The humanisation of technology is one of the most fascinating phenomena of our time. The advancements in technology have brought us closer to a more managed way of existence in various aspects of our lives. From social media to smartphones, every bit of them makes us feel less lonely with every second we spend using them. However, luxury doesn’t seem to be able to be recreated. Audio interfaces are still among the most uncommon instruments when it comes to the kind of equipment used in recording studios and music venues.
Apollo 8
Apollo 8 is the world’s most popular professional audio interface for Mac and Windows, delivering the sound, feel, and flow of analog recording to music creators everywhere. This next-generation Thunderbolt 2 audio interface features elite-class A/D and D/A conversion derived from UA’s flagship 1644V OXIDE converter module. With this amount of horsepower under the hood, Apollo 8 continues to outperform anything in its class in terms of sonic clarity and analog performance.
Featuring 4 Unison™-enabled mic preamps and 8 additional line inputs, Apollo 8 has enough I/O and DSP to track a full band while mixing with UAD plug-ins in real-time. Take advantage of the included Real-time Analog Classics Plus plug-in bundle, featuring legacy editions of the LA-2A Classic Audio Leveller, 1176LN Limiting Amplifier, UA 610 Tube Preamp & EQ, and more. For musicians who record at home or on the go with a laptop or iOS device, the new Arrow 2×4 Thunderbolt 3 audio interface delivers all the same benefits.
MOTU 828es
The MOTU 828es Thunderbolt 2 Audio Interface is a high-end audio interface that supports up to 24-bit/192kHz sample rates and offers 12 analog inputs and outputs, two mic inputs, two headphone outputs and a built-in MIDI interface. The internal mixer includes DSP effects like reverb, delay and EQ as well as an EQ on the main output bus. Other features include a CueMix FX app for mixing on your iPad, SMPTE time code sync, ADAT optical digital I/O and standalone operation.
Apollo Twin
The Apollo Twin is an incredibly powerful and versatile audio interface, with the UAD-2 QUAD Core processor. This allows the processing power of Universal Audio’s UAD Powered Plug-Ins to be used to their full potential. As well as the onboard DSP, the Apollo Twin also has two Unison preamps, which model the tone and behaviour of classic tube amps. The Apollo Twin comes with a choice of two UAD plug-in packages, which come bundled free with the product. These are slightly different from the bundles that come with other interfaces in the range.
MOTU 16A
The MOTU 16A is a 16-channel Thunderbolt and USB audio interface with onboard DSP mixing, 32-bit floating-point resolution, and 24-bit/192kHz recording quality. The rack-mountable 16A boasts 28 simultaneous inputs and 30 outputs, including 16 x 16 line-level analog I/O via DB25 connectors, two mic/guitar inputs on the front panel, two headphone jacks and Main outs on XLRs.
The unit’s built-in DSP mixer delivers low latency foldback mixes to performers and zero-latency effects like reverb to the recording path. The mixer offers flexible routing with 48 channels, 6 aux busses, LCR panning and 4-band parametric EQ with HPF and LPF filters.
The interface features MIDI In/Out and a word clock output, plus 8 channels of ADAT optical digital I/O (4 channels at 96kHz) for connecting external preamps or other digital gear. The Thunderbolt ports deliver ample bandwidth for low latency performance, while the USB 3.0 connection is class compliant for plug-and-play operation with Windows computers.
Apogee Ensemble Thunderbolt 2
Apogee Ensemble Thunderbolt 2 is a 24-bit/192kHz, 30×34 audio interface with world-class sound quality and connectivity. Its array of premium mic preamps and inputs offer up to 30 inputs and 34 outputs, including 4 front-panel hi-Z guitar/bass inputs. Apogee’s newest flagship audio interface features ultra-low latency performance, advanced monitor controller functionality, Console 2.0 software control and the best sound quality available in hardware. Connect your mics, guitars, keyboards and even MIDI devices to Ensemble Thunderbolt 2 for studio recording and live performance with the most respected sound quality possible.
Thunderbolt 2 is amazingly fast and incredibly high bandwidth – 8 times faster than USB 3! With dual 20Gbps bidirectional channels, Apogee Ensemble can track large sessions at extremely low latencies on any Mac with a Thunderbolt port.
RME UFX II
The RME UFX II is the most advanced member of the Fireface series, and a benchmark for high-end audio interfaces. The UFX II has it all: 16 analog I/O on XLR/TRS combo connectors, 8 digital I/O on ADAT and SPDIF, plus MIDI and Word Clock. In addition to the powerful TotalMix FX software mixer with optional iPad app and DSP effects, the UFX II offers two brand new features: RME’s SteadyClock FS for jitter-free operation and full A/D and D/A converter control. All this puts the UFX II in its own league, combining RME’s renowned analog design with a powerful set of cutting edge digital features.
