Universal Audio Apollo x8 Gen 2 Essentials+
Product information "Universal Audio Apollo x8 Gen 2 Essentials+"
Rackmount 18 x 24 Thunderbolt audio interface with four Unison microphone preamps, Apollo X Gen 2 elite‑class audio conversion, Auto‑Gain, Apollo Monitor Correction, up to 7.1 surround with bass management, HEXA Core DSP plug‑in processing and premium software suite.
UA's next generation of Apollo x8 interfaces is here for studio producers who need ultra‑high‑resolution audio conversion, four Unison™ microphone preamps and HEXA Core DSP processing for tracking and mixing with top UAD plug‑ins from Auto‑Tune, Neve, Manley, Avalon, SSL and hundreds more.
Top producers and engineers worldwide rely on Apollo x8 when they need premier Apollo X tone and DSP performance with expanded I/O. Apollo x8 brings legendary UA craftsmanship and the stars' sound straight into your rack.
Main benefits:
- Hear the next generation of audio conversion with the greatest dynamic range and lowest distortion of any Apollo model
- Experience authentic analogue tone with Unison™ preamps that let you record in real time through hardware emulations from Neve, API, Avalon, Fender and more
- Access the entire library of 200+ UAD DSP and Native plug‑ins, including award‑winning titles like Capitol Chambers, Sound City Studios, EL8 Distressor, and more
- Mix with confidence in any room or on headphones with Apollo Monitor Correction powered by Sonarworks®*
- Use Auto‑Gain to set your levels across multiple inputs in seconds so you never miss a take
- Hear every detail in the low end of your mixes by adding a subwoofer to your monitor setup
- Quickly set up low‑latency cue mixes, plug‑in Scenes and immersive audio monitoring with the UAD Console App
- Receive award‑winning UAD plug‑ins from Auto‑Tune, Fairchild, Teletronix and more worth thousands with a selection of Essentials+ or Studio+ editions
Expand your rack with the world's most proven interface
Universal Audio designed Apollo x8 for professional and project studios where the highest audio quality is essential. With its award‑winning Apollo X sound — now with unprecedented dynamic range and improved D/A monitoring — Apollo x8 brings authentic analogue tone straight into your rack.
Record through four Unison preamps
With Unison™ technology, Apollo x8 enables real‑time tracking with the sound of classic preamps and channel strips from Neve, Manley, API and dozens more, delivering the same rich analogue textures heard on the most significant recordings of our time.
Unleash authentic analogue sounds
Apollo x8 gives you the tools used by the world's top engineers right out of the box. Together with the included Teletronix LA‑2A compressors, Pultec EQs and amps from Fender, Marshall and Ampeg, you can access the full library of 200+ UAD plug‑ins and unleash proven, hit‑ready sounds like Ocean Way Studios, Capitol Chambers and many more.
Hear the details like never before
Now in Gen 2 design, Apollo x8 features UA's ultra‑high‑resolution D/A converters, paired with Apollo Monitor Correction powered by Sonarworks®. That means when you play back your recordings through monitors or headphones you not only hear an accurate representation of your work, but you also avoid surprises when you check your final mix or master.
Find your flow in the UAD Console App
Just like an analogue studio where a console is the workflow hub, Apollo x8 features a powerful digital mixing engine that controls plug‑in routing and monitoring. And with the latest features like Auto‑Gain, bass management, 7.1 surround and plug‑in Scenes, it's easy to find a workflow that fits your needs.
A hybrid system built for your mission
Combine Apollo x8's HEXA Core DSP with your host computer's native processing to build large sessions with complex plug‑in chains — a powerful hybrid workflow that outperforms any purely native recording setup.
Expand your studio as you grow
Build out your studio by connecting up to four Thunderbolt Apollo interfaces for up to 128 channels of premium I/O with your DAW, and control everything from your desktop with Apollo Twin or x4. No matter how far your music takes you, an Apollo will always be within reach
Main features:
- 18 x 24 Thunderbolt audio interface with HEXA Core DSP plug‑in processing
- Four Unison™ microphone preamps, two Hi‑Z instrument inputs, eight 1/4" line inputs, two optical Toslink inputs (ADAT S/MUX), coaxial RCA inputs (S/PDIF), wordclock inputs (BNC)
- Two 1/4" monitor outputs, eight 1/4" line outputs (ALT / 7.1 surround), two 1/4" TRS headphone outputs
- Apollo X Gen 2 D/A converters of the elite class with 24‑bit / 192 kHz resolution and dual‑crystal clocking for extremely low jitter at all sample rates
- Improved D/A for critical monitoring and playback with 130 dB dynamic range and an astonishingly low distortion of ‑127 dB
- Calibrate your main monitor and headphone outputs with Apollo Monitor Correction powered by Sonarworks® (requires Apollo Monitor Correction add‑on and SoundID Reference licences)
- Fully functional monitor controller with speaker switching and built‑in talkback for easy communication with performers
- Updated UAD Console App with Auto‑Gain, plug‑in Scenes, subwoofer integration with bass management, immersive audio support and more
- The onboard DSP supports over 200 UAD plug‑ins in VST, AU and AAX 64 formats across major DAWs
- Includes up to 50+ UAD plug‑ins with Essentials+ or Studio+ editions
- Compatible with LUNA, Logic Pro, Pro Tools, Cubase, Ableton Live and more
- Expandable with Thunderbolt Apollo interfaces or selected models via Dante
Plug‑ins included in the Essentials+ edition:
Channel Strips & Preamps (6):
- Century Tube Channel Strip
- CS‑1 Channel Strip
- Helios Type 69 Preamp & EQ
- Precision Channel Strip
- UA 610‑A Preamp & EQ
- UA 610‑B Preamp & EQ
Compressors / Limiters (7):
- Fairchild 670 Legacy
- Teletronix LA‑2A Classic Leveler
- Teletronix LA‑2A Gray Classic Leveler
- Teletronix LA‑2A Silver Classic Leveler
- Teletronix LA‑2A Legacy Leveling Amplifier
- UA 1176LN Legacy
- UA 1176SE Legacy
Equalizers (6):
- Helios Type 69 Legacy EQ
- Pultec EQP‑1A Legacy EQ
- Pultec EQP‑1A Passive EQ
- Pultec HLF‑3C Passive EQ
- Pultec MEQ‑5 Passive EQ
- Pultec Pro Legacy EQ
Special Processing (4):
- Auto‑Tune Realtime Access
- Oxide Tape Recorder
- Precision Enhancer Hz
- Verve Analog Machines Essentials
Instruments (1):
- PolyMAX Polyphonic Synth
Delay & Modulation (3):
- Galaxy Tape Echo
- Precision Delay Mod
- Precision Delay Mod L
Reverbs & Rooms (3):
- Precision Reflection Engine
- Pure Plate Reverb
- RealVerb Pro Custom Room Modeler
Guitar & Bass (3):
- Ampeg SVT‑VR Classic Bass Amplifier
- Marshall Plexi Classic Amplifier
- Raw Distortion
- ADAT-In: Yes, 2 (up to 8 Mono Channels)
- ADAT-Out: Yes, 2 (up to 8 Mono Channels)
- AVB: no
- BNC Word Clock: 1 In / 1 Out
- Dante: no
- Design: Rack Enclosures
- Direct Monitoring: Yes (Software)
- Displays: LEDs
- Dynamic Range: 129 dB
- Headphone Output: 2x 6,3 mm Stereo Jack
- Hi-Z Input: 2x 6,3 mm Jack (Ch 1-2)
- Includes: Interface, Power Supply, Software
- Input channels that can be used simultaneously: 18
- Line in: 8x 6,3 mm Jack (Ch 1-8)
- Line out: 10x 6,3 mm Jack (balanced)
- MADI: no
- Mic-In: 4x XLR (Ch 1-4)
- Onboard Effects: ja, digital
- Power Supply: External Power Adapter
- Rack mounting: 19"/1U
- Resolution: 24-Bits
- S/PDIF Coaxial I/O: yes
- Sampling Rate: 192 kHz
- Subcategory: Thunderbolt Interface
- Supported Operating Systems: macOS 10.14 (and later), Windows 10 (and later)
- Thunderbolt: Thunderbolt 3
- USB: no
- combinable with up to 4 Apollos with Thunderbolt and a total of six UAD-2 devices
- with 6 SHARC DSP for UAD-2 plug-ins (also usable in DAW)
- Unison Technology
- Plug-in scenes via MIDI
- iEssentials+ Plugin Bundle included
Pioneer in audio recording for more than 50 years
Founded in 1958 by Bill Putnam Sr., Universal Audio has long been synonymous with innovative recording equipment. As the favourite engineer of Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Ray Charles and others, Bill was a passionate innovator who is regarded as the father of modern audio recording. Many of his legendary studio and equipment designs are still in use today. B. Putnam was the inventor of the modern mixing console, the multiband audio equaliser and he was the first engineer to use artificial reverb on commercial recordings. Alongside his friend Les Paul, Bill was also involved in the early development of stereophonic recording.
Putnam, known as a driven entrepreneur, founded three audio product companies during his long career: Universal Audio, Studio Electronics and Urei. All three companies built devices that were widely adopted after their introduction and would shape the studio sound for generations. The boutique compressors LA-2A and 1176 and the 610 tube console are among these legends. Artists such as Sinatra, the Beach Boys and Van Halen recorded their studio albums on the 610 console.
Universal Audio was re-established in 1999 by Bill's sons James Putnam and Bill Putnam Jr. The plan was twofold: on the one hand to faithfully reproduce classic analogue recording gear in their father's tradition; and on the other to bring the sound and spirit of vintage analogue technology into the new digital recording tools .
By now impressive effects pedals for guitarists and specialised guitar-recording tools such as the Universal Audio OX are also part of the range and are extremely popular with fans of outstanding tone.
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