There Are Those Who Love Apollo, and Those Who Haven't Tried It Yet
With the Universal Audio Apollo Twin on your desktop, you've got much more than a world-class audio interface. Built-in UAD processing lets you take advantage of the rich, warm, analog sound of UAD Powered Plug-ins during mixdown — and even in real time during tracking. And speaking of tracking, the Apollo Twin's astounding Unison mic preamp technology lets you re-create the sound of classic mic preamps in a way that software processing simply can't match. Many Sweetwater employees can't go back to traditional plug-ins after trying UAD — you may feel the same way once you hear your first project created with the Universal Audio Apollo Twin.
Related Videos: Apollo Twin SOLO 2x6 Thunderbolt Audio Interface with UAD DSP
Stellar analog front end and pristine digital conversion to back it up
Just like the original Apollo and Apollo 16, the Apollo Twin is designed first and foremost for impeccable, class-leading sound. The mic/line inputs employ top-of-the-line components for rich and vibrant sound with ultra-low noise: Burr-Brown PGA2500 preamps and JFET DIs for the instrument inputs. Compared to any audio interface, the Apollo Twin is outstanding, with an incredibly wide dynamic range (118dB) and amazingly low distortion and noise (-112dB).
Capture the sound of legendary preamps with Unison Technology
The Apollo Twin's Unison preamp technology goes so far beyond traditional software modeling and emulations that it's really in a category all its own. In essence, Unison is a bidirectional communication between the Apollo Twin's mic preamp and a Unison-capable plug-in, such as the included 610-B plug-in that re-creates the sound of UA's classic LA-610 preamp.
The plug-in actually adjusts the preamp circuit itself, including parameters such as impedance, analog gain structure, and much more. When you adjust the Apollo Twin's preamp gain knob and physical controls, the plug-in adjusts the preamp's behavior to match the target preamp. So you're not simply filtering your audio to approximate the character of a famous preamp — your microphone is now interacting with the Apollo Twin's input the same way it would behave with the "modeled" preamplifier.
UAD plug-ins astounded the recording world with their incredible ability to sound like analog processors, eliminating the need for large racks of gear in the studio. Unison preamp technology will do the same thing for your mic inputs, eliminating the need to collect and maintain expensive hardware preamps just for sonic variety.
Thunderbolt provides ultra-low latency and unrivaled bandwidth
The next generation of connectivity, Thunderbolt gives you the speed and ultra-fast performance of a PCI Express system — but with the convenience of a single cable! Apollo Twin's Thunderbolt connection lets you run projects with high track counts at incredibly low latency. In fact, you can even record through UAD plug-ins in real time with less than 2ms latency!
Sensational plug-in bundle included
UAD Powered Plug-ins have earned their reputation for being some of the most accurate emulations of analog audio equipment ever created. The astonishing processing power of the UAD platform is what makes these plug-ins sound so great — you simply can't get the depth, color, and character these plug-ins have without devoting huge CPU resources to them. Best of all, Apollo Twin lets you record your audio through UAD plug-ins in real time with sub-2ms latency.
Once you mix with UAD plug-ins, you won't want to go back to using native plug-ins. With the Apollo Twin, you'll get the Realtime Analog Classics bundle, which includes:
- 1176LN and 1176SE Legacy plug-ins
- Teletronix LA-2A Legacy plug-in
- Pultec and Pultec Pro Legacy EQ plug-ins
- Softube Amp Room Essentials plug-in
- Realverb Pro reverb plug-in
- 610-B Tube Mic preamplifier modeling plug-in with Unison
- CS-1 Channel Strip plug-in
UAD-2 processing power built in!
There are times when your computer just doesn't have the power and speed to run all the plug-ins your recording session needs. With UAD Powered Plug-ins, the processing load is taken outside of the computer and borne by UAD's super-powerful Analog Devices SHARC processors. Universal Audio's Apollo Twin interface has these SHARC processors built in and is available in SOLO (one SHARC) or DUO (two SHARCs) configurations.
Digitally controlled analog monitoring path
Engineers prefer 24-bit audio because of its exceptional dynamic range, which is crucial for capturing the best audio possible. But did you know that you may not even be hearing your audio at its full 24-bit potential? Many audio interfaces have a volume control that reduces the bit depth as you lower the volume. So unless you're listening at max volume level, you're not really hearing your mix as you should be. The Apollo Twin sports digitally controlled analog monitor outputs, where your audio passes through at its full resolution and is attenuated in the analog realm. Even at low volume levels, Apollo Twin lets you accurately determine if your mix has the punch, impact, and detail that it needs.
Smart I/O selection for a desktop interface
For smaller studios and mobile producers, the Apollo Twin zeros in on what you need for productive sessions. You've got a pair of Unison mic/line inputs with Burr-Brown PGA2500 preamps, which sound detailed and transparent. If you need more inputs, an optical input lets you add up to eight more inputs via ADAT. Four analog outputs and a high-quality headphone output give you enough outputs for most small tracking sessions.It's just the right setup for producers on the go, for engineers who need to mix with powerful UAD plug-ins outside of their studio, and even for DJs who want the best possible live sound they can get. If you're not sure how you would integrate the Apollo Twin into your existing setup, just give us a call!
Bridging the gap between your UAD-equipped studio and everywhere else
If you mix with UAD plug-ins in your studio, but also like to record and mix outside your studio, the Apollo Twin is the missing link you've been waiting for. With just your laptop and the Apollo Twin, you can easily take powerful UAD processing anywhere you go.
And the live sound possibilities are awesome: use the Apollo Twin as a real-time processor for your bass or guitar, and take your studio sound onstage. If you're an electronic music producer that also DJs, using the Apollo Twin as your live performance interface will give you huge, detailed sound that will make other DJs jealous. So while the Apollo Twin is a great entry point for the new UAD users, it's also the perfect way to take your existing UAD-powered projects on the road.
Next-generation studio workflow
With best-in-class audio quality, real-time UAD plug-in processing, and truly amazing Unison mic preamp technology, the Universal Audio Apollo Twin will change the way you look at recording on your Mac or PC. Based on the exact same award-winning technology found in UA's Apollo rackmount interfaces, the Apollo Twin gives you incredible recording and mixing capabilities in a format that's perfect for smaller studios, mobile mixing, and live performance. Whether you want a serious upgrade in audio interface quality or have been eager to jump into the world of UAD Powered Plug-ins, the Apollo Twin is an outstanding solution.
Universal Audio Apollo Twin SOLO Thunderbolt Audio Interface Features:
- Thunderbolt audio interface for Mac with two analog inputs, four analog outputs, and eight channels of ADAT input
- Sounds amazing, with the same class-leading analog front end and AD/DA as the rackmount Apollo interface
- Use outstanding UAD Powered Plug-ins for tracking and mixdown
- Preamps sound pristine, and Unison technology gives you spot-on emulations of classic preamps
- Includes Realtime Analog Classics plug-in bundle with accurate emulations of vintage analog hardware
- Thunderbolt gives you ultra-low latency and huge bandwidth for higher sample rates and track counts
- Compact design makes it perfect for mobile recording, mixing outside of your studio, and even performing live
