Universal Audio Apollo Twin MKII Duo, Apollo Twin Quad MKII, Apollo Twin MKII Solo User manual

Apollo Twin MkII Hardware Manual

Manual Version 171101

www.uaudio.com

A Letter from Bill Putnam Jr.

Thank you for deciding to make the Apollo Twin MkII High-Resolution Interface part of your music making experience. We know that any new piece of gear requires an investment of time and money — and our goal is to make your investment pay off. The fact that we get to play a part in your creative process is what makes our efforts meaningful, and we thank you for this.

In many ways, the Apollo family of audio interface products represent the best examples of what Universal Audio has stood for over its long history; from UA’s original founding in the 1950s by my father, through our current vision of delivering the best of both analog and digital audio technologies.

Starting with its high-quality analog I/O, Apollo Twin MkII’s superior sonic performance serves as its foundation. This is just the beginning however, as Apollo Twin is the only desktop audio interface that allows you to run UAD plug-ins in real time. Want to monitor yourself through a Neve® console channel strip while tracking bass through a classic Fairchild or LA-2A compressor? Or how about tracking vocals through a Studer® tape machine with some added Lexicon® reverb?* With our growing library of more than 90 UAD plug-ins, the choices are limitless.

At UA, we are dedicated to the idea that this powerful technology should ultimately serve the creative process — not be a barrier. These are the very ideals my father embodied as he invented audio equipment to solve problems in the studio. So as you begin to incorporate Apollo Twin MkII into your creative process, we hope that the excitement and pride that we’ve built into it comes through. We believe Apollo Twin MkII will earn its way into your creative workﬂow by providing stunning ﬁdelity, great ease-of-use, and rocksolid reliability for years to come.

As always, please feel free to reach out to us via our website www.uaudio.com, and via our social media channels. We look forward to hearing from you, and thank you once again for choosing Universal Audio.

Sincerely,

Bill Putnam Jr.

*All trademarks are recognized as property of their respective owners. Individual UAD Powered Plug-Ins sold separately.

Apollo Twin MkII Hardware Manual Welcome2

Table Of Contents

Tip: Click any section or page number

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A Letter from Bill Putnam Jr. ................................................................. 2

Introduction ......................................................................................... 4

Welcome to Apollo! ............................................................................................ 4

Apollo Twin MkII Features .................................................................................. 7

Operational Overview .......................................................................................... 9

About Apollo Twin MkII Documentation .............................................................. 11

Additional Resources ....................................................................................... 12

Quick Start ........................................................................................ 13

Hardware Setup ............................................................................................... 13

Software Setup ................................................................................................ 14

Connect to Input Sources and Monitor System .................................................... 15

Setting Hardware I/O Levels .............................................................................. 16

Controls & Connectors ......................................................................... 17

Controls Overview ............................................................................................ 17

Top Panel ........................................................................................................ 20

Front Panel ..................................................................................................... 25

Side Panel ...................................................................................................... 25

Rear Panel ...................................................................................................... 26

Speciﬁcations .................................................................................... 28

Speciﬁcation Tables ......................................................................................... 28

Hardware Block Diagram .................................................................................. 32

Troubleshooting .................................................................................. 33

Notices .............................................................................................. 34

Important Safety Information ............................................................................ 34

Warranty ......................................................................................................... 35

Maintenance ................................................................................................... 35

Repair Service ................................................................................................. 35

Technical Support ............................................................................... 37

Universal Audio Knowledge Base ....................................................................... 37

YouTube Support Channel ................................................................................. 37

UAD Community Forums .................................................................................. 37

Contact UA Support ......................................................................................... 37

Apollo Twin MkII Hardware Manual Table Of Contents3

Introduction

Welcome to Apollo!

Superior Desktop Audio Conversion with Classic Analog Sound

With its class-leading resolution and Realtime UAD Processing, Apollo Twin MkII sets a new standard for desktop music production. This 2x6 Thunderbolt interface for Mac and Windows allows you to record with near-zero latency through the full range of UAD Powered Plug-Ins — ingeniously merging classic analog tones with cutting-edge features.

Now You Can:

• Record with world-class Apollo A/D and D/A conversion — as heard on hundreds of hit records

• Cascade up to 4 Apollo interfaces and 6 UAD-2 devices over Thunderbolt, adding DSP and I/O as your studio grows

OPTICAL IN

POWER

OFF ON

12VDC

LINE OUT MONITOR

3 L

4 R

MIC/LINE 2

MONITOR

MIC/LINE 1

• Mix with UAD plug-ins like the included Teletronix® LA-2A, 1176, and Fairchild® compressors, Pultec® EQs, and 610-B Preamp

• Track with near-zero latency through preamp emulations from Neve®, API®, Manley® and more using Unison™ technology*

Unison Technology: The Genuine Sound of Neve, API & Manley Preamps

Apollo Twin MkII features two Unison-enabled mic preamps, letting you track through exacting mic preamp emulations from Neve, API, Manley, and Universal Audio. An Apollo exclusive, Unison technology nails the tone of these sought-after tube and solid state mic pres — including their input impedance, gain stage “sweet spots,” and the componentlevel circuit behaviors of the original hardware.

The secret to Unison is its hardware-software integration between Apollo Twin MkII’s mic preamps and its onboard UAD-2 SOLO, DUO, or QUAD Core DSP Acceleration. Simply place a Unison preamp plug-in on your mic input, and tap into the classic sounds of the world’s most recorded mic preamps.

Apollo Twin MkII Hardware Manual Introduction 4

A Full Suite of Classic Analog Processing Onboard

Right out of the box, Apollo Twin MkII provides a suite of incredible analog emulation plug-ins including the world’s only authentic Teletronix LA-2A and UA 1176LN compressors, the legendary Pultec EQs, and the Unison-enabled UA 610-B Tube Preamp. Developed by UA’s world-renowned team of algorithm engineers, these Realtime Analog Classic plug-ins set the standard by which all other hardware emulation plug-ins are judged.

From the tube warmth of the Pultec EQ on guitars, to the gentle limiting of the LA-2A on vocals, or the pump of a genuine 1176LN compressor on drums, your recordings will take a giant leap forward in rich, sonically complex analog sound.

Access the World of UAD Powered Plug-Ins

Beyond the included plug-ins, Apollo Twin MkII lets you tap into the full library awardwinning UAD Powered Plug-Ins — including vintage EQs, Compressors, Reverbs, Tape Machines and more — at near-zero latency, regardless of your audio software’s buffer size and without taxing your computer’s CPU.

With exclusive emulations from Neve, Studer, Manley, API, Ampex, Lexicon, Fender, and more,* it’s like having an endless analog studio, right on your desktop. And unlike competing interfaces, these DSP-powered plug-ins are also available in your DAW for mixing.

Next-Generation A/D and D/A Conversion

Of course, the heart of any audio interface is the quality of its conversion. With the highest dynamic range and lowest noise of any desktop interface, Apollo Twin MkII gives you stellar 24-bit/192 kHz sound and breathtaking clarity. Its premium Unison mic preamps, input stage, and audio conversion are identical to the famed Apollo series, translating into rich three-dimensional recordings with exceptional depth and punch.

Apollo: The Choice of New-School Professionals

Apollo is the conﬁrmed choice of hit-making professionals, used to record records by Kendrick Lamar (To Pimp A Butterﬂy), Coldplay (A Head Full of Dreams), Dr. Dre (Compton), Brad Paisley (Wheelhouse), and many more. The Apollo range of interfaces has earned numerous industry awards from Sound on Sound, Future Music and Electronic Musician — as well as the prestigious 2016 TEC Award for computer audio hardware.

Now with Vintage Amps and Stompboxes

Apollo Twin MkII also includes Unison technology on its front panel instrument input, giving you dead-on emulations of guitar and bass amps like the Fender ‘55 Tweed Deluxe, Marshall Plexi Super Lead 1959, and Ampeg B-15N Bass Ampliﬁer, as well as iconic stompboxes.

*All trademarks are recognized as property of their respective owners. Individual UAD Powered Plug-Ins sold separately.

Apollo Twin MkII Hardware Manual Introduction 5

Build a Networked Studio

Apollo Twin MkII offers up to 10 x 6 simultaneous input/output channels. Thanks to Apollo Expanded software, users of any Thunderbolt-equipped Apollo Twin, Apollo Twin MkII, Apollo 8, Apollo 8p, and Apollo 16 audio interfaces can combine up to four Apollos and six total UAD-2 devices — adding I/O and DSP as your studio grows. Apollo Twin MkII makes the perfect intelligent desktop controller for a full Apollo system.

A Sleek, Low-latency App

Console 2.0 is Apollo Twin MkII’s software control interface. Its intuitive, analog consolestyle design provides realtime tracking and monitoring with UAD Powered Plug-Ins, Channel Strip presets, Drag & Drop functionality, dynamically resizable windows, and more.

Apollo Twin MkII Hardware Manual Introduction 6

Apollo Twin MkII Features

Key Features

• Best in class audio quality with improved 24-bit/192 kHz conversion

• Realtime UAD Processing — track through vintage compressors, EQs, tape machines, and guitar amp/pedal plug-ins with near-zero latency

• 2 premium mic/line preamps; 2 line outs; front-panel Hi-Z instrument input and headphone output

• Unison™ technology for stunning models of classic mic preamps and guitar amps

• Built-in talkback microphone for communication and recording

• Monitor remote functions can replace dedicated monitor controllers

• UAD-2 SOLO, DUO, or QUAD DSP processing onboard

• Thunderbolt connection for blazing-fast PCIe speed on modern computers

• Uncompromising analog design, superior components, and premium build quality throughout

• Digitally controlled analog monitor outputs for full resolution at all listening levels

• Cascade up to four Thunderbolt-equipped Apollos and six total UAD-2 devices — adding I/O and DSP as needed

All Features

Audio Interface

• Sample rates up to 192 kHz at 24-bit word length (96 kHz max on S/PDIF inputs)

• Up to 10 x 6 simultaneous input/output channels

• Two channels of analog-to-digital conversion via:

• Two balanced mic/line inputs

• One Hi-Z instrument input

• Six channels of digital-to-analog conversion via:

• Digitally-controlled stereo monitor outputs

• Stereo headphone outputs

• Line outputs 3-4

• Up to eight channels of digital inputs via:

• Eight channels ADAT optical with S/MUX for high sample rates, or

• Two channels S/PDIF optical with sample rate conversion

Microphone Preampliﬁers

• Two high-resolution, ultra-transparent, digitally-controlled analog mic preamps

• Front panel and software control of all preamp parameters

• Low cut ﬁlter, 48V phantom power, 20 dB pad, polarity inversion, and stereo linking

Apollo Twin MkII Hardware Manual Introduction 7

Monitoring

• Digitally-controlled analog monitor outputs maintains highest ﬁdelity

• Independently-addressable stereo headphone outputs

• Independently-addressable line outputs 3-4 can be used for additional cue mix

• Front panel control of level, mute, dim, mono, alternate speakers, and talkback

• Built-in talkback microphone for communication and recording

UAD-2 Inside

• One (SOLO), two (DUO), or four (QUAD) SHARC DSP processors

• Realtime UAD Processing on all analog and digital inputs

• Same features and functionality as other UAD-2 devices when used with a DAW

• Complete UAD Powered Plug-Ins library is available online

Software

Console application:

• Enables tracking and/or monitoring with Realtime UAD Processing

• Remote control of Apollo Twin MkII features and functionality

• Virtual I/O for routing DAW tracks through Console

• Two independent stereo Auxiliary busses

Console Recall plug-in:

• Saves Apollo Twin MkII conﬁgurations inside DAW sessions for easy recall

• Facilitates control of Apollo Twin MkII monitoring features from within the DAW

• VST, RTAS, AAX 64, and Audio Units plug-in formats

UAD Meter & Control Panel application:

• Conﬁgures global UAD settings and monitors system usage

Other

• Attractive and durable desktop form factor

• Locking power supply prevents accidental disconnection

• Easy ﬁrmware updates

• One year warranty includes parts and labor

Package Contents

• Apollo Twin MkII unit

• Power supply with (4) AC connectors

(Changeable AC connectors for USA, Europe, UK, Australia, and China)

• Getting Started URL card

Apollo Twin MkII Hardware Manual Introduction 8

Operational Overview

Audio Interface

First and foremost, Apollo Twin MkII is a premium 2 x 6 Thunderbolt audio interface with world-class 24-bit/192 kHz audio conversion. Apollo Twin MkII connects to the outputs and inputs of other audio gear, and performs analog-to-digital (A/D) and digital-to-analog (D/A) audio conversions on the gear’s signals. The digital audio signals are routed into and out of the host computer via the high-speed PCIe protocol, which is carried on a single Thunderbolt cable.

Apollo Twin MkII leverages Universal Audio’s expertise in DSP acceleration, UAD Powered Plug-Ins, and analog hardware design by integrating the latest cutting edge technologies in high-performance A/D-D/A conversion, DSP signal reconstruction, and connectivity. Apollo Twin MkII acts as an audio interface with integrated DSP effects for tracking and monitoring, a fully integrated UAD-2 DSP accelerator for mixing and mastering, as well as a complete monitoring controller.

About Realtime UAD Processing

Apollo Twin MkII has the ability to run UAD Powered Plug-Ins in realtime. Apollo Twin MkII’s groundbreaking DSP + FPGA technology enable UAD plug-ins to run with latencies in the sub2ms range, and multiple plug-ins can be stacked in series without additional latency.

Realtime UAD Processing facilitates the ultimate sonic experience while monitoring and/or tracking.

Note: Apollo Twin MkII, like other UAD-2 devices, can only load UAD Powered Plug-Ins, which are speciﬁcally designed to run on UAD-2 DSP accelerators. Native (host-based) plug-ins cannot run on the UAD-2 DSP.

Console Software

The Console software application runs on the host computer and is used to control Apollo Twin MkII mixing and monitoring with Realtime UAD Processing, access the audio interface I/O settings, and more. Console’s analog-style workﬂow is designed to provide quick access to the most commonly needed features in a familiar, easy-to-use mixer interface.

Realtime UAD Processing is a special function that is available only within Console. All of Apollo Twin MkII’s analog and digital inputs can perform Realtime UAD Processing simultaneously, and Console inputs with (or without) Realtime UAD Processing can be routed into the DAW for recording.

Console controls Apollo Twin MkII’s digital mixer so you can monitor Apollo Twin MkII’s inputs (with or without Realtime UAD Processing) without using any other audio software such as a DAW.

Console is integral to unleashing the power of Apollo Twin MkII. For complete details about how to use Console and Realtime UAD Processing, refer to the Apollo Software Manual.

Apollo Twin MkII Hardware Manual Introduction 9

UAD Powered Plug-Ins in a DAW

Apollo Twin MkII and UAD plug-ins can also be used within a DAW without the use of Console. UAD plug-ins loaded within the DAW operate like other (non-UAD) plug-ins, except the processing occurs on the Apollo Twin MkII DSP instead of the host computer’s processor. In this scenario, UAD plug-ins are subject to the latencies incurred by I/O buffering.

For details about using UAD Powered Plug-Ins in a DAW, see the UAD System Manual.

Standalone Use

Although the Console application is required to utilize all Apollo Twin MkII features, the hardware unit can be used as a digital mixer with limited functionality without a Thunderbolt connection to a host computer.

All currently active I/O assignments, signal routings, and monitor settings are saved to internal ﬁrmware when Apollo Twin MkII is powered down and persist when power is reapplied. Therefore the last-used settings are always available even when a host computer is not connected.

Note that UAD plug-in instantiations are not retained on power down, because the plugin ﬁles reside on the host computer. However, if UAD plug-ins are active when Apollo Twin MkII’s connection to the host system is lost (if the Thunderbolt cable is unplugged), the current UAD plug-in conﬁgurations remain active for processing until Apollo Twin MkII is powered down.

Note: Standalone use is unavailable when cascading multiple Apollo units.

Apollo Twin MkII Hardware Manual Introduction 10

About Apollo Twin MkII Documentation

Documentation for Apollo Twin MkII and UAD Powered Plug-Ins are separated by areas of functionality, as described below. The user manuals are placed on the system drive during software installation, and they can be downloaded at www.uaudio.com.

Apollo Manual Files

Note: All manual ﬁles are in PDF format. PDF ﬁles require a free PDF reader application such as Adobe Acrobat Reader or Preview (included with macOS).

Apollo Hardware Manuals

Each Apollo model has a unique hardware manual. The Apollo hardware manuals contain complete hardware-related details about one speciﬁc Apollo model. Included are detailed descriptions of all hardware features, controls, connectors, and speciﬁcations.

Note: Each hardware manual contains the unique Apollo model in the ﬁle name.

Apollo Software Manual

The Apollo Software Manual is the companion guide to the Apollo hardware manuals. It contains detailed information about how to conﬁgure and control all Apollo software features using the Console application, Console Settings window, Console Recall plug-in, and Talkback. Refer to the Apollo Software Manual to learn how to operate the software tools and integrate Apollo’s functionality into the DAW environment.

Note: Each Apollo connection type (Thunderbolt, FireWire, USB) has a unique software manual.

UAD System Manual

The UAD System Manual is the complete operation manual for Apollo’s UAD-2 functionality and applies to the entire UAD-2 product family. It contains detailed information about installing and conﬁguring UAD devices, the UAD Meter & Control Panel application, buying optional plug-ins at the UA online store, and more. It includes everything about UAD except Apollo-speciﬁc information and individual UAD plug-in descriptions.

UAD Plug-Ins Manual

The features and functionality of all individual UAD Powered Plug-Ins is detailed in the UAD Plug-Ins Manual. Refer to this document to learn about the operation, controls, and user interface of each UAD plug-in that is developed by Universal Audio.

Direct Developer Plug-In Manuals

UAD Powered Plug-Ins includes plug-in titles created by our Direct Developer partners. Documentation for these 3rd-party plug-ins are separate ﬁles written and provided by the plug-in developers. The ﬁle names for these plug-in manuals are the same as the plug-in titles.

Apollo Twin MkII Hardware Manual Introduction 11

Accessing Installed Documentation

Any of these methods can be used to access installed documentation:

• Choose Documentation from the Help menu within the Console application

• Click the Product Manuals button in the Help panel within the UAD Meter &

Control Panel application

• Manuals are also available online at help.uaudio.com

Host DAW Documentation

Each host DAW software application has its own particular methods for conﬁguring and using audio interfaces and plug-ins. Refer to the host DAW’s documentation for speciﬁc instructions about using audio interface and plug-in features within the DAW.

Additional Resources

For additional resources, or if you need to contact Universal Audio for assistance, see the

Technical Support page.

Apollo Twin MkII Hardware Manual Introduction 12

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