Today Universal Audio released a software update to their Console application that adds MIDI controllable scenes to their Apollo audio interfaces. This turns the Apollo into a multi-effects box with presets that can be changed via MIDI. I am posting this for anyone who owns an Apollo and hasn't seen this news.
Or for anyone who might be looking at an Apollo as an audio interface and now a multi-effects box. See below for an example of the price of entry to the Apollo / UAD2 ecosystem.
Now to the guts of this post.
Since the Apollo has built in DSP and hosts the plugins, audio does not go through your computer. It only passes from the Apollo's analog inputs, to an A/D converter, through the Console app internally on the Apollo, to a D/A converter and out the Apollo's analog outputs. As a result, RTL is sub 2ms. That's about the same RTL as a Tonex One pedal. In fact, for the purposes of this discussion, think of Apollo as a pedal. It just does way, way more than any of your pedals.
The UA Console is a virtual mixer and routing application. It exists on your computer only so that you can access its features. It's essentially a graphics package that allows the user to control its features. What you see on your computer monitor doesn't actually mix or load plugins. And no audio passes through the app on your computer.
So why are MIDI controllable scenes a big deal?
The best way to understand this is to think of the scenes as presets on a pedal. You send a MIDI program change message to the Console app and it changes instantly to a new set of plugins. Or plugin parameters. Or plugin chains. Or change the effects order.
And one program change message can affect multiple plugins on multiple channels. That's also a big deal. How so? The H9 pedal could do one effect at a time. The H90 came out so you could do two effects. In series or parallel, and in different order. Nice.
My Apollo X6 has 6 DSP chips with 6 analog inputs that can host 6 chains of plugins. And a single program change message can change any parameter, turn any effect on or off, or even change an entire chain to a new one. And of course, you can route the chains in series or parallel. And since your Console app is also a mixer, you could combine multiple parallel effects back to mono or stereo output.
Now I've given a pretty wide view of what you can do with this, what are its limitations?
First of all, it only works with UAD-2 plugins. You cannot load a native plugin, no matter what format into Console. That even includes UAD native plugins. So no AU, VST, etc.
Second, as of now, there is no CC messages accepted via Console. You can save scenes (presets) but with a few exceptions you can't connect a MIDI expression pedal and vary a parameter in real time. There are a few UAD2 plugins that have built in MIDI control. If any of you want to know about how to control the Console app via a MIDI controller with MCU let me know and I'll cover that in a later post. To be clear, you don't need an MCU controller to change scenes; just a controller that can send program change messages.
So what kinds of plugins do the Apollos have? Every kind from studio and guitar gear to highly sought after iconic effects. Many of which are not available anywhere else. It's not like buying a traditional effects box. You won't end up sounding like everyone else with a Fractal or a Helix. Go to the UAudio.com website and check their plugins out. It just so happens that there is a huge sale on UAD2 plugins through July 22nd.
These plugins are considered to be among the best emulations of gear you can buy. And they encompass some of the most historically sought after gear. For example there are mixing console preamps and channel strips from Neve, API, Solid State Logic, Manley, Universal Audio, etc. There are studio compressors like the Iconic LA-2A and 1176, the EL-8 Distressor, DBX 160, etc. Want some EQ for your guitar? How about a Pultec passive, or a Hitsville from Motown, or a Trident A-Range parametric. How about some amp sims? There are loads of them. Fender Tweed '55, Marshall Plexi, Bluesbreaker, Fuchs, Ampeg, etc. And most of these can be used as preamps or speakers with a Kemper profile. More on how to use these with your Kemper later.
What about effects? I kind of lead you to believe there were some good effects.
How about spot on emulations of a Roland Space echo, or an Echoplex EP-34, or a Korg SDD-3000 delay, MXR Flanger / Doubler, Eventide H910 Harmonizer, Dytronics Tri-Stereo Chorus?
Not enough? OK then. Go to the Capitol Records building in L.A. Plug your guitar into the basement plate reverb that's won grammy's for hundreds of artists? Too expensive? Not if you own the Capitol Chambers reverb plugin. You have never, ever heard a more gorgeous sounding, ultra-lush reverb. UAD2 is the only way you can get it. You can also get reverbs from Lexicon, EMT AKG, and more.
Oh, and did I mention Autotune Realtime X? Want to keep your guitar in tune even when playing a chord at the twelfth fret? Want some Moog filters? How about a Softube Vocoder?
There are literally hundreds of plugins to choose from.
So how would I use the Apollo with my Kemper as a multi-effects platform? This depends largely on what I want to do.
For example, I could connect my guitar to a Hi Z input on the Apollo, load a Unison plugin like the Tube Screamer pedal, add a compressor and an EQ. Then route that channel to an analog output on the Apollo connecting it to the front of my Kemper. (For an explanation of Unison technology, go to the bottom of this post).
Or I could put an Apollo into the effects loop of the Kemper. Use the Kemper's send and stereo returns by routing the send into an Apollo line level input, and a stereo track with time based plugins.
Now you have a front end effects device before your Kemper, and an effects loop with a time based multi-effects box in the loop too.
Note that using the effects loop with line level signals disables Unison technology from a Unison plugin. Unison plugins only work when you connect a Mic to a Unison mic input or an instrument to a Unison Hi Z input.
However there is one way to add a Unison plugin to the Kemper's effects loop. It works like this.
I connect my guitar to a Hi Z input on the Apollo. Load up a Unison amp sim. Turn off the cab in the amp sim. Route the track to an analog output on the Apollo and connect that to the stereo return of your Kemper. You can add stereo effects if you want to or keep it mono. Once the Apollo's amp sim is in the Kemper, you can use it with your Kemper Kabinet and speaker imprints for 'amp in the room feel' with your Apollo amp sim. Just because Kemper didn't expect you to use the effects loop this way doesn't mean it doesn't work. It does. I've tried it. But more in line with the reason for this post is that on the Apollo side, you could change sim parameters or even change the sim to a different one with a single button press on your MIDI controller. BTW, this trick will work with native plugins hosted by your DAW. It's just that the RTL will be higher.
Not enough? You can simply route the Kemper into the Apollo via S/PDIF I/O. The Kemper can now be followed by the Apollo into a recording chain with more effects. And don't forget that this connects the Kemper and Apollo digitally so you can record what's coming out of the Kemper into your DAW without requiring a pair of analog inputs. That can be the Kemper's stereo outputs, or one mono wet output and a DI on the other channel. So it becomes an alternate DI in a pinch.
And the reverse is also true. Connecting the S/PDIF I/O between the two devices allows you to use the Kemper as an effects box for your recordings. It also allows for easy re-amping via the Kemper as well.
*Unison plugins work with the mic and Hi Z input hardware on Apollos. As UA explains Unison:
Unison™ technology is an audio processing breakthrough that starts right at the source — the input stage — allowing Apollo audio interface preamps to sound and behave like the world’s most sought-after tube and solid-state designs by using UAD plug-ins. By capturing the all-important impedance, gain stage “sweet spots,” and component-level circuit behaviors, Unison gives Universal Audio’s Apollo and Arrow audio interfaces the tone and feel of legendary mic preamps, guitar/bass amps, and pedals from UA, API, Neve, SSL, Manley, Fender, Marshall, and more.
