Universal Audio Apollo Twin MKII Quad (APLTWQII)

This thing is a powerhouse! I was new to audio engineering & had originally purchased a Focusrite i6i which did the trick but after reading reviews on this thing I buckled down and made the purchase which almost instantaneously opened up a whole new level of quality to my recordings. I'll start by saying this: if you're just getting started then this thing is A LOT of money so definitely try something cheaper to get the hang of things. The price you pay here isn't all you'll end up spending because this thing has its own "Apps or Plugins" you use on it with a separate software from your DAW. If it sounds complicated don't worry because it's pretty simple actually. What makes this thing so incredible is ONE: the stock pre-amp is much more present and clear then my old focusrite and this is probably the single best Home Audio Interface you can buy without going full studio & TWO: the Plugins they have are a game changer. They have emulation software of some of the best pre-amps and compressors money can buy. So to put this into as simple a manner as I can I'll explain it like this: get this thing setup and launch the included software. You have a chain of command under your mic where you can put your compressors, amps, autotune etc... What this does is runs your vocals or instruments through this chain and feeds it directly into your DAW already processed without using any of your computers resources since this interface has it's own processors to handle that. What you get is an extremely clean, compressed, & balanced signal off the bat without any tinkering in your DAW. You can then shape as you see fit after the fact.So In Summary: AMAZING if you want that studio sounding quality. I've created some stuff with this that is pretty close to what you would get out of an actual studio & I'm only a few months into learning this stuff. A couple tutorials and you'll be setup without having to tweak anything after that. Just understand the very specific specifications required to run this thing. You need an i7 Processor at a minimum & a Thunderbolt connection. I had a windows desktop and upgraded my Processor & had a Thunderbolt plug installed which I don't recommend anyone does lol If you can just get a macbook with the port it'll save you a ton of trouble and headache. Overall this purchase was the single best one I've made in regards to my audio setup. This thing paired with a decent microphone is a game changer!! Couldn't recommend enough!!

Does not disappoint. The sound is awesome and the preamps are incredible. Huge upgrade from my first audio interface. The build quality is unmatched. The console app and plug ins are such high quality, albeit expensive. I love how the processing happens in the device producing zero latency. I love how you can record with or without the effects. Just make sure you won’t outgrow the number of inputs like I did. I had a condenser mic plugged into the back, and then got an analog synth which requires both mic inputs to record in stereo. Switching out the mic and dialing in the preamps each time is an extra step. I now need to buy additional mic inputs to connect via optical and those aren’t cheap either. No question how great this is, just a matter of how many mic inputs will suit your needs.

I came from low end interfaces: Lexicon Alpha, then Omega, then Focusrite Scarletts, Steinberg ur22... after all the USB ones and audio issues and endless troubleshooting I decided to get an iMac and go thunderbolt which led me to this thing, after countless hours of research. It takes some real getting used to and I consulted tech support with UA and Propellerhead (Reason 9) as well as a buddy who has one of these and I finally started recording and holy heck is it intuitive, advanced and professional compared to all hardware I've ever owned!The included plugins are enough to cut an album along with what your DAW has to offer. I can't think of much more to say, I mean... separate monitor and headphone volumes, talk button, mono button, HP filter, hiZ guitar jack, mute button, lightning fast thunderbolt, incredible software, 1.something ms of latency?!? It's a million dollar recording studio squeezed into a very solid stylin' metal box.And yes it aint cheap but trust me - I went way over budget and I'll be hurting for a while but it's for my art so it's totally worth it.

The apollo twin is expensive but worth every penny. The fact that it is the industry standard also matters and for a good reason. Not only is precise and easy to use but the fact of having its own processor in the hardware and preamp does wonders without sacrificing the ram in your computer. UA plugins are top notch, but prepare to spend top dollar on them. My first recording with it went smooth and the quality achieved is notorious compared to my recordings with different hardware and regular daw plugins.For the price, UA should at least include the thunderbolt cable tho. Honestly, if you are serious about your music dont think about it twice just get it, its the best interface in the market today.