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Post by Johnkenn on Apr 13, 2024 21:31:19 GMT -6
I’ll admit I have probably bought and sold off DBX 160xt’d at least 10 times can’t count how many Mackie 1202’s I have had. I think the interesting exercise here is how much would one have to spend on a octo card or box plus an interface to equal the modded Apollo and what would you sacrifice ? I mean, my ego wants a Lynx/Prism/Burl B16…but that’s $5500 for 4 channels and I’d still need a satellite or Apollo for UAD. Now - I’ve thought about just going UA native…but then no Ampex/Studer, EMT140/250, 33609, etc….But I just can’t bring myself to justify it. Wouldn’t make sense to buy a new Apollo, but if you found one for like $1600 and then got the mod, you’re looking at $2900 vs Burl, Lynx, Apogee, etc. it makes more sense. Now, if my ego can’t handle it or I really don’t like the modded AD (I’m gonna need some hours with it) as much as the stellar AD in the Hilo, then I’ll at least great conversion and I/O for outboard and future expansions. |
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Post by veggieryan on Apr 13, 2024 22:17:05 GMT -6
Honestly to finally get conversion out of an Apollo that isn't a total disappointment seems an impossibility to me after all these years. Now after testing out the Black Lion Revolution 2x2 as my living room main unit I believe they can do it.
Now my question is.... should I wait since we are due for some new Apollos released soonish? Maybe we finally get an FPGA upgrade so we can get some decently flexing routing and gasp... more than 2 aux channels?
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Post by BenjaminAshlin on Apr 13, 2024 22:53:17 GMT -6
I have a fair amount of envy when i see the pro audio market esp the US. Its so hard to acquire and move stuff on in a small place like new zealand so you have to be very selective about what you buy.
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Post by drumsound on Apr 13, 2024 23:07:50 GMT -6
I must admit I've had a bunch of Telecasters, but I always sell them because something's not right. Only the 1951 Esquire had the best neck, but someone had lobotomized it by making it a double cutaway and adding the neck pickup. Funny thing, my $150 Squire 51" has a very similar neck, better than a dozen Tele's I tried, just not a great finish on it. Nobody hears the finish.  |
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Post by kcatthedog on Apr 14, 2024 3:47:54 GMT -6
It has never been my intention to be putting anyone down. I have bought and sold tons of shit before I have even learned how to use it. 😂 I agree and think the Bob Newhart approach to sensitivity works: “I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'.” |
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Post by Martin John Butler on Apr 14, 2024 17:53:33 GMT -6
I must admit I've had a bunch of Telecasters, but I always sell them because something's not right. Only the 1951 Esquire had the best neck, but someone had lobotomized it by making it a double cutaway and adding the neck pickup. Funny thing, my $150 Squire 51" has a very similar neck, better than a dozen Tele's I tried, just not a great finish on it. Nobody hears the finish. But I feel it. |
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Post by jcoutu1 on Apr 14, 2024 19:12:59 GMT -6
I’ve always thought losing a couple hundred bucks wasn’t that big a deal if you used it for a couple months or more. You couldn’t have rented it for that long and you got the experience with that piece of gear. I’m losing all the value from the deals I’ve ever gotten over the years, every month with a storage unit. |
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Post by drumsound on Apr 14, 2024 22:22:19 GMT -6
Nobody hears the finish. But I feel it. Ah, yes. Neck finish especially. I love my '68 Tele Flower reissue because of the nitrocellulose on the neck. |
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Post by thehightenor on Apr 15, 2024 4:05:49 GMT -6
I guess the other question based on comments above: real total costs, Apollo, bla mod, improved headphones out etc., would you buy all that again or another interface? When I first started using my symphony mkii and my Aurora n the improved headphones outs was very apparent or if you really like the Apollo workflow, the bla mod is a good option to improve sonics. That’s the thing - you could get a used Apollo x6 for around $1600. Then $1295 for the mod - that’s around $3000. A Lynx Aurora n with 8 channels and added digital I/o it’s about the same price. If you want to be in the Apollo front end, you’d at least need a twin or a satellite, so add in at least another $500. If I can figure out how to monitor the trinnov with just the Apollo, I’ll be fine selling the Hilo. I’m so used to the Apollo front end and the console and the UA ecosystem et al, that I feel like the mod would be a perfect scenario. Is it easier to just buy an Aurora n and be done with it? Yeah - but no Apollo front end. You only just got the Hilo !!  John, buy a Lynx Aurora N and be done with it and stop the inner narrative - "this or that is 90% of this or that" - just buy the 100% solution. Cheap is expensive in the long run and one saying I really think it true "we never regret our extravagances" Your posts reinforce my own approach to buying pro audio. I only have a relatively small selection of gear (looking at some people racks!) but what I have bought is the top tier stuff and that way I have never second guessed myself. It's to easy with this stuff to end up running a "procurement dept" instead of being a creative musician! |
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Post by kcatthedog on Apr 15, 2024 4:39:03 GMT -6
But, John likes the Apollo workflow and environment.
I doubt I’ll ever sell my Aurora but I understand his approach with Apollo.
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Post by thehightenor on Apr 15, 2024 5:00:59 GMT -6
But, John likes the Apollo workflow and environment. I doubt I’ll ever sell my Aurora but I understand his approach with Apollo. Well could he keep his Apollo and use the Lynx over ADAT? I guess that's getting expensive! |
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Post by kcatthedog on Apr 15, 2024 5:44:44 GMT -6
Sure, game of inches, if the bla mod gets him where he wants to go and he can sell the Hilo.
The cleaner bla modded sound will affect each track he records, so the cumulative affect will be more pronounced, so again he may find the difference between that and running a stock Apollo 2 bus through the Hilo quite pronounced and prefer the bla modded Apollo or find the difference not worth the expense?
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Post by Johnkenn on Apr 15, 2024 9:58:14 GMT -6
That’s the thing - you could get a used Apollo x6 for around $1600. Then $1295 for the mod - that’s around $3000. A Lynx Aurora n with 8 channels and added digital I/o it’s about the same price. If you want to be in the Apollo front end, you’d at least need a twin or a satellite, so add in at least another $500. If I can figure out how to monitor the trinnov with just the Apollo, I’ll be fine selling the Hilo. I’m so used to the Apollo front end and the console and the UA ecosystem et al, that I feel like the mod would be a perfect scenario. Is it easier to just buy an Aurora n and be done with it? Yeah - but no Apollo front end. You only just got the Hilo !! John, buy a Lynx Aurora N and be done with it and stop the inner narrative - "this or that is 90% of this or that" - just buy the 100% solution. Cheap is expensive in the long run and one saying I really think it true "we never regret our extravagances" Your posts reinforce my own approach to buying pro audio. I only have a relatively small selection of gear (looking at some people racks!) but what I have bought is the top tier stuff and that way I have never second guessed myself. It's to easy with this stuff to end up running a "procurement dept" instead of being a creative musician! The Hilo is awesome. I’ll be tempted to keep it just because it’s so flexible. And sonically (haven’t worked with the new Apollo ad yet) it’s stellar. The DA could possibly be described as true without extra salt and pepper. You get what the chef made. I should probably try and sell this before the Hilo 2 actually makes it to the wild. I got a great deal on it, but because of that, I’ll probably lose money. Good news is, I bet used Hilo 1s are going to be the best value in pro audio for a bit. And it’s not unobtainable. I can always find one if I want one. DA wise, they’re close enough now that I don’t think switching to the Apollo would make me make different choices at all. Who knows, it could be totally psychological, but I now feel like I can trust the modded Apollo as much as a Hilo/Burl/etc. |
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Post by drsax on Apr 15, 2024 14:55:59 GMT -6
The workflow of the Apollo ecosystem is incredible. To me it’s worth it. And interfacing other converters with the Apollo setup is fantastic IMO for that very reason. Recalling full band or drum sessions including headphone mix is amazing!
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Post by thehightenor on Apr 16, 2024 0:54:48 GMT -6
The workflow of the Apollo ecosystem is incredible. To me it’s worth it. And interfacing other converters with the Apollo setup is fantastic IMO for that very reason. Recalling full band or drum sessions including headphone mix is amazing! How does an Apollo interface positively affect your workflow? Are you using the emulated preamps? |
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Post by tkaitkai on Apr 16, 2024 11:18:41 GMT -6
The workflow of the Apollo ecosystem is incredible. To me it’s worth it. And interfacing other converters with the Apollo setup is fantastic IMO for that very reason. Recalling full band or drum sessions including headphone mix is amazing! How does an Apollo interface positively affect your workflow? Are you using the emulated preamps? I can’t speak for drsax but even when I got better A/D, I was still attached to my Apollo for the ability to track through DSP with zero latency. Of course there are several other options for this nowadays, but none seem to do it quite as elegantly as Console. I do miss that aspect of having an Apollo. |
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Post by thehightenor on Apr 16, 2024 12:07:37 GMT -6
How does an Apollo interface positively affect your workflow? Are you using the emulated preamps? I can’t speak for drsax but even when I got better A/D, I was still attached to my Apollo for the ability to track through DSP with zero latency. Of course there are several other options for this nowadays, but none seem to do it quite as elegantly as Console. I do miss that aspect of having an Apollo. Why would you track through DSP? |
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Post by Quint on Apr 16, 2024 12:10:04 GMT -6
How does an Apollo interface positively affect your workflow? Are you using the emulated preamps? I can’t speak for drsax but even when I got better A/D, I was still attached to my Apollo for the ability to track through DSP with zero latency. Of course there are several other options for this nowadays, but none seem to do it quite as elegantly as Console. I do miss that aspect of having an Apollo. It's the quality of the plugins too. I'm not saying that there aren't other native, non-UAD plugins out there that sound just as good as what is available on UAD DSP. I'm saying that there aren't any others out there that sound as good as what is available on UAD that are also available via a DSP platform. The same can be said for the breadth. Who else offers such a wide catalog of DSP plugins, not to mention that also sound good? So if you want to track with plugins, it's hard to beat the Apollo ecosystem. Even AVID can't claim to have anywhere close to what UA offers for plugins in DSP. |
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Post by Quint on Apr 16, 2024 12:10:27 GMT -6
I can’t speak for drsax but even when I got better A/D, I was still attached to my Apollo for the ability to track through DSP with zero latency. Of course there are several other options for this nowadays, but none seem to do it quite as elegantly as Console. I do miss that aspect of having an Apollo. Why would you track through DSP? Latency, or, rather, lack thereof. |
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Post by thehightenor on Apr 16, 2024 12:33:06 GMT -6
Why would you track through DSP? Latency, or, rather, lack thereof. Ah, I see. I use an analog monitoring mixer so I guess these are circumstances I don't come across when tracking to Cubase. |
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Post by Martin John Butler on Apr 16, 2024 13:08:32 GMT -6
John, I'm looking forward to updates as you use the BLA Apollo. I'm curious what the final verdict will be.
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Post by Mister Chase on Apr 16, 2024 13:34:12 GMT -6
Why would you track through DSP? Latency, or, rather, lack thereof. and I love being able to print a console strip and FX destructively. |
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Post by Quint on Apr 16, 2024 13:43:47 GMT -6
Latency, or, rather, lack thereof. Ah, I see. I use an analog monitoring mixer so I guess these are circumstances I don't come across when tracking to Cubase. Yeah, UAD Console is effectively providing the same function as your analog console, although your console is true zero latency and UAD Console is just really low latency (~1.1 ms RTL @ 96k). |
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Post by Quint on Apr 16, 2024 13:44:36 GMT -6
Latency, or, rather, lack thereof. and I love being able to print a console strip and FX destructively. Also that. |
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Post by teejay on Apr 16, 2024 14:09:34 GMT -6
I have bought and sold tons of shit before I have even learned how to use it. 😂 Wait. I bought and sold a ton as well, and was happy to have finally invested in expensive gear to ensure I easily sound great. Now you're telling me there is a learning component as well?  |
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