Universal Audio Wins a Record Six TEC Awards at the 2026 NAMM Show

UA honored across multiple product categories for Apollo X Gen 2 audio interfaces, UAFX pedals, and UAD plug-ins

SCOTTS VALLEY, CA • February 3, 2026 • Universal Audio Inc. (UA), a worldwide leader in audio production tools, was awarded a record-breaking six Technical Excellence and Creativity (TEC) Awards at The 2026 NAMM Show on January 22 in Anaheim, California.

Since 1985, the TEC Awards have honored outstanding achievements in professional audio production and product innovation. Voted on by industry experts and the public alike, the TEC Awards are widely regarded as the highest honor for technical and creative excellence in sound recording.

“Moments like this remind us how lucky we are to serve the music community,” says Bill Putnam Jr., CEO and founder of Universal Audio. “This recognition truly belongs to the artists and engineers who've trusted our tools and pushed us to raise the bar for decades.”

Apollo x16D

Winner, Signal Processing Hardware
Built for front-of-house engineers and networked recording studios, Apollo x16D delivers elite-class Apollo X sound and realtime UAD plug-in processing over Thunderbolt and Dante.® Expandable up to 64 channels at 96kHz, Apollo x16D is currently on stadium tours with Iron Maiden, The Black Keys, Backstreet Boys, Paul Simon, Kendrick Lamar, and more.*  

Apollo Twin X Gen 2

Winner, Computer Audio Hardware
Apollo Twin X puts decades of inspiring analog studio sound right on user's desktops, featuring high-resolution audio conversion, Unison™ mic preamps, and realtime UAD processing — so creators can record through plug-ins from Neve, API, Manley, Auto-Tune, and more with near-zero latency.

Apollo Monitor Correction Powered by Sonarworks®

Winner, Amplification Hardware / Studio & SoundReinforcement 
UA and Sonarworks teamed up to bring DSP-based room and headphone correction to Apollo X Gen 1 and Gen 2 interfaces. By combining the standalone Sonarworks SoundID Reference app, a measurement microphone, and Apollo Monitor Correction running on Apollo, creators can fully calibrate their listening environment for the flattest frequency response and best mix translation.

Enigmatic '82 Overdrive Special Amp

Winner, Musical Instrument Amplification & Effects
UAFX Enigmatic '82 Overdrive Special Amp delivers 30 years of legendary ODS tones in a single pedal, offering the sound of some of the most coveted and expensive guitar amps in history.

UAD Dream '65 Reverb Amplifier

Winner, Musical Instrument Software
The UAD Dream '65 plug-in perfectly captures a "golden unit" 1965 reverb combo amp, famously used on stages and in studios across six decades of hits — from pop, rock, and country to funk, soul, and more. Based on the award-winning UAFX pedal, the plug-in delivers all the essential controls for getting incredible amp tone right inside any DAW.

A-Type Multiband Dynamic Enhancer

Winner, Signal Processing Software (Effects)
The first and only end-to-end emulation of the vintage multiband “compansion” processor found in some of the world’s biggest studios, the A-Type UAD plug-in unlocks the presence and top end sizzle that’s perfect for pushing vocals straight to the front of the mix.

*Use of artist names does not constitute official endorsement of UA products.

Learn more about Universal Audio: https://www.uaudio.com/ 

See all winners of the 41st Annual NAMM TEC Awards: https://www.tecawards.org/ 

Download images and press materials: https://u.audio/tecawards-2026pr

About Universal Audio Inc.
Universal Audio (UA) is a pioneer in audio and music production tools, with a rich 60-year history of craftsmanship and innovation. UA today enables millions of audio and music creators worldwide, with industry-standard Apollo and Volt recording interfaces, UAD plug-ins, UAFX pedals, advanced audio machine learning, LUNA recording suite, and UA Custom Shop hardware. UA is headquartered in Scotts Valley, California, with passionate employees worldwide — united by our goal of "Inspiring Sound for Generations."

©2026 Universal Audio, Inc. All rights reserved. Product features, specifications, pricing, and availability are subject to change without notice. The "Universal Audio" name, UA "diamond" logo, “Apollo,” “Apollo Twin,” “UAD,” “Powered Plug-Ins,” and “LUNA Recording System" are trademarks or registered trademarks of Universal Audio Inc. *All other trademarks contained herein are property of their respective owners, which may or may not be affiliated with Universal Audio Inc. Specifically, the Neve, 1084, 1073, MOOG, Studer, Spitfire Audio, Orange Tree Samples, and Loops de la Creme trademarks are used with permission. Other marks, including Steinway, are used to suggest the products that were studied in the creation of LUNA Instruments, but are not in any way affiliated with Universal Audio.