Apollo Thunderbolt audio interfaces are now compatible with Windows 10 systems - Universal Audio's Apollo FireWire is one of the world’s most popular professional audio interfaces — delivering the sound, feel, and flow of analog recording to music creators everywhere. A perfect centerpiece for studios running original Mac Pro towers and Windows 7 machines, this 18 x 24 FireWire 800-equipped interface features analog design based on Universal Audio’s 50-year heritage, along with gold-standard Apollo A/D and D/A conversion for impeccable audio resolution. Universal Audio's Apollo FireWire further distinguishes itself with Realtime UAD-2 Processing and Unison™ technology, letting you record with near-zero latency through the full range of UAD plug-ins from Neve, Studer, Manley, Lexicon, and more — including mic preamp emulations from Neve, API and Universal Audio.*
The Gold Standard in 24-bit/192 kHz Sound Quality - Designed to play a central role in studios running original Mac Pro towers or Windows 7 machines, Universal Audio's Apollo FireWire delivers an unyielding approach to audio quality. It offers extremely high-resolution sound, with the lowest THD and highest dynamic range in its class. Univeral Audio's Apollo FireWire contains four premium mic preamps and converters that translate into recordings with astounding accuracy and depth — whether you’re tracking and overdubbing, or mixing and mastering.
Realtime UAD Plug-In Processing for Tracking, Mixing, and Mastering - The "natural" sound of Universal Audio's Apollo FireWire is open and transparent, and it can quickly deliver a wide range of classic analog tones and color via its Realtime UAD Processing. With powerful onboard QUAD processing, Universal Audio Apollo FireWire’s DSP Acceleration allows for recording through UAD Powered Plug-Ins — with sub-2ms latency, regardless of buffer settings — letting you monitor and “print” audio with classic analog emulations from Ampex, Lexicon, Manley, Neve, Roland, SSL, Studer, and more.* The Apollo FireWire’s bundled “Realtime Analog Classics Plus” suite of UAD plug-ins gives you the Universal Audio 610-B Tube Preamp & EQ, Raw Distortion, Softube Amp Rooms, legacy LA-2A, 1176, and Fairchild compressors, Pultec EQs, and more, so you have a rack full of bonafide audio classics, right out of the box.
Four Mic Preamps with Unison™ Technology - Apollo FireWire comes equipped with four Unison-enabled mic preamps, letting you track with colorful mic preamp sounds from Neve, API, and Universal Audio. An Apollo breakthrough, Unison technology nails the tone of these sought-after tube and solid state mic preamps — including their impedance, gain stage “sweet spots,” and component-level circuit behaviors.
Track With Unison™ Technology - The secret to Unison is its hardware-software integration between Apollo’s mic preamps and its onboard UAD-2 processing. Simply place a selected tube or solid state preamp plug-in on your desired mic input, and record in real time through remarkable emulations like the bundled UA 610-B Tube Preamp plug-in, or the Neve 1073 and API 212L.
Elegant Hardware Design and Workflow - One key feature of Apollo FireWire isn’t really a “feature” at all. It’s the numerous design details that give you a fast, natural workflow — and better results. There are physical front panel controls for the most commonly used features, including Preamp and Monitor level knobs, channel selection, mic pad and low cut, phantom power, and dual headphone outs with independent level control. Smart Hi-Z inputs on the front panel detect when you've connected your guitar or bass. Sonically, Apollo's Monitor outputs are digitally controlled analog, so you don't lose audio resolution when you adjust gain.
Apollo Firewire Includes:
- With the Realtime Analog Classics Plus plug-in bundle, you not only get legendary compressors such as the Fairchild 670 Legacy and EQs like the Pultec EQP-1A Legacy, but also stunning guitar and bass amp emulations from Softube, as well as UA’s landmark 610-B TubePreamp and EQ plug-in.
Apollo Firewire Features:
- Apollo Thunderbolt audio interfaces are now compatible with Windows 10 systems
- Worldwide standard in professional A/D and D/A conversion for music production
- Onboard UAD-2 QUAD Core DSP allows Realtime UADProcessing
- 4 Unison-enabled mic preamps for tracking through preamp emulations from Neve, API, and Universal Audio*
- 18 x 24 FireWire audio interface for Mac and Windows 7
- Cascade two Apollos for 16 analog I/O and 12 digital I/O
- Upgradeable to Thunderbolt via Thunderbolt 2 Option Card (Mac)
- World class UA analog design, superior components, and premium build quality
- Audio Interface:
- Sample rates up to 192 kHz at 24-bit word length
- 18 x 24 simultaneous input/output channels:
- Eight channels of analog-to-digital conversion via mic, line, or high-impedance inputs
- 14 channels of digital-to-analog conversion via:
- Eight mono line outputs
- Stereo monitor outputs
- Two stereo headphone outputs
- 10 channels of digital I/O via:
- Eight channels ADAT Optical I/O with S/MUX for high sample rates
- Two channels coaxial S/PDIF I/O with sample rate conversion
- Two FireWire 800 ports for daisy-chaining other FireWire devices
- Microphone Preamplifiers:
- Four high-resolution, ultra-transparent, digitally-controlled analog mic preamps
- Unison™ technology for deep integration with UAD preamp and pedal plug-ins
- Front panel and software control of all preamp parameters
- Switchable low cut filter, 48V phantom power, 20 dB pad, polarity inversion, and stereo linking
- Monitoring:
- Stereo monitor outputs (independent of eight line outputs)
- Digitally-controlled analog monitor outputs maintains highest fidelity
- Front panel control of monitor levels and muting
- Two stereo headphone outputs with independent mix buses
- Independent front panel analog volume controls for headphone outputs
- Front panel pre-fader metering of monitor bus levels
- S/PDIF outputs can be set to mirror the monitor outputs
- Onboard UAD-2 Processing:
- QUAD model featuring four SHARC processors
- Realtime UAD Processing on all of Apollo’s analog and digital inputs
- Same features and functionality as other UAD-2 products when used with DAW
- Can be combined with other UAD-2 devices for increased mixing DSP
- Complete UAD Powered Plug-Ins library is available online
- Software:
- Console application:
- Enables Realtime UAD Powered Plug-Ins processing
- DSP mixer for realtime monitoring and tracking
- Remote control of all Apollo features and functionality
- Console Recall plug-in:
- Saves Apollo configurations inside DAW sessions for easy recall
- Enables control of all front panel parameters from within the DAW
- VST, RTAS, and Audio Units plug-in formats
- UAD Meter & Control Panel application
- Configures global UAD-2 and Powered Plug-Ins settings and monitors system usage
- System Requirements:
- FireWire Systems
- (Win) Windows 7 64-Bit Edition w/SP1
- (Mac) OS X 10.8.5 Mountain Lion, 10.9.x Mavericks, or 10.10.x Yosemite
- Available FireWire 800 port*
- 4 gigabytes available disk space
- Internet connection to download software and authorize UAD plug-ins
- Compatible VST, Audio Units, RTAS, or AAX 64 plug-in host DAW software
Apollo Firewire Specifications:
- System:
- I/O Complement
- Microphone Inputs: 4
- High-Impedance Inputs: 2
- Analog Line Inputs: 8
- Analog Line Outputs: 8
- Analog Monitor Outputs: 2 (1 stereo pair)
- Headphone Outputs: 2 stereo (independent mix buses)
- ADAT: Up to 8 channels via dual I/O ports with S/MUX
- S/PDIF: 1 stereo input, 1 stereo output
- FireWire 800 (IEEE 1394b): Dual ports
- Thunderbolt (via Option Card): Dual ports
- Word Clock: 1 input, 1 output
- A/D – D/A Conversion
- Supported Sample Rates (kHz): 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192
- A/D Bits Per Sample: 24
- Simultaneous A/D conversion: 8 channels
- Simultaneous D/A conversion: 14 channels
- Analog Round-Trip Latency with four serial UAD-2 plug-ins via Console application: 1.1 milliseconds @ 96 kHz sample rate
- Analog I/O:
- Microphone Inputs 1 – 4
- Jack Type: XLR Female
- Phantom Power: +48V, Switchable
- Dynamic Range: 118 dB (A–weighting)
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 118 dB (A–weighting)
- Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise: 110 dB
- Hi–Z Inputs
- Jack Type: ¼” Male (Mono TS plug required)
- Dynamic Range: 117 dB (A–weighting)
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 117 dB (A–weighting)
- Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise: 103 dB
- Line Inputs 1 – 4
- Jack Type: ¼”Male TRS Balanced
- Dynamic Range: 117 dB (A–weighting)
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 117 dB (A–weighting)
- Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise: 107 dB
- Line Inputs 5 – 8
- Jack Type: ¼” Male TRS Balanced
- Dynamic Range: 117 dB (A–weighting)
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 117 dB (A–weighting)
- Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise: 107 dB
- Line Outputs 1 – 8
- Jack Type: ¼” Male TRS Balanced
- Dynamic Range: 118 dB (A–weighting)
- Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz, ±0.1 dB
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 118 dB (A–weighting)
- Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise: 106 dB
- Monitor Outputs 1 – 2
- Jack Type: ¼” Male TRS Balanced
- Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz, ±0.1 dB
- Dynamic Range: 115 dB (A–weighting)=
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 114 dB (A–weighting)
- Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise: 103 dB
- Stereo Headphone Outputs 1 & 2
- Jack Type: ¼” Male TRS Stereo/Unbalanced
- Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz, ±0.1 dB
- Digital I/O:
- S/PDIF
- Jack Type: Phono (RCA)
- Format: IEC958
- ADAT
- Jack Type: Optical TOSLINK JIS F05
- Format: ADAT Digital “Lightpipe” with S/MUX
- Channel Assignments @ 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz: Port 1 = Channels 1 – 8, Port 2 = 1 – 8 (mirrored)
- Channel Assignments @ 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz: Port 1 = Channels 1 – 4, Port 2 = Channels 5 – 8
- Channel Assignments @ 176.4 kHz, 192 kHz: Port 1 = Channels 1 – 2, Port 2 = Channels 3 – 4
- Word Clock
- Jack Type: BNC
- Lock Range: ±0.5% of any supported sample rate
- Word Clock Input Termination: 75 Ohms, switchable
- Synchronization Sources
- Internal, Word Clock, S/PDIF, ADAT
- Electrical:
- Power Supplies: External AC to DC Power Supply Brick, Internal DC to DC Power Supply
- AC Connector Type: IEC Male
- AC Requirements: 100V – 240V AC, 50 – 60 Hz
- DC Connector Type: XLR 4-Pin Locking Male (Neutrik P/N NC4MDM3-H)
- DC Requirements: 12 VDC, ±5%
- Maximum Power Consumption: 6.5 amperes
- Mechanical:
- Dimensions
- Width: 19”
- Height: 1.75” (1U rack space)
- Depth, Chassis Only: 12.125”
- Depth, Including Knob & Jack Protrusions: 13.5”
- Shipping Box (Width x Depth x Height): 24” x 17” x 8”
- Weight
- Shipping Weight (with box & accessories): 18 lbs.
- Weight (bare unit): 9.1 lbs.
Note:
The specifications below are a subset of the full list. See the "Universal Audio Apollo Hardware Manual" for complete product specifications
