Universal Audio Apollo

[grawk]

http://www.uaudio.com/apollo

Apollo® is the first professional, high-resolution computer audio interface that delivers the sound, feel, and flow of analog recording. This 18 x 24 FireWire/Thunderbolt™- ready interface combines genuine UA analog design with class-leading 24-bit/192 kHz sound quality and onboard Realtime UAD Processing. Using Apollo, music producers and performers can finally track audio through a range of classic UAD analog emulation plug-ins — from Neve, Studer, Manley, Lexicon and more — in real time, and with a sleek, elegant workflow on both Mac and PC.*

Key Features

• 18 x 24 FireWire/Thunderbolt™-ready audio interface for Mac and PC*
  
• Realtime UAD Processing for low-latency (sub-2ms) tracking and mixing w/ UAD Powered Plug-Ins**
  
• Premium mic preamps, top-end converters, and uncompromising analog design
  
• Front-panel controls for all commonly used features
  
• Full recall of interface and UAD plug-in settings within DAW sessions via Console Recall plug-in (VST/RTAS/AU)
  
• 8 analog inputs: 4 digitally controlled analog mic preamps; 8 balanced line inputs; 2 front-panel JFET DIs
  
• 14 analog outputs: 8 balanced line outs; 2 digitally-controlled analog monitor outs; 2 dedicated stereo headphone outs
  
• 10 channels of digital I/O: 8 channels of ADAT; 2 channels S/PDIF; Wordclock I/O
  
• Dual FireWire 800 ports (standard)
  
• Thunderbolt I/O Option Card for connectivity to new Macs and PCs (card sold separately) †
  
• Available in DUO Core and QUAD Core processor models
  
• Includes “Analog Classics”
  plug-ins: LA-2A Classic Audio Leveler, 1176LN Limiting Amplifier, and Pultec EQP-1A Program Equalizer
  

[Dreadhead]

Looks very cool and expensive.

[acidbasement]

Probably cheaper than buying all the preamps it emulates, though I'm sure it's outside my budget. Interesting.

[grawk]

Looks like it's going to be cheaper than the metric halo uln8, and in the ball park of the apogee ensemble.

[ironbut]

Looks like a really nice unit!

The quad core version is about $2500 at Sweetwater.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ApolloQuad/

It uses the same Sharc processors that the MH units use (as far as I know at least).

The big question with any of these kinds of units is the analog circuits. How they'll sound and if the "voicing" will be appropriate for listening for pleasure (as opposed to working on audio projects) will be the important thing for us.

Seems like a great product (UAD has a long history of producing great sounding stuff) and it's priced right! Maybe it will replace my aging ULN-2 (I should be able to get a demo unit to try).

[grawk]

You wouldn't need the quad version, so $2000 for the duo. Then another $500 if you want the thunderbolt module.

[ironbut]

Either way, it seems like a great deal to me!

Now all I have to do is remember to demo one when they become available!

[shellylh]

I think someone should buy this and sell me their ULN-2 cheap.

[Dreadhead]

Vintage King has the same pricing. Looks awesome. I don't think I'll be getting one anytime (windows drivers in a few months) soon but I'm looking forward to the reviews.

On a separate note: The ULN-8 is the most accurate converter on the market that I've seen according to the loopback tests on GearSlutz. It's cool that it's also so popular here. That said it's a no go for me because it's Mac. I'm thinking hard about the Mytek 8x192 or maybe this though which did second best on the tests (by like 1dB).