The team at Universal Audio are very pleased to announce their new range of Apollo rack-mounted audio interfaces. The Apollo X Series takes everything we know, love and depend upon in the already highly successful Apollo range and gives us 50% more DSP processing power and even better A/D and D/A conversion along with Thunderbolt 3 connectivity to your Mac or Windows PC. 

What's New

Production Expert is also delighted to give you an exclusive first look at the trailer video for the new Apollo X Series range of interfaces.

Exclusive Video

Brand New AD/DA Converter For More Dynamic Range

First up we get a brand new AD/DA converter package giving us up to 133dB of dynamic range and a THD+N distortion figure of -129dB (Apollo X16). Figures for the X8P and X8 are also much better. 

50% More DSP Power

The new Apollo X Series gives us 50% more UAD-2 DSP power with 6-core processing up from the previous quad-core systems. 

Surround And Immersive Sound Support

For any of you working in the world of surround audio, the Apollo X Series now support surround formats up to 7.1, complete with built-in speaker calibration and fold-down.

Integrated Talkback Mic

A very nice and long needed new feature to the hardware is an integrated Talkback microphone for improved communication with the talent and an easier way to slate your takes.

New Model Aimed At Post-Production And Electronic Music Users

The big news is a new model in the Apollo X range. The Apollo X6 looks like it is firmly aimed at the Post Production and Electronic Music Maker markets. Two more different use cases you might not imagine, but the features of the X6, like just 2 Unison Enabled mic pres and 6 Hi-Z inputs and up to 16x22 channels of I/O mean the X6 will appeal both to the "in the box" mixer or the post-production specialist needing plenty of analogue outputs. The X6 is also the most cost-effective in the range with an RRP of $1,999 USD.

The X Series Range Specifications

Apollo  x16 - $3,499

The flagship Apollo x16 is actually an 18 x 20 interface and boasts a dynamic range of 133dB and a super low THD+N distortion of just -129dB.

Apollo  x8p - $2,999

Apollo x8p features eight of Universal Audio's Unison enabled mic preamps, giving producers and engineers the tools to track drums and larger projects through classic preamp emulations from Neve, API, Manley, Helios. The new x8p with its 129dB dynamic range, switchable +24dBu headroom settings and 18x22 I/O is ready for anything you choose to throw at it. 

Apollo x8 - $2,499

Apollo x8 features four Unison enabled mic preamps, making it the ideal studio centrepiece for music producers as well as project, and post-production studios. Apollo x8 provides the same specs as the x8p just with a slightly different 18x24 I/O configuration.

Apollo x6 - $1,999

The new Apollo x6 is the ideal interface for the electronic music producer or post-production studio. x6 features two Unison enabled mic preamps and Hi-Z inputs as well as 5.1 Surround support, and 16 x 22 connectivity.

Bundled Plug-ins With The X Series

To take advantage of the 50% extra UAD-2 power you get in the X Series Apollos, Universal Audio have, as standard, included the Realtime Analog Classics Plus package of plug-ins including the 610-B Tube Preamp & EQ, legacy LA-2A, 1176, and Fairchild compressors, Pultec EQs, Marshall Plexi Classic, Ampeg SVT-R Classic Bass Amp, and more to give you 16 plug-ins out of the box. 

As a long time user of the Apollo range, I am very much looking forward to getting my hands on the new X Series units to put them through their paces.  As soon as units become available we will do our best to get one in for review. 

You can find out more about the new Apollo X Series range of rack-mounted interfaces at the Universal Audio website.