On full channel strips, like the SSL E series or API Vision, you can add additional stuff like EQ and compression to the signal. With basic preamps you can control the input gain, accurately modeled to reflect the way the real thing works. Unison-enabled plugins come from a select range of preamp and channel strip emulations. The real magic of Console is in its ability to print plugins. In this case, though, you could also just skip UA Console altogether and monitor through your DAW. This could be useful for dialing in a great headphone mix for an artist, where they can really hear themself come to life with reverb, Auto-Tune, and more. If you’re feeling hesitant to commit, though, you can always just monitor through the plugins without printing their sound. This is currently the only way to bring the feel (and sound!) of recording through outboard equipment using only plugins. Plus, you can print the effects directly into your DAW, just as you would using hardware in the physical world. The Apollo 8 comes equipped with four Unison-enabled mic preamps and four line inputs for use with outboard preamps.You can record, in real-time, through any of UAD’s numerous emulations of mic preamps, compressors, guitar amps, reverbs, and more. For that, you’d need to invest in high-quality preamps, which can be cost-prohibitive. With ordinary interfaces, you get generic preamps clean, but with no character. Universal Audio Apollo 8-Under the Hood Unison Technology: The Genuine Sound of Neve, API, and Manley preamps
18 x 24 Thunderbolt audio interface for Mac and Windows.Track with near-zero latency through preamp emulations from Neve ®, API ®, Manley ® and more using Unison technology†.Mix with UAD plug-ins like the included Teletronix ® LA-2A, 1176, and Fairchild ® compressors, Pultec ® EQs, and 610-B Preamp.
Cascade up to 4 Apollo interfaces and 6 UAD-2 devices over Thunderbolt, adding DSP and I/O as your studio grows.Record with world-class Apollo A/D and D/A conversion as heard on hundreds of hit records.The Apollo 8 not only gives you superior A/D and D/A conversion and the tone, feel, and real-time workflow of classic analog recording, you can track through its four Unison preamps with near-zero latency, shaping sounds like a classic analog studio-without taxing your host Mac or PC. And now, with UA’s Apollo 8 interface, Universal Audio brings all of its experience to bear, giving you the world-beating analog sound of Universal Audio in the digital domain. On the digital side, UA gave us the 2192 mastering converter and UAD-2 powered plug-ins-all first-choice gear for audio professionals.
On the analog side, Universal Audio was responsible for the first console channel strip, the rich, euphonic 610 preamp, the 1176LN compressor, and LA-2A leveling amplifier. In its 60-year history, Universal Audio established itself as a leader in both analog and digital recording equipment, creating studio tools in both domains that became and remain the industry standard.
The Universal Audio Apollo 8 is a 24-bit/192kHz master-quality, Thunderbolt-enabled 18 x 24 audio interface with four line inputs and four Unison preamps that precisely model the sounds of the most coveted preamps, plus built-in UAD-2 QUAD Core DSP processing. Due to the Recent fire at the AKM Manufacturing Facility where many of their chips were made, Universal Audio is temporarily halting production on all DSP based products until a solution is found.