Apollo
Native
Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip
Record and mix with the ultimate all-tube vocal processor.
- Create rich, luxurious vocals with Manley’s high-fidelity, Class-A tube mic preamp
- Sculpt vocals with Manley’s Pultec-style passive EQ with 33 selectable frequencies
- Dial-in signals with perfectly tuned Attack and Release combinations
- Harness Class A EQ and compression for bass, acoustic guitars, vocals, voiceovers, and more
- Organically tame sibilance with unmatched de-esser/limiter section
- Record in realtime “through” a high-end Manley VOXBOX with Apollo and Unison™ technology
Record and Mix with the Ultimate All-Tube Vocal Processor
What They Say
Chuck Zwicky
Prince, Soul Asylum, Reggie Watts
Joe Chiccarelli
Jason Mraz, Beck, The Strokes, Morrissey
EveAnna Manley
President of Manley Labs
Reviews
Total 5 star reviews: 654 Total 4 star reviews: 53 Total 3 star reviews: 13 Total 2 star reviews: 7 Total 1 star reviews: 5
97%would recommend this product
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732 reviews
- RGRyan G.Verified BuyerRated 2 out of 5 starsYesterdayLittle disappointed
Lots of hype about this plugin, it’s okay, but not great.
- PPPeter P.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars1 month agoGreat
Works just like it should
- APAlex P.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars1 month agoI like it
Thank you so much for being here. You have really cool equipment and plugins. Don't let anyone copy you. You're really cool. I really love using Universal Audio.
- ISIgor S.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars1 month agoVery useful plugin.
I've managed to sort out some problematic vocals using this plugin. It's very useful, and not just for vocals.
- DBDaniel B.Verified BuyerRated 5 out of 5 stars1 month agoAs usual, fantastic!
I love this plugin and highly recommend it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if you want a complete vocal recording and mixing chain in a single plug-in, the Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip is worth it. It combines a tube mic preamp, optical compressor, passive EQ, and de-esser/limiter modeled from a boutique all-tube hardware unit, so one instance covers most of what a vocal track needs. You get the character of a high-end studio channel strip without patching together several separate processors.
The Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip stands apart because it models an all-tube boutique hardware unit built specifically around the voice. Its signal path runs through a Class A tube mic preamp, a vactrol optical compressor, a passive tube EQ, and a dedicated de-esser/limiter, each captured from the original circuit rather than approximated. That combination gives vocals a smooth, detailed tube character that generic console-style channel strips don't reproduce.
The all-tube signal path in the Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip shapes every stage of the sound with tube circuitry, from the mic preamp through the compressor and EQ. Tubes add a gentle harmonic richness and natural saturation as you push the input, which is a big part of why the hardware became a vocal favorite. The plug-in emulates that behavior stage by stage, so driving it harder colors the sound the way the original unit does.
You get both with a single purchase of the Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip, so you don't have to choose. It runs natively on your Mac or Windows computer using your CPU, and it also runs accelerated on Apollo interfaces and UAD Accelerators. Buy it once and you're licensed for the native version and the Apollo/UAD-2 version.
Yes, the Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip is included in the UAD Spark subscription along with the rest of the UAD native plug-in library. Subscribing gives you access to the plug-in for as long as your subscription is active, which is a low-commitment way to put it to work in your own sessions. If you'd rather own it outright, you can also buy the individual license.
Yes, the Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip is built to match the sound and behavior of the original all-tube hardware. We modeled the tube mic preamp, optical compressor, passive EQ, and de-esser/limiter directly from the unit, capturing how each circuit responds. Engineers who know the hardware describe the plug-in as behaving and sounding like the real thing.
The Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip uses a three-band passive EQ modeled on a classic tube-era program equalizer, with 33 selectable frequencies. Passive EQ designs stay musical even when you make big moves, so you can apply broad boosts and cuts while the top end stays sweet and the lows stay defined. It's built for shaping tone in confident strokes rather than surgical corrections.
No, the native and DSP versions of the Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip use the same models and sound identical. The only difference is where the processing happens: native runs on your computer's CPU, while the Apollo/UAD-2 version runs on dedicated DSP. Which one you use comes down to your system and whether you want to track through it in realtime on an Apollo.
Yes, the Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip runs natively on both macOS and Windows. It also runs on Apple Silicon Macs, so it works on current M-series machines. You can check the full system requirements on UA's support site against your specific setup.
Yes, the Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip works as a plug-in in all major DAWs on Mac and Windows. It loads on your vocal or instrument tracks like any other plug-in in your session. An iLok account is required to manage your license, though a physical iLok USB key is optional.
You record through the Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip in realtime using an Apollo interface and Unison™ technology. Unison lets Apollo's mic and instrument inputs take on the impedance, gain staging, and circuit behavior of the modeled hardware, so you're tracking through the VOXBOX rather than adding it afterward. That means you can commit to a rich tube vocal sound on the way in, with near-zero latency.
Yes, the Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip works just as well when mixing as it does when tracking. In a mix, you load it on recorded vocals to add tube warmth, shape tone with the passive EQ, control dynamics with the optical compressor, and tame sibilance with the de-esser. It gives you a full vocal treatment on one channel without stacking separate plug-ins.
No, the Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip works on far more than vocals. It has long been a favorite on bass for its tube signal path and EQ, and it also flatters clean electric guitars, acoustic guitars, strings, and drums. Anywhere you want musical tube EQ and compression in one place, it fits.
Yes, all-tube channel strip plug-ins like the Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip are as relevant as ever. The appeal of tube character, optical compression, and passive EQ isn't nostalgia, it's about how those circuits shape sound in ways engineers still use every day. Modeling them accurately means you get that sound in any modern session, on any track, without sourcing rare hardware.
Yes, the Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip is part of the UAD native plug-in library, which spans preamps, compressors, EQs, and effects modeled from classic studio gear. Because everything in the library shares the same platform, the VOXBOX sits naturally alongside your other UAD plug-ins in any DAW. You can add it individually or get the whole collection through a UAD Spark subscription.
Yes, the Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip can serve as a complete vocal chain in a single plug-in. It runs your voice through a tube mic preamp, an optical compressor, a passive EQ, and a de-esser/limiter in one signal path, which covers the core stages most vocals need. For many sessions, one instance replaces the handful of separate plug-ins people normally chain together for vocals.
The Manley VOXBOX Channel Strip includes a dedicated de-esser that tames harsh sibilance with just two controls. You set the target frequency and the amount, and it smooths the sharp "s" and "t" sounds without dulling the rest of the vocal. You can also switch off the frequency control and use that section as a colorful limiter on vocals, bright guitars, or overheads.