BATTLE OF THE BANTAMWEIGHTS UA APOLLO TWIN MK II vs ARTURIA AUDIOFUSE
NEED TO KNOW
•AUDIOFUSE•
PRICE
Expect to pay $999
CONTACT
CMI Music & Audio: (03) 9315 2244 of sales@cmi.com.au
PROS
Loads of I/O
Great preamps
Bus-powered
CONS
Miniature power input
SUMMARY
Audiofuse literally has it all, even two quality mic preamps, a rarity on two-channel desktop interfaces. Hook up your entire studio to this little hub, even when you’re on the go.
•APOLLO TWIN•
PRICE
Expect to pay
Solo: $1149
Duo: $1499
Quad: $1999
CONTACT
CMI Music & Audio: (03) 9315 2244 of sales@cmi.com.au
PROS
Real-time DSP processing
Great-sounding UAD plug-ins
Unison preamp technology
CONS
Limited DSP count
SUMMARY
If you want a desktop interface with built-in DSP, look no further than the Twin Mk II. It hosts some of the best plug-ins currently available and gives you that Unison touch on its preamps. Did someone say Neve 1073 into UA LA2A vocal chain?
Most desktop interfaces don’t offer much. You can reel the features off without even glancing at the back panels. Let’s see: USB connection (sometimes Thunderbolt, which can be a pain because you rarely get the $50 cable thrown in); two combo mic/line/instrument inputs; one pair of monitor outputs, and a second set of line outputs if you’re lucky; one headphone jack; ADAT for expansion — again, if you’re lucky; and one big knob to control it all.
The downsides can often be a proprietary breakout cable, and MIDI usually goes by the wayside.
BETTER-LOOKING TWIN
The original Universal Audio Apollo Twin was refreshingly different. Its hardware feature set didn’t break the mould — two combo mic/line inputs, one instrument DI, one headphone jack, four line outputs, single-port ADAT input, and a big old knob on the top. Where it diverged from the herd was the inclusion of built-in DSP, making it an affordable entry point into the UAD universe.
This shouldn’t be understated. If you wanted real-time processing on your inputs but only wanted to shell out for a couple of them, there was nothing else in the running. There still isn’t; if you don’t count Antelope’s altogether different, altogether more expensive Zen Tour desktop interface.
The latest iteration, Apollo Twin MkII doesn’t deviate a whole lot from the original. On the face of
