Helpful ReplyInteresting New Universal Audio Product.

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DW_Mike
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2014/04/23 13:33:14 (permalink)

Interesting New Universal Audio Product.

I'd like to see if these new little goodies give a good bang for the buck.
http://www.zzounds.com/lp/ua-apollo-twin/146
If anyone gets one or has the opportunity to test drive one please post on it's performance.
 
Mike

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batsbrew
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Re: Interesting New Universal Audio Product. 2014/04/23 13:58:30 (permalink)
i don't use apple computers...
never have, probably never will
 
sounds like a nice unit tho

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Jim Roseberry
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Re: Interesting New Universal Audio Product. 2014/04/23 18:53:58 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby chefmike8888 2014/04/27 15:29:44
Yep, it's Mac only (at least for the time being)

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DW_Mike
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Re: Interesting New Universal Audio Product. 2014/04/24 19:27:31 (permalink)
I didn't know it was Mac only. I know that some motherboards come with thunderbolt and you can also buy PCIe cards.
Not sure if that will work but I do like UA and nice to see them in the interface game.
 
Mike 

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wst3
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Re: Interesting New Universal Audio Product. 2014/04/24 20:39:37 (permalink) ☄ Helpfulby chefmike8888 2014/04/27 15:29:22
I think it is a brilliant product idea. I have not tried the Twin, but I did get a chance to spend some quality time with an Apollo, and the converters and preamps are pretty darned good. About the only other preamp/converter in this price range that is competitive is Prism Audio's Orpheus. So I'd expect that the converters and preamps in the twin ought to be just as good.

Now I have some nice preamplifiers already, but I don't yet own converters that can match these, so I will be watching. If history is any indication, Windows drivers ought to be available before too long. How long is too long? Beats me!

I do have a couple concerns that I'll mention just in case anyone else has the same issues:
1) as of today you can not stack different Apollo boxes, e.g. you can't combine a Twin with the Apollo 16 - you can't even combine the Apollo with the Apollo 16. (Well, last time I checked anyway.) That's a problem for me, since there are times when I need 16 - or more - inputs active at one time. There are work-arounds, but I don't like work-arounds.
2) I'm still not sure how useful it will be to have the plug-ins hosted in the interface. It's a really cool idea, and a bit of showmanship to boot. And I had fun with it, but I walked away wondering just how much I'd use it if I had that capability. I still don't know.
3) I am a big fan of UA plug-ins. I turn to them probably more often than anything else in my toolbox. They don't do everything, but what they do is pretty awesome! So what I really need is GOBS of horsepower, meaning an Octo card probably, and that might be a better use of my funds.
 
Anyway, as I said, I am watching... the Twin/duo would double my current horsepower and add great sounding inputs and outputs for under $1K. That's pretty tempting.

-- Bill
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ProjectM
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Re: Interesting New Universal Audio Product. 2014/05/13 05:46:49 (permalink)
I had the pleasure of testing this device on a MacBook Air 11" - cheapest one - using Logic and Garage Band and I have to say, the performance was really good! The DSP seemed to do a splendid job and the audio quality was really, really nice. So this is a good device, worth every penny IMHO. Too bad it is Mac only but hopefully that will change. If I was looking for a new interface, this would be the only one I'd want.
 
Oh, BTW -  I have no idea which version I was testing, Twin or Solo, I suppose the performance is great none the less.

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Dave Modisette
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Re: Interesting New Universal Audio Product. 2014/05/15 10:18:20 (permalink)
I noticed the box had two analog outputs.  I'm wondering if the unit can be used like a hardware pre and maybe driven by a separate iPad or something along that line and then patched into a AD converter in a PC.  It would be like a amp simulator for guitar, only it would be a mic pre simulator.
 
In a project studio setting it might be cost effective if you wanted to have a pair of Neves, APIs or SSL channel strips but didn't have the room or the budget to have two of any given flavor of channel strip.

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Littlefish
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Re: Interesting New Universal Audio Product. 2014/05/17 00:31:51 (permalink)
These have been our most popular converter sold over the past few weeks, with the SPL Crimson in second place. Good conversion, great DSP. It does indeed do "mic preamp" simulation. UA has programmed several different mic pre sounds which can be driven for more coloration

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