Universal Audio Apollo interface

[DR Music]

Originally Posted by Bob Amirian

You want a good sound - get good equipment and record good musicians.

That's the best point you made.

If you can't make a record with a Apollo, Apollo that's not the issue.

I don't think the Apollo is going to be killer, buy not a converter that will in any way hurt you in the Recording process...

[Chris_455]

Apollo Quad Omni...eh eh

[Artist4]

Originally Posted by travisbrown

So I'm a bit confused about the idea of some here that Apollo is going to change everything. It doesn't do anything that you can't already do. It's a mid-level multiformat "swiss army knife" interface not really different in i/o scope from any number of offerings from MOTU, RME, MH, Steinberg, Digi/Avid, Apogee.... It unloads the UAD plugins from your DAW PCI card to the interface. However, having internal FX DSP isn't new either: MOTU, RME, MH....

So, if you are recording through some decent interface already and are using UAD plugins, you can probably be 99% sure what it's going to be like using the Apollo. The only thing it might change for you is maybe encourage you to print some compression and EQ or whatnot at tracking time if you aren't already doing so.

This device shouldn't really make anything different for you. If it revolutionizes your recordings, you were probably doing something wrong before. If you need to upgrade to a larger multifunction interface, then it's worth looking at. If you want to more conveniently track through UAD plugins with low latency, it's worth looking at. That's about it.

As far as sound goes, though, it's not promising to be any sort of a game changer. Given that the range of difference in conversion is at best discernible or appreciable to few, it will be slightly better or slightly worse than what you are already using.

This isn't a "sell everything and get that!" product. It's meant as a recording hub for the kind of recordist who wants to upgrade from a smaller interface like a Duet, or needs one box that has a little bit of everything, or someone who wants a small mobile setup. This really isn't meant to be the sort of device that you would bolt on to an existing i/o setup. It shouldn't get you any more excited than what's been out there for years already.

Conveniently tracking through UAD plugs at low latency is a nice idea. It looks like a good piece of gear. But I look at my modest setup and can't really see how it would add anything.

I am thoroughly disappointed that the Thunderbolt option is reportably going to be $500. Thunderbolt isn't expensive technology. That option should be $150 tops. If you get it, please feel gouged. Shame on UA for this.

I understand your point

Currently im working with a Motu Ultralite,

So i was thinking get better conversion and preamps for my mic and my new synths ( SPhatty, Prophet and Nord L2)

Mostly for Dance and Pop, i dont record bands.

Instead of buying a Channel Strip like a SSL Alpha or a expensive converter, the Apollo could be a nice solution for an studio upgrade right?

[IAMCRISIS]

@ DR Music... Never judge a book by it's cover... The foam is more for decorations... Lol. My walls were built "treated" from the inside out... So was my booth... I spent about $8,000 on building that "small room". Walls, ceiling and floor have all been treated. They're About 6 inches thick and the booth has an extra layer of mdf board. There's no windows and a near silent vent system. I think I'm good...

http://www.soundcloud.com/iamcrisis
http://www.datpiff.com/profile/Crisis_187

[Billy Buck]

Originally Posted by IAMCRISIS

Who knows, I may be the one who makes that 1st classic/great album using a Apollo.

Just want to say, I really like your positive attitude and drive.

Check out this just released UA Artist Interview with Grammy winning mixing and recording engineer Jason Schweitzer:

Jason Schweitzer on Mixing for Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, and Indie-Soul Sensation Mayer Hawthorne - Blog - Universal Audio

Some enlightening quotes:

What are you looking forward to when it comes to the Universal Audio’s new audio interface, Apollo?

As I mentioned, I’ve been building my whole sound trying to figure out how I want to process in Pro Tools and the biggest missing piece for me has been quality analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion. I’ve been looking at converters a lot and with the Apollo, I’ll finally have a way to split out of my Pro Tools and get some analog summing, which is what I’m really looking to do in mixing. I’ll mix in the box, but I’d like to have some outputs that I can play with to get some analog warmth and crosstalk as well. The Apollo is going to allow me to do that.

The way I run things right now, I basically monitor through my 2192, which is great. But I would like to have some good analog outs that I can plug in somewhere. I’m excited to go from the analog out of the Apollo to the analog in of my 2192. The 2192 is a class A, discreet, hand-built converter. So when you go in on the analog side, you’re getting some of the UA signature warmth. When you hit it harder, you get natural compression and other cool effects that I don’t have access to right now.

And people dig the signal path you’ve come up with?

I’ve done double-blind tests with mastering engineers and every single time, they pick UA signal paths over non-UA signal paths — and that path is the 2192 along with the UAD plug-ins. At the NAMM show in January, I did presentations of the Mayer Hawthorne song “The Walk,” which is a single from the new album I mixed.

Universal Audio got the song a couple of months in advance so they could load it up and get it ready for NAMM, and meanwhile, UA’s Chief Scientist, Dave Berners had already been listening to the song on the radio. He told me that he’d been admiring how good and vintage-sounding that song was, and wondering if it was possible to achieve that sound with plug-ins. When I sent UA the session for “The Walk,” he realized that it was that same track he’d been hearing on the radio — and that it had been mixed completely in the box, using UAD plug-ins!

That was a great “I’m on the right path” moment. The Chief Scientist for the company that makes plug-ins themselves had no idea that he was listening to UAD software, but he loved the analog sound that I got on the album. When he told me, I said, “Congratulations! It only happened because of the work your company did.”

I thought that last quote was pretty funny. Here you have UA's own Dr. Dave Berners liking the vintage sound of a song he was hearing on the radio and wondering if that vintage analog sound could be achieved with plug-ins, only to later find out that it was indeed mixed totally ITB with UAD plug-ins!

Cheers,

Billy Buck

[DR Music]

Originally Posted by IAMCRISIS

@ DR Music... Never judge a book by it's cover... The foam is more for decorations... Lol. My walls were built "treated" from the inside out... So was my booth... I spent about $8,000 on building that "small room". Walls, ceiling and floor have all been treated. They're About 6 inches thick and the booth has an extra layer of mdf board. There's no windows and a near silent vent system. I think I'm good...

IAMCRISIS's sounds on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free
Crisis_187's Profile @ DatPiff.com

Acoustic Treatment and Studio Constrution are very different... What your taking about is Contrution, which has NOTHING to do with Acoustic Treatment! Acoustic Treatment is applied over your 6" walls.. And your room is small!! Your mix tape sound good btw!!!

[IAMCRISIS]

Originally Posted by DR Music

Acoustic Treatment and Studio Constrution are very different... What your taking about is Contrution, which has NOTHING to do with Acoustic Treatment! Acoustic Treatment is applied over your 6" walls.. And your room is small!! Your mix tape sound good btw!!!

Well my small room sounds good enough to me... Can it be better? Of course. I never settle... I get good mixes in there "as is" so I guess that's all that counts for now... Will probably "treat" it more later... When I get a couple of hundred grand to build a bigger and more treated studio then I'll do that but till then, like I said, the room sounds really good. Construction & Treatment are different but we layered the walls well enough to get away with not having extra treatment on the them... Cinderblock, wood 2/4 studs with soundproof insolation, soundproof particle board, and 2 layers of sheetrock (add an extra layer of MDF to the booth). Thanks for the feedback on the mixtape too. Much appreciated. Was all produced, recorded & mixed by me in that room... So were the tracks on my soundcloud page.

[IAMCRISIS]

Originally Posted by Billy Buck

Just want to say, I really like your positive attitude and drive.

Check out this just released UA Artist Interview with Grammy winning mixing and recording engineer Jason Schweitzer:

Jason Schweitzer on Mixing for Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa, and Indie-Soul Sensation Mayer Hawthorne - Blog - Universal Audio

Some enlightening quotes:

What are you looking forward to when it comes to the Universal Audio’s new audio interface, Apollo?

As I mentioned, I’ve been building my whole sound trying to figure out how I want to process in Pro Tools and the biggest missing piece for me has been quality analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversion. I’ve been looking at converters a lot and with the Apollo, I’ll finally have a way to split out of my Pro Tools and get some analog summing, which is what I’m really looking to do in mixing. I’ll mix in the box, but I’d like to have some outputs that I can play with to get some analog warmth and crosstalk as well. The Apollo is going to allow me to do that.

The way I run things right now, I basically monitor through my 2192, which is great. But I would like to have some good analog outs that I can plug in somewhere. I’m excited to go from the analog out of the Apollo to the analog in of my 2192. The 2192 is a class A, discreet, hand-built converter. So when you go in on the analog side, you’re getting some of the UA signature warmth. When you hit it harder, you get natural compression and other cool effects that I don’t have access to right now.

And people dig the signal path you’ve come up with?

I’ve done double-blind tests with mastering engineers and every single time, they pick UA signal paths over non-UA signal paths — and that path is the 2192 along with the UAD plug-ins. At the NAMM show in January, I did presentations of the Mayer Hawthorne song “The Walk,” which is a single from the new album I mixed.

Universal Audio got the song a couple of months in advance so they could load it up and get it ready for NAMM, and meanwhile, UA’s Chief Scientist, Dave Berners had already been listening to the song on the radio. He told me that he’d been admiring how good and vintage-sounding that song was, and wondering if it was possible to achieve that sound with plug-ins. When I sent UA the session for “The Walk,” he realized that it was that same track he’d been hearing on the radio — and that it had been mixed completely in the box, using UAD plug-ins!

That was a great “I’m on the right path” moment. The Chief Scientist for the company that makes plug-ins themselves had no idea that he was listening to UAD software, but he loved the analog sound that I got on the album. When he told me, I said, “Congratulations! It only happened because of the work your company did.”

I thought that last quote was pretty funny. Here you have UA's own Dr. Dave Berners liking the vintage sound of a song he was hearing on the radio and wondering if that vintage analog sound could be achieved with plug-ins, only to later find out that it was indeed mixed totally ITB with UAD plug-ins!

Cheers,

Billy Buck

Thanks... I always think positive. I'll be damned if I let some one tell me I can't do something or that I can't make a hit or classic album on a piece of gear after everything I've learned and am still learning about engineering. "It's Not The Car, It's Who's Driving It" and that last quote from the "Chief Scientist" just proves it... With a few good tools and some good ears you can make great recordings/mixes. You can have the best room with the best equipment and have the worst mixes/recordings if you don't have drive, talent and your ears suck. LoL

[AV3X]

Originally Posted by IAMCRISIS

Just spoke to my "sales engineer" at sweetwater and he told me they'll be getting their 1st batch the 29th of this month then another batch the 1st week of march. He told me that when I pre-ordered it but I just wanted to confirm about "UA running in to production delays." Looks like it might be a rumor or for people who ordered theirs after the first 2 weeks from it being announced. Or it can be true just for other dealers. Who knows?... All I know is that I was told that sweetwater will be getting their 1st shipment of Apollos on time. Guess we'll just have to wait and see. I ordered my Apollo Quad the 1st week they were announced so I should be getting mine out of the 1st batch Feb 29th. I've been dealing with sweetwater and the same "sales engineer" since early 2006 so I doubt he's lying to me. So it looks like I'll have mine with in the next 2 to 3 weeks (fingers crossed). Decided to add a UAD-2 Satellite Quad Omni (with full UAD plugin Library) just to make the experience that much better. . My studio is about to get a shot of steroids. Like I said, if I can get really great mixes using my digi002 or my Mbox 3 Pro with waves plugins... I can't wait to hear what my mixes are going to sound like using the Apollo quad, a Satellite quad and adding UAD plugins to my arsenal. The Thunderbolt connection is just going to make it even better. Have yet to use the Thunderbolt port on my new full-blown 17" Macbook Pro so I'm anxious to see what it can do. This thing is a beast. Combined with the Apollo Quad & Satellite Quad they form Voltron.

defender of the UNIVERSE! Or is it Universal Audio?

I will be using the 2192 as the master clock and coverer with the Apollo quad.
(I had 2 PCIe quads already) With the Apollo I can now work on a macbook pro.

[DR Music]

Good luck to all the "hit" makers!!!

[travisbrown]

Originally Posted by Artist4

I understand your point

Currently im working with a Motu Ultralite,

So i was thinking get better conversion and preamps for my mic and my new synths ( SPhatty, Prophet and Nord L2)

Mostly for Dance and Pop, i dont record bands.

Instead of buying a Channel Strip like a SSL Alpha or a expensive converter, the Apollo could be a nice solution for an studio upgrade right?

Sounds like it would be a good fit.

[travisbrown]

Originally Posted by DR Music

Acoustic Treatment and Studio Constrution are very different... What your taking about is Contrution, which has NOTHING to do with Acoustic Treatment! Acoustic Treatment is applied over your 6" walls.. And your room is small!! Your mix tape sound good btw!!!

They are not very different; they are interdependent. You can go a long way to treat your room through geometry and construction methods and materials before you start putting treatment on the walls and ceiling. The treatment you hang on your walls is both to correct deficiencies in the room and pick up the slack that room geometry and materials can't account for.

[Big_Bang]

Not to blow my own horn here, but about two years ago I tracked, mixed and mastered and album with only Digidesign 888's and PT 6.9 with 1 mix card. The pre's came from an old and banged up Soundcraft. The artist was a reknown european percussionist with top notch instruments. The album got 4/5 and 5/5 stars all over the media. He got a zillions gigs from it. No one gave a crap's ass what converters were used, or the pre's.

Doing this album was one of the finest "a-haaaa!!" moments I ever experienced.

It predict it will be extremely hard to distinguish the Apollo sound from reading. I'd love to hear one.

[mestof]

very interesting announcement!
__________________
sprzedajemy folia bąbelkowa | doskonała folia stretch

[Artist4]

Originally Posted by travisbrown

Sounds like it would be a good fit.

thank you ver much

[DR Music]

Originally Posted by travisbrown

They are not very different; they are interdependent. You can go a long way to treat your room through geometry and construction methods and materials before you start putting treatment on the walls and ceiling. The treatment you hang on your walls is both to correct deficiencies in the room and pick up the slack that room geometry and materials can't account for.

That's still a difference... Not arguing with you...

[yosefTux]

Originally Posted by Big_Bang

Not to blow my own horn here, but about two years ago I tracked, mixed and mastered and album with only Digidesign 888's and PT 6.9 with 1 mix card. The pre's came from an old and banged up Soundcraft. The artist was a reknown european percussionist with top notch instruments. The album got 4/5 and 5/5 stars all over the media. He got a zillions gigs from it. No one gave a crap's ass what converters were used, or the pre's.

Doing this album was one of the finest "a-haaaa!!" moments I ever experienced.

It predict it will be extremely hard to distinguish the Apollo sound from reading. I'd love to hear one.

+100 @Big_Bang

Doesn't take stellar gear to make a good recording. It does take an experienced engineer, and equipment that works. Musician, Room, knowing the gear you're using, Mic choice, Mic placement, Preamp choice, monitoring, DAW/AI stability. All of this has far more influence (in roughly that order) on making a good recording than converters. I still say the best thing an interface can do is make me forget it's there.

Hell yes I want to hear it. Will I buy one? Not in the next several years unless maybe I hit the lottery - hard to do since I don't play

[travisbrown]

Originally Posted by DR Music

That's still a difference... Not arguing with you...

Yes, a difference. But when you write, "Contrution, which has NOTHING to do with Acoustic Treatment!"

I'm just pointing out that they do have to do with each other.

[DR Music]

Originally Posted by travisbrown

Yes, a difference. But when you write, "Contrution, which has NOTHING to do with Acoustic Treatment!"

I'm just pointing out that they do have to do with each other.

Yes, the construction part keeps unwanted noise out to keep it in simple terms. It's the size and room design that has "something" to do with the sound within the room. But in this case a square and small room with 6" inch walls will not help as much as a bigger and non square design. In this case in a small box Acoustic treatment will help GREATLY!!!!


I'm glad you understand the construction part... cheers Gearslut brother..

[smoovemode]

I know someone must have this thing (Apollo)! One store told me they were getting their shipment on the 22nd and to reserve mine. I did, but have not heard back yet. Ok, Who's got this thing? I need to decide whether I should keep my 4-710 and by a converter/card for it or sell it and go with the Apollo Preamps. Another option I was pondering is the MH 2882 and holding onto my 4-710. I need to get something within a week. I cannot wait a month.

[Mazrak]

IMO, it's silly to rely on the release of a product to get work done. Grab the MH because I doubt anybody is going to be seeing the Apollo this week. The speculation seems to point that the Apollo with likely be similar to the 4-710D but with built-in DSP instead of tubes. If the DSP isn't a huge concern, then a 4-710D and 2882 will probably sound similar (assuming the speculation is correct). You shouldn't be waiting on the Apollo to do some work.

[smoovemode]

Originally Posted by Mazrak

IMO, it's silly to rely on the release of a product to get work done. Grab the MH because I doubt anybody is going to be seeing the Apollo this week. The speculation seems to point that the Apollo with likely be similar to the 4-710D but with built-in DSP instead of tubes. If the DSP isn't a huge concern, then a 4-710D and 2882 will probably sound similar (assuming the speculation is correct). You shouldn't be waiting on the Apollo to do some work.

I was thinking in a similar way. The reason why I held off on the MH 2882 is the mic preamps. If I purchased the MH 2882, I would probably have to hold onto the 4-710d to help support the Mic Preamp gain concerns of the MH 2882. However, If I was able to get the Apollo theoretically it's Mic Preamps have more gain than the MH. I'm not saying the Apollo Mic Preamps will sound better, but they may be better suited for low level sources, which I doubt will come across, but I'd rather have it and not need it then need it and not have it.

[DR Music]

Originally Posted by IAMCRISIS

You sound like no matter what, you got your mind set that the Apollo isn't good even though it hasn't been released yet. If that's how you feel, more power to you brother. But like I said, I guarantee this will sound better then what I'm using now and maybe even a lot of other interfaces. You sound like your one of those guys that has to hear a big record or album recorded and mixed on it before you can give it it's props regardless if it sounds good or not. Who knows, I may be the one who makes that 1st classic/great album using a Apollo. You never know. Their were great/classic albums created before there was Pro Tools... There's great albums that were created using Pro Tools... Same goes for plugins that are out now that weren't out before. So you can't say there will never be a great album recorded through an Apollo. Your not Nostradamus my friend... Tuh... How dare you... LoL... I don't know about a usb mic but I do know with my new JJ Audio Akita or my AT4033a, my Great River ME-1NV, my dbx160, my brand new fully blown 17" Macbook Pro, Pro Tools 10, The Apollo Quad & A Satellite Quad with all the UAD plugins, Waves and a few others in this treated room, equipped with a booth ... I'll be making many hits my friend... Believe that!

Something like these... Is what I meant!!!

Now back to the Apollo.

[starseed]

I'm interested in the Apollo, for a couple of reasons...it is a pretty compelling product, as are most of UA's offerings.

My question is if I will be able to use both the analog outs and the ADAT outs with an extra 8 channels of Rosetta converters...and the same at recording.

If so, I'm pretty excited about it. The sound of the UA stuff could be as clean as it wants to then, as long as I'd have the option of hooking up the channels I'm used to. The desk I want to integrate is a really funky sounding '67 germanium desk, so just discrete channels of that will go a long way.

So, does anyone know the functionality of the ADAT I/O yet?

[stakeoutstudios]

It will work with a Rosetta 800 just fine, at all sample rates. (with two Lightpipe leads for SMUX.)

I've ordered an Apollo quad and will do just that with my Rosetta...

[p.pan]

just for info:
"Apollo will work with any DAW that supports Core Audio on Apple Mac OS X 10.6 or higher —including10.7 Lion."

Here:
uaudio.com/blog/apollo-faq/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2012_03ZINE&utm_source=promo:uad1&utm_content=%2Fblog%2Fapollo-faq%2F

People on 10.5.8 like me we need to update.

[IAMCRISIS]

Originally Posted by DR Music

Something like these... Is what I meant!!!

Now back to the Apollo.

This thread.... Every time I try to get out.... They Pull me right back in!



Lol... Bro that room looks like it's a foot (if that) wider then my room... And I see a big window behind the "treatment" ... I'll rather have 4 solid 6" walls, ceiling and floated floor that were built specifically for the studio with a little treatment (more can always be added later) then be in a regular room with a few treatment pads that won't block sounds from outside (car horns, alarms, plains, etc)... I understood what you were saying... I was just trying to point out why I don't have more treatment on my walls. My studio was built from scratch to be a studio... It wasn't a room in an apartment/house that needed treatment.. At the end of the day, I've seen worst rooms produce great mixes... Like I said, "It's not the car it's who's driving". But yeah, Back to the Apollo...

This should give you a better picture of how big my studio is... This was taken before I switched to the yamaha's I have now....

[DR Music]

Originally Posted by IAMCRISIS

This thread.... Every time I try to get out.... They Pull me right back in!



Lol... Bro that room looks like it's a foot (if that) wider then my room... And I see a big window behind the "treatment" ... I'll rather have 4 solid 6" walls, ceiling and floated floor that were built specifically for the studio with a little treatment (more can always be added later) then be in a regular room with a few treatment pads that won't block sounds from outside (car horns, alarms, plains, etc)... I understood what you were saying... I was just trying to point out why I don't have more treatment on my walls. My studio was built from scratch to be a studio... It wasn't a room in an apartment/house that needed treatment.. At the end of the day, I've seen worst rooms produce great mixes... Like I said, "It's not the car it's who's driving". But yeah, Back to the Apollo...

This should give you a better picture of how big my studio is... This was taken before I switched to the yamaha's I have now....

I'm not saying you room isn't built well. Great job! All I'm saying is to treat it later with treatment that will benefit you more, like the pic, and that was why I posted that pic because it's the size of your room.
The room is well built but it's a smaller box, and smaller box rooms need help of Acoustic Treatment which you will add later, right!!?? So check the pic it a good idea of placement. DIY treatment I the way to go if you have time!
Ok back to the Apollo.

[C//AZM]

Mac Mini?
Hi, I've searched through this thread and couldn't find the answer but please excuse me if it's already been discussed.
I can't think any reason why a new Mac Mini with thunderbolt, FW800 and USB wouldn't work well with this unit and PT10 Native.

I'm thinking of going that route as a replacement for my g4/002/ PT6.4 home system which I use mostly for overdubs of single instruments, vocals, and the occasional Horn or two. Plus mixing. I also have acess to a large HD system so i'm covered for any heavy duty sessions but for mixing 28 or so tracks I don't usually crap out with my old RTAS waves gold bundle on the old system so this should be a drastic improvement. Plus I can finally be compatible again with the studio computer. (PT6.4, )
I was going to plunk down the loot for a new loaded mac pro and maybe an omni or small hd system but I keep thinking that this little 700buck mini might just do the trick. I can snap in up to 16 gigs of ram, use my existing firewire drives plus get a thunderbolt drive. Can any of you see a problem with this approach?
The only thing else I think I may need is a USB midi box like a Motu Micro express or M-audio midisport.
Thanks.

[Avening]

Originally Posted by C//AZM

Mac Mini?
Hi, I've searched through this thread and couldn't find the answer but please excuse me if it's already been discussed.
I can't think any reason why a new Mac Mini with thunderbolt, FW800 and USB wouldn't work well with this unit and PT10 Native.

I'm thinking of going that route as a replacement for my g4/002/ PT6.4 home system which I use mostly for overdubs of single instruments, vocals, and the occasional Horn or two. Plus mixing. I also have acess to a large HD system so i'm covered for any heavy duty sessions but for mixing 28 or so tracks I don't usually crap out with my old RTAS waves gold bundle on the old system so this should be a drastic improvement. Plus I can finally be compatible again with the studio computer. (PT6.4, )
I was going to plunk down the loot for a new loaded mac pro and maybe an omni or small hd system but I keep thinking that this little 700buck mini might just do the trick. I can snap in up to 16 gigs of ram, use my existing firewire drives plus get a thunderbolt drive. Can any of you see a problem with this approach?
The only thing else I think I may need is a USB midi box like a Motu Micro express or M-audio midisport.
Thanks.

Seems like a great idea to me.

When the Thunderbolt option comes out in the summer, you can connect to the Mini via Thunderbolt, and since the Apollo is designed to act like a device hub, you could safely daisy-chain a FW800 drive off the Apollo without it disturbing the Thunderbolt bus. Lots of power in a small form factor, and will (does) work with Pro Tools 10 software. You would also have a few USB ports on the mini to use for MIDI/iLoks.

Go for it!