Universal Audio Apollo X8 Heritage Edition

Apollo x8 equips music producers and post-production studios with new world-leading A/D and D/A converters, HEXA Core UAD plug-in processing and 7.1 surround sound monitoring - all in a sleek Thunderbolt 3 audio interface for Mac or PC.

This 18 x 24 interface is based on UA's 60 years of experience in designing and manufacturing professional audio equipment. It features four Unison™ microphone preamps that provide authentic preamp emulations of Neve, API, Manley, Helios, SSL and others. The all-new HEXA Core Plug-In Processing means 50% more DSP power for real-time use of UAD Powered Plug-Ins.

With thousands of chart listed songs and hundreds of Grammy award-winning albums in their trophy cabinet, Apollo interfaces have already proven their superior ability to record fantastic sounding records. To enhance the first-class audio conversion of the previous generation of Apollo Interfaces, the UA engineers listened and evaluated the latest A/D and D/A converters with extreme meticulousness, finally merging the chosen 24-bit/192 kHz converters with a completely new analog circuit to create an optimally undistorted signal path.

With a dynamic range of 129 dB and -119 dB THD+N, it captures the open, natural sound quality of the Apollo x8 with every dedicated high-end converter on the market, and is the perfect starting point for further sound refinement with the award-winning UAD plug-ins.

Apollo x8 features the new HEXA Core Processing, with six DSPs and 50% more processing power for UAD plug-ins than previous Apollos. This allows you to use additional UAD plug-ins simultaneously, whether you are working in real-time with Neve, Manley or API channel strips or want to use many UAD plug-ins when mixing in your DAW.

From the warm tube tone of the Pultec EQ on guitars to the musical limiting of the LA-2A on vocals to the original pumping of an original 1176 or Fairchild 670 tube compressor on drums, UAD plug-ins make your recordings sound punchier and more three-dimensional. These typical characteristics of analog sounds cannot be achieved with any other plug-ins.

The perfect solution for musicians, sound engineers, producers and sound designers, Apollo x8 features four Unison-enabled mic preamps that let you record via detailed mic preamp emulations from Neve, API, Manley, SSL and Universal Audio.** Exclusively in Apollo Interfaces, Unison technology reproduces the tonal colors of these coveted tube and transistor microphone preamps with 100% detail - including the input impedance, gain stage "sweet spots" and component-level circuit behavior of the original hardware.

Unison's secret lies in the hardware-software integration between Apollo's microphone preamps and the integrated UAD real-time processing. Simply load a Unison preamp plug-in in the microphone input channel of the Apollo Console software. The plug-in physically reconfigures the Apollo's impedance and input gain. This way, you can use the classic sounds of the world's most frequently recorded microphone preamps.

One of Apollo's outstanding features is UAD real-time processing, which allows you to use the entire UAD plug-in library with virtually no latency. The Apollo x8 comes with the Realtime Analog Classics Plus plug-in bundle - featuring the world's only true-to-original emulations of Teletronix LA-2A, 1176LN and Fairchild compressors, the Unison-capable UA 610-B Tube Preamp & EQ, and guitar and bass amps from Marshall and Ampeg.

Apollo x8 goes far beyond the capabilities of the included Realtime Analog Classics Plus plug-ins, giving you access to the complete UAD Powered Plug-In Library from major manufacturers with vintage EQs, compressors, reverbs, tape machines, channel strips and more. Processing is virtually latency-free, regardless of the buffer size of your audio software and without taxing your computer's CPU.

With exclusive emulations from Neve, Studer, Manley, API, Ampex, Lexicon, Fender and anderen†, it's like owning a coveted recording studio full of legendary analog gear in just one 19" rack unit. Unlike competing interfaces, these DSP-based plug-ins are also available to you when mixing in the DAW.

With full support for surround monitoring up to 7.1 format, Apollo x8 is a boon to sound engineers and producers dedicated to music for games, television and the Internet. In addition, Apollo x8 offers selectable +24 dBu operation for pre-configured compatibility with professional mixing consoles and other high-quality pro audio equipment.

Apollo x8 offers 18 x 24 simultaneous inputs / outputs (6 x 6 analog I/O) and two integrated Thunderbolt 3 ports. This allows any Thunderbolt-equipped Apollo Twin Desktop or Apollo Rack interface (up to four Apollos) and a total of six UAD-2 devices to be easily combined - and the system can be expanded with additional fast I/O and high-bandwidth DSPs as studio needs grow.

Universal Audio's Senior Product Manager Gannon Kashiwa delves deep into the key features, specifications and developments of the latest generation of Apollo audio interfaces.

features:

• Special Edition with a premium suite of 5 award-winning plug-in titles from Teletronix,® Pultec,® and UA - worth €1,300
• Included in the Apollo "Heritage Edition" bundle:
• UA 1176 Classic Limiter Collection
• Teletronix LA-2A Classic Leveler Collection
• Pultec Passive EQ Collection
• UA 610 Tube Preamp & EQ Collection
• Pure Plate Reverb
• Record via outstanding A/D and D/A conversion - with the widest dynamic range and lowest noise on the market
• Thanks to the integrated Unison™ technology via preamp emulations from Neve, API, Manley, Fender and others almost latency-free aufnehmen†
• Mix with the powerful HEXA Core signal processing - it offers 6 UAD DSP chips for real-time use of additional award-winning UAD Powered Plug-Ins
• Easily integrate the interface into high-end systems with 7.1 surround sound monitoring and selectable +24 dBu headroom
• 18 x 24 Thunderbolt 3 audio interface with premium 24-bit / 192 kHz audio conversion (backward compatible with Thunderbolt 1 and 2 on Mac)
• Realtime UAD HEXA Core Processing for nearly latency-free recordings via UAD plug-ins, independent of buffer settings
• Record via four Unison-enabled mic/line preamps - for completely authentic preamp emulations of Neve, API, Manley, SSL and others
• Includes the "Realtime Analog Classics Plus" UAD plug-in bundle with UA 610-B tube preamp, Legacy Pultec EQ, LA-2A and 1176 compressors, Marshall Plexi Classic, Ampeg SVT-VR Classic and others
• Integrated UAD HEXA Core Processing for additional mixing power in Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, Ableton and other major DAWs
• Combine up to four Thunderbolt-equipped Apollos and a total of six UAD-2 units
• Selectable +24 dBu operation for easy compatibility with professional mixing consoles and tape machines
• Convenient monitoring functions on the front, including alt speakers, talkback microphone and selectable dim or mono
• Line inputs 8 x balanced 6.3 mm jack (TRS)
• Microphone inputs 4 x balanced XLR
• Instrument (Hi-Z) inputs 2 x unbalanced 6.3 mm jack (TS)
• Digital inputs (Optical TOSLINK) ADAT: 8 channels @ 44.1 to 96 kHz
• ADAT: 4 channels @ 176.4 to 192 kHz
• Digital inputs (RCA) S/PDIF: 2 channels @ 44.1 to 192 kHz
• Microphone preamplifier: Dynamic range: 122 dB (A-weighted)
• THD+N: -115 dB (0.00019 %)
• Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, ±0.05 dB
• Line inputs: Dynamic range: 123 dB (A-weighted)
• THD+N: -113 dB (0.00022%)
• Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, ±0.04 dB
• Line outputs: 8 x balanced 6.3 mm jack (TRS)
• Monitor Outputs: 2 x balanced 6.3 mm jack (TRS)
• Headphone outputs: 2 x 6.3 mm stereo jack
• Digital outputs (Optical TOSLINK) ADAT: 8 channels @ 44.1 to 96 kHz
• ADAT: 4 channels @ 176.4 to 192 kHz
• Digital outputs (RCA) S/PDIF: 2 channels @ 44.1 to 192 kHz
• Line outputs: Dynamic range: 127 dB (A-weighted)
• THD+N: -118 dB (0.00011%)
• Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, ±0.07 dB
• Monitor outputs: Dynamic range: 129 dB (A-weighted)
• THD+N: -118 dB (0.00012%)
• Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, ±0.06 dB
• Headphone outputs: Dynamic range: 125 dB (A-weighted)
• THD+N: -102 dB (0.00080%)
• Frequency response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, ±0.05 dB

Specs:

• Color: Black
• Rack Mountable: yes
• Line Inputs: 8
• Line Outputs: 8
• Mic Inputs: 4
• Phono Inputs: 0
• Instrument Inputs: 2
• digital Output: ADAT / S/PDIF
• digital Input: ADAT / S/PDIF
• Headphone Out: yes
• MIDI Inputs: 0 Ports
• MIDI Outputs: 0 Ports
• Host Port: Thunderbolt
• Number of headphone outputs: 2
• Type: Audio Interface
• Theme: Recording and Studio

Instruction manual / Safety instructions:

• Manual (9.34 MB)

Further links:

• Print View