Universal Audio Apollo x8p

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16x22 Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface

24 Bit / 192 kHz
Compatible with Thunderbolt 2 with optional Thunderbolt 2 to 3 adapter (not included)
Support for surround formats up to 7.1 with speaker calibration and downmix
Dual crystal clocking for low-jitter environment and pure, artifact-free recording and stable stereo imaging
6-Core SHARC DSP for internal UAD real-time processing
8 Unison microphone amplifiers
8 Microphone/line combo inputs: XLR + 6.3 mm jack
2 Hi-Z inputs: 6.3 mm jack
8x Line inputs: Sub-D25
2 Monitor outputs: 6.3 mm jack
8x Line outputs: Sub-D25
2 ADAT inputs and outputs
BNC Word clock input and output
2 Stereo headphone connections: 6.3 mm jack
2 Thunderbolt 3 sockets
48V Phantom power
PAD
Low cut
Phase reverse
Switch for monitor switching
Dim or mono assignable function button
LED meter
Integrated talkback microphone
Support for surround formats up to 7.1 with speaker calibration and downmix
Dual crystal clocking for low-jitter environment and pure, artifact-free recording and stable stereo imaging
For Mac / Windows
Up to 4 Apollos cascadable with Thunderbolt connection
Build: 19" / 1 U
Includes external power supply and Realtime Analog Classics Plus bundle

30 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

3 3-Year Thomann Warranty

Available since May 2022

Item number 446927

Sales Unit 1 piece(s)

Recording / Playback Channels 16x22

Number of Mic Inputs 8

Number of Line Inputs 8

Number of Instrument Inputs 2

Number of Line Outputs 10

Headphone Outs 2

Phantom Power Yes

Number of S/PDIF Connectors 0

Number of ADAT Connectors 2

AES/EBU Connectors 0

Number of MADI Connectors 0

Ethernet 0

Other Connectors No

MIDI Connectors No

Word Clock 1xIn, 1xOut

Max. Samplerate 192 kHz

Max. Resolution in Bit 24 bit

Bus-Powered No

Incl. Power Supply Yes

Windows Thunderbolt driver Yes

Thunderbolt Version 3

Width in mm 483 mm

Depth in mm 308 mm

Height in mm 44 mm

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Sales Rank

in Thunderbolt Audio Interfaces

Professional rack interface

The Universal Audio Apollo x8 is an extremely versatile 16-in/22-out audio interface with great sound quality that is compatible with Mac and Windows via Thunderbolt 3. Compared to the more modest Apollo X8, the X8p has a full eight internal Unison preamps, which form an ideal foundation for advanced professional recording and can be scaled up by cascading it with other Apollo units. The integrated 24-bit/192kHz converter technology combined with dual crystal clocking is one of the best on the market. With six SHARC processors, the Apollo x8p allows extensive use of UAD plugins, whose quality is widely recognised. The Real Time Analog Classic Plus bundle provided, as well as the STAN Luna (only for Mac), enable immediate access to the world of music production with DSP.

Universal Audio Apollo x8p – detailed view

Analogue sound in the digital age

The Apollo x8p is a modern studio interface with excellent sound and 24-bit/192kHz converters. Unison technology allows UAD plugins to work seamlessly with the interface's preamp mics, providing a convincing, realistic recreation of legendary vintage preamps. The list of famous musicians and producers whose work is powered by UAD plugins is endless. Astonishingly, the list includes several seasoned sound engineers who earned their stripes with analogue equipment but admire the realistic sound of Unison preamps and UAD plugins. Users who want to bring analogue charm to their production with legendary consoles like the Neve or SLL, iconic vintage compressors, reverbs steeped in history and classic amps, need look no further!

Endless possibilities with cascading

This rack-mounted interface is well-stocked with eight Unison mic preamps, a whole host of other analogue and digital inputs and outputs, and the hexacore SHARC DSP, making it an excellent choice for anyone wanting to make extended professional recordings, without compromising on sound quality. In addition to the monitoring section with integrated talkback microphone, multi-monitor switching feature, surround capability and switchable function at +24dBu, the Universal Audio Apollo x8p becomes the nerve centre of the studio, bringing together inputs and outputs and DSP Farm. For situations necessitating additional channels, users can cascade the Apollo x8p with three other Thunderbolt units from the Apollo series, multiplying the inputs and outputs and processing resources.

About Universal Audio

Few manufacturers can draw upon a wealth of audio engineering experience comparable to that of Universal Audio. The company's founding father Bill Putnam, along with his friend Les Paul, have an admirable reputation as trend-setting music producers and developers of legendary analogue studio technology. Putnam recorded Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, and Sarah Vaughan, and was Duke Ellington's favourite sound engineer. He developed the famous 1176 Peak Limiter and distributed the Teletronix LA-2A level amplifier. This earned him a posthumous “Technical Grammy Award” in 2000. In 1999, Putnam's sons, Bill Putnam Jr. and James Putnam, re-founded Universal Audio, transferring their father's analogue vision and craftsmanship to the digital music world. Their product range includes audio interfaces, dedicated DSP farms, and a variety of plug-ins, as well as analogue hardware devices.

Flexible recordings thanks to Unison technology

UAD plugins only work with SHARC DSP UAD equipment, however they can of course be opened in a STAN, like any other plugin. In some cases, it makes more sense to start them off on UAD's own virtual mixing console. With a Unison plugin, the Apollo mic preamp becomes an integral part of the sound system, allowing users to modify its physical input impedance, for example. According to Universal Audio, this creates a sound which is extremely faithful to tube or transistor circuits, whether through mic preamps, bass or guitar amps, or even pedals, so users can make the most of the sound of legendary mixers, like Neve or SSL or classic mixers. As the tone and sound quality is generated by the combination of interface equipment and plugins, it is laid directly onto a track in the STAN straight after processing.

The Universal Audio 16 x 22 Thunderbolt 3 audio interface

In the spotlight: SOLO, DUO, QUAD, HEXA & OCTO

Each Apollo interface features one or multiple SHARC processors for computing the "Console" mixer software and the UAD plugins. Each plug-in consumes a fraction of the DSP chip' processing power (between one and sixty percent), depending on its complexity. A small percentage goes to the mixer software for internal signal processing and routing. The number of SHARC DSPs that are used in a Universal Audio device is indicated by the product description: There is one DSP chip in a SOLO unit, two in a DUO, four in a QUAD, six in a HEXA, and eight in an OCTO unit.

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27 Customer ratings

5 24 Customers 4 1 Customer 3 0 Customers 2 0 Customers 1 2 Customers

4.7 / 5

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sound

quality

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16 Reviews

recording and mixing

paolofromitaly 04.01.2020

I use it as my main audio interface for mixing, but I bought it for occasional recordings, with the intention to record through the UA unison plugins. The console application gives great flexibility. The only thing that left me wishing is that it has 6 DSPs: It might be enough to record, but in my opinion this unit should have had 8 DSPs. I always end up running out of processing. For that I had to buy a UAD satellite.
Agreed, price-wise the interface is not on the cheap side, plus adding DSP power requires to shell out for even more. But then consider this: every now and again, I use other brands of plugins, and invariably when I replace that with a UA plugin it just works better 99% of time. So if you only need inputs to record, I reckon you have options with other products. But if you also care to get world-class sounding plugins there is no doubt you need to go UA products.

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Ships with Firmware that is not compatible with PC

JustinF67 27.12.2019

Completely useless so far. It seems as though Apollo's need a firmware upgrade to work on PC's and these upgrades can only be installed via Mac - so if you don't have one, tough luck! You couldn't make this up!
From everything I've read online, these units are superb - if you have a Mac. They forgot to let the user update the firmware with a PC making it 1000% useless.

Thomann Comment: You need a firmware update to use the interface on PC's!

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Apollo x8p unter Windows

MaDproF 17.10.2018

...mein gröstes Bedenken war Thunderbolt III + Windoof ... was soll isch sagen, funzt auf Anhieb...gestehe, ich war erstaunt...(Treiberinstalation,Firmwareupdate,etc. vorausgesetzt)
Ich habe sie jetzt seit ca 10Tagen permanent im einsatz mit "Achtung" 32 Samples unter Windows!!!
Erneutes erstaunen, in dieser Zeit kein Absturz,Bluescreen etc...läuft !!!
Sound ist sehr gut,fein aufgelöste Höhen,gutes Dynamikverhalten, eigentlich alles genauso wie man es sich wünscht.Verarbeitung ist auch grundsolide und sehr wertig.
Das einzige was ein wenig nervt ist das man immer alle UAD Plugins im Insert bzw UnisonInsert hat/sieht. Soll heissen es gibt keine optische Rückmeldung welches PlugIn aktiviert ist und welche nicht,was zu einer "nein will ich nicht" wegClick Orgie führen kann.Vor allem weil es viele Plugins in bis zu 3Ausführungen gibt.Ansonsten Top Gerät würde isch wieder kaufen (wenn ich dann mal wieder Geld hab ^^)

Pro: Sound !!!
Verarbeitung
Flexibilität
Sound der PlugIns

Contra: kein Thunderbolt III kabel dabei
keine optische Rückmeldung welche Plugins aktiviert sind (try+error)
sonst nix

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Super interface!

Bichon 18.12.2018

J'ai remplacé mon ancienne interface en firewire par cette nouvelle X8P.

Comme toujours l'interface arrive très bien emballée et bien protégée de la part de thomann.

Je l'utilise sur un mac en TB2 avec un adaptateur 3 vers 2. Pas de soucis de stabilité.

Les convertisseurs ont vraiment gagnés en qualité, les line in en db25 sont branchées sur mon rack de préamps format 500 et par rapport à l'ancienne j'ai gagné en qualité de conversion.

8 préamps avec les plug qui vont bien, pratique quand vous êtes en nomade et que vous ne voulez pas bouger vos préamps.

Comme toujours un bon nombre de circuits casque, un tb intégré et un routing super facile avec la console.

L'horloge à aussi évoluée en qualité je regrète juste qu'il y ai toujours qu'une seule entrée/sortie adat.

Plus de puissance de calcul pour les plug donc également bien pratique.

J'ai eu un petit bundle de plug à l'achat qui était fort agréable.

Pas grand chose à dire d'autre, c'est une interface sans surprises qui marche mieux par rapport à mon ancienne. Donc si vous hésitiez à faire évoluer votre ancienne installation, allez y les yeux fermés.

Petite chose, elle dégage pas mal de chaleur donc veillez bien à ne pas boucher sa partie haute dans vos racks.

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Universal Audio Apollo x8p

16x22 Thunderbolt 3 Audio Interface