U-SYNC – Revolutionizing DAW sync [2026 Update]

[2026 Update] U-SYNC 2.0 is now out and runs on both Windows and MacOS. The article below, initially published with the first release of U-SYNC, now covers U-SYNC 2.0 and links to the relevant guides and articles.

You know the Sim'n Tonic values, which I really live by: Simplicity, Reliability, Versatility.
And it with U-SYNC we took it a step further. Introducing the first of its kind and never before seen way of syncing DAWs and hardware: U-SYNC!

The “U” stands both for USB because all you need is a USB cable, and for “you” because…you sync' 😉

U-SYNC took months of really hard and intense work, together with the team from Reliq Instruments. We have made U-SYNC a native feature of Nome II and Reliq but we hope to implement it in other gear down the line. Since the initial launch in 2024, we've been working to improve U-SYNC and deliver it to 

So what's great about U-SYNC?

• It's ultra-simple: load the plugin in your DAW, done.
• It's ultra-reliable: constantly adjusting and correcting, making sure there is no latency, no drift and no jitter, to maintain tight sync between the DAW and your hardware at all times. And if your DAW suddenly crashes, it will even keep time!
• It's ultra-precise: about 400 times more precise than “traditional” sample-accurate syncing methods with an audio signal. And we tuned it so the latency is auto-adjusted, landing within 0.05µs of your DAW's grid.

 

Sounds cool - but how does that help me?

The key point here is to get your DAW and your hardware sequencers and hardware drum machines in time with each other. With U-SYNC, Nome II can be a “bridge” between those two, getting the timing very precisely from your DAW and sending MIDI Clock or any other clock to your hardware.

To set it up you:

1. Sync your gear to Nome II, ignoring the DAW, with Nome II as a master. This is very straight-forward, you just need to make sure your gear follows MIDI Clock or one of the other types of clocks Nome II outputs.
2. Then load the U-SYNC plugin in your DAW - it should find Nome II and connect automatically
3. That's it! now if you press Play in your DAW, your gear will start automatically, in time with the grid of your DAW - magic!

For a more detailed walkthrough, check out the How to sync your hardware to your DAW article or refer to the U-SYNC Manual.

 

What to watch out for

It's never that simple

Like most things, U-SYNC being simple on the user-end means there is a really complicated machine behind. Making this project come to life has been a very intense experience, probably one of the most complex projects we have ever worked on.

U-SYNC uses not 1, not 2, but FIVE internal synchronisation mechanisms, as well as an insane amount of compensation systems to make sure everything is in time. It supports (officially) no less than 11 DAWs, with a lot of customisation for every single DAW.

So please be aware that syncing DAWs is not a 100% foolproof process, and each setup is different: different DAWs, different configurations, different audio interfaces, different hardware gear, etc. Maybe your particular setup has a unforeseen behavior which we did not consider. If that's the case, check out the U-SYNC Troubleshooting guide. If the issues persist, just let us know and we will work it out.

Works on Windows

As of October 2026, U-SYNC is compatible with Windows. It took us quite some time to build it and it turned out to be a lot more complicated but we finally made it. As far as we know, U-SYNC is the only Windows-compatible DAW sync solution that does not use the traditional audio sync track method. So, Windows users, welcome to a massively improved sync experience! 

How much does U-SYNC actually reduce jitter? Check out the numbers per OS and DAW here.

Learn more about U-SYNC