Universal Audio Apollo x16 Heritage Edition

The Universal Audio Apollo x16 occupies a special position in the illustrious Apollo line of audio interfaces. Uniquely, this 18-in/20-out Thunderbolt interface, both Windows and Mac compatible, features no internal preamps and instead sports sixteen line-level analogue inputs and outputs via DB-25 connections, as well as an AES/EBU interface. The elite-class 24-bit/192kHz converters with dual-crystal clocking technology boast a staggering 133dB dynamic range at the stereo monitor output. The Apollo x16 is fitted with HEXA Core UAD processing, powered by six SHARC DSP chips, which allow multiple instances of the famed UAD plugins to run at zero CPU cost. Importantly, the Apollo x16 can be cascaded with other Apollo and Satellite units, providing an excellent foundation for evolving professional studios. The "Real Time Analog Classics Plus" collection of Core UAD plugins as well as the Luna DAW software environment (Mac only) are included, providing immediate access to the privileged world of UAD-powered music production.

The Apollo x16's 32 channels of pristine conversion, unrivalled clocking abilities and serious DSP power make it an ideal central hub for the ever evolving hybrid studio. Taking full advantage of Universal Audio's technical expertise in both the digital and analogue fields, the Apollo x16 is designed to seamlessly integrate external analogue units, such as preamps, effects and dynamics processors, into a digital environment, while also allowing analogue summing and effect returns. Its advanced monitoring section supports formats up to 7.1 (complete with individual speaker trim and fold-down mixes) and A/B monitoring configurations and even a talkback mic. It can also calibrate the system to a dB SPL reference level and align all the inputs and outputs to +24dBu when required. Add to that the ability to cascade multiple Apollo and Satellite units, it is no wonder that the list of famous producers and musicians who use UAD products is endless.

One of the x16's key features is its ability to cascade with other Apollo and Satellite units, supporting up to four Apollo interfaces and six units in total, thus greatly increasing the number of preamps and other available inputs and outputs (up to 156 in total), as well as Core UAD plugin instances. Up to four Apollo interfaces and two UAD2 Satellite units (which provide extra DSP power via Thunderbolt, PCIe, USB and FireWire) can be cascaded. Configurations are efficiently managed via UA's "Console" utility. A great variety of studio setups are possible depending on configuration, ranging from post-production, where few inputs and preamps are required, to full-fledged recording and mixing setups, complete with talkback mic, and all with "album-ready" Core UAD sound quality.

Core UAD plugins are renowned worldwide for their remarkable realism and pioneering technology. The Apollo x16 can run multiple instances of these plugins latency-free and at zero CPU load via the Console software – which makes running the acclaimed emulations of Neve and SSL channel strips for example, vintage dynamics processors and classic amps emulations – augmented by legacy reverbs, dynamics and effects units – a breeze. Many of these plugins are industry standard and praised worwide by engineers and musicians for their warmth and realism. To quote the manufacturer, what better way to "produce album-ready sounds in real time"?

Each Apollo interface features one or multiple SHARC processors for computing the "Console" mixer software and the UAD plugins. Each plug-in consumes a fraction of the DSP chip' processing power (between one and sixty percent), depending on its complexity. A small percentage goes to the mixer software for internal signal processing and routing. The number of SHARC DSPs that are used in a Universal Audio device is indicated by the product description: There is one DSP chip in a SOLO unit, two in a DUO, four in a QUAD, six in a HEXA, and eight in an OCTO unit.