ReviewFinder Audio Recording Interfaces

Universal Audio Apollo Twin X

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Input/output options
Latency
Preamp quality
DSP processing
Compatibility
Brand reputation
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9 Verified Hands-On Reviews

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Expert reviews [9]

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Total expert reviews: 9
  • with a score: 0
  • without a score: 9
The new desktop interfaces from UA, the Twin X and Apollo x4, offer improved audio specifications, more DSP power, and higher channel counts, making them ideal for professional recording scenarios. With their upgraded features and software improvements, these interfaces are a substantial upgrade and provide a range of features for recording professionals.
+ pros
  • Improved audio specifications, including updated converters and higher channel counts, provide better sound quality and more flexibility in recording scenarios.
  • More DSP power allows for running multiple plug-ins simultaneously, enhancing the creative possibilities and workflow for recording professionals.
  • The Apollo x4 offers additional I/O options, such as extra line inputs and outputs, coaxial S/PDIF and word-clock I/O, and support for eight-channel ADAT recording, making it versatile for various recording needs.
  • The Twin X and Apollo x4 are portable interfaces, allowing for easy transportation and use in different locations.
  • UA's software improvements introduce new functionality and enhance the overall performance of the interfaces.
- cons
  • The Apollo x4 competes with other premium interfaces in the market, which may make it challenging to stand out among competitors.
  • The Twin X is closely aligned with the X-series interfaces, which may limit its appeal to those specifically looking for an upgrade within the UA product line.
The product is a free e-book that teaches musicians how to promote their music for free on Spotify by becoming a playlist curator. The author shares their own success story of gaining a large following and making money through artist and label submissions.
+ pros
  • Becoming a Spotify Playlist Curator can help you gain exposure and reach a larger audience for your music.
  • Generating income through artist and label submissions can provide a steady source of revenue for your music career.
  • Promoting your music for free through your own Spotify Playlists allows you to grow your fan base without spending money on paid promotional services.
- cons
  • The process of becoming a Spotify Playlist Curator may require time and effort to build a substantial following and gain credibility.
  • Relying solely on artist and label submissions for income may limit your financial stability and depend on the success of those submissions.
  • Growing your fan base organically through free promotion may take longer compared to using paid promotional services.
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Expert consensus

The Universal Audio Apollo Twin X audio interface is highly praised for its versatile input/output options, low latency, top-notch preamp quality, powerful DSP processing capabilities, and compatibility with various software and operating systems, making it a recommended choice for home studios, project studios, and professional recording environments.

The Universal Audio Apollo Twin X audio interface is highly praised by experts for its versatile input/output options, low latency, top-notch preamp quality, powerful DSP processing capabilities, and compatibility with various software and operating systems. It offers two combo mic/line inputs, a Hi-Z instrument input, line outputs, monitor outputs, and additional digital input options.

The Thunderbolt 3 connectivity provides less than 2ms of latency, ensuring a seamless recording and monitoring experience. The preamp quality is described as stunning, with Unison technology allowing for emulation of classic analog preamps. The built-in DSP processing enables the use of UAD plugins, providing high-quality processing for audio recordings.

The interface is highly compatible with popular DAWs and supports a wide range of third-party plugins. The brand reputation of Universal Audio is strong, with the Apollo Twin X known for delivering professional studio sound in a compact and affordable package. Overall, the Apollo Twin X is recommended for use in home studios, project studios, and professional recording environments, offering exceptional sound quality, versatile features, and reliable performance.

Input/output options

The Universal Audio Apollo Twin X audio interface offers a wide range of input and output options, high-quality conversion, and real-time UAD processing, making it a versatile and powerful tool for recording and monitoring audio.

The Universal Audio Apollo Twin X audio interface offers a wide range of input and output options to accommodate various recording and monitoring needs. It features two combo mic/line inputs that are Unison-enabled, allowing for the connection of microphones, instruments, or line-level devices.

There is also a Hi-Z instrument input specifically designed for guitars.

In terms of outputs, the Apollo Twin X has a pair of 1/4" line outputs and monitor outputs for connecting speakers or studio monitors. It also has two pairs of line outputs on the rear panel, providing flexibility for routing audio to different destinations, such as multiple pairs of stereo speakers.

Additionally, the interface offers up to 8 channels of additional digital input via optical ADAT/SPDIF input, allowing for expansion of the input capabilities. It also includes a headphone output for convenient headphone monitoring.

The Apollo Twin X does not support 5. 1 surround monitoring, but it does provide elite-class A/D and D/A conversion for high-quality audio recording and playback. It also supports real-time UAD processing, allowing for low-latency recording and monitoring with UAD plug-ins.

Overall, the Universal Audio Apollo Twin X is a versatile audio interface that offers a comprehensive range of input and output options, making it suitable for various recording and monitoring applications. Whether you're recording vocals, instruments, or mixing and mastering tracks, the Apollo Twin X has the necessary inputs and outputs to meet your needs.

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Latency

The Universal Audio Apollo Twin X offers ultra-fast Thunderbolt 3 connectivity and less than 2ms of latency, making it ideal for real-time tracking, processing, and monitoring of audio signals in professional audio production.

The Universal Audio Apollo Twin X is praised for its ultra-fast Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, which provides less than 2ms of latency for recording and monitoring. This low latency is crucial for real-time tracking, processing, and monitoring of audio signals.

It allows musicians and performers to hear themselves in real-time without noticeable delays, ensuring a seamless and natural recording experience. The low latency also enables immediate monitoring and processing of audio through the premium suite of UAD plug-ins that come with the Apollo Twin X.

Additionally, for users working with virtual instruments or software synthesizers, the low latency ensures perfect sync between MIDI input and resulting sound, making it feel like playing a real instrument. Overall, the Universal Audio Apollo Twin X delivers a highly suitable latency performance for professional audio production, providing a smooth and seamless recording and monitoring process.

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Preamp quality

The Universal Audio Apollo Twin X is highly praised for its exceptional preamp quality, featuring stunning Unison technology and the ability to run UAD plugins for detailed software emulations of vintage analog hardware.

The Universal Audio Apollo Twin X is highly praised for its preamp quality by experts. The preamps are described as stunning and are equipped with Unison technology, allowing them to emulate the impedance, gain stage, and circuit behavior of classic analog preamps.

This feature, combined with the built-in DSP capability, enables the Apollo Twin X to run UAD plugins, which are highly detailed software emulations of vintage analog hardware.

The preamps in the Apollo Twin X are known for their elite-class A/D and D/A conversion, derived from the Apollo X rackmount interfaces. This ensures high-quality audio performance. The console and software integration take the preamps beyond what has ever been considered possible, according to the experts.

The Apollo Twin X features two Unison-enabled mic preamps that provide phantom power for condenser microphones. This is useful for recording with condenser microphones that require phantom power to operate effectively.

While the specific frequency response range, gain and noise levels, and level of distortion and harmonic distortion are not mentioned in the available information, the overall consensus is that the preamp quality in the Apollo Twin X is exceptional.

In summary, the Universal Audio Apollo Twin X offers top-notch preamp quality with its stunning and versatile preamps. The combination of Unison technology, DSP processing power, and UAD plugins allows for a wide range of analog modeling and digital processing options.

This makes the Apollo Twin X a valuable tool for achieving professional studio sound in a digital audio workstation (DAW) at a more affordable cost.

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DSP processing

The Universal Audio Apollo Twin X is a highly regarded audio interface with powerful DSP processing capabilities, allowing users to utilize high-quality plug-ins for professional studio sound, although there are limitations on the number of simultaneous plug-ins that can be run.

The Universal Audio Apollo Twin X is a highly regarded audio interface that offers powerful DSP processing capabilities. It is available in two versions, Duo and Quad, with the Quad version having four DSP processing cores. The DSP processing allows users to utilize Universal Audio's real-time UAD plug-ins, which are detailed software emulations of vintage recording and production hardware.

These plug-ins provide high-quality processing for audio recordings and can help achieve a professional studio sound in a digital audio workstation (DAW).

Experts praise the built-in DSP and the effectiveness of the Unison preamps in the Apollo Twin X, stating that they can make recordings sound like they were performed on high-end analog hardware. The DSP processing in the Apollo Twin X is considered top-quality and adds significant value to the interface.

However, there are limitations and restrictions on DSP processing. The number of simultaneous plug-ins that can be run depends on the number of DSP cores, the complexity of the plug-ins, and the sample rate being used. Higher sample rates require more DSP power, potentially limiting the number of plug-ins that can be run.

The Apollo Twin X also has limited DSP resources, so there may be a limit to the number of plug-ins that can be run simultaneously.

To overcome these limitations, experts suggest adding more Apollo interfaces and UAD-2 processors to the setup, as the Console and driver software support up to six UAD-2 devices in total. This would provide more DSP power and allow for a greater number of plug-ins to be run simultaneously.

Overall, the Universal Audio Apollo Twin X offers powerful and customizable DSP processing capabilities, making it an ideal choice for musicians and producers looking to enhance their studio capabilities. The user-friendly interface allows for easy navigation and application of effects and plug-ins, providing a seamless experience for users.

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Compatibility

The Universal Audio Apollo Twin X audio interface is highly compatible with both Mac and Windows operating systems, supports popular DAWs, and is compatible with a wide range of third-party plugins, making it a versatile choice for professional recording and production purposes.

The Universal Audio Apollo Twin X audio interface is highly compatible with both Mac and Windows operating systems. It supports popular DAWs such as Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Cubase, Ableton Live, and more. It can be used with any DAW that supports VST, AU, and AAX 64 plug-in formats, allowing for seamless integration and real-time processing capabilities.

In terms of third-party plugins, the Apollo Twin X is compatible with a wide range of options. It runs UAD Powered Plug-Ins via VST, AU, and AAX 64 formats, and also supports plugins from various developers such as Waves, FabFilter, Soundtoys, Native Instruments, and Plugin Alliance.

This allows users to expand their plugin library and access a vast array of effects, virtual instruments, and processing tools.

There are no known compatibility issues with the Apollo Twin X when used with popular software or plugins. It is designed to work seamlessly with most major DAWs and is optimized for use with Universal Audio's UAD plugins. However, it is always recommended to check the system requirements and compatibility information provided by the plugin developer before making a purchase.

Setting up and configuring the Apollo Twin X with different software and operating systems is relatively easy. It uses Thunderbolt 3 connectivity for fast and reliable data transfer, and the Universal Audio Console software allows users to control the interface, access UAD plugins, and configure settings.

The interface is user-friendly and compatible with various software and operating systems, making it a versatile choice for professional recording and production purposes.

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Brand reputation

The Universal Audio Apollo Twin X is a highly regarded audio interface in the recording industry, known for its high-quality sound, access to UAD plugins, and Unison preamps, making it a top choice for musicians, producers, and audio engineers.

The Universal Audio Apollo Twin X has a strong brand reputation in the audio recording industry. Experts in the field highly regard this audio interface for its high-quality signal paths, converters, and solid software. It is known for delivering professional studio sound in a compact and affordable package.

One of the standout features of the Apollo Twin X is its ability to access Universal Audio's UAD plugins, which are detailed software emulations of vintage recording and production hardware. This allows users to enhance their recordings with the sound characteristics of classic analog gear.

The interface also features Unison preamps, which can make recordings sound like they were performed on high-end analog hardware. This is particularly beneficial for musicians and producers who want to achieve a warm and vintage sound.

Overall, the Apollo Twin X is considered a top-quality audio interface that offers professional-level performance and capabilities. It is suitable for a range of use cases, including home studios, project studios, and professional recording environments. Whether you are a musician, producer, or audio engineer, the Apollo Twin X is highly recommended for its exceptional sound quality, versatile features, and reliable performance.

In terms of customer support, while there is no specific information available about the Apollo Twin X, Universal Audio is generally known for its strong customer support and reputation in the audio industry. They have a dedicated support team and provide various resources for customers to find answers to their questions and resolve any technical issues they may encounter.

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Position in ranking

We maintain a monthly ranking that sums up expert recommendations for all audio recording interfaces.

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1
- $200
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface is a versatile and reliable device with low latency levels, upgraded preamp design, and a new Air mode that enhances high-end detail, making it a great choice for solo artists and mobile recording.
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- $180
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen
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- Check price
PreSonus AudioBox USB 96
The PreSonus AudioBox USB 96 is a versatile and reliable audio interface with low latency, high-quality mic preamps, and compatibility with almost all recording software, making it an excellent choice for musicians, podcasters, and other audio professionals.
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15
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- $179
UA Volt 2
The UA Volt 2 audio interface is a versatile and high-quality device with low latency, two preamps based on the classic Universal Audio 610 tube preamp, and essential audio software, making it a reliable option for recording musicians, podcasters, and streamers.
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Universal Audio Apollo Twin X ranks #9 out of 15 in this month's ranking:
The best for audio quality and DSP power
24 Oct 2024 (1 month ago)
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Highest recommended audio recording interfaces this month

ReviewFinder ranks based on a combination of customer reviews, expert reviews / mentions and popularity. Expert recommendations carry the highest weight in the ranking. We do not rank based on price, our commission or brand. audio recording interfaces below are at the top of our ranking this December.

Scroll to see all options. Click on the audio interface for more details.
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen PreSonus AudioBox USB 96 UA Volt 2
Reviews
In comparison:
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 rank #1 out of 129. Very high levels of customer satisfaction.
Go to rankings
9.1
Great
Reviews
We don't yet have enough review information for Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 4th Gen
Reviews
In comparison:
PreSonus AudioBox USB 96 rank #3 out of 129. Very high levels of customer satisfaction.
Go to rankings
8.3
Great
Reviews
In comparison:
UA Volt 2 rank #4 out of 129. Very high levels of customer satisfaction.
Go to rankings
9.6
Amazing
Price
The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 audio interface is a versatile and reliable device with low latency levels, upgraded preamp design, and a new Air mode that enhances high-end detail, making it a great choice for solo artists and mobile recording.
Expert consensus not yet generated.
The PreSonus AudioBox USB 96 is a versatile and reliable audio interface with low latency, high-quality mic preamps, and compatibility with almost all recording software, making it an excellent choice for musicians, podcasters, and other audio professionals. The UA Volt 2 audio interface is a versatile and high-quality device with low latency, two preamps based on the classic Universal Audio 610 tube preamp, and essential audio software, making it a reliable option for recording musicians, podcasters, and streamers.
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