UAD Apollo gear use [spinoff topic]

I just heard a shootout between the hardware Distressor and plugin and couldn’t tell the difference. I think thats the closest example I’ve come across. I’m curious about The ATR 102, I guess if you’re having it strapped across your mixbus you must be pretty happy with it!

I digitize analog 1/4" and 2" tapes at work all the time. The ATR is a poor man’s substitute for that silky sound of analog tape (which the plugin doesnt completely nail btw). But yeh I like it, adds some roundness.

WRT the Distressor, Dave Derr himself endorses the UAD version. But native alternatives also exist and have also been much praised for accuracy.

I dont have the distressor yet, havent actually even demoed it yet tbh. I’m sure I will buy it once a suitable sale comes my way (but right now, Capitol Chambers comes first LOL)

I´m working with the RME Fireface802 and have connected a Ferrorfish Pulse 16 AD/DA converter - which sounds high class to my ears … gives me 28 ins + 28 Outs and I have 2 UAD Satelites Firewires. Everynthing is super stable and works like charme!

My UAD Faves:

API2500
SSL Bus compressor
LA2A
Manley Massive Passive
Studer A800
Roland Dimension D
Pultec EQ Colletion

my tip for the ultimate shaker:
build you own Shaker from noise with A4 / AR or use a sample and just insert the Roland Dimension D Chorus on the Shaker

if you wanna save DSP power and count and you do have a newer Computer with more power … check out Plugin alliance. They have bx digital EQ, Maag EQ, Elysia compressors etc. at a little smaller price tag if you got a voucher AND they will don´t hit your UAD dsp power.

1 Like

The Distressor is the first time I’ve heard a plug sound indistinguishable from the hardware. I really feel a paradigm shift has happened with plugins, they’re certainly getting closer as each year passes. I’ve spent many years working with tape as well, and am doubtful any of these plugin emulations currently achieve the same thing, but I forsee a future where this technology will eventually catch up.

2 Likes

Anyone tried the curve bender plug?

Just bought a Apollo Solo for the home use.

I want to report some tests and experiences I did in my studio.

Apollo Solo don´t like all of the 4 usb-c / thunderbold ports. I have to plug it in on the top port. And it just says “don´t enough power for thunderbold. try to unplug other devices” when I connect my UAD Satelites Firewire to the same side bottom port. Using the bottom port for the Solo didn´t work either. Well done UAD. I don´t get this message when pluging in the Satelites on the other side. Now have to figure out how to get the Satelites back to work while using the Apollo solo.

however my experience with the sound so far, going straight from the outputs to Adam 7x + Adam Sub 10 MK2. Audio in 96khz.

UAD Solo

  • more difference between mid and sides. So mono signal is mono, really in the middle between the speakers
  • so it sounds wider - you hear more of the reverbs for example
  • less high shizzle sparkle in the top end
  • proannounced lower midrange

Ferrofish Pulse 16 feeded from the RME Fireface

  • sparkling top end, cristal clear
  • good stereo field, but not so much a difference between mono and side signals
  • punchier bass
  • not that low midrange bump

RME Fireface 802

  • well a little bit of both I think
  • more clearer top like the ferrofish, but not so much
  • less wider sound

Headphone outs with Beyerdynamic 880 Pro

  • the RME Fireface 802 headphone out has more beef (gets louder) and is clearer in the top end than on the Solo

Conclussion?
For working on the couch, sure the Apollo Solo is the clear winner. But for sound specs? I´m not so sure. Maybe just give it back and getting the new Babyface Pro FS?

But then … The clear sound of the Ferrofish in combination with the A7x known for its top end gives me often hazzle when mixing, especially during long mixing sessions. I often work with lowpass filters on hihats etc because often I hear to much shizzle going on in the top end. But when I compare mixdowns with other people’s work, I feel lacking then on that top end. As the Apollo Solo sounds a bit dull (which also some people report on gearslutz about the Apollo interfaces), it will maybe lead me to better mixing? Tests will tell :smiley:

So anyone else has some experiences with Apollo interfaces vs other interfaces??

2 Likes

So I think the Apollo Solo doesn´t make so much sence other for just small home studio or for beeing on the road. Simply because it´s not expandable. It doesn´t have adat.

So I think I will send it back and go with the Apollo X2 or x4. But I see that are only the “new heritage editions” are available. But as I allready have those “heritage plugins”, I would just need the interface and not this even more expensive plugin collection. Looks like only the “Heritage Editions” are available at the moment. I don´t get that. To me it looks like money making with new and old UAD users.

So maybe going with the RME Babyface Pro FS instead ? So I could integrate it in my current studio setup and use it for home work as well.

it is expandable…just with other apollo interfaces.
(and also non-apollos, see update*)

i have the solo as well, (more than 1 yr & 1/2) and i’m in a situation also where i need additional i/o’s.

(for me at least), i think its a keeper just because of the top-notch a/d & d/a conversion.
you can also expand it with a duo to save money and the solo core gets added to the processing power which is not that bad i suppose.

i’m currently looking into alternatives to expand with i/o’s while keeping the solo and without buying another apollo interface.

also i don’t care for the included plug-ins so its a difficult decision for me to add an additional apollo interface.

[update]:

after a quick search it seems you can expand the solo with other non apollos.

image

link-

and worth noting.
if you do keep the solo it doubles as a nice monitor controller in reach.

also see vid @ 2min.

1 Like

You are talking about the Duo I guess. The solo thunderbold is new and doesn‘t have adat. It was formerly know as Apollo Arrow.

I know you can expand the Duo and x series. But you can run only 1 desktop interface. So no solo + duo or x4. But solo and x6 etc should work.

1 Like

i wasn’t aware of the arrow being referred to as solo.
(it’s because it was only called that on windows and mac has always been arrow)

maybe try being more specific next time to avoid confusion and help bring more replies because in the mac apollo line-up, yes indeed there is a solo with adat, and duo/ etc.

and no i wasn’t talking about the duo, i’m specifically talking about solo* for mac.

i have the apollo twin mk2 solo.
(solo referring to single core w/ macs)

and yes, mine has the adat connection.

1 Like

Hey sorry for confusion.

I was talking about this one:
Apollo Solo | Desktop Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface | Universal Audio (uaudio.de)

I didn´t know there was an Apollo Duo MK2 with solo core.

According to some discussions at the UAD forum, they are selling Apollos now as Heritage Editions only (which cost 20% - 30% more than non Heritage). This is due the fire at the AKM chip factory. So they may can not manufacture more or new interfaces in the coming year. So the just make the current Apollo line more expensive

And I found out that all UAD firewire devices will not be longer supported new MacOS like Big Sur. This includes both Apollos and Satelites.

Wow, @insect, that fire and its aftermath for the high-end audio equipment sector are huge, according to https://www.audioholics.com/news/fire-destroys-akm-audio-chip-factory (and the comments below it)

thank your sharing that link! First time reading it how bad the impact of the fire is.

What a great thread. Great read.

@insect i have the Arrow - although it’s the model previous to yours and only bus-powered. I know the Solo has a power switch and PSU, are you using it as such (it can be bus-powered also) ? Are you on a 13" or 15"/16"? I didn’t have any such issues with the ports - only it’s fussy if I put my Mac to sleep - generally I unplug it because the Arrow seems to become powered / unpowered by itself while the laptop is sleeping - I guess thats why they added they PSU and switch?

I’m realising too that the Arrow may be too minimal for my needs now. It started off well but now that I have some pedals and the OT in the mix, it’s simply not enough outputs to wrangle DAW output to the OT, monitoring, and external record.

If there’s one thing I think is a design flaw on the Apollo stuff is the way they make you hot jack Hi-Z inputs in order to use the inputs on the back. Should just be a button like everything else. I just wanna leave my guitar plugged in the front and OT on the back without having to rip the guitar out every time I wanna switch to the Line-In’s.

I’m really GASing for the X4 now. To be honest I’m not huge on the plugins - I think the ones they ship you with the unit don’t actually sell the whole system that well. But this thread made me fire off a few more demos and its pretty sweet running through one of the Diezel amps with the Gravity. Quite a few sales on at the mo, too.

But the Arrow has weak DSP, so there’s that too. I was actually looking at the old Apogee Quartet - which pretty much covers me off for my IO needs - and the X4 has pretty much the same setup. But the Quartet is still mad expensive for its age, and who knows how much longer it’ll be properly supported - the X4 really isn’t that much higher price-wise. Apogee have the new Desktop Symphony also but it’s really designed to be used with ADAT device which I don’t have. So it’s looking like the X4 is the closest thing on the market for me.

I sort of miss the old MOTU days - the Ultralites were capable as hell. Today, I dunno, all my local stores are pretty much back-ordered on them, and i’ve read mixed reports on the QC lately.

I’d love to flip the Arrow and grab an X4 - the Arrow isn’t even really a gateway drug to the Plugs, more of a tasting session.

Gah

1 Like

I agree with you that they don’t do a good job at making you want to get into the plug-ins. That is until you try out the amps.
The be100 did me in and I’ve bought a bunch since. Best sims ive used, and I have a helix rack! It sucks they aren’t midi controlled though.

Can I quote you if someone asks again why I use my Apollo only as an Adat expansion for me RME802 these days?

1 Like

Just got an 8x about a week ago and I am digging it. I was initially disappointed about lack of midi control until I stumbled across this app:

I used this along with the Electra One to control volume, mutes, sends, and more. It’s working out flawlessly so far.

2 Likes

@phelios ha not sure why you wanna quote me. It was just my experience. Others have their own :wink:

So finally I got the X4. I guess it`s one of last remaining non heritage in Germany.

One big design “failure” … I could not put in my Thunderbold 3 cable I bought for the Solo. The adapter is simply to big like 1mm or so. Or the hole for the adapter is to small on the X4. Looks like the officially Apple cable would fit as the adapter / connector is a bit smaller.

Don´t buy this cable Maxonar TB3

So I had to scratch the surface from the cable untill it fit. Looks like DIY now :stuck_out_tongue: But it works. The setup with the RME via adat was easy. Now sending audio via RME adat out to the Apollo. So I can use digicheck analyser with the Apollo and apollo is the clock master :+1:

From the listening and working experience so far, the X4 sounds a little different than the RME. I would describe it as more mid range. Maybe the deep bass is not soo strong like on the RME. Hard to describe. What I noticed is the reverb. I just openend a logic project I´m working on and the first thing I did was turning down the reverb on the hihats.

On the RME: When I listen to single drums with the reverb I hear that is loud. But as soon as I switch from solo track to master track, the reverb gets a little hidded in the mix.
On the Apollo: The reverb on the drums is not hidden.

Another point for the Apollo is, the volume out is allways full scale digital and the volume is controlled analog. Normally you have monitor controller for that. But a good one is allready half price of the X4.

Does UA still refuse to include a TB cable with their TB interfaces? How is that acceptable?

2 Likes