Universal Audio Apollo x8 Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface
Please call to order Universal Audio Apollo X8 - not currently in stock
Apollo x8 allows music producers, project, and post-production studios to track, overdub, and mix with new world-beating A/D and D/A conversion, HEXA Core UAD plug-in processing, Dual-Crystal clocking, and 7.1 surround sound monitoring — all in a sleek rackmount Thunderbolt 3 audio interface for Mac or PC.
Built upon UA’s 60-year heritage of audio craftsmanship, this 18 x 24 (8 X 14 analog I/O) interface distinguishes itself with four Unison™-enabled mic preamps, providing authentic emulations of preamps from Neve, API, Manley, SSL, and more, plus all-new HEXA Core processing — yielding 50% more DSP for running UAD Powered Plug-Ins in real time.
Record with elite-class A/D and D/A conversion — nearing the widest dynamic range and lowest noise available, at any price
Track with near-zero latency through Unison™ preamp emulations from Neve, API, Manley, Helios, Fender, and more
Mix with powerful HEXA Core processing, featuring 6 UAD DSP chips for running more UAD Powered Plug-Ins in real time
Integrate with high-end commercial systems, via 7.1 surround sound monitoring and selectable +24 dBu headroom
Elite-Class A/D and D/A Conversion
With thousands of chart-topping songs and hundreds of Grammy-winning albums under their belt, Apollo interfaces are no strangers to tracking stellar-sounding records. To improve on the previous generation Apollo interface’s class-leading audio conversion, UA engineers obsessively auditioned the latest A/D and D/A converters — pairing elite-class 24-bit/192 kHz converters with all-new analog circuitry for an ultra-pristine signal path.
The Apollo X series also introduces new Dual-Crystal clocking — featuring dedicated crystals for 44.1/88.2/176.4k and 48/96/192k sample rates — resulting in stunningly low jitter, measured at less than 10 picoseconds. This translates into pure, artifact-free recordings and solid stereo imaging you can trust.
With 129 dB dynamic range and -119 dB THD+N, Apollo x8’s open, natural sound quality rivals any dedicated high-end converter on the market — regardless of price — and is the perfect starting point for applying UAD processing.
Realtime UAD HEXA Core Processing
Apollo x8 audio interface features new HEXA Core processing, with six DSP chips and 50% more UAD plug-in processing power than previous Apollos. This lets you run more UAD plug-ins, whether you’re tracking in real time with channel strips from Neve, Manley, or API, or running high UAD plug-in counts when mixing in your DAW.
Unison Technology: The Genuine Sound of Neve, API & Manley Preamps
Perfect for musicians, engineers, producers, and sound designers, Apollo x8 features four Unison-enabled mic preamps, letting you track through exacting mic preamp emulations from Neve, API, Manley, Helios, SSL, and Universal Audio. A Universal Audio exclusive, Unison technology nails the tone of these sought-after tube and solid state mic pres — including their input impedance, gain stage “sweet spots,” and the component-level circuit behaviors of the original hardware.
The secret to Unison is its hardware-software integration between Apollo’s mic preamps and its onboard HEXA Core DSP Acceleration. Simply place a Unison preamp plug-in on your mic input in Apollo Consol software, and it physically reconfigures the Apollo interface's impedance — so you can tap into the classic sounds of the world’s most recorded mic preamps.
A Full Suite of Classic
Analog Processing Onboard
Of course, a hallmark feature of Apollo is its Realtime UAD Processing, letting you run UAD plug-ins with near-zero latency. Apollo x8 includes the Realtime Analog Classics Plus plug-in bundle, so you can record and mix with the world’s only authentic Teletronix LA-2A, 1176LN, and Fairchild compressors, the Unison-enabled UA 610-B Tube Preamp & EQ, and iconic guitar and bass amps from Marshall and Ampeg.
Access the World of UAD Powered Plug-Ins
Going beyond the included Realtime Analog Classics Plus plug-ins, Apollo x8 lets you tap into the full UAD Powered Plug-In library of legendary vintage EQs, compressors, reverbs, tape machines, channel strips, and more — at near-zero latency, regardless of your audio software’s buffer size and without taxing your computer’s CPU.
With exclusive emulations from SSL, Neve, Studer, Manley, Helios, API, Ampex, Lexicon, Fender, and more,† it’s like having a studio full of iconic analog gear, in a single rack space. And unlike competing interfaces, these award-winning DSP-powered plug-ins are also available in your DAW for mixing.
†Apollo x8 includes the “Realtime Analog Classics Plus” UAD plug-in bundle. Other UAD plug-ins sold separately at www.uaudio.com.
Apollo: The Choice of New-School Professionals
Apollo is the confirmed choice of hit-making professionals, used to record landmark albums by Kendrick Lamar (DAMN.), Chris Stapleton (From A Room: Volume 1), Arcade Fire (Everything Now), Post Malone (Beerbongs & Bentleys), and many more. The Apollo range of interfaces has earned numerous industry awards from Sound on Sound, Future Music, and Electronic Musician — as well as the prestigious 2016 TEC Award for computer audio hardware.