Apollo 16
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Flagship UA Audio Conversion with Classic Analog Sound.
Apollo 16 is the flagship of Universal Audio’s acclaimed Apollo recording interface range for Mac and Windows — giving professional and commercial studios UA’s finest A/D and D/A conversion with the tone, feel, and realtime workflow of classic analog recording.
Built upon UA’s 60-year heritage of audio craftsmanship, Apollo 16 distinguishes itself with 16 x 16 analog I/O, onboard UAD-2 QUAD Core processing, and an included bundle of award-winning UAD plug-ins — which you can track through with near-zero latency, shaping sounds like a classic analog studio — without taxing your host Mac or PC.Record with world-class Apollo A/D and D/A conversion — as heard on hundreds of hit records
Track through UAD plug-ins like the included Teletronix® LA-2A, 1176, and Fairchild® compressors, Pultec® EQs, and 610-B Preamp
Pair with mixing consoles and other outboard gear via 16 x 16 analog I/O on DB-25 connections
Cascade up to 4 Apollo interfaces and 6 UAD-2 devices over Thunderbolt, adding DSP and I/O as needed
Next-Generation A/D and D/A Conversion
The original Apollo interface quickly became a gold standard among modern music producers and engineers, tracking literally hundreds of hit records. Apollo 16 improves upon this studio standard with completely redesigned, class-leading A/D and D/A conversion — offering 2 dB better A/D and 8 dB better D/A dynamic range versus the original Apollo. Tuned through an obsessive auditioning of converters and double-blind listening tests, Apollo 16’s sound quality is extremely open and natural, rivaling or exceeding dedicated mastering-grade converters costing thousands more.
A Full Suite of Classic
Analog Processing OnboardRight out of the box, Apollo 16 provides a suite of incredible analog emulation plug-ins including the world’s only authentic Teletronix LA-2A, 1176LN, and Fairchild compressors, the legendary Pultec EQs, and the UA 610-B Tube Preamp. Developed by UA’s world-renowned team of algorithm engineers, these Realtime Analog Classics plug-ins set the standard by which all other hardware emulation plug-ins are judged.
From the tube warmth of the Pultec EQ on guitars, to the gentle limiting of the LA-2A on vocals, or the pump of a genuine Fairchild 670 compressor on drums, your recordings will take a giant leap forward in rich, sonically complex analog sound.
See Included Plug-Ins | Watch the live tracking videoAccess the World of UAD Powered Plug-Ins
Beyond the included Realtime Analog Classics plug-ins, you can tap into the full library award-winning UAD Powered Plug-Ins — including vintage EQs, Compressors, Reverbs, Tape Machines and more — at near-zero latency, regardless of your audio software’s buffer size and without taxing your computer’s CPU.
With exclusive emulations from Neve,® Studer,® Manley,® API®, Ampex,® Lexicon,® Fender,® and more,* it’s like having an endless analog studio, in a single rack space. And unlike competing interfaces, these DSP-powered plug-ins are also available in your DAW for mixing.A Scalable 64 x 64 Thunderbolt System for Professional Studios
Apollo 16 is the ideal interface for professional studios, offering 16 x 16 analog I/O on DB-25 connections — twice the analog connectivity of the Apollo 8/8p models — plus L/R monitor outputs and AES/EBU digital I/O. This makes it perfect for pairing with mixing consoles or other outboard processors at the center of a modern studio.
When it’s time to expand, Apollo 16’s dual built-in Thunderbolt ports allow you to add up to three additional Apollos and six total UAD-2 devices — for a networked system with 64 x 64 simultaneous analog I/O and 32 cores of UAD plug-in processing. Apollo 16 also provides seamless integration with previous generation Apollos over Thunderbolt.
The Apollo Story
Watch UA’s Lev Perrey explain the innovative thinking behind the next-generations Apollos.
A Sleek, Low-latency App
With Apollo 16’s Console 2.0 application — a complete re-imagining of Apollo’s original Console software — you can take advantage of over 25 new user-requested features such as Channel Strip presets, Drag & Drop functionality, dynamically resizable windows, and more.
Apollo: The Choice of New-School Professionals
Apollo is the confirmed choice of hit-making professionals, used to record landmark albums by Kendrick Lamar (DAMN.), Chris Stapleton (From A Room: Volume 1), Arcade Fire (Everything Now), Post Malone (Beerbongs & Bentleys), and many more. The Apollo range of interfaces has earned numerous industry awards from Sound on Sound, Future Music, and Electronic Musician — as well as the prestigious TEC Award for computer audio hardware five years running.
“The Apollo 16 is the most stable, sonically accurate addition to my studio by far. Its incredible metering, monitor control, and the Realtime UAD Processing make it a game-changing interface.”
– Darrell Thorp (Beck, Radiohead, Charlotte Gainsbourg)
“Apollo's A/D and D/A conversion sounds incredibly detailed, with great clarity and a tight, punchy low end. And with the Console 2.0 app, I have all of the routing and monitoring options I need.”
– Dave Pensado (Justin Timberlake, Beyoncé, Maroon 5)
“I'm really impressed with the Apollo X8. I hear more detail in the several sets of monitors I use, and I'm getting that little bit extra out of the Unison mic pre emulations – and they were already extremely close.”
– Jacquire King (James Bay, Kings of Leon, Tom Waits)
“The Apollo is the best I/O we've ever used, and we've tried them all. It has an incredibly clean, transparent, and accurate sound.”
– The Glitch Mob
“Having the Apollo with UAD plug-ins at my disposal is like carrying a giant studio with outboard racks at all times. Minus the tech fees, down time, and electricity bill!”
– Andrew Dawson (Jay-Z, Fun.)
“Apollo is a platform that grows more powerful with every innovation – the UAD plug-in processing onboard has changed the way I work forever.”
– Tony Platt (AC/DC, Bob Marley, Buddy Guy)
“The Apollo's ability to do low latency – I mean that's the whole ballgame right there.”
– Joey Waronker (Atoms for Peace, Beck, Other Lives)
“The Apollo has some of the better preamps I've ever heard – lots of headroom, quiet at high-gains, and the converters are really sweet sounding.”
– Mick Guzauski (Daft Punk, Mariah Carey, Eric Clapton)
“UAD plug-ins are amazing...
I’ve used them on all my projects
for the last few years.”
– Dan Auerbach The Black Keys
“My Apollos are my sound.
Where I go, they go.”
– Trevor Lawrence Jr. (Dr. Dre, Herbie Hancock, Eminem)
“I knew about the ingredients of Apollo, but this is truly a special dish. The Apollo just set a new standard of excellence for audio interfaces, in terms of both its sound and its feature set.”
– Fab Dupont (Shakira, Santigold, Jennifer Lopez)
“Using my Apollos and Console 2.0, I'm able to front a live mix, create a monitor mix, and record, all at the same time. That’s pretty awesome.”
– Chris Dugan (Green Day, Iggy Pop, U2)
“The Apollo is a powerhouse and a game changer for my studio.”
– Grieves
“The Apollo 16 is the most versatile and reliable interface we’ve ever worked with, both in the studio and on stage.”
– ODESZA
Creating a Multi-Unit Apollo Setup
Watch producer/engineer Fab Dupont (Jennifer Lopez, Mark Ronson) install a powerful studio system by combining multiple Apollo interfaces over Thunderbolt.
Apollo Artist Sessions
Watch producer/engineer Fab Dupont (Jennifer Lopez, David Crosby) record Latin superstars Monsieur Periné live in Colombia with Apollo X audio interfaces.
View All Apollo Artist Sessions*Apollo 16 includes the “Realtime Analog Classics Plus” UAD plug-in bundle. Other UAD plug-ins sold separately.Watch The Reviews
Customer Reviews
A. Schwab
June 23, 2024
Upgrade In & Outputs
Get more In and Outputs to expand my Apollo 8 with the same quality. Also double up the DSP Power
Read Morea. weidner
February 7, 2024
My third one!
Use 3 apollo 16’s mkii’s and a twin with my Neve 8424. Works flawlessly! Sound is top notch. Couldn’t be happier.
Read MoreS. Bell
December 29, 2023
Excellent piece o’ gear
Love it. Expands my Apollo in/outs and sounds great.
Read Morej. Hudes
October 11, 2023
A powerful and reliable unit
This soundcard works well with the Apollo 8 and the Apollo Twin. It sits between them and expands the number of analogue inputs in...
Read MoreH. Schabbach
August 24, 2022
Simply the best.
I have worked with Thunderbolt Audio Interfaces from other brands, the Apollo 16 is my favorite. By far.
Read More -
Realtime Analog Classics Plus Bundle
With the Realtime Analog Classics Plus plug-in bundle, you not only get legendary compressors such as the Fairchild® 670 and EQs like the Pultec® EQP-1A, but also stunning guitar and bass amp emulations from Softube, and UA’s landmark 610-B Tube Preamp and EQ plug-in.
- UA 610‐B
- Marshall Plexi Classic Amplifier
- Fairchild 670 Legacy
- Teletronix LA‐2A Legacy
- UA 1176LN Legacy
- UA 1176SE Legacy
- Pultec EQP‐1A Legacy
- Pultec Pro Legacy
- Ampeg® SVT-VR Classic Bass Amp
- Precision Channel Strip
- Precision Reflection Engine
- Precision Delay Modulation
- Precision Delay Modulation L
- UA Precision Enhancer Hz
- Raw Distortion
- RealVerb‐Pro
UA 610-B Tube Preamp and EQ
Impart your tracks with the iconic warmth and character of the classic hardware used to track everyone from Duke Ellington to Coldplay. By emulating the entire signal path, including tube amplifiers, transformers, and circuit nonlinearities, the 610-B Tube Preamp and EQ plug-in injects organic detail and saturation to any signal — whether you’re re-amping or tracking through the 610-B via Universal Audio’s Unison™ technology.
Marshall® Plexi Classic Amplifier
The undisputed alpha dog of rock and roll guitar amps, the Marshall “plexi” amplifier is as legendary as the music it helped create. From Jimi Hendrix to Jimmy Page, Duane Allman to Eric Clapton, the Plexi’s punishing melange of snarl, sustain, smoothness, and raunch defined the sound of rock. Developed by Softube, the Marshall Plexi Classic Amp plug-in gives you the sound of this iconic amp with a perfectly placed microphone from engineer Tony Platt who recorded AC/DC’s Back in Black and Highway to Hell.
Fairchild® 670 (Legacy)
The world’s most coveted compressor, the classic Fairchild 670 tube limiter will give your tracks and mixes unmistakable tube warmth and character. Whether you’re looking for subtle compression on a lead vocal, or grittier textures that can work on guitars, bass, or a drum bus, the Fairchild 670 plug-in adds a classic “glow” to anything you run through it.
Teletronix® LA-2A Classic Leveling Amplifier (Legacy)
With its gentle, program dependent optical compression and meticulously designed tube amplifier, the LA-2A is the go-to compressor for professional mixers around the world — especially for vocals. Incredibly easy-to-use Peak Reduction and Gain controls gives you the ideal optical compression sound for guitar, bass, drums, and more.
1176SE/LN® Classic Limiting Amplifiers (Legacy)
Get classic, ultra-fast FET compression from the world’s most recognized compressor. The 1176 will impart punch, presence, and character as well as its signature distortion overtones on drums, vocals, guitars, and bass. The 1176LN has graced countless recordings, from Led Zeppelin, to the White Stripes and Michael Jackson.
Pultec® Pro Equalizers (Legacy)
Mix with two of the most sought-after hardware EQs ever made — the MEQ-5 Midrange Equalizer and the EQP-1A Program Equalizer. Both of these tube-based icons deliver smooth and silky EQ curves with an abundance of warm analog character.
Ampeg® SVT-VR Classic Bass Amp
Introduced in 1969, the Ampeg SVT bass amp is still the reigning king of high-powered tube bass tone. Developed by Brainworx, the Ampeg SVT-VR Classic Bass Amp plug-in perfectly captures the raw power and punch that has made this the go-to amp for rock, funk, and soul players. Track in real time using Unison™ preamp technology for the tone, touch, and feel of a real SVT bass amp, or transform bland DI tracks with the thunderous roar of a stone cold classic.
Precision Mix Rack Collection
Featuring the Precision Channel Strip, Precision Reflection Engine, and Precision Delay Modulation plug-ins, the Precision Mix Rack Collection offers four modern, high-fidelity plug-ins for recording and mixing. Powerful and intuitive, Precision Mix Rack Collection gives you an impressive tool set — perfect for beginners and seasoned professionals alike.
UA Precision Enhancer Hz
Expertly dial-in your music’s low-end frequencies with the Precision Enhancer Hz plug-in. Able to yield exacting results with minimal adjustment, the Precision Enhancer Hz can add weight to kick drum samples, fatten up a synth bass, or simply make the low-end of your tracks more audible on smaller speakers.
Raw Distortion
Modeled from a vintage early-’80s Pro Co Rat, Raw Distortion delivers all the gritty dynamic raunch of the legendary stompbox. And with Unison™ technology, you can plug in to Apollo Twin, 8, or 8p’s front-panel Hi-Z instrument jack and experience the same circuit interaction, gain range, and clip points for the true tone, feel, and response of the original hardware.
RealVerb Pro
RealVerb Pro is a flexible, natural sounding reverb based on UA’s own unique set of algorithms. Allowing you to design the room just as you hear it, the RealVerb Pro goes beyond simply big/small or dark/bright, giving your sources distortion-free, smoothing diffusion control and ultra-long reverb tail.
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Features
18 x 20 Thunderbolt audio interface for Mac and Windows with powerful Console 2.0 software control
16 x 16 simultaneous analog I/O on DB-25 connections, plus L/R monitor outputs and AES/EBU digital I/O
Next-generation 24-bit/192 kHz Apollo A/D and D/A conversion as heard on hundreds of hit records
Built-in UAD-2 QUAD Core allows Realtime UAD Processing — tracking through DSP-assisted UAD plug-ins with near-zero latency, without draining CPU
Includes “Realtime Analog Classics Plus” UAD plug-in bundle featuring authentic LA-2A, 1176, and Fairchild® compressors, Pultec® EQs, UA 610 tube preamp, and more†
Cascade up to 4 Apollo interfaces and 6 UAD devices total over Thunderbolt
World-class UA analog design, superior components, and premium build quality
Free, industry-leading technical support — on the phone and online — from knowledgeable audio engineers
†Apollo 16 includes the “Realtime Analog Classics Plus” UAD plug-in bundle. Other UAD plug-ins sold separately.
Thunderbolt System Requirements
MAC:
- Apple Mac computer with available Thunderbolt port
- macOS 10.12 Sierra, 10.13 High Sierra, 10.14 Mojave, 10.15 Catalina, or 11 Big Sur
WINDOWS:
- PC computer with built-in Thunderbolt 3 port
- Windows 10 (64-Bit Edition)
- Qualified Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 2 adapter (sold separately)
ALL:
- Thunderbolt 2 cable (sold separately)
- 6 gigabytes available storage
- Internet connection to download software and authorize UAD plug-ins
- Compatible VST, Audio Units, RTAS, or AAX 64 plug-in host DAW software
- Quad Core i7 or better processor recommended
- For additional compatibility information, visit help.uaudio.com
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Customer Reviews
Apollo 16
A. Schwab
Upgrade In & Outputs
Get more In and Outputs to expand my Apollo 8 with the same quality. Also double up the DSP Power
a. weidner
My third one!
Use 3 apollo 16’s mkii’s and a twin with my Neve 8424. Works flawlessly! Sound is top notch. Couldn’t be happier.
S. Bell
Excellent piece o’ gear
Love it. Expands my Apollo in/outs and sounds great.
j. Hudes
A powerful and reliable unit
This soundcard works well with the Apollo 8 and the Apollo Twin. It sits between them and expands the number of analogue inputs in my studio up to 26. It's ten years old and has been on every day for those 10 years and it still works fine. It only gets 4 stars because the console software is still basic and pretty limited after ten years! It still doesn't have proper midi control or a routing matrix or many other features that similar software from other brands has already had for 15 years.
F. Mico
Parfait
Couplé à une Apollo8, le duo est parfait .
MerciH. Schabbach
Simply the best.
I have worked with Thunderbolt Audio Interfaces from other brands, the Apollo 16 is my favorite. By far.
S. Mueller
Stabilty
Bought this to expand my studio with line inputs and connect to a mixing console. Setup was easy and the workflow is excellent as expected. Using it with an Arrow for the headphone amp and two Unison pres. Everything works and sounds amazing, this is professional gear.
S. Kuziw
Such a nice interface!
I bought the Apollo 16, dropped in a Thunderbolt 3 card and paired it with my Apollo Twin X for additional channels. Sounds great and works very well. Recommended.
A. Perkins
A Universal solution.
Fantastic resolution and low noise, easy set up and I am falling in love with LUNA. The plugins are not cheap but they are very fine tools and not a collection of gadgets. I appreciate LUNAs' integration and its focus on essentials. Everything I'd been looking for but couldn't find in one product.
R. Nicoli
Amazing!
great buy! absolutely versatile and compatible with my twin device, all with uad quality!
D. HECTOR
high quality analog and digital
the quality of the converters is fantastic and the console and the unison plugin another marvel !!!!
B. Spence
Apollo 16
Great gear, really helped pull my studio together. Work flow was greatly enhanced; no switching cables!
R. Evans
new to apollo
all good so far...
M. Gangarossa
Beatiful
Fantastic card. Top converters and super stable system. The council
to anyone who has doubts. Thanks UAD.
M. Gangarossa
Beautiful .
Fantastic Audio-Interface . Top converters and super stable system. The council
to anyone who has doubts. Thanks UADR. Darabosh
Apollo 16 mk2
The overall sound of this unit is amazing! I’ve have had a number of other brands over the years and it is like someone took a blanket off the mix with the Apollo , and this is before even touching the plug ins.
Plugins: if you’ve bought a uad plugin package, definitely take time to demo the available options (14 day demo of all plugins included.) BEFORE you pick. The included plugins by themselves are great, too! I feel the uad plugins are much better than others out there.
Console software: this is the interface with the hardware. It needs some help. No midi control, so you are stuck mousing around. The lay out is not very flexible and the patch bay is beyond confusing.. I have a softube console 1, which helps but the intergeration still leaves a lot to desired.
Overall I’m glade I purchased this unit as it sounds amazing, and I’m sure my frustrations with the software limitations will pass in time as i find work arounds for it..N. Campillo
Excellent response and tasteful plugins
The Apollo 16 does what’s supposed to do. The plugins included are top level.
P. Jackson
Perfect!
Purchased this to use with Neve 8816. It’s amazing. Thanks UA
P. Stevens
Great sound, intuitive to use, easy to install
The converters sound terrific, the routing is amazingly flexible and the build quality inspires confidence. The integration with my existing projects and studio was easy - up and running in just a few hours. Great product!
k. kroon
Lot to learn
My apollo 16 is running great,I get back to U when Ive learnd more.Thank U sofar.
