UA Apollo First Look (user review)

[adamj31]

Originally Posted by Beaver Tim

Hey guys
First of all, thanks a lot cowboycoalminer for the input, I'm happy with what I hear from you here.

May I ask if you guys happy Apollo owners would post unprocessed takes? Just Apollo pres. Thats it.
(I think that was your purpose with that one but FXs were printed..right?)

Yes, I am rather interested in this as well. A great big thank-you for taking the time! However, I am more interested in hearing the interface with Apollo's preamps, as I'm already well aware of how great the plugs sound. Thanks again!

[RightOnRome]

Originally Posted by RightOnRome

any chance you can mic a kit with the internal pres.. k,s,and overs

yes...no...?

[cavern]

Im having a hard time finding this info out from the sales adds.It mentions 3 or 4.
How many plugins do you get with the unit and how would i add more(all) the UAD plugs after.Have no idea how it works as i have never owned any of their plugs.Would i have to add a PCI card to the computer.

[isma]

Originally Posted by cavern

Im having a hard time finding this info out from the sales adds.It mentions 3 or 4.
How many plugins do you get with the unit and how would i add more(all) the UAD plugs after.Have no idea how it works as i have never owned any of their plugs.Would i have to add a PCI card to the computer.

The answers are here:
Apollo High-Resolution Interface with Realtime UAD Processing
The Apollo is coming with the "Analog Classics Plug-In Bundle", and no you shouldn't need to buy a PCI card...see the UAD chart:
UAD Instance Chart

[DR Music]

Thank you for all the clips!

[jonathan.osborne]

Cavern,

The interface has a UAD-2 card inside of it(either duo or quad) that allows you to process the plugins. So no you don't have to have an additional card. However, if you want to add more cards for expandability in the future, you can. It comes bundled with the "Analog Classics" which includes the 1176LN, LA2A, Pultec EQ and Realverb along with a channel strip and various generic effects. As for getting more plugs, you can activate a 14 day demo of any of their plugs to try out first and then purchase directly through the website if you like the demo(and trust me, you will).

[Avening]

Do you guys know if you're able to postpone the usage of the demo plugins? I would obviously like to install the bundled software when mine arrives to get up and going, but there are a few of the demo plugins like the Studer that I'd like to use in a big session I have coming up early Summer. Is it packaged in a separate file from the installers, or does the clock start ticking from day one of install?

[Mmeyer9]

I think the samples sound great - but were we able to confirm the source of the intermittent chorusing / doubling effect? Was it the real verb for certain, as speculated?

[jonathan.osborne]

Avening, you choose when to activate your demos and you can activate one at a time or all of them if you choose. Universal Audio has been known to extend the demo periods if you still aren't sold on it. This can be achieved by calling their customer service reps and requesting an extension. As for the install files being separate, when you install the UAD application, it installs all of the plugins on your computer or Mac, but they are "locked" unless purchased or activated as a demo. When they have updates for the software, it installs the new plugins that they release as time goes on, plus updates the software and fixes bugs.

[Matt V]

Universal Audio has an excellent forum with a wealth of info for all you guys getting started. UADforums.com

They have a new forum there for Apollo, I believe.

@OP thanks so much for being the pioneer!

[Avening]

Originally Posted by jonathan.osborne

Avening, you choose when to activate your demos and you can activate one at a time or all of them if you choose. Universal Audio has been known to extend the demo periods if you still aren't sold on it. This can be achieved by calling their customer service reps and requesting an extension. As for the install files being separate, when you install the UAD application, it installs all of the plugins on your computer or Mac, but they are "locked" unless purchased or activated as a demo. When they have updates for the software, it installs the new plugins that they release as time goes on, plus updates the software and fixes bugs.

Excellent. Thanks for the info.

[Billy Buck]

Originally Posted by jonathan.osborne

Avening, you choose when to activate your demos and you can activate one at a time or all of them if you choose. Universal Audio has been known to extend the demo periods if you still aren't sold on it. This can be achieved by calling their customer service reps and requesting an extension.

Also, each time you purchase a new UAD-2 plug-in, any expired demos get reset. Like a crack dealer, UA will keep feeding our plug-in addiction until we are hooked.

Cheers,

Billy Buck

[jonathan.osborne]

Originally Posted by Avening

Excellent. Thanks for the info.

Not a problem. Let me know if you have any additional questions.

[cavern]

Originally Posted by isma

The answers are here:
Apollo High-Resolution Interface with Realtime UAD Processing
The Apollo is coming with the "Analog Classics Plug-In Bundle", and no you shouldn't need to buy a PCI card...see the UAD chart:
UAD Instance Chart

Hey thanks but you should not have given me the means to get to THIS LINK.
UA Online Store | UAD Powered Plug-Ins Library | Universal Audio

Its bad,very very bad.

[quakenul]

I couldn't find this answered anywhere: Is it possible to track processed and unprocessed versions of an input at the same time?

[IMAWriter]

Originally Posted by Besottedly

No pops and clicks on my end!

Nor mine

[Matt Hepworth]

Originally Posted by quakenul

I couldn't find this answered anywhere: Is it possible to track processed and unprocessed versions of an input at the same time?

No, but that sure would be ideal, wouldn't it?

[jonathan.osborne]

Originally Posted by quakenul

I couldn't find this answered anywhere: Is it possible to track processed and unprocessed versions of an input at the same time?

From the software manual:

Function of the Insert Effects Switch
The Insert Effects switch determines if the DAW records Console’s inputs with or without Realtime UAD Processing, regardless of the actual wet or dry state of the monitor mix. This is accomplished by routing Console’s inputs into the DAW from before the plug-in inserts (dry recording) or after the plug-in inserts (wet recording).
Note: Recording into a DAW with or without Realtime UAD Processing via the Insert Effects switch is a global function.

So it's an either/or selection. Regardless of monitoring, you can choose wet or dry tracking. But you can't track both wet and dry.

[stakeoutstudios]

Actually, you can, but in a very limited way.

The auxes, headphone outputs and monitor mix all appear as virtual inputs within your DAW so you can record them. It's in the software manual, and a very neat trick.

Because they are the Apollos outputs they are always wet, with monitoring FX, even if the record with FX button is off.

This means you can print a parallel send with your auxes of anything you desire, or record your wet headphone or monitor mix just by creating a track and setting the input in your DAW to the aux / HP or monitor.

For me, this is a dream to be able to print parallel compression with such ease!

[jonathan.osborne]

Originally Posted by stakeoutstudios

Actually, you can, but in a very limited way.

The auxes, headphone outputs and monitor mix all appear as virtual inputs within your DAW so you can record them. It's in the software manual, and a very neat trick.

Because they are the Apollos outputs they are always wet, with monitoring FX, even if the record with FX button is off.

This means you can print a parallel send with your auxes of anything you desire, or record your wet headphone or monitor mix just by creating a track and setting the input in your DAW to the aux / HP or monitor.

For me, this is a dream to be able to print parallel compression with such ease!

After I kept reading the manual, I noticed this too. So you can theoretically have an additional 10 inputs into your DAW due to these virtual inputs.

[quakenul]

Nice, thanks a lot

[stakeoutstudios]

Originally Posted by jonathan.osborne

After I kept reading the manual, I noticed this too. So you can theoretically have an additional 10 inputs into your DAW due to these virtual inputs.

Yes, though you have 18 physical inputs including digital, plus the virtual inputs show up just like actual physical inputs in your DAW. These virtual inputs are mirrors of the hardware and software outputs on console. You can use any of those in real time and print separate 'virtual' inputs with plugins straight to your DAW.

The thought of being able to record a drum kit with a parallel compressed mix of the kit on a track that's not eating my inputs is very appealing.

Likewise, the ease of setting up a channel to simply record the monitor mix outputs - no need to bounce or buss to record your master output in pro tools.

Very good for the low latency monitoring workflow. Very good for workflow generally!

[PdotDdot]

Originally Posted by Avening

Do you guys know if you're able to postpone the usage of the demo plugins? I would obviously like to install the bundled software when mine arrives to get up and going, but there are a few of the demo plugins like the Studer that I'd like to use in a big session I have coming up early Summer. Is it packaged in a separate file from the installers, or does the clock start ticking from day one of install?

I believe the clock starts when you first try to use one and only for that one. The clock would start differently for other plugins. I could be wrong but I seem to recall accidentally opening a non licensed plug a year or so after purchasing the UAD2 card and it indicated it would allow me 14 days to decide to purchase or not. Best to check with UA but I'm fairly certain I am correct.

[houndog328]

Originally Posted by PdotDdot

I believe the clock starts when you first try to use one and only for that one. The clock would start differently for other plugins. I could be wrong but I seem to recall accidentally opening a non licensed plug a year or so after purchasing the UAD2 card and it indicated it would allow me 14 days to decide to purchase or not. Best to check with UA but I'm fairly certain I am correct.

You are correct, the trial time period starts only when you select and use each plugin, not from the original purchase date of the hardware. So you can stagger the trials as you need or want. But when the 14-days are up that's it.

[Matt Hepworth]

Originally Posted by stakeoutstudios

Actually, you can, but in a very limited way.

This means you can print a parallel send with your auxes of anything you desire, or record your wet headphone or monitor mix just by creating a track and setting the input in your DAW to the aux / HP or monitor.

For me, this is a dream to be able to print parallel compression with such ease!

This is correct. I've just read the manual and found a few neat little tricks. Mine is arriving Thursday and I'll be putting it up against Apogee, BLA Modded Apogee, Digi 192's, and more.

I'll be posting files, thoughts, pics, maybe video, etc. over at the uadforums, if anyone's interested in checking them out.

[mustgroove]

Heya cowboycoalminer - if there's any chance you could take a second to look at something for me I'd really appreciate it

I'm looking at the Apollo for live performance use, rather than for recording, and whilst using UAD plugins with no latency on inputs is understood, is it going to be possible to insert UAD plugins on the outputs as well?

What I would love to be able to do is:


- Set up my project so that all channels are ultimately routed to a total of 3 or 4 stereo busses (rather than just the one "master" bus)... i.e. a "Drums" bus, a "Vox" bus, etc. etc. within the DAW

- Assign those 3 or 4 stereo busses within the DAW to software outputs 1-8 in the Apollo drivers

- Use UAD plugins as inserts on each of those 3 or 4 busses within the Apollo mixer

- Have the option of either:
(a) outputting each bus to its corresponding hardware output; or
(b) summing those busses within the Apollo mixer to one stereo "master" bus and have the ability to use UAD plugins as inserts on that "master" bus too

Is the mixer going to be flexible enough to allow this kind of thing? Or does it look like the UAD plugins are only really able to be used as inserts on inputs?

[purplesky]

Originally Posted by houndog328

You are correct, the trial time period starts only when you select and use each plugin, not from the original purchase date of the hardware. So you can stagger the trials as you need or want. But when the 14-days are up that's it.

Hey guys UAD is very cool about resetting the demos so I wouldnt worry about it. They have always reset mine with just an email request.
They have great customer service.

[Glaucocoma]

Originally Posted by purplesky

Hey guys UAD is very cool about resetting the demos so I wouldnt worry about it. They have always reset mine with just an email request.
They have great customer service.

True.
"Just ask for a demo reset, no problem" they say.

When you buy any plugin, you reset the demos too. When comes a version update, you get a demo reset as well.

I jusk asked them how to reset the plugs, and they gave me a reset... I didnt even need by that moment, didnt ask for one... So, its very easy.

[jonathan.osborne]

Originally Posted by mustgroove

Heya cowboycoalminer - if there's any chance you could take a second to look at something for me I'd really appreciate it

I'm looking at the Apollo for live performance use, rather than for recording, and whilst using UAD plugins with no latency on inputs is understood, is it going to be possible to insert UAD plugins on the outputs as well?

What I would love to be able to do is:


- Set up my project so that all channels are ultimately routed to a total of 3 or 4 stereo busses (rather than just the one "master" bus)... i.e. a "Drums" bus, a "Vox" bus, etc. etc. within the DAW

- Assign those 3 or 4 stereo busses within the DAW to software outputs 1-8 in the Apollo drivers

- Use UAD plugins as inserts on each of those 3 or 4 busses within the Apollo mixer

- Have the option of either:
(a) outputting each bus to its corresponding hardware output; or
(b) summing those busses within the Apollo mixer to one stereo "master" bus and have the ability to use UAD plugins as inserts on that "master" bus too

Is the mixer going to be flexible enough to allow this kind of thing? Or does it look like the UAD plugins are only really able to be used as inserts on inputs?

According to the software manual:

"Console’s aux buses can also be used to create mixes that are different than the main monitor mix, for routing to any Apollo hardware output. This feature is convenient for sending alternate mixes with Realtime UAD processing to other audio devices."

So that would give you two additional stereo buses that can be routed to your DAW as virtual inputs with effects.

"All of the Console Mixer’s monitor, auxiliary, and headphone bus outputs can each be individually routed into the DAW (page 64), which increases recording flexibility."

So theoretically you could also use both your headphone mixes as aux buses as well. I'll be getting my Apollo tomorrow and I will be posting clips and attempting to figure these few questionable issues out.

[DR Music]

Originally Posted by jonathan.osborne

From the software manual:

Function of the Insert Effects Switch
The Insert Effects switch determines if the DAW records Console’s inputs with or without Realtime UAD Processing, regardless of the actual wet or dry state of the monitor mix. This is accomplished by routing Console’s inputs into the DAW from before the plug-in inserts (dry recording) or after the plug-in inserts (wet recording).
Note: Recording into a DAW with or without Realtime UAD Processing via the Insert Effects switch is a global function.

So it's an either/or selection. Regardless of monitoring, you can choose wet or dry tracking. But you can't track both wet and dry.

So basically yes!! Nice