How will you route your sound

JAH wrote:How will you route your sound?

It's set in stone now. The Stereo outs (anaolg or digital) of the MPC Ren, my keyboards, and MPC 2000XL will be routed to my Apollo interface. The individuals outs of my Apollo will be routed to the inputs of any device that I plan to sample with...at the moment it will just be the MPC Ren, ASR-10, and perhaps the Fantom G. I will connect my Studio Monitors directly to the Apollo.

Just incase you may not be aware of this, do note that you're going to do the routing from within the MPC software or a DAW. The UA Console front-end for the Apollo cannot directly route to the outputs except the aux channels, monitor outs or phones. Full I/O however is accessible from within your audio/video software though. If you are aware of this, disregard and enjoy the Apollo!

Undertow wrote:

JAH wrote:How will you route your sound?

It's set in stone now. The Stereo outs (anaolg or digital) of the MPC Ren, my keyboards, and MPC 2000XL will be routed to my Apollo interface. The individuals outs of my Apollo will be routed to the inputs of any device that I plan to sample with...at the moment it will just be the MPC Ren, ASR-10, and perhaps the Fantom G. I will connect my Studio Monitors directly to the Apollo.

Just incase you may not be aware of this, do note that you're going to do the routing from within the MPC software or a DAW. The UA Console front-end for the Apollo cannot directly route to the outputs except the aux channels, monitor outs or phones. Full I/O however is accessible from within your audio/video software though. If you are aware of this, disregard and enjoy the Apollo!

I am not sure if I follow you correctly.

The Apollo has a pair of Monitor Outs that I plan to connect to my Studio Monitors. When I connect all my keyboards/drum machine to the analog inputs of the Apollo, these will be routed to Apollo's Monitor Outs...right? **Confirmed I can do this from UA site**

But can I have an audio signal going from my Apollo individual outs to the inputs of my ASR....and insert UAD effects in the signal path?

The Apollo has a pair of Monitor Outs that I plan to connect to my Studio Monitors. When I connect all my keyboards/drum machine to the analog inputs of the Apollo, these will be routed to Apollo's Monitor Outs...right? **Confirmed I can do this from UA site**

This is correct.

But can I have an audio signal going from my Apollo individual outs to the inputs of my ASR....and insert UAD effects in the signal path?

Not unless you do it within your DAW or the MPC software or use an aux. The Apollo's inputs are not directly routed to it's respective outputs. In the UA Console, the insert slots are for inputs only or auxes, the latter of which can be routed to physical outputs in the Console itself but not the former...unless you route IN to AUX and have the auxes output setup to a physical out (like I talk about later in this post). The UA Console is setup like a tracking desk only, not a mixing desk. Complex output routing is available only if using an audio or video software. All that's shown in the Console are inputs, aux and a monitoring section. There is no IN to OUT routing matrix. That's what I meant.

You may want to instead sample to one of your devices then go to the Apollo's IN and apply realtime effects in the Console with REC on (Insert Effects). This will achieve almost the same results except with almost no latency, no need for a loopback and that you will be sampling via another device rather than the Apollo. Or just sample via the Apollo itself (See conversation with Lampdog in other thread). To do what you said earlier, you would need to connect everything in a loopback fashion like you would a summing desk and would do the routing in your software or DAW.

To do what you're saying above you will go...

Audio Devices >> Apollo IN >> UA Console >> Software for Routing >> Apollo OUTS >> Audio Devices

Another simple alternative for sampling with another device, say an ASR-10, using just the Console is to use the aux channels though. There you can at least route INs to physical outputs and insert UAD plugins inside the Console, albeit on a smaller scale. You can also do this virtually, since the Mon, HP1, HP2, etc outputs are also available as selectable inputs in a DAW.

That is...

Audio Devices >> Apollo IN >> Aux inside UA Console >> Apollo OUT >> Audio Device

The reason is because you want to send to another device to sample from the Apollo OUTS. However, since you'll be using it with the MPC software anyway, you can just apply UAD effects (VST) to your sampling devices there (you will incur latency) or route within that. It's a bit arse-about-face to describe but it's really simple in use. I was just saying make a mental note that you will not have 1:1 access to the Apollo outs in the UA console directly.

@Undertow IM GETTING A NEW INTERFACE .. WITCH ONE WOULD YOU PREFER .. THE APOLLO OR THE AVID OMINI OR Apogee Symphony ..

Monsta, I don't have enough experience with all of those setups in one room at the same time, through a single high quality DAC and the same monitors to compare them. So, I couldn't qualify myself to really pass judgement on them unless I was just going by specs, particular scenarios, hearsay or memory (for the ones I've actually heard). I think someone would have to spend a good deal of time with all of these setups with the purpose intent to evaluate them to give a fair assessment. Even if I did feel qualified to give my opinion it has very little to do with what would work for others since they wouldn't have my tastes, my ears, my room, my monitors or be recording the same sources...even if it was just my opinion. I also think that they're generally geared toward people with differing criteria and preferences. For example, if you were working mostly with Pro Tools HD, you'd probably had already invested in Avid and already interested in the Omni. If you were working with HD or Logic and another native DAW in tandem mostly and needed a scalable system that could work with a large amount of sources, the Symphony system is an obvious choice. If you had already invested heavily in the UAD-2 platform or was considering it but hadn't yet bought in, use various DAW, require a smaller scalable system or don't currently need to stack/chain multiple units then the Apollo is a viable option. Then there is also the factor of will you be recording mostly or mixing or do you need/want realtime onboard DSP on the front-end when recording? Personally, I think the Apollo attempts to compete with the likes of all-in-one setups like Apogee Ensemble, Prism Orpheus and to a greater extent, the RME Fireface UFX and some of the Metric Halo pedigree with their onboard DSP. Obviously this is an over simplification though since all of those setups you mention overlap eventually in their possible uses.

However, if you're looking to invest in an interface in these price ranges you likely already have a strong preference, likely have experience already with these choices or if not, should be looking to hear them in person (if possible). I could regurgitate marketing shlock and combine it with my limited experience with some of these units and pretend that I'm the all-knowing all-versed guru but that's what sites like Gearslutz are for. The last part, if not obvious, is my attempt at humor because I don't think other people can tell you what will sound good to you. I'd take other people's subjective opinions with a pinch of salt when considering pending purchases in this volume of spending. I've heard gear before that everyone raves about and it sounded like shit to my own ears. I'm sure they were still great for many others but claims about gear are often stated as universal truths. I've thus concluded that it's because people just quote what others have said verbatim on the internet which usually starts as an opinion. So I will refrain.

To be honest though, my preference could easily change with necessity and I don't put so much emphasis on gear unless it clearly sounds bad or is unstable, which isn't applicable here. I think they are different enough to where necessity dictates preference. If you were recording or mixing with any of those setups I don't think you could even tell the difference, unless your focus was solely on comparing their often small sonic differences, features or work flows instead of the act of recording or mixing. That leaves only features and necessity. For what it's worth, if what I ended up deciding to use somehow denotes my preference, then my current preference I guess is the Apollo. That doesn't make it the best though and if you ask me another day it could be something else entirely. My only opinion outside of that is that the best interface is the one that does what you want, how you want it to and sounds good to your own ears or at least makes you feel confident or the clients happy (impresses them or keeps them compatible).

Sorry for the length.

@Undertow THX FOR THE FEED BACK

GodDevilWhatever wrote:You are blinded by your own faggotry.

Rock n Roll McDonalds.

...

Undertow...it looks pretty straight forward. I plan to route an audio source to Apollo's Analog In 1/2. Then I can Insert up to 4 FXs on the Analog In 1/2 channel and send this to AUX1. On the AUX1 channel, I set the Output to Analog Out 1/2 which is connected to my ASR-10s (or MPC 2KXL) inputs. Then I can sample.

I haven't tried it yet as I just finished connecting all my gear to the Apollo. I will spend my entire weekend (other than the few hours I step out to the club) using the Apollo in my studio. I am excited to go through all the demo's of UADs plugins to decide which ones I want to purchase first.

JAH wrote:Undertow...it looks pretty straight forward. I plan to route an audio source to Apollo's Analog In 1/2. Then I can Insert up to 4 FXs on the Analog In 1/2 channel and send this to AUX1. On the AUX1 channel, I set the Output to Analog Out 1/2 which is connected to my ASR-10s (or MPC 2KXL) inputs. Then I can sample.

Undertow wrote:The UA Console front-end for the Apollo cannot directly route to the outputs except the aux channels, monitor outs or phones.

Undertow wrote:In the UA Console, the insert slots are for inputs only or auxes, the latter of which can be routed to physical outputs in the Console itself but not the former...unless you route IN to AUX and have the auxes output setup to a physical out.

Undertow wrote:Another simple alternative for sampling with another device, say an ASR-10, using just the Console is to use the aux channels though. There you can at least route INs to physical outputs and insert UAD plugins inside the Console, albeit on a smaller scale. You can also do this virtually, since the Mon, HP1, HP2, etc outputs are also available as selectable inputs in a DAW.

That is...

Audio Devices >> Apollo IN >> Aux inside UA Console >> Apollo OUT >> Audio Device

That's what I was referring to in those comments. It will work fine, I just wanted to make sure that you knew that it may be a little different from other interfaces, beforehand. Enjoy.

Undertow...thanks again for the info and the heads up. It does seem odd that you can't route inputs to any output(s). RME cards could do this for 10 years+. Looks like I need to contact UA and give them my feature request.

Yep. I'm not sure why they decided to design the Console in the manner that they did but once you make a mental note of it, it works fine for it's intended purpose. That said, TotalMix is an exception, not the rule. You'd be hard pressed to find another front-end that's as versatile as TotalMix outside of a RME unit, with Metric Halo's MIO being another exception. That is, when it comes to their routing at least. For example, the software for both the Ensemble and the Orpheus, though capable and allowing fair routing, doesn't come close to TotalMix.

However, the unit itself, sonically, ergonomically and aesthetically is a fantastic piece of modern industrial design and engineering, to me. It's really well made and thought out otherwise, as I'm sure Jah can now attest to. The UFX is a fine piece too but you already know that, Lampdog.

Undertow wrote:However, the unit itself, sonically, ergonomically and aesthetically is a fantastic piece of modern industrial design and engineering, to me. It's really well made and thought out otherwise, as I'm sure Jah can now attest to. The UFX is a fine piece too but you already know that, Lampdog.

I agree. I was just telling Lamp about the quality of the unit. Apollo just feels like quality. I am happy with my purchase so far.

There are definitely some improvements that could be made. However, I'm convinced that in the coming months there will be some new things that will make the Console much more "exciting", especially the possibility of some "realtime DSP" additions to the first four channels.

There's a lot to like about the Console still. For example, I actually love the manner for creating cue mixes and sending to auxes in it, as it's set up like the familiar traditional console. I also like that the busses for phones, monitors and auxes are always available to tap from, instead of having to click the channel indicator (to make them orange/yellow) to route outputs to virtual INs, like in TotalMix. It's a minor thing but the shortcuts are also very useful because they follow the conventions of the modifiers and commands used for group actions in the most common DAW. The metering is also excellent for an all-in-one interface. Honestly, some of the omissions actually don't seem as arcane in practice as they do when written, except maybe the lack of talkback, for those who don't have another means to do it (I do).