Universal Audio Apollo X16 equips music producers and post-production studios with new world-leading A/D and D/A converters, HEXA Core UAD plug-in processing, and 7.1 surround sound monitoring* - all in a sleek Thunderbolt 3 audio interface for Mac**or PC.
This 18 x 20 interface builds on and's 60 years of experience designing and manufacturing audio equipment. All-new HEXA Core plug-in processing means 50% percent more DSP power for real-time use of UAD Powered plug-ins in the recording and mixing process.
In addition to outstanding audio conversion, Universal Audio Apollo X16 features selectable level compatibility with professional +24 dBu devices, as well as an integrated monitor controller and built-in talkback microphone.
With thousands of chart-topping songs and hundreds of Grammy-winning albums in the trophy cabinet, Apollo Interface has already proven its world-class ability to record exceptional-sounding records. To improve upon the world-class audio conversion of the previous generation Apollo interfaces, UA engineers meticulously listened to and evaluated the latest A/D and D/A converters, and finally merged the selected 24-bit/192 kHz converters with all-new analogue circuitry to create an optimally pristine signal path.
Thanks to a dynamic range of 129 dB and -118 dB THD+N, the Apollo x8's open, natural sound quality rivals any dedicated high-end converter on the market and is the perfect starting point for further sound refinement with award-winning UAD plug-ins.
Real-time UAD HEXA Core ProcessingUniversal Audio Apollo X8 features the new HEXA Core Processing, with six DSP chips and 50% more processing power for UAD plug-ins than in previous Apollos. Therefore, more UAD plug-ins are usable, whether you're working in real-time with channel strips from Neve, Manley, or API, or using a variety of UAD plug-ins when mixing in your DAW.
From the warm tube sound of Pultec EQ on guitars to the musical limiting of LA-2A on vocals to the pumping of an original 1176 or Fairchild 670 tube compressor on drums, UAD plug-ins give your recordings the punchy, three-dimensional analogue sound that no other plug-in can come close to.
Surround sound monitoring* and +24 dBu operation.With comprehensive support for surround monitoring up to 7.1 format, Universal Audio Apollo X8 is a boon for engineers and producers working on audio and music for games, television, and the web. furthermore, the x8 offers selectable +24 dBu operation for pre-configured compatibility with professional mixing consoles and other high-end pro audio gear.
Building a networked studio system over ThunderboltApollo x8 provides 18 x 24 simultaneous inputs and outputs (8 x 8 analogue I / or two integrated Thunderbolt 3 ports that are backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 1 and 2 Macs via an adapter (sold separately). This makes it easy to combine any Thunderbolt-equipped Apollo Twin desktop or Apollo Rack interfaces (up to four Apollos) and a total of six UAD-2 devices - and expand the system with additional high-speed I/O and high-bandwidth DSPs as needs grow at the studio.
What is Luna?Luna is Universal Audio's in-house, full-featured DAW that realizes uniquely deep integration of preamp, interface, DSP and sequencer. With Luna, for the first time, the complete recording and production process can be accomplished with hardware and software from a single vendor in a single screen window. Luna controls the microphone amplifiers in the Apollo interfaces via the familiar UAD2 plug-ins, adjusts their impedance and sound behaviour to match the emulated analogue hardware, and enables monitoring of gain staging. Furthermore, the DSP cores of all Apollo interfaces and UAD DSP processors are controlled from a central location, reducing the overall latency from signal input to output to less than 2ms. Together with special Luna extensions for eg. Neve consoles and Studer multitrack tape machines, you can not only make your recordings as if they were made in an analogue setup studio, but they will sound like it too!
Luna also comes with Unison mic preamp plug-ins from Neve, Manley, API, Avalon and other well-known manufacturers, and includes a whole range of newly developed instruments. Among them are a realistic Minimoog, a gorgeous concert grand piano that combines sampling and physical modelling, Spitfire Audio's orchestral instruments, and a large sample library.
Luna is free for owners of the newer Apollo interfaces, and so no one has to fret when switching: Luna supports the cross-DAW session format AAF!
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Features of the Universal Audio Apollo X16:*Surround sound support for Apollo X as of Q4 2018.
Included in the Heritage UAD Plug-in Bundle: