UNIVERSAL AUDIO
Apollo x16 with UAD Analog Classics
Configurer
Apollo x16 with UAD Analog Classics — an 18x20 rackmount Thunderbolt audio interface with no built-in mic preamps, offering 16 channels of line-level-only I/O via DB-25 connectors and a UAD-2 HEXA Core processor, bundled with the Analog Classics plugin collection. It's the top model in the Apollo X rackmount line, built for integration with an analog console and an established outboard rig, not for direct mic-level tracking.
Gen 2 AD/DA conversion hits the highest dynamic range in the Apollo lineup at 133dB with -129dB THD, using switchable +24dBu headroom matched to professional gear operating levels. 16 input and output channels on DB-25 connectors patch directly into a console, patchbay, or external preamps — the x16 deliberately has no preamps of its own, on the assumption that the engineer already has an analog signal chain in place.
A converter built for a console-centered studio
In a large studio with an analog mixing console and a dedicated preamp rack, built-in preamps on the interface are redundant — and can even complicate routing. Apollo x16 drops them entirely in favor of 16 clean line-level DB-25 channels, leaving preamp choice to the existing analog gear while keeping the highest conversion quality in the Apollo portfolio.
Immersive mixing up to 9.1.6 without an extra processor
As the only model in the line supporting immersive formats up to 9.1.6, it's a natural hub for post-production rooms mixing in Dolby Atmos. The HEXA Core processor handles UAD plugins independent of the DAW's buffer, and Apollo Monitor Correction covers both stereo and multichannel configurations.
KEY FEATURES
- 18x20 Thunderbolt 3 audio interface, rackmount
- 16 channels of line-level-only I/O via DB-25 connectors, no built-in preamps
- Switchable +24dBu headroom
- 24-bit/192kHz AD/DA conversion, Gen 2, 133dB dynamic range, -129dB THD
- UAD-2 HEXA Core processor for real-time plug-in processing
- Includes Analog Classics bundle: LA-2A and 1176 compressors, Pultec EQs, UA 610 preamp, guitar amp simulations
- Immersive audio support up to 9.1.6 with bass management
- Stereo AES I/O (XLR), BNC wordclock
- Expandable to 64 channels by cascading 4 units
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
- Configuration: 18 inputs / 20 outputs
- Conversion: 24-bit / 192kHz, Gen 2, dual-crystal clocking
- Dynamic range: 133dB, -129dB THD
- Analog inputs: 2 x DB-25 (lines 1-16), switchable +24dBu headroom
- Analog outputs: 2 x XLR monitor, 2 x DB-25 (lines 1-16 or ALT/9.1.6 surround)
- Digital I/O: stereo AES (XLR), BNC wordclock
- Computer connection: Thunderbolt 3
- DSP: UAD-2 HEXA Core
- Compatibility: macOS, Windows
- Included: UAD Analog Classics plug-in bundle
