Universal Audio Unveils Apollo High-Resolution Audio Interface with Realtime UAD Processing

— Breakthrough audio interface features class-leading sound quality, ultra low-latency recording through UAD Powered Plug-Ins, and optional Thunderbolt I/O —

SCOTTS VALLEY, CA  — Universal Audio (UA), a leading manufacturer of professional audio recording hardware and software, is proud to announce Apollo®, a high-resolution audio interface that combines UA’s analog design heritage with esteemed UAD Powered Plug-Ins in a sleek, elegant recording system for Mac and PC*. With Apollo, music producers and performers can finally track through UAD Powered Plug-Ins in real time, via a professional 18 x 24 FireWire/Thunderbolt™-ready audio interface that delivers class-leading 24-bit/192 kHz sound quality.

“Apollo is the culmination of 10 years of analog and digital audio development here at UA,” said Bill Putnam Jr., Universal Audio founder. “In many ways, it’s brought the analog and digital sides of our company together. With Apollo, we’re delivering the sound, feel, and flow of analog recording with all the conveniences of modern digital equipment, including next-generation Thunderbolt technology.”

Apollo is, first and foremost, a well-built, high-resolution audio interface, featuring premium mic preamps and top-end converters to deliver the lowest THD and highest dynamic range in its class. Its Core Audio and ASIO* drivers ensure compatibility with all major DAWs, including Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Live, and more. Moreover, Apollo’s Console application and companion Console Recall plug-in (VST/AU/RTAS) provide control and recall of all interface and UAD plug-in settings within individual DAW sessions, even months and years later.

Apollo differentiates itself from all other audio interfaces, however, via its onboard UAD-2 DSP Acceleration. This onboard processing allows for recording through UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins — with nearly instant sub-2ms latency — so that music producers can quickly monitor, audition, and “print” audio using a wide range of popular analog emulation plug-ins from Ampex, Lexicon, Manley, Neve, Roland, SSL, Studer, and more.** In this way, Apollo’s sonic character and tonal options are virtually limitless. The onboard UAD-2 processors are also available for mixing and mastering, offloading processing from the host computer.

Notably, Apollo offers compatibility with Intel’s new Thunderbolt technology, as found on the newest iMacs, MacBook Pros, and MacBook Airs. Available via a user-installable Thunderbolt Option Card (sold separately), Thunderbolt provides lower latency, reduced audio buffer size, improved performance at high sample rates, and greater UAD plug-in instances versus FireWire.

“Thunderbolt technology makes possible a whole new class of products to enhance music production workflows and creativity,” says Jason Ziller, Director of Marketing and Planning for Thunderbolt technology at Intel® Corporation. “Products like Universal Audio’s Apollo are using Thunderbolt to rock music producers’ worlds.”

Apollo incorporates numerous design hallmarks from classic UA analog gear, including its fast, easy workflow. Dedicated front-panel controls are present for all the most common features, including preamp gain, channel selection, mic pad, +48V phantom power, low cut, monitor level, and dual headphone controls.

Apollo’s connectivity includes 4 digitally controlled analog mic preamps, 8 balanced line inputs and outputs, dual front-panel JFET DIs, digitally-controlled analog monitor outputs, 8 channels of ADAT, 2 channels of S/PDIF, word clock I/O, FireWire 800 (standard), and a Thunderbolt expansion bay — making it a well-equipped centerpiece for the modern project studio.

The Apollo High-Resolution Audio Interface will be available in both DUO CORE and QUAD CORE processing formats (with either two or four Analog Devices SHARC processors, respectively). Apollo will be shipping in the first quarter of 2012, with an estimated street price of $1,999 (DUO processing model) and $2,499 (QUAD processing model). Apollo’s Thunderbolt Option Card will be shipping in the first half of 2012, with pricing TBD.

Learn more about Apollo here:  

www.uaudio.com/apollo

Learn more about the award-winning UAD-2 Powered Plug-Ins platform here:  

www.uaudio.com/uad-plug-ins

Download the Apollo Press Kit, complete with high-resolution images, here:

www.uaudio.com/apollopresskit

*Compatible with Mac OS X 10.6 and 10.7; Windows 7 support coming Summer 2012.
**Individual UAD Powered Plug-In titles are sold separately at www.uaudio.com/store. Pricing is preliminary and subject to change.

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Synthogy Unveils Newest Ivory Piano

All New Ivory II–American Concert D  Showcased at NAMM

Synthogy has announced that it will soon release the Ivory II–American Concert D virtual piano for Macs and PCs.

Ivory II–American Concert D is a 1951 New York Steinway® model D lauded by some of the world's greatest concert artists. This instrument has an exceptionally pure and clear tone, a remarkably expressive dynamic range and has been described by many artists as among the finest they’ve ever played. In fact, the plate of this particular piano is signed by pianists Glenn Gould and Rudolf Serkin, a testament to high praise for the instrument by two of the world’s great masters.

The piano was recorded in the Françoys-Bernier Concert Hall at Le Domaine Forget in the Charlevoix region of Quebec. This is the same hall where Ivory's acclaimed German Steinway was recorded, and also by the same team including concert technician Michel Pedneau and performer/producer Joe Ierardi.

"I try not to play favorites, but this might be the best piano we've ever done,” says Joe Ierardi, co-founder of Synthogy. “Of course, producing it for George Taylor's brilliant Ivory II engine was added incentive to exceed all of our previous standards."

Ivory II–American Concert D is a free-standing Virtual Instrument, which can run as a plug-in or standalone. Or, for existing Ivory II users, Ivory II–American Concert D will install directly into the existing Ivory II library, giving access to all of Ivory II's pianos and features from one great interface. Its MSRP will be $199 when it is released in 2012.

Highlights of Ivory II–American Concert D:

•       New York Steinway D selected by Steinway & Sons for artist promotion and concert hall specification
•       The largest, most extensively sampled of all Ivory II pianos
•       The first of Synthogy’s pianos to feature up to 20 velocity levels, with Sample Interpolation Technology for ultra-smooth velocity and note transitions
•       Includes the Award-winning Ivory II piano engine
•       Harmonic Resonance Modeling for True Sympathetic String Resonance
•       Custom Soundboard Emulation DSP
•       Half-pedaling
•       Pedal Noise enhancements
•       Release samples triggered by velocity and duration
•       Timbre-shifting, Parametric EQ and new Synth Layer controls for powerful sound sculpting capabilities
•       World class digital FX including Real Ambience, Chorus and EQ
•       Customizable User Controls for Timbre, Stereo Width and Perspective, Velocity Response, Mechanical Key Noise, Lid Position and more
•       Tuning Tables
•       Optional synth pad layer for modern/pop combinations
•       Dozens of programs and effects presets

More details are available by calling ILIO at (800) 747-4546 or emailing info@ilio.com.

Ivory II – American Concert D is distributed in North America by ILIO, carrying the highest quality virtual instruments, sample libraries, and creative tools for professional musicians.

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