What Makes Apollo Audio Interfaces Different

With so many audio interfaces available, you may wonder what makes Apollo interfaces special? After all, isn't your interface simply a way to get audio signals into your computer? Not exactly. Here are a few things that distinguish Apollo interfaces from every other interface on the market.

IMPECCABLE SOUND QUALITY

At the end of the day, job one for any audio interface is fidelity. And simply put, Apollo Interfaces sound better. From the flagship Apollo x16 — which sports the widest dynamic range (133 dB) and lowest THD+N (-129 dB), of any integrated audio interface on the market — to Apollo Solo, which features the best A/D and D/A conversion of any bus‑powered audio interface.

What this means for you is that you'll hear every detail in your music — essential for professional recording or mixing.

With clear, dynamic sound reproduction, Apollo interfaces give you the perfect sonic canvas to paint with.

LUNA RECORDING SYSTEM

Free with any Thunderbolt-enabled Apollo, LUNA Recording System transforms your Apollo interface into the most inspiring and fully integrated Mac-based recording system available.

A major revelation for anyone who has not recorded music on a DSP-assisted or 100% analog recording system, LUNA will make your music productions instantly feel more robust, dependable, and intuitive, without latency and monitoring hassles thanks to Accelerated Realtime Monitoring™ — effectively eliminating audio latency during music recording processes.

In addition to its seamless hardware-software integration with Apollo, LUNA Recording System allows capturing audio through DSP-powered UAD plug-ins as well as offering LUNA Extensions like classic console sound with optional Neve Summing, on-demand warmth and punch with integrated Multitrack Tape, and all-new LUNA Instruments featuring titles from UA, Moog, Spitfire Audio, and more.

Learn More about LUNA Recording System

POWERFUL DSP ACCELERATION

Every Apollo interface offers onboard DSP processing to allow Realtime UAD plug‑in processing. This allows for recording through UAD Powered Plug‑Ins — with near‑zero latency — so that you can quickly monitor, audition, and “print” audio using a wide range of popular analog emulation plug‑ins from Neve, API, Avalon, Fender, Manley, and many more.

Plus, with your Apollo interface running beefy analog emulations on dedicated DSP, your computer is freed up to do other things, like mixing audio, running samplers, or soft synths. The end result is that you can run more professional mixes and tracking sessions, all the while you're free to create in the moment, quickly shaping your sounds with hit-making tools, keeping your focus on the music, not computer settings.

Learn more: What Makes UAD Plug-ins Different

GENUINE UNISON™ PREAMPS

Watch any veteran recording engineer in a pro studio, and you'll likely see them selecting different classic mic preamps to accentuate the sounds of different sources.

Unison technology lets you do the same thing virtually, by reconfiguring your Apollo's onboard preamp's physical input impedance, gain staging response, and other parameters to match authentic preamps from Neve, Helios, Manley, Avalon, SSL, and more.

The secret is Unison's hardware-software integration between Apollo's mic preamps and its onboard DSP Acceleration. Simply place a Unison preamp plug-in on your mic input, and it physically reconfigures your preamp impedance — an exclusive feature found only on Apollo interfaces.

Unison is also the key to the classic guitar and bass amps on the UAD platform like the '55 Fender Tweed Deluxe and Ampeg SVT-VR respectively. Simply plug into your Apollo's front panel instrument input and you'll get the exact preamp section of your favorite amp.

Unison is just one of the many ways Apollo gives you authentic analog sound, every time you record.

CONSOLE: A NATURAL ANALOG WORKFLOW

No matter your DAW of choice, with Apollo interfaces you can record your music in real time (at near-zero latency) through the full range of UAD plug-ins. Key to this analog workflow is the Console app, as it unlocks Apollo's unique Realtime UAD Processing capabilities, letting you insert and control UAD plug-ins as well as route and monitor audio.

"I had used Apollo before, but never with the Console app," says Grammy-winning producer Jacknife Lee (U2, Snow Patrol). “But once I got going with Console, I found it to be a very intuitive, almost invisible system even. Plus, there’s no front-end latency, which is amazing.”

"Plus, with Console you can audition mic preamps in real time," he continues. "You can’t really do that the same way in the hardware world. Using Console, I can listen to a few minutes of the band tracking with a given mic preamp or compression setting, change it to something else mid-stream, and then change it back to exactly the same setting."

EXPAND YOUR SYSTEM AS YOUR STUDIO GROWS

Apollo interfaces let you easily combine up to four Apollos and six total UAD-2 devices — adding fast, high-bandwidth I/O and DSP as your studio grows. For example, say your studio has an Apollo x6 rackmount unit. You can seamlessly add an Apollo x4 as a desktop monitor control while still tapping its additional I/O and DSP power.

Or maybe you're looking to "go big" and expand your studio with a large tracking room. An Apollo x16 will give you tons of inputs and fit right into your current rig. Only UA Audio Interfaces let you go from a tiny demo rig to a full‑on professional studio.

THE CHOICE OF THE PROS

For nearly a decade, Apollo interfaces have been used to create Grammy-winning records, from 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.

Whether you're looking for a simple, portable demo rig that offers class-leading sound, or you're an established pro looking to expand your productions, Apollo interfaces have you covered with superior A/D and D/A conversion and the tone, feel, and realtime workflow of classic analog recording.

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