The Universal Audio UAFX Max is a digital dual compressor pedal with a built-in console-style preamp, made by Universal Audio. Each of its two compressor channels lets you choose from three digitally modeled recreations of famous compressors: the UREI 1176, the Teletronix LA-2A and the MXR Dyna Comp1. The preamp section is modeled on the input preamps of the UA 610, a modular recording console1.
It is designed in the USA and made in Malaysia2. When guitar.com reviewed it in April 2023 it carried a list price of £3251.
A preamp and two compressors in one pedal
The Max is a pedal-formatted take on the UA 610 preamp that also adds a choice of three classic compression units3. MusicRadar describes it as combining the 1176 with two other compressors and UA's 610 valve preamp emulation4. Where most compressor pedals give you one circuit, the Max gives you two independent compressor channels, each with its own model selection, plus the preamp in front of them.
The three models cover very different compression styles:
| Model | Based on | Character, per guitar.com's reviewer |
|---|---|---|
| 1176 | UREI 1176 | Comes closest to complete transparency1 |
| LA-2A | Teletronix LA-2A | More noticeable flattening effect on midrange transients1 |
| Dyna Comp | MXR Dyna Comp | Much more aggressive, will pop if you want it to1 |
Universal Audio also sells the 1176 and LA-2A emulations as their own compact pedals, the Universal Audio UAFX 1176 Studio Compressor and the Universal Audio Teletronix LA-2A Studio Compressor5.
The controls and footswitches
The control set is shared across both channels: preamp gain, compression, output, attack and release knobs plus a six-way ratio switch, with a channel selector switch that assigns all of them to the channel you are editing1. Two mini toggles switch between compression models2.
There are two footswitches, Comp 1 and Comp 2, each bypassing its own compressor circuit1. That gives you three basic ways to use it:
- One compressor on, the other bypassed
- Both on, one running into the other
- Both bypassed, with the pedal's buffered bypass in the path
The UAFX Control app can change the both-on arrangement from series to parallel1. In parallel mode you can also set one model's compression parameter to zero, which gives you a dry blend with the other compressor2. There is also an Exclusive mode in which only one compressor can be activated at any one time, which MusicRadar suggests for dialing in settings for two different compressors and switching between them2.
Firmware 2.0, from November 2025, added the ability to store four presets on the pedal and switch between them on the hardware2.
Power and connections
The Max runs on a 9V center-negative power supply only, with a minimum draw of 400mA, and the supply is not included2. There is no battery option1. A 400mA draw is beyond what most isolated power supply outputs share comfortably, so plan on a dedicated high-current output.
Connections are mono and stereo inputs and outputs, a USB-C port for firmware updates via the UAFX Control desktop app, and Bluetooth for app control21.
What reviewers said
guitar.com's Richard Purvis reviewed the Max in April 2023 and rated it 7 out of 10. On the compressor models:
"The two rack-type algorithms both sound supremely classy"
Richard Purvis, guitar.com1
He found the 1176 came closest to complete transparency, the LA-2A had a more noticeable flattening effect on midrange transients, and neither popped like cheaper guitar compressors. The Dyna Comp model he found much more aggressive, with plenty of tweakability from the compression, ratio and preamp gain controls, and noted there is a wee bit of grit available in the preamp1.
His reservation was about scope rather than sound:
"There’s really nothing to dislike about this pedal; the only issue is that, for most guitar players, it’s colossally over-specced."1
Richard Purvis, guitar.com1
He suggested it would make more sense to most players as a smaller, simpler, more affordable mono unit1.
MusicRadar's later review took a similar line on the pedal's positioning:
"This isn't a pedal for casual compressor users but it offers authentic recreations of some classic studio hardware together for the first time in one stompbox"2
MusicRadar2
MusicRadar's overall verdict was that it is great for multi-guitar and gain-staging needs2.
Videos
Universal Audio
Ricky Tinez
Thomann's Guitars & Basses
Questions
Which compressors does the UAFX Max model?
Each of its two compressor channels offers three digitally modelled recreations: the UREI 1176, the Teletronix LA-2A and the MXR Dyna Comp. A three-way model switch on each channel selects which one that channel uses, so you can run two different models at once.
Can the UAFX Max run on a battery?
No. It is powered by a 9V centre-negative power supply only, with a minimum draw of 400mA, and the supply is not included. That current requirement rules out a battery and means it needs a dedicated output on a power brick rather than a shared daisy chain.
Does the UAFX Max work in stereo?
Yes. It has mono and stereo inputs and outputs, so it can sit in a stereo rig or process a stereo signal from another pedal.
Is the UAFX Max true bypass?
No. Both published reviews list it as buffered bypass, so the pedal's circuit stays in the signal path when the compressors are switched off.
Can I run both compressors at once on the UAFX Max?
Yes. You can run one compressor into the other, and the UAFX Control app can change that both-on arrangement from series to parallel. There is also an Exclusive mode in which only one compressor can be active at a time, useful for comparing two settings.
How do I update the UAFX Max firmware?
Updates come through the UAFX Control desktop app over the pedal's USB-C connection. The pedal also has Bluetooth for app control. Firmware 2.0, released in November 2025, added the ability to store four presets on the pedal and switch between them on the hardware.
Sources (5)
- Universal Audio Max review: drawing on decades of signal-squishing expertise, guitar.com, 2023-04-21
- Universal Audio UAFX Max Preamp & Dual Compressor pedal review, MusicRadar, 2023-06-07
- Origin Effects debuts the DCX Boost and Bass, packing the preamp heft of a classic UA console into all-analog compact pedals, Guitar World, 2023-04-25
- Universal Audio UAFX 1176 Studio Compressor Pedal review, MusicRadar, 2023-10-16
- UAFX Brigade Flow LA2A: New additions to UAFX Compact Pedal series, gearnews.com, 2023-10-24
