Universal Audio Apollo Twin X Duo
The Apollo Twin is a well known audio interface. If you watch audio-based YouTube videos, you’ve seen it many many times. In fact it’s almost as if all the pros and audio heroes use Apollos. It’s so prevalent that you might subconsciously want to get one without even knowing why. It’s like product placement on steroids.
Is it the look of it? Is it that big dial? Is it the super cool UA logo? Is it the sound quality? Why spend more than a thousand dollars on an audio interface?
Well. It’s so much more. It’s Virtual. Analogue. Heaven.
Ok. Maximum effort.
Let’s begin with a quick history.
Universal Audio began in 1958, which was A Night to Remember and the 7th Voyage of Sinbad ago.
It was launched by Bill Putnam Sr. He was an innovative recording engineer who was a favorite for many artists like Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, and Nat King Cole—to name a few lesser known artists.
Bill also invented the first modern recording console, the first multiband EQ, and the first vocal booth—and he was the first to use artificial reverberation in recordings.
He, along with his friend Les Paul were the first to develop and use stereoscopic recording.
I mean, he’s kind of a big deal. Some of his most famous creations are still used today as highly sought-after—and modeled—gear. Like the 610 preamp or the LA2A and 1176 compressors.
Fast forward to 1999 — which was Sleepy Hollow and The Mummy ago — when his son Bill Putnam Jr re-founded universal audio and took it into the future. I’d say he did a pretty fantastic job of it.
In 2012, the Apollo interface was launched. The concept was brilliant. Employ the best engineers in the world to recreate high-end digital emulations of analog gear and have those emulations operate fully inside the Apollo unit itself—using its own shark processor chips, and removing stress from your own computer’s processing. The result is near zero latency real-time tracking through the very best digital recreations of analog gear on earth. And I do mean the best. Wannafightaboutit?
Everyone knows that UAD (Universal Audio Digital) have the very best analog emulating plugins—even if some people don’t want to admit it. They’re unbeatable. They’re also insanely expensive.
There have been many generations and versions of the Apollo units over the last decade. From desktop interfaces to complex rack units, the Apollo line has found its way into many pro recording studios around the world. The much loved Apollo Twin went through some versions, the latest being the Twin X series—which have the advantage of having superior a/d converters—the same ones found on the X Series rack units.
Here’s some quick specs:
The Apollo Twin X Duo has two phantom powered mic inputs, a third high impedance 1/4 inch instrument input that cancels out and replaces the channel one XLR input when you plug into it.
Duo means it’s got 2 DSP chips. That’s digital signal processing. Like CPU chips in computers.
It records up to 24 bit at 192kHz
It has a maximum dynamic range of 65dB
Expandable with up to 8 additional inputs using the TOSLINK Optical ADAT
It uses a Thunderbolt connection.
The headphones output has a dynamic range of 124dBA
It’s able to take on the characteristics of several classic and coveted preamps, consoles, and channel strips through UAD’s proprietary Unison technology. That’s actually the point of an Apollo.
I’m sure by now you’ve seen these sleek looking interfaces before. It’s a beautiful piece of equipment. It’s an all metal design that feels very expensive. That’s because it is.
The Twin is a desktop device that has a slight slant to its design so it’s easier to read from your chair.
It features a giant volume knob in the middle of its face, which is flanked by a digital LED input VU meter on the left, and a digital LED output VU meter on the right.
Under each meter is a selector button which toggles between a few functions.
The preamp button on the left switches the operating mode of both the volume dial and the 6 buttons along the bottom. When you push the preamp button, it switches to preamp mode for your first input, and the dial becomes an input gain knob. If you press it again it changes to the second preamp and the dial becomes the gain for the second channel.
When in preamp mode, the 6 buttons on the bottom control the input, toggling from mic to line level ins, a high pass filter so that you can roll off the lows below 75Hz, a 48v phantom power on and off switch, a -20dB pad button to instantly lower your gain if your source is too loud, a polarity switch to correct phasing on the way in, and a link button to link both preamps together into one stereo channel.
On the right, under the output VU meter is the monitor button which selects the output mode. Pressing it once controls your monitor output for, say a pair of near field speakers, and pressing it a second time switches to a headphone output control. In both modes, the dial becomes the volume control, and then the buttons change to different functions: a talkback button (so you can communicate with your talent through their headphones), a DIM button (which instantly drops the listening volume for when you need to suddenly listen to a quieter signal), then the ALT button (which switches to a second set of monitors that you can configure in the console), then the function button (which can be assigned to control monitoring functions when you have a couple of apollo units combined) — you can do that too, a mono button which will instantly convert your sound from stereo to mono (excellent for mixing), and a mute button for when you might want to cut all sound instantly.
The very front side of the Apollo has your High Impedance input for guitar or bass, which automatically switches to instrument ins as soon as you plug in, and a single headphones output.
The back side of the unit has channel one and channel two XLR inputs. It’s important to note that if you plug a guitar or bass into the front high impedance input, it cancels the channel one XLR input. So you’re not actually getting a third input for three simultaneous channel recordings, unfortunately.
Then you have your balanced 1/4 inch TRS monitor outputs. This is where you would go out to your speaker monitors.
Then you have outputs 3 and 4, which can be used for a second of monitors or to feed a headphone amp. Either way, it’s a second output with its own set of controls in the software.
Next you have the thubderbolt 3 connection. Please note that a Thunderbolt 3 cable is needed and cannot be substituted with a USB-C cable. I know it looks like it would work would but trust me. It won’t. You need to be sure you have or purchase a thubderbolt 3 cable. And I mean that literally because the Apollo does not come with a thubderbolt cable. I know. That’s strange and kind of a piss-off but luckily, most audio or music shops will throw a cable in for you if you ask. So make sure you ask.
Next is your power connection. The adapter not only plugs in, but you twist it to lock it in place.
Next is your optical in. This is how you can expand your input channels on your Apollo. You can use a third party preamp rack with optical ADAT TOSLINK outs and plug them in here. You can increase your simultaneous inputs by as many as 8 this way. A lot of people use the Focusrite Scarlett or Clarett OctoPres or even the behringer ADA200 and it can bring the Apollo Twin from 2 simultaneous inputs to 10.
And finally the on/off switch. Oh and it also has a Kensington security slot in case you’re looking at securing it for some reason.
It weighs 2.4 pounds. It’s not light. But you’re not going to be holding it while you use it… I hope.
It measures 6.3 inches wide by 6.2 inches long and 2.6 inches tall.
So how does it sound? Well, this is a tricky question because it does what no other interface can do: it emulates several famous preamps inside the device itself using its Unison technology. The Apollo will actually physically change impedance and gain structures as the preamp models are switched out. You can sometimes hear the Apollo physically click. I mean, from the device itself. Not through speakers or headphones.
You can purchase your very own Universal Audio Apollo Twin X Duo for about $1200 US dollars. Yes. Expensive. But there are often sales happening. In fact, as I write this review, B&H is currently selling it for $973 US dollars.
The Apollos come with several free plugins. Which exact plugins you’ll get vary from time to time. Some are preamps and some are compressors and other plugins.
At this time, the heritage edition (which really is a plugin bundle that comes included with the Apollo), comes with 25 UAD plugins that include the following:
-UA 610-A Tube Preamp
-UA 610-B Tube Preamp
-Marshall Plexi Classic Guitar Amp
-Ampeg SVT-VR Classic Bass Amp
-All the UA 1176 versions including the blue stripe
-All the Pultecs
-All the Teletronix LA-2A compressors including the silver face.
-Raw Distortion
-Precision Channel Strip
-Precision Reflection Engine
-Precision Delay Mods
-Pure Plate Reverb
-RealVerb Pro Custom Room Modeler
And now it’s time for…
Analysis!
Ok, so I’ll admit that when I got the Apollo Twin X, I was probably under the spell of product placement magic—as I know this to be true of myself. I’ve seen it in so many videos and in so many studios, that I knew I just had to have it without even realizing the power that it can wield. It had to sound good right? I mean why would so many professionals use these interfaces?
Well, The more I played with this interface, the more I became enamored with its capabilities.
I mean, how good can a preamp emulation be? Well, as it turns out, VERY good. Actually, in my opinion, the best. The very best preamp emulations in the world. I can’t even believe how good these sound. They sound so good that I want to crap my pants.
They really spared no expense creating them, and they want you to spare no expense attaining them. They’re a lot. When there aren’t any sales going on, some of these preamp emulations are upwards of $300 or more US dollars.
But it’s best to wait for the sales, and they do happen. After 2 years, I was able to systematically collect all the preamps (except for the standalone ones because they are stripped down versions of the channel strip ones which I own all of). They also have an awesome marketing strategy that gifts you $25 towards your next plugin purchase with a time limit of a month. So it encourages you to buy another and another and another. It’s smart. So make sure to buy one plugin at a time so you can get those $25 voucher codes.
But here’s the deal. You’re buying the Apollo to get you into the UAD ecosystem. That’s your dongle. You can’t get most of these plugins unless you have the hardware. And you will never find preamp emulations as good as UAD ones. There are so many out there but UAD did it right. And they know it.
Recently, Universal Audio released the Spark subscription model that allows you to use native versions of a select few of their famous plugins without an Apollo unit. This is great news, but there is a very limited selection of plugins and they’re very slow to add more.
But most of the time, with the UAD preamp emulations, it’s the unison tech that people really enjoy.
Sure, you can load up an instance of Plugin Alliance BrainWorx SSL on a recorded track and it’ll sound good, but the idea that you can load an instance of UAD SSL that physically takes over, remodels, and changes the physical impedance right on your interface? It’s the closest thing to owning these vintage preamps and channel strips. And the best part is you don’t need to maintain them. Like changing out tubes or having them serviced at a cost of thousands.
I know I’ve written a lot about their modeled preamps, but they also make several other world-class plugins that can only be used if you own an Apollo. Far too many to list but I’ll let you know a few of my favorite ones:
Ocean Way Studios*
Capitol Chambers Reverb**
C-Suite C-Vox***
But the Sharc chips that process the plugins inside the Apollo are an aging technology and some plugins take just way too much DSP to run—like Capitol Chambers. To combat this, you can buy satellites that add 4 or 6 or more processor chips to your ecosystem so that you can load more plugins inside. This is insanely costly and most hobbyist or home studio owners would not be able to afford them.
I can’t afford them and as such, I’ve kept my plugin purchases to only the ones I can use while tracking on the way in or that are so friggin good that I just have to have them for mixing.
So, I’ve bought preamps and compressors and noise eliminators. Noise reduction like C-Vox and C-Axe and compressors like the Distressor and Fairchild compressors. Reverbs like Capitol Chambers and Ocean Way Studios. That’s what I purchase.
So just know that with just the Apollo Twin Duo, you need to use these plugins sparingly in your mix, or smartly as you track. That’s the point. It’s like having a real Neve 1073 preamp. You use it. That’s what you do. You don’t record with it and later wish to replace it with another one. It’s permanent color that you record. And that’s how you have to look at it. It’s a preamp interface that can be one of several industry standard modern or vintage preamps. But decide which preamp you want before you begin tracking. Yes, you could also decide later by recording without a preamp emulation, and then adding it to the track later, but you lose that impedance matching and all that stuff when you do it later and it’ll eat up your DSP faster.
The plugins are insane and your productions will benefit from them. But can you make great productions without them? Of course you can. You don’t NEED this. It’s just so very nice to have. And so much fun to use.
It’s good to note that I’ve had no hardware issues since I got the Apollo three years ago. It’s worked flawlessly since day one.
Luna is out of this world. That can be an entire other review. Luna is Universal Audio’s free DAW but it’s more like an analog DAW. It’s like working on a real console—complete with analog summing and built in tape and consoles—all without using your Apollo’s DSP. But once again, you need that expensive dongle that is an Apollo or Solo or the like to get access to it. Also it’s Mac only for now. I’ll do a review on Luna at some point. It’s got a bit to go to be perfect but it’s almost there.
Which brings me to another downside. If you’re not on a Mac you might bring it back… to the store.
While UAD is trying to work with and help Windows users, it’s not happening fast enough. There are all kinds of issues when you’re not on a Mac. So as it stands right now at the time of this review, Apollos are more made for Mac users. That’s not to say that it can’t work on a PC, but it comes with issues that I’ve heard. Some users have no problems while others do. For me it makes no difference because I’m a Mac user. But be warned if you are not. Luna is also Mac exclusive at the time of this review.
I’d also like to comment on the UAD community and universe. The Facebook groups and the UAD online forum and other forums are fantastic places to talk to industry pros and find solutions to any issues you may encounter — or to get guidance or even plugin suggestions. Yes, occasionally you’ll run across a douche-craft-carrier that’ll tell you to USE YOUR EARS, but those guys are everywhere anyway.
So unhelpful if you’re just starting out and you lack the confidence in yourself to trust your feelings and opinions. Because the world of audio is like the force. You need to find the power within and learn to trust your feelings. But that all comes after the initial Dunning Kruger effect and the stark and depressing realization that you generally suck at all things.
But once you get past all that… only then can you harness the power from within. And you need patient guidance to get you there. And that’s what community is about.
I also love the UAD office hours videos, and the endless UAD tutorials that are on YouTube. And all kinds of great people that are doing their best to help you be great. People like Drew at UA. I see you. Don’t think I don’t appreciate the insane hours across infinite forums all over the world. No matter where I am on the inter webs, there you are. Helping out, setting the record straight, never sleeping, and just having the patience of a Buddhist monk. If I were you I’d be rampaging and kicking names and taking asses. So thank you. I just hope you get paid enough for all the abuse you take from unreasonable dick-wagons.
So
If you’re a field recordist or sound collector, I can’t see any reason why you’d need an Apollo. There doesn’t seem to be any gain to it at all. It’s more for music, or voiceover work, or podcasting or broadcasting—A purpose that can benefit from sweet sounding preamps and produced sounds full of color.
But for music and VO and broadcasting… well all I can say is it’s invaluable. There’s a reason the pros use these.
So, to close this incredibly long review, I fully recommend the Universal Audio Apollo Twin X Duo if you’re a music recording engineer or producer, or if you’re a voiceover talent, or even a podcaster or broadcaster.
Will it make you instantly better? No, but it sure will take you to the next level and give you a polish that only a dozen years ago audio guys could only dream of.
Brian May of Queen was totally blown away when I showed him this tech from the future when we were recording We Are the Champions back in 77.
Two things are true. One is, the older one gets the more Pringles chips suck. And the other is that the Apollo Twin X Duo is a fine piece of equipment.
Yes. It’s expensive, but for me, totally worth it. I hope this review helped you decide if the Apollo is right for you. But don’t let me or anyone tell you what you should do or not do.
That is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us
Bye now
END TRANSMISSION
*Ocean Way Studios is kind of like a reverb but not. It’s a complex room reverb that was painstakingly modeled after Ocean Way Studios’ A and B rooms. You can—among other things—re-mic your audio source and then it kind of instantly re-records your source as if it was captured at Ocean Way Studios—on a selection of mics—with the exact sound of those rooms. This plugin deserves an entire video to itself because the possibilities are endless.
**Capitol Chambers is another fantastic modeled reverb. Perhaps the very best reverb on the market.
***C-Vox is an insane noise and ambience removal tool that was co-created by Cedar Audio. And if you’re a film audio post production person, then you know cedar. It’s really something to behold.
Watch the review video!
