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Post by Johnkenn on Sept 7, 2018 15:49:01 GMT -6
So yes, I got my filthy hands on it yesterday. Couldn’t resist. Here are my thoughts that I emailed to a friend. I was embarrassed a little that I’m such a gear whore, but I’m out, I’m proud and you will have to learn to live with it.
The converters are definitely tons better. It sounds a bit better than the Motu - a little more full range, but not harsh. Initially, I pulled up a Gregory Porter tune I know really well. Always thought the vocals were a little too mid forward and the Apollo really revealed that...so I thought uh oh, it’s got that Apollo mid forward thing. But the more I listened to different stuff, the less I think that. It’s more like a dangerous audio DA. Nice and tight on bottom and clear and detailed on top. I was just about finished with a mix on something and pulled it up and felt like I could hear the midrange and bottom a little better. It made me make some changes there that i didn’t really hear as much on the motu. I would say it has a more detailed top compared to the motu and seems like a little better separation of instruments which makes you think it’s more 3D. From memory, I think the quality is absolutely on par with the Symphony MkII. But it’s different. I would say the Symphony could be construed as more pleasing to some - but I’m one of those that think the Symphony is a little soft on top.
This morning, I played a little with the console and AD. First pulled up a couple amp sims...and man, I don’t know if it’s the AD or the HiZ input or what - but holy shit, it’s TONS better. I never particularly liked any of the amp sims when using the blackface. Here, I felt like this was on par with the Kemper. So then I pulled up a 1073 and sang a little bit. Only listened through the headphones, but it really feels like another level of realism. I want to record and listen back that way before I completely pass judgement though. Previously, there really wasn’t a time I would have chosen the unison pres over any outboard. But dude, I pulled up the Helios into the Fairchild and was kind of thrilled. Now - again - that’s listening through headphones. Maybe I’m not hearing everything. I know this - driving that Helios into distortion sounds exactly what it sounded like with the hardware. Before, unison pres kind of sounded like the same pre with a little bit different EQ on it. In the phones, these sounded like different pres. I just finished a steel overdub just going line in with the CAPI pre...everything sounded fine. When I get home I’m gonna try and record a little bit.
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Post by joey808 on Sept 7, 2018 16:07:27 GMT -6
Would love to hear a snippet.
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Post by Martin John Butler on Sept 7, 2018 17:11:57 GMT -6
Wow, this is fantastic John. It really helps to hear your impressions. I just might go for the X6 if you still feel it's in the league of the Symphony and Dangerous Music gear after you play with it for a while.
I've never used 4 preamps yet, so two will probably handle my needs for now. This does make me wonder just how good the X16 must sound.
I'm not sure I understand the DSP part of the X6. Is it a DUO, Quad or is it a Hex?
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kcatthedog
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Post by kcatthedog on Sept 7, 2018 17:20:39 GMT -6
Martin it has 6 sharc chips.
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Post by Johnkenn on Sept 7, 2018 17:21:00 GMT -6
It's a Quad and a half I believe. A Sext.
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Post by jtc111 on Sept 7, 2018 17:21:22 GMT -6
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Post by wiz on Sept 7, 2018 17:21:34 GMT -6
Wow, this is fantastic John. It really helps to hear your impressions. I just might go for the X6 if you still feel it's in the league of the Symphony and Dangerous Music gear after you play with it for a while. I've never used 4 preamps yet, so two will probably handle my needs for now. This does make me wonder just how good the X16 must sound. I'm not sure I understand the DSP part of the X6. Is it a DUO, Quad or is it a Hex? All of them have 6 dsp's (same as the old apollo, just two more) Cheers Wiz
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Post by wiz on Sept 7, 2018 17:23:02 GMT -6
JohnkennCan we hear your normal vocal test, through the unison, and without the unison please Can you do the 1073 one...? Cheers Wiz
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Post by Guitar on Sept 7, 2018 17:45:42 GMT -6
Yeah when I read that post I was just thinking "sounds like a good interface" i/e good conversion. That's some pretty stiff competition as well.
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Post by Johnkenn on Sept 7, 2018 18:01:37 GMT -6
Doing some samples now. After recording a little, I might slow my roll on the Unison pres being as good as outboard. Although, they sound really good.
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Post by Johnkenn on Sept 7, 2018 18:29:27 GMT -6
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Post by Johnkenn on Sept 7, 2018 18:30:53 GMT -6
BTW - this is the UAD LA2A. I should have done one with the Audio Scape for reference.
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Post by Quint on Sept 7, 2018 18:36:38 GMT -6
This is encouraging news about the quality of conversion. It makes me wonder just how much better the x16 might be?
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Post by Johnkenn on Sept 7, 2018 18:40:42 GMT -6
You know, whether the conversion in this thing is as good as this or as good as that doesn't matter to me as much...I just think at this level it's now kind of a moot point. I'm sure some would argue that the DA is better in the Symphony or Metric Halo or fill in the blank...but it's good enough for me not to think about it anymore. I'd be fine with any of these interfaces. Although, in my mind I think the conversion on the Xs are a little step up from the Motu...and I had forgotten how much I missed the workflow. Is that worth the $1200 difference? Probably not...but hey - YOLO.
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Post by Quint on Sept 7, 2018 18:46:31 GMT -6
You know, whether the conversion in this thing is as good as this or as good as that doesn't matter to me as much...I just think at this level it's now kind of a moot point. I'm sure some would argue that the DA is better in the Symphony or Metric Halo or fill in the blank...but it's good enough for me not to think about it anymore. I'd be fine with any of these interfaces. Although, in my mind I think the conversion on the Xs are a little step up from the Motu...and I had forgotten how much I missed the workflow. Is that worth the $1200 difference? Probably not...but hey - YOLO. The features of various interfaces are still what I tend to care most about these days. None of the conversion is bad anymore and it's all mostly pretty good if not great. So when is the BLA mod for the Apollo Xs coming out?
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Post by Guitar on Sept 7, 2018 18:50:25 GMT -6
You know, whether the conversion in this thing is as good as this or as good as that doesn't matter to me as much...I just think at this level it's now kind of a moot point. I'm sure some would argue that the DA is better in the Symphony or Metric Halo or fill in the blank...but it's good enough for me not to think about it anymore. I'd be fine with any of these interfaces. Although, in my mind I think the conversion on the Xs are a little step up from the Motu...and I had forgotten how much I missed the workflow. Is that worth the $1200 difference? Probably not...but hey - YOLO. The features of various interfaces are still what I tend to care most about these days. None of the conversion is bad anymore and it's all mostly pretty good if not great. So when is the BLA mod for the Apollo Xs coming out? I wonder if BLA can mod the X to sound like a silver apollo since that was the best one anyway. "vintage jitter" and so forth.
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Post by Quint on Sept 7, 2018 18:51:42 GMT -6
John, are you monitoring out of the dedicated monitor outs or one of the other line outputs? I'm asking because previous Apollos seemed to have inferior conversion on the monitor outs compared to the line outs and I was wondering if that same sort of thing applied here?
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Post by Guitar on Sept 7, 2018 19:00:21 GMT -6
John, are you monitoring out of the dedicated monitor outs or one of the other line outputs? I'm asking because previous Apollos seemed to have inferior conversion on the monitor outs compared to the line outs and I was wondering if that same sort of thing applied here? I wonder if you're talking about specs. in that case, I would have assumed the lessened specs would have come from the analog attenuation, the monitor control part of the circuit. I just would find it really silly if UA would have under-specced their main outputs.
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Post by wiz on Sept 7, 2018 19:01:49 GMT -6
Thanks bud for doing this, its great of you, takes time, appreciate it. Nothing is crap, you are a great singer, great microphone, whats not to like eh?? 8) I threw em in logic and listen through my normal monitoring chain... The LA610 had some crack up on the big note... ? what would that be? is the 1290 Hardware, I liked it. Once you put the LA2A on them, they all changed a bit for me.... The 1073 impressed me least, which is a shame, I love my 1073s Geeze its tough aint it... 8) If I lost everything in a fire, I probably would go ITB you know... cheers Wiz
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Post by Quint on Sept 7, 2018 19:05:01 GMT -6
John, are you monitoring out of the dedicated monitor outs or one of the other line outputs? I'm asking because previous Apollos seemed to have inferior conversion on the monitor outs compared to the line outs and I was wondering if that same sort of thing applied here? I wonder if you're talking about specs. in that case, I would have assumed the lessened specs would have come from the analog attenuation, the monitor control part of the circuit. I just would find it really silly if UA would have under-specced their main outputs. The digitally controlled analog volume control is what I had read was causing the decrease in fidelity.
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Post by Johnkenn on Sept 7, 2018 19:28:04 GMT -6
I’m using the main outs. Not gonna worry about it.
Wiz they’re all UAD Unison pres except for the platinum. UA has a 610A and 610B version. The A breaks up like a freaking distortion box. Prob should have just gone with the B.
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Post by wiz on Sept 7, 2018 19:40:28 GMT -6
I’m using the main outs. Not gonna worry about it. Wiz they’re all UAD Unison pres except for the platinum. UA has a 610A and 610B version. The A breaks up like a freaking distortion box. Prob should have just gone with the B. Wow, well the 1290 had me fooled.... thanks again man. cheers Wiz 1290 eh? 8)
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Post by wiz on Sept 7, 2018 19:41:38 GMT -6
So is the 1290 a unison type preamp?
cheers
Wiz
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Post by Johnkenn on Sept 7, 2018 19:51:42 GMT -6
Yeah I guess it’s just less dsp.
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Post by Johnkenn on Sept 7, 2018 19:53:21 GMT -6
Thought that one sounded the smoothest too.
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