Apollo x8p
Customer Reviews
Apollo x8p
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J. ZDORA
This is the best Apollo X unit for the money
8 unison inputs, 8 ADAT inputs, 10 analog outputs, 8 ADAT outputs, 2 headphone outputs. Not even the x16 has that much flexibility. I have 4 of the x8p for 32 total unison preamps (and another possible 32 ADAT inputs on tap if I ever record a symphony or something lol). I honestly wouldnt ever use the spdif or adat's, though. The Unison preamps simply sound better than anything Ive stuck into the ADAT jacks. Im not even talking about using Unison ready plugins. Just using the naked UAD preamp, the quality difference between it and many other pro/consumer preamps is an obvious win for UAD.
Ive had my studio engineer brethren come and test my kit out and Ive gotten honest smug approval reactions from the guys that own very, VERY expensive consoles. If you dont have the 100k++ to plop down for the real thing, this will honestly get you 97% of the way there. If you know how to record a sound with the correct gain staging, that will take you the other 3% and you will have so much more flexibility at your hands (with Unison preamp plugins and inserts) than anyone who owns a single piece of physical hardware. Yes, hardware rules. No mistaking that. But think about cost, maintenance, availability to ALL channels simultaneously, variance between different hardware units and most importantly: engineering skill. Spend the time to Get Good and you will overcome the hardware to software gap.
The hexa core's are enough for you to run the industries very best preamp plugins in the Unison slot, then 2 more "heavy DSP usage" plugins in the Insert slot for all 8 Unison inputs. I had a mix of Neve, Helios, API and UAD preamps running into several classic comps and limiters which then all separately ran into individual tape sim plugins. I was hitting the 90% tile of usage for my DSP engine but I did not get any errors from the Console or hear any slow-down or artifacts in my recorded audio. If you spend the time and tweak this stuff to fit that particular drum kit and player and room, taking the sounds directly to tape (record the inserts directly to your DAW) then you will have an insane amount of flexibility to record a collection of sounds that could not be created with even the best multi-hundred-thousand-dollar studio (unless you have every single preamp and compressor and eq and own at least 8 of each!).
The flexibility is bewildering at first and you might get lost. If you can stick with it and take it all in, you can do almost anything. Just follow good gain staging and microphone placement techniques and you will already be most of the way there. Also remember that you can go light on the Unison and Insert plugins and then go crazy with the exact same plugin chain later on inside your DAW durring mix-down. Stacking 2 of the same plugin is A-OK and will give you some really dramatic results. Taking your first iteration of these plugins to tape means that you have freed up all of your DSP so you can now re-use that hexa-core processor in your mixing stage.
Im truly enjoying my experience with this setup. There is still so much to learn and so much to experiment with but having the options to try out different things is exciting and I welcome the challenge. I love coming up with an idea and then trying it out!
On the basis of flexibility of inputs, quality of the raw sound (no plugins) and interface usability, this unit already wins. Add in the Unison tech and the UAD plugin library and youre pretty much looking at the best there is (shy of owning half a million dollars worth of gear).
J. ZDORA
This is the best Apollo X unit for the money
8 unison inputs, 8 ADAT inputs, 10 analog outputs, 8 ADAT outputs, 2 headphone outputs. Not even the x16 has that much flexibility. I have 4 of the x8p for 32 total unison preamps (and another possible 32 ADAT inputs on tap if I ever record a symphony or something lol). I honestly wouldnt ever use the spdif or adat's, though. The Unison preamps simply sound better than anything Ive stuck into the ADAT jacks. Im not even talking about using Unison ready plugins. Just using the naked UAD preamp, the quality difference between it and many other pro/consumer preamps is an obvious win for UAD.
Ive had my studio engineer brethren come and test my kit out and Ive gotten honest smug approval reactions from the guys that own very, VERY expensive consoles. If you dont have the 100k++ to plop down for the real thing, this will honestly get you 97% of the way there. If you know how to record a sound with the correct gain staging, that will take you the other 3% and you will have so much more flexibility at your hands (with Unison preamp plugins and inserts) than anyone who owns a single piece of physical hardware. Yes, hardware rules. No mistaking that. But think about cost, maintenance, availability to ALL channels simultaneously, variance between different hardware units and most importantly: engineering skill. Spend the time to Get Good and you will overcome the hardware to software gap.
The hexa core's are enough for you to run the industries very best preamp plugins in the Unison slot, then 2 more "heavy DSP usage" plugins in the Insert slot for all 8 Unison inputs. I had a mix of Neve, Helios, API and UAD preamps running into several classic comps and limiters which then all separately ran into individual tape sim plugins. I was hitting the 90% tile of usage for my DSP engine but I did not get any errors from the Console or hear any slow-down or artifacts in my recorded audio. If you spend the time and tweak this stuff to fit that particular drum kit and player and room, taking the sounds directly to tape (record the inserts directly to your DAW) then you will have an insane amount of flexibility to record a collection of sounds that could not be created with even the best multi-hundred-thousand-dollar studio (unless then had every single preamp and compressor and eq and they had at least 8 of each!).
The flexibility is bewildering at first and you might get lost. If you can stick with it and take it all in, you can do almost anything. Just follow good gain staging and microphone placement techniques and you will already be most of the way there. Also remember that you can go light on the Unison and Insert plugins and then go crazy with the exact same plugin chain later on inside your DAW durring mix-down. Stacking 2 of the same plugin is A-OK and will give you some really dramatic results. Taking your first iteration of these plugins to tape means that you have freed up all of your DSP so you can now re-use that hexa-core processor in your mixing stage.
Im truly enjoying my experience with this setup. There is still so much to learn and so much to experiment with but having the options to try out different things is exciting and I welcome the challenge. I love coming up with an idea and then trying it out!
On the basis of flexibility of inputs, quality of the raw sound (no plugins) and interface usability, this unit already wins. Add in the Unison tech and the UAD plugin library and youre pretty much looking at the best there is (shy of owning half a million dollars worth of gear).
D. Renteria
Amazing sound clarity and stereo spread.
These converters and clocks are pristine and punchy. The Analog Classic Pro Bundle has been amazing for tracking with the color in place and dropping off processing at the input. Seamless, to pretty large instance counts. Can't wait to get some more bundles/sales!
Thanks for leveling up my game.
David Renteria
ChaosHarmony&Co.
G. RAMIREZ
Congratulations UAD
I love it that’s all I can say
j. benson
Couldn’t be happier so far
I am coming from a 003 rack + expirimenting with a beginner set up, and I designed my recordings mainly focusing on a great sounding drum space. Prior to purchasing this piece, I did my research and focused on getting the best out of my equipment rather than think the equipment would make me better. After spending time getting the interface working with my new PC, I am really enjoying working with a new level of sound and am glad to wave goodbye to any latency
j. benson
Couldn’t be happier so far
I am coming from a 003 rack + expirimenting with a beginner set up, and I designed my recordings mainly focusing on a great sounding drum space. Prior to purchasing this piece, I did my research and focused on getting the best out of my equipment rather than think the equipment would make me better. After spending time getting the interface working with my new PC, I am really enjoying working with a new level of sound and am glad to wave goodbye to any latency
A. Miller
Even better
Sounds better than the last version 8p
R. Miller
Improved conversion with more power to boot!
The sound quality improvement of the 8xp over my larger I/o count convertor was such a step up that I sold that and bought 2 more apollo’s, it was THAT instant. Added to that the inclusion of 6 chips vs. 4 in the earlier apollo’s and it becomes a solution that for me pulls triple duty.
I run plugs as inserts when mixing FOH live via the adat i/o and some effects via analogue through the cue busses. I can record pre production at the bands rehearsal space WITH plugs and also with UNISON pre’s and I can also use it in my studio for tracking, again with plugs, as converters for my existing pre’s. Conversion with plugs post my analogue pre’s or just for mixing, either in the box using the monitor i/o, or bypassing the monitor and using spdif into my monitor controller or just using the analogue outs to feed my hybrid setup.
Console II is briliant too, although I would like greater MIDI integration and ability to recall snapshots/scenes on the fly.
It’s an incredibly versatile unit that just let’s me get on with the creative side of music. It works the way I want it to, not the other way round.
B. Sims
Apollo x8P
A very big step upwards in AD/DA conversion! 6 processing chips and worth the price of admission. I absolutely love it!!
J. Tristán
Sin palabras.
Esto es una maravilla que hay que probar sí o sí tarde o temprano para el que aún no lo haya hecho. Es la mejor máquina con la que se puede trabajar. Va de fábula en Win 10 mediante USB C. Increíble tecnología y facilidad de uso, ruteo... Sólo tengo buenas palabras.
M. Díaz Moyano
Los 8 mejores pre del mundo
8 mics idénticos, la misma fuente, y 8 pres Unison haciendome escuchar la vida en el estudio. Gracias por tanta maquina guys
P.D. Rango dinámico... ...ufff <3
a. li
good update!
I like the Unison Preamps, the ADDA conversion is state of the art and various monitoring functions up to 7.1 is the big advantage.2 more chips than before and the ability to mix surround sound is huge.but It's time UA decreased the prices of some of this sort of stuff. Even heavily discounted.
S. Miller
I'm an official UAD family member!
I bought an X8P earlier this year and loved it so much that I bought another one a couple months later. My interface rack is now fully capable of tracking as many mic's as I'd ever expect to need in my project studio (I have another 8 pre's going into one of the X8P's via ADAT). So nice to finally have the quality mic pre's that I've always wanted, makes a huge difference in the quality of work that I can do now. Not to mention the horsepower to run Unison and other plugins. It's been a life changer! Only down side was that I didn't get any extra plugins when I bought the second unit, wish I could have chosen some different plugins since I already had the Classic Bundle.
R. Dillosman
Bloody Sensational!
This is my first Universal Audio product and I have only scratched the surface on this little rippa, it is incredible. Perfect for my drums and the included Plug-Ins are spot on.
C. De Nuzzo
Fabulous!
Great update! Compared to the classic 8P now I can finally fit it in a rack and connect all the I/Outs to the patch bay. The sound is extraordinary and, to my ears, all the frequencies are well balanced, with tight bass and smooth mid/highs. I use it together with my Apollo Twin MKII and my Satellite Octo and I have plenty of available processing. Even if I'm a Logic Pro X user, the next step for UA would be make them PT HDX compatible, as Almost all Antelope Audio interfaces do. Nonetheless I highly recommend this interface!
J. Hadfield
Love it!
The Apollo x8p is really an amazing piece of gear and is perfect for my studio where I track drums and percussion. Thank you!
T. Ensemble
Amazing 8xp
Super device !!! Very glad I bought !!!
A. Wingert
Amazing 8xp
My fourth Apollo and by sure not my last. I like the Unison Preamps, the ADDA conversion is state of the art and various monitoring functions up to 7.1 is the big advantage. One thing I miss, is to control the console software with a hardware controller.
P. Katz
This is a seriously nice piece of gear
What can you say ? The instAnt you track through this you’ll hear the difference/
It’s a bad boy - I have the 4710d and the twin and it’s been virtually seemless also as far as working together but the x is a cut above for all the reasons billed by UA it’s a lot of scratch but if you want to get there - here’s a plane ticket
.
8Xp
So I got my first 8p this summer on sale at GC and was planning on going to 16 channels by the end of summer. I had a hunch that something new was coming when all the Apollo racks went 20% off so I waited it out long enough for the new 8xp to come out and I’m luck for it. 2 more chips than before and the ability to mix surround sound is huge. Thanks UA!!!