Universal Audio’s Luna DAW, known for its vintage-inspired features, has finally made its way to Windows after being exclusive to Mac users since its launch in 2020. Now, PC users can also experience Luna by joining the open beta program and downloading it for free.
Luna offers a range of analog-style features like summing, tape machines, channel strips, and bus/parallel compression, all reminiscent of Universal Audio’s UAD plugins.
It also includes the Shape instrument, providing sample-based classic sounds and real-time generated synth tones. For additional plugins, users can opt for Luna Pro for $399.
The arrival of Luna on Windows may seem overdue, but it opens up new possibilities for PC users. In the Mac ecosystem, Luna competes with GarageBand and Logic, which cater to quick and simple recording needs. However, since these apps are not available on Windows, Luna could attract a larger user base on the PC platform.
Luna also offers seamless integration with Universal Audio’s Apollo audio interfaces, enhancing the recording experience with low-latency capabilities. While projects can be transferred between Mac and Windows versions of Luna, compatibility issues arise due to different plugin formats (AU for Mac and VST3 for Windows).
Universal Audio plans to address this by adding VST3 support to the Mac version in the future.
