Universal Audio Apollo Duo

The Universal Audio Apollo Quad Interface is what is used at the main studio that we go to when we are ready to do some final recordings. We have used this interface over 20 times now and we love everything about it. It has 8 channels that are analog to digital. On board mixing in real-time and 8 line outputs. The Apollo Quad Interface as kind of been hour workhorse do it all interface. We get our best and most crisp sound when we use it that is why it is only done for our final recordings. With the Apollo Quad interface you are getting 18x24 FireWire, and all of the processing is done in real time. It has up to 4 microphone inputs and it supports sample rates of 44.1, 88.2, 96, 192. The latency is undetectable with the Apollo Quad Interface. It includes 10 digital inputs on top of the microphone ins.


UTILIZATION

This unit is very expensive, we are currently saving up for our personal studio to own this device because we like it in the studio that much. We will be getting one soon, we just recently started using it and wish we had more time with it but studio time is expensive. It does require phantom power. The bits per sample are 24 if I remember correctly.


GETTING STARTED

Depending on what microphones you use with it will really depend on the final sound that gets recorded. Higher end microphones will give you a crisper sound, and cheaper microphones.. Well you mine as well not even use a cheap microphone with the Apollo Quad interface because no interface can make a poor microphone sound good.


OVERALL OPINION

We did not install the Universal Audio Apollo Quad Interface since it is not ours, but after talking with the engineer in the studio and owner they assured us that it was extremely easy and effortless. With a price tag of 2500 bucks it is worth it without a doubt. This is the first and only interface from Apollo that we have used consistently and it is now our favorite one! Any one who can afford to have this in there home studio is truly blessed. Buy it!

So start with a little reminder of this lady:
4 in XLR preamp with 65db
4 in line
8 out very
2 out master TRS
SPDIF in and out
8 in and 8 out ADAT
Firewire 800
Thunderbolt option.

For now my tests only apply to analog inputs and outputs, and SPDIF (ADAT is a good month) with vocals, bass and guitar.

I use a Dell QuadCore with 6G of RAM.

I put 9 because the ability to connect multiple Apollo cascade is not possible or it is still (in addition to its stability) the big plus firewire.

UTILIZATION

After spending the headlock when installing the PCIe 800, are different can not be more stable but one sinequanone condition NOT SLEEP! when the computer goes to sleep and you wake up, a nice message informs you that this device is not made for and so you have to restart your computer. No big deal.

Until then, I max is 4 simultaneous tracks with 4 Fairchild670-1 Engl UAD610-1 RealverbPro-3 (in the) to insert and no worries: virtually no latency.

Updates .... y'en had 2 I think since I took my UAD-2 Solo in 6 months.

GETTING STARTED

Installation is quite long but once it's over, it's more than happiness.

The DSP allows so many choices that it's almost enjoyable (yes yes!)

- 16 in each insert with 4 live for the happiness of recorded musician who can get along with effects without asking that the decision to have (what a good DSP)
- The first 4 (XLR), you also get the ability to assign a UAD plug preamp that will replace the card base and whose gain is adjustable with the knob (physical) of the latter.
- 2 in each with a plug.
- Routing options to the independent headphone monitor section.

The preamp, those cards themselves are downright good: good dynamic range and complies with the spectrum of the source. But it gets really interesting when we have (because they were purchased except 610) want to replace the plugs ... and it's heavy! 1073 is as expected, a gas plant! Very good to go ... I will summarize to: ANYTHING! 610 A and B they are more oriented voice and low for my taste. Brief happiness.

Now the little package that comes with the card: 670 Fairchild legacy, LA2A, 1176 Legacy, UAD610 B (and other less interesting).

The 1176 is quite faithful to its hardware version and give a big hit to your guitars, bass and with a battery (used Nuendo this time) it's a big bomb.

The LA-2A on a voice or bass will give you an excellent result (I do not know the hardware version), I have personally taken over full LA2A with their different characteristics of attack and release ... it's happiness.

Fairchild 670 and the Legacy ... what techies never dreamed of this machine? I sincerely doubt that a version software at $ 299 equals the Holy Grail of the compressor but it is meant little something the others do not. He is terrible on:

- Voice
- Skyscrapers
- Lower
- Battery
- Keyboards
- In the
- The master

Although the converters are just breathtaking, so I do not see the interest to dwell on it.

In short, it's 3am and I'm dead, so I leave you the pleasure of discovering it for yourself.

A manual .... ... why do ????

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for a month and I appercu possibilities ...

I had the EMU (my first), M-Audio, Presonus, SPL, RME, MOTU and Avid .... The only one that is made just as good in terms of conversion of the Madison SPL but with all DSP less. I speak of course of the map that I know ...

What I like most is all but non can connect 2 Duo Apollo cascade.

What I like least is not nothing but the ability to connect 2 Duo Apollo cascade.

With the new purchase, it is an investment but the quality both in its manufacture that is waiting for you when secondhand as I had ... not possible hesitations. Validate choice and I do it again and again.

Hopefully this review is helpful, I will post before the end of a video to compare different preamp for those who are interested.

1-my choices were motivated not have integrated DSP drawing knowing that I already use the uad pci.
But rédui latency.

2 - I use it with anything since I bought that really want to do with mixing in my home studio.
I intend to buy a second to install it in my studio.

3-I use a Quad core PC 14.3 2GB Windows 8 memoiresur yes it works too!
I recommend rather work on more powerful Intel i5 or i7 genre ....

UTILIZATION

1 - Nothing to say about the stability of operation! here does not sulk if they have a really good PC. even on their website recommends some specificity for the use of appolo

2-I work with cubase! and it works very well. I intend to test it on protools 10 or even what it looks like ...

With SPDIF and Line adat and there are many of you entered can save a group of seven musicians at the same time easily.

3 - update are very well attended. this is more for the dsp driver ...
4 - I work with a latency of 8ms to 5ms

GETTING STARTED

1 - it installs itself!
2 - config is very simple
3 - attention to firewire!! read the recommendation of the site!
I wanted to throw it out the window because I had not taken the time to inform me on their website! lol ...

OVERALL OPINION

1 - I am now 5 months since honed with it running!
2 - I really do not turn evil on another sound card! but I can pretend out the sound of DR DRE! lol ...

report fair price! anyway quality has a price!

• Interface 18 x 24 FireWire audio (compatible with Thunderbolt ™) for Mac and PC *
• Treatment UAD real-time recording and mixing without latency (less than 2 ms) through UAD Powered Plug-Ins (Neve ®, Studer ®, Lexicon ®, Roland ®, SSL ® & many others) **
• sound performance of the highest quality in the world thanks to the mic preamps and converters upscale, and thanks to unsurpassed quality analog circuits
• Settings in front of levels preamps and listening, channel selection, adjustments microphones, levels of both headphone outputs, and the most common settings
• Loading instantaneous parameters of the interface and UAD plug-ins from the session in the application of digital recording with the Console application and Console Recall plug-in (VST / RTAS / AU)
• 8 analog inputs: 4 analog mic preamps managed digitally, 8 balanced line inputs, 2 direct input high impedance circuit JFET front
• 14 analog outputs: 8 balanced line outputs, 2 outputs for listening managed digitally, 2 stereo headphone outputs dedicated
• 10 channels of digital inputs / outputs: 8 channels of ADAT, 2 channels of S / PDIF, Input / Output word clock
• Two FireWire 800 ports (standard) for connection to the host computer and connect to other interfaces

UTILIZATION

I use a MacBook Pro with 8GB RAM, I5 processor, it is super stable, I have not noticed any problems for a month of heavy use. Almost zero latency ...

GETTING STARTED

No problem, the grip is very simple.

OVERALL OPINION

I bought 1950 euros, it is expensive but the quality is there. I have compared the apollo with my old card RME FIREFACE 800 (before selling it)
there is a real difference between these two cards at preamps, quality in general!
I would do this choice once again despite the price ... This kind of card should be for sale at 1500 euros max!