The Apollo FireWire is an 18 x 24 high-resolution rackmount audio interface with onboard UAD-2 QUAD DSP processing. Designed for Mac Pro towers and Windows systems, it combines high-grade A/D and D/A conversion (24-bit / 192 kHz) with real-time analog hardware emulation technology.
Key Features & Capabilities
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Realtime UAD Processing: Onboard QUAD DSP processing allows users to record/track, monitor, and print audio through UAD powered plug-ins (Neve, Lexicon, Studer, Manley, SSL, Ampex, etc.) with sub-2 ms latency regardless of buffer settings.
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Unison™ Technology: Integrates hardware mic preamps with software UAD plug-ins to emulate the physical impedance, gain stage sweet spots, and circuit behavior of iconic tube and solid-state preamps (e.g., UA 610-B, Neve 1073, API 212L).
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Included Plug-in Bundle: Ships with the Realtime Analog Classics Plus bundle (UA 610-B Preamp & EQ, Raw Distortion, Softube Amp Rooms, legacy LA-2A, 1176, Fairchild compressors, Pultec EQs, and more).
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Expandability & Cascading: Supports multi-unit cascading, allowing users to combine two Apollo units for up to 16 analog I/O channels and 12 digital I/O channels.
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Upgradeable Connectivity: Native FireWire 800 interface, upgradeable to Thunderbolt via an optional Thunderbolt 2 option card.
Hardware Architecture & I/O Breakdown
Front Panel Controls & Connectors
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Preamp Controls: Gain knob, channel select button, High-Pass Filter (Low Cut), +48V Phantom Power, Pad, Phase Invert, and Link/Stereo switches.
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Monitor Controls: Digitally controlled analog monitor level knob, Mute, Mono, and Alt speaker switching capabilities.
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Inputs/Outputs: Two front-panel Hi-Z instrument inputs (auto-sensing) and two independent headphone outputs with dedicated volume knobs.
Rear Panel Connectivity
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Analog Inputs: 4 XLR mic inputs (Unison-enabled) + 8 line-level ¼" TRS inputs.
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Analog Outputs: 8 line-level ¼" TRS outputs + dedicated ¼" TRS monitor outputs (digitally controlled analog).
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Digital I/O:
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8 channels of ADAT Optical (or 2 channels S/MUX at higher sample rates).
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2 channels S/PDIF Coaxial (up to 192 kHz).
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Word Clock I/O (BNC with switchable 75Ω termination).
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Host I/O: Dual FireWire 800 ports (plus optional Thunderbolt card slot).
System Setup & Integration
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Software & Console: Managed via Universal Audio’s Console application, a virtual mixing interface that controls real-time tracking, low-latency monitoring, sub-mixes, and Unison preamp slot assignments.
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Configuration: Connect via FireWire 800 (or Thunderbolt option card), register/authorize UAD plug-ins via the UA website, and configure routing through the Console software and host DAW.
