‘65 is a realistic, complete emulation of the Fender Deluxe Reverb 1965 amplifier. It features identical parameters to the original amp, including the EQ section, vibrato effect, and the classic spring reverb.
With the Dream ‘65, you can also choose between three speaker options: GB25, Oxford, and EV12. However, one of the most interesting features of this pedal is the “Mod” section, which gives you access to three modded options based on tones made famous by Stevie Ray Vaughn and Steve Lukather.
As is the case with most UAD pedals, you can also customize and download presets for your Dream ‘65 with the included software and dedicated smartphone app, making it one of the most complete amp-in-a-box pedals currently on the market.
Universal Audio Galaxy 74' Pedal
Main Features
- Classic tape echo and reverb tones with a modern twist
- Warm, rich delay with full control over head selection and tape age
- Lush spring-style reverb adds depth and atmosphere
- Customizable footswitch functions for performance versatility
- Stereo and dual mono operation for maximum sound flexibility
If you want to get into the world of time-based effects, the Galaxy ‘74 is a superb option. It features classic tape echo and reverb tones with modern twists and full control over your tone.
The delay section, inspired by the classic Roland Space Echo, features three head options, each with different wow, flutter, and saturation levels. The Galaxy ‘74’s delay tone is perfect for lo-fi guitar, dub music, and even ambient swells.
You can throw in the spring reverb on top of the echo, or use each effect independently. One very interesting reverb parameter on this pedal is the “Dwell” knob, which lets you create drive and feedback effects. You can also access the “Tape Age” parameter and EQ section by flicking the “Mode” switch to [ALT].
Universal Audio Ruby '63 Pedal
Main Features
- Classic British valve amp tones, with vibrant vibrato and punchy overdrive
- Explore multiple channels: Normal, Brilliant, and Vibrato for various sounds
- Legendary '60s Rangemaster treble booster and '70s Maestro preamp onboard
- Convenient app for downloading artist tones, customizing features, and saving presets
If you’re into classic Vox amp tones, the Ruby ‘63 Top Boost Amplifier is a superb amp-in-a-box choice. This pedal is particularly inspired by the 1963 Vox AC-30, one of the most successful iterations of the brand, favored by acts such as The Beatles, Queen, U2, and Radiohead.
As is the case with the Dream ‘65, the Ruby ‘63 also lets you choose between three speaker types: Silver, Blue, and Green, all faithful recreations of classic Celestion speakers. Of course, you also get three channel options to pick from and a built-in vibrato effect.
For added versatility, you can also control the room tone amount or turn off the cab section completely, which is very useful when using the Ruby ‘63 as a preamp or a boost. As a bonus, UAD offers three extra cabs when you register the pedal.
Universal Audio Max Pedal
Main Features
- Choose from three classic compressor styles for a range of dynamic tones.
- Add vintage-style warmth with the built-in tube preamp.
- Combine two compressors for layered, rich sounds.
- Easily tweak settings with intuitive knobs and switches.
- Silent footswitching ensures noise-free performance.
- Control additional features with the free UAFX Control app.
The MAX is perhaps one of the most complete pedals in Universal Audio’s line. Packed with three classic compressors and a preamp section, this unit is a must-have for any pedalboard.
The MAX gives you three of the most popular and classic compressor types: Dyna, Opto LA-2A, and FET 1176, but what’s really interesting is that you can combine two compressors with independent parameters to get a truly unique tone, and switch between them on the fly with the dedicated footswitches.
The built-in preamp is quite responsive and versatile too. Based on the legendary 610 tube mic preamp, it can color both your clean and distorted tones pleasantly, and pairs very well with the compressor section’s saturation.
Universal Audio Starlight Pedal
Main Features
- Emulates the sounds of famous echo units for endless creative possibilities
- Offers warm, vintage tones or clean, crystal-clear delays
- Easily switch between two delay styles while keeping your echoes flowing
- Comes with a free bonus effect when you register the pedal
- Built tough for gigs with silent switching and durable components
As the name implies, the Universal Audio Starlight is a complete echo station that can deliver both vintage and warbly analog tape-style echo tones, and modern, precise digital delay sounds.
There are four delay tone styles to choose from: Tape EP-III, Analog DMM, and Precision, as well as the Cooper Time Cube delay which you get upon registering the pedal. You can also spice up these iconic echo tones with the “Variations” section, which gives you three options ranging from modulation to tape age depending on which delay type you have selected.
Last but not least, one feature that caught our eye with the Starlight is the “Division” knob, which lets you configure your delay repeats by musical divisions instead of milliseconds after you set up your BPM with the “Tap Tempo” footswitch.
Universal Audio Lion '68 Pedal
Main Features
- Lets you play with legendary rock sounds from the '60s, '70s, and '80s
- Offers three amp styles to explore different tones
- Includes built-in speaker and room sounds for realistic amp feel
- Easy setup to use with your existing gear
- Works with an app to customize and save your sounds
The Lion ‘68 is an amp-in-a-box clone of a classic Marshall Plexi amp from 1968. This pedal is perfect for anything from overdriven classic rock tones to hard-rock and heavy metal aggressive distortion.
The Lion ‘68 offers a whopping number of six different cabinets to choose from, three of which become available upon registering the pedal, as well as three amp models reminiscent of the original amp: Bass, Lead, and Brown.
The Lion ‘68 also has a hidden trick upon its sleeve: when you bring up the volume and EQ section knobs, it engages a boost effect inspired by the Maestro EP-III preamp and the BOSS GE-10 ten-band EQ, creating a tried-and-tested superb tone recipe.
Universal Audio Del-Verb Pedal
Main Features
- Three legendary reverbs for vintage and modern tones
- Warm, analog-style delays for added warmth and character
- Dual-stereo engine for deep, three-dimensional sound
- Easy-to-use controls and access to custom effect voicings via mobile app
The Universal Audio Del Verb is a pedal made for fans of classic spring, tape, and hall reverbs from the ‘60s and ‘70s, with a delay section that’s equally retro-sounding to spice up your tone.
On the reverb section, you get access to the Spring 65, the Plate 140, and Hall 224, all based on real-life vintage studio gear. On the delay side, the Tape EP-III, Analog DMM, and Precision, all inspired by rackmount and pedal echo units.
You can mix between the two effects or use them independently, as well as create complex routing through the stereo and aux outputs. This pedal is quite similar to the UAD Starlight, offering a reverb section but less control over the delay tones. Both are equally versatile, though.
Universal Audio OX Stomp Pedal
Main Features
- Over 20 classic cabinet sounds for all styles of music
- Adjustable microphones to create your perfect tone
- Built-in effects like reverb, delay, and compression for a polished sound
- Save up to 12 of your favorite settings for quick changes
- Easy-to-use app for endless customization
The Universal Audio OX Stomp is a truly revolutionary speaker emulator pedal. It differentiates itself from similar units by offering dynamic impulse responses that react to your playing and create a much more realistic result, as opposed to standard, static IRs.
The OX Stomp gives you deep control over each aspect of the cabinet emulation, including three mic options (dynamic, condenser, and ribbon), independent volume control over its two microphones, and even speaker drive. Paired with a preamp pedal, this unit can give you an extremely realistic tone.
However, the best feature of the OX Stomp is, by far, the huge amount of cab and mic options you get with the UAD software and smartphone app: you can choose between 22 cabinets and 6 microphones, all modeled after real-life classics such as the Fender Twin Reverb amp and the AKG C414 condenser mic.
Universal Audio Enigmatic '82 Pedal
Main Features
- Gives you the rich, smooth tone of iconic boutique amps.
- Offers two distinct sound styles: clean elegance or powerful overdrive.
- Built-in speaker and mic settings let you create studio-quality sounds.
- Easy to pair with your smartphone for custom tones and presets.
- Lets you switch seamlessly between amp sounds for extra versatility.
Unlike other amp-in-a-box pedals from UAD, the Enigmatic ‘82 focuses on the overdrive tones of the Dumble ODS amp, paying homage to classic sounds by guitar legends such as Stevie Ray Vaughn, John Mayer, and Joe Bonamassa.
The Enigmatic ‘82 recreates vintage tones from three specific ODS eras, spanning from the 1970s Santa Cruz model to LA iterations from the 80’s and 90’s, offering multiple cabinet and tone options, as well as an authentic EQ section and realistic room emulations.
One of the best features of the Enigmatic ‘82 is its versatility: with the Custom Mode, you can build your own Dumble-style amp and select between different output tubes, power supplies, and tone stack EQs to create a unique tone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Makes Universal Audio Pedals Stand Out?
Universal Audio pedals are known for their studio-quality effects, pristine sound processing, and faithful recreations of classic analog gear. They combine high-end digital modeling with intuitive controls, making them a top choice for professionals and tone enthusiasts alike.
Do UA Pedals Work With Bass Guitars?
While most UA pedals are designed with guitarists in mind, many work great for bass as well, especially their compressors, preamps, and EQs. One UAD pedal that works flawlessly with bass guitars is the MAX, offering a preamp and multiple compressor options.
Do UAD Pedals Have Built-in Presets?
Many UA pedals offer preset functionality, letting you save and recall your favorite settings instantly. Some models also integrate with Universal Audio’s UAFX Control app for deeper customization.
Are UA Pedals True Bypass or Buffered?
UA pedals typically feature high-quality buffered bypass, ensuring consistent tone and signal integrity across long cable runs. Some models may also offer true bypass switching as an option.
Where Can I Buy Universal Audio Pedals?
You can buy UA pedals right here at DeathCloud! We offer all of the pedals featured on this list—plus many more from UA’s incredible lineup. Whether you're looking for vintage-inspired delays, lush reverbs, or studio-grade overdrives, we’ve got you covered.
Shop now at DeathCloud and find the perfect UAD pedal to elevate your tone!
Conclusion
Universal Audio continues to set the standard for high-quality effects, combining legendary tone with modern innovation. Whether you’re after warm analog-style delays, lush reverbs, versatile compression, or pro-level amp modeling, UA pedals deliver studio-grade sound in a pedalboard-friendly format.
With so many incredible options, there’s never been a better time to upgrade your rig. You can find all of the Universal Audio pedals covered in this post plus many more right here at DeathCloud!
Thank you for reading our article! Here is a recap of all the pedals mentioned in our post:
Top 10 Universal Audio Pedals for 2025
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$349.00 |
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$399.00 |
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$399.00 |
You can check these and many other pedals in our store!
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