Building on the design of the original Apollo range, Universal Audio have taken everything a step further with their bunch of new releases for 2024, showcasing powerful onboard DSP and a range of new features such as AutoGain.
In this Universal Audio Apollo Twin X DUO Gen 2 review, we’ll take an in-depth look into the interface – available as a Studio+ Edition and an Essentials+ Edition – and ask whether or not it’s the best two-channel audio interface for 2024. At the end, you’ll find a buying guide, helping you decide if it’s the right audio interface for you.
In a hurry? Here’s our verdict
The Apollo Twin X Gen 2 is a high-performance audio interface designed for home studios and professional environments. With its elite-class audio conversion, Unison mic preamps, and Thunderbolt 3 connectivity, it delivers exceptional sound quality and low-latency recording.
The DUO Core DSP processing allows you to use Universal Audio’s industry-leading plugins in real time, while a rugged, all-metal chassis ensures it’s durable enough for mobile recording. And for a streamlined setup, features like Auto-Gain and Bass Management do the audio adjustments for you.
Basically, the Twin X Gen 2 is one of the most versatile and powerful interfaces at its price point.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Auto-Gain simplifies level setting | Expensive price tag for beginners |
| Real-time Unison mic preamp emulations | Thunderbolt 3 connectivity may not be compatible with older systems |
| Ultra-low latency performance | |
| DUO core DSP for real-time plugin use | |
| Integrated bass management |
UA Twin X Gen 2 review: the best 2-channel audio interface for 2024?
Build quality
The Apollo Twin X DUO Gen 2 boasts an impressive build quality – and we wouldn’t expect any less from Universale Audio. Its sleek, all-metal chassis not only looks professional but is also built to withstand the rigours of daily studio use. Weighing under 1.2kg, it has a solid, premium feel while remaining portable for desktop setups.
Being so compact, it’s ideal for smaller workspaces, but that doesn’t mean it compromises on usability. You’ll find a clear array of controls on the front panel, and the main rotary knob is smooth and responsive.
Features
Overview
The Apollo Twin X DUO Gen 2 packs an impressive array of features that set it apart from its competitors, making it a leading choice for audio professionals.
One of the best features is the Apollo Monitor Correction (subscription-based, coming soon), powered by Sonarworks, which ensures that you hear the most accurate sound possible through your monitors or headphones by calibrating the audio output. Ensuring your mix translates perfectly across different playback systems is a key part of mastering, and the Monitor Correction makes the job so much easier.
Auto-Gain
Another convenient feature is Auto-Gain, which helps you quickly set your levels across multiple inputs. This is particularly useful when you need to adjust levels on the fly.
Combined with the UAD Console app, which allows for easy plugin management and cue mixing, the Auto-Gain feature ensures a super streamlined workflow.
Elite converters
At the heart of the Twin X is its elite-class audio conversion. The interface boasts 24-bit/192 kHz resolution and an impressive 129 dB dynamic range, which translates into incredibly detailed and clear recordings.
This high-quality conversion ensures that every nuance of your recording is captured, from the softest whispers to the loudest peaks. It’s a development on older iterations of the Apollo interface, offering a cleaner sound with lower distortion.
Unison mic preamps
The Unison mic preamps are another key feature of the Apollo Twin X DUO Gen 2. They give you emulations of iconic hardware units from legendary brands like Neve, API, Manley, and Avalon to record with.
Unison technology enables the interface to capture the true sound and feel of these classic preamps, replicating their tone and response in real-time. This gives you access to professional-grade analog tones straight from your desktop. The Unison preamps also adjust their impedance and gain to match the emulated gear, ensuring you get the most authentic sound possible.
Powerful DSP processing
In addition to the preamps, the DUO Core DSP processing enables real-time recording with Universal Audio’s UAD plugins. This means you can use high-end effects such as compressors, EQs, and reverbs without taxing your computer’s CPU.
The DUO core allows for more plugins to be used simultaneously compared to older models – great for complex recording sessions. It makes tracking vocals or instruments with added effects an absolute breeze, while still maintaining low latency for a smooth recording experience.
Bass Management
The Bass Management feature is perfect when you want to incorporate subwoofers in your monitoring setup and still ensure that your mixes translate well across different monitoring setups. It makes low-end frequencies balanced and precise, which is crucial for genres like hip-hop or electronic music.
Expandability
The Apollo Twin X Gen 2 is also expandable. You can connect up to four Apollo interfaces via Thunderbolt, allowing for larger setups with multiple I/O channels. This is a significant improvement from earlier versions and ensures that as your studio grows, the Apollo Twin X can grow with it.
Sound and performance
The Apollo Twin X DUO Gen 2 delivers exceptional sound quality and performance, setting a new standard for two-channel interfaces. With 24-bit/192 kHz resolution and enhanced D/A converters, the audio fidelity is clear and accurate, capturing every nuance of your recordings.
The increased 129 dB dynamic range ensures rich and detailed capture, making the Twin X a top choice for professional-grade recordings. These improvements from the first-generation models allow for cleaner, crisper playback.
Emulations of classic analog hardware bring all the character and warmth you’d expect of the vintage original, and this faithful reproduction is further aided by the preamps’ automatic adjustment of impedance and gain.
You can track your audio through Universal Audio’s award-winning UAD plugins without latency, ensuring you maintain the same feel and timing as if you were using external hardware.
Usability
Designed to be user-friendly, the Apollo Twin X DUO Gen 2 is incredibly easy to navigate, even if you’re new to audio interfaces.
Setting it up with your computer is straightforward thanks to its Thunderbolt connectivity. It’s compatible with Mac and Windows systems, and once connected, the installation of drivers and the UAD Console app is quick and seamless. The app plays a huge role in controlling the interface, from routing inputs to applying effects in real time; it’s intuitive and doesn’t take long at all to get to grips with.
On the interface itself, the front panel is neatly laid out, with a large rotary control for volume, and clearly labelled buttons for inputs, monitoring, and preamp selection. Adjusting settings feels smooth and precise, making it easy to switch between different modes or tweak your setup mid-session.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – the Auto-Gain feature is a lifesaver when it comes to setting levels and adds to the smooth, stress-free user experience of the audio interface.
UAD Console app
You’ll need to use the UAD Console app to control the Apollo Twin X DUO Gen 2 interface and the UAD plugins it comes with. Through the app, you can manage input routing, apply UAD plugins in real-time with near-zero latency, set up cue mixes, and adjust your monitor settings with ease.
The Console app’s interface is just like a traditional mixing console, making it easy to use. Something we find incredibly useful is that not only can you use the app to apply one of the UAD plugins, but you can do so with practically no latency. This provides the experience of external hardware, letting you track instruments and vocals while hearing effects like compression or reverb.
Plus, with its Plug-In Scenes feature, you can save and recall plug-in chains to speed up workflow.
The app also gives you control over Auto-Gain and Bass Management, and it allows for easy monitor calibration via Apollo Monitor Correction, ensuring accurate sound reproduction across different setups.
Who is the Apollo Twin X Gen 2 suited to?
The Apollo Twin X Gen 2 is designed for musicians, producers, and engineers who need consistent high-quality sound, whether they’re in their home studio or a professional setup.
Its compact size makes it ideal for small to medium-sized studios. Thanks to elite-class audio conversion, Unison mic preamps, and DUO Core DSP processing, the Apollo Twin X Gen 2 gives you studio-grade recordings with minimal equipment.
If you have a home studio, the Apollo Twin X essentially expands your setup… without physically expanding it, all thanks to its authentic-sounding replication of classic analog gear. Thunderbolt connectivity then ensures fast, low-latency operation, making it easy to integrate into your setup.
If you’re a professional producer who needs mobile recording gear, the audio interface’s portable design is perfect. And for more established studios, you can use it as a cornerstone of your workflow or as part of a larger Apollo system, linking up to four interfaces.
Whether you’re producing music, podcasts, or mixing audio for film, the Apollo Twin X offers flexibility, power, and quality that suits a wide range of creative needs. Its versatile design and feature set make it ideal for virtually any recording application.
More Universal Audio releases
Universal Audio offers two primary software bundles for their Apollo Twin X Gen 2: the Essentials+ Edition and the Studio+ Edition, catering to different needs based on your production requirements.
The Essentials+ Edition comes with 33 high-quality plugins – a great starting point if you’re new to music production and audio interfaces or just want a streamlined selection of tools. It includes some of UA’s most iconic analog emulation plugins, such as the Teletronix LA-2A compressor and Pultec EQs. These are designed to replicate the sound and feel of classic studio gear.
If you want a more comprehensive set of tools, the Studio+ Edition offers 50 plugins, providing a wider range of effects. This edition includes additional high-end plugins like the EL8 Distressor and Capitol Chambers, making it ideal if you need a more advanced setup for complex mixes or mastering sessions.
Both editions harness the power of onboard DSP processing in the Apollo interfaces. Universal Audio’s DUO Core or QUAD Core processors (depending on the model) handle the computational load of the plugins, ensuring your computer’s CPU isn’t overtaxed.
Available in both desktop and rackmount formats, the Apollo range includes DUO and QUAD versions. The DUO core provides ample power for most projects, while the QUAD version is designed for larger sessions with more complex plugin chains.
Universal Audio also offer rackmount versions of the Apollo including the x6, x8, x8p and x16 – ideal for professional studio use with a wide range of connectivity options for big projects.
Comparison with older Apollo interfaces
The Apollo Twin X Gen 2 builds on the strong foundation set by previous Apollo interfaces, delivering several key upgrades while retaining the essential features that made the earlier versions so popular.
One of the most significant improvements in the Gen 2 model is its elite-class audio conversion, offering 24-bit/192 kHz resolution and a dynamic range of 129 dB, surpassing previous iterations in terms of clarity and precision. This upgrade ensures that your recordings capture even the finest details.
The Apollo Monitor Correction (subscription-based) feature, powered by Sonarworks, is another notable addition that wasn’t available in older models. It allows you to calibrate your monitoring setup for accurate playback, ensuring what you hear in your headphones or monitors translates perfectly to the final mix.
The Unison mic preamps were introduced in earlier models, and they remain a key feature of the Gen 2. However, the Gen 2 takes this further by offering smoother real-time performance with DUO Core DSP processing, making it easier to track and mix with multiple UAD plugins without overwhelming your system.
For more detailed comparisons between the Apollo Twin X and earlier models, visit our dedicated Apollo guide.
How to choose the right audio interface for you
Mic preamps
When choosing an audio interface, one of the most important things to consider is the quality of the mic preamps. If you’re recording vocals or instruments that require warmth and depth, an interface with high-quality preamps, like the Unison preamps found in the Apollo Twin X Gen 2, is essential.
Latency and connectivity
Connectivity is also crucial – so check how many mics and instruments inputs and outputs you need. On budget audio interfaces, you’ll tend to find USB connectivity, which can be very useful. On more high-end options, like the Apollo Twin X Gen 2, you’ll find Thunderbolt connectivity, which delivers lower latency and faster data transfer.
If you’re working with complex plugin chains or large projects, Thunderbolt ensures that you won’t run into the sluggishness often found in older USB interfaces.
Build quality and durability
Durability and portability are important for any studio setup, whether at home or on the road. Universal Audio’s Apollo Twin X Gen 2 maintains a rugged, all-metal chassis, ensuring it can handle the demands of daily use in both desktop and mobile environments. If you’re setting up a home studio or need to take your interface with you, robust build quality ensures it will withstand long-term wear.
Installation and usability
Installation is often an overlooked factor, but you’ll want something that’s easy to set up and integrate into your studio. The Apollo Twin X Gen 2 offers seamless integration with both Mac and Windows systems. Its UAD Console app makes it easy to set up routing, monitor mixes, and apply real-time plug-ins.
Unique features and DSP power
Consider what features are most important for your workflow. Do you need onboard DSP for real-time effects processing? The Apollo Twin X Gen 2 uses DUO Core DSP to run Universal Audio’s renowned analog emulation plugins without burdening your computer’s CPU.
If you’re looking to broadcast, you might also need loopback functionality. The Twin X Gen 2’s flexibility allows you to track in real-time through some of the best plugins available, from compressors to EQs.
FAQs
What is the highest-quality audio interface?
Many producers consider the Universal Audio Apollo series to be some fo the highest-quality audio interfaces around. Known for their top-tier sound quality, real-time processing, and premium preamps, Apollo preamps are a go-to for professional studios and engineers.
What is an audio interface?
An audio interface converts analog signals from mics and instruments into digital data for recording software. Popular brands of audio interfaces include Universal Audio, Focusrite, and PreSonus.
What is the best DJ interface for 2024?
The best DJ interface for 2024 is the Pioneer DJ Interface 2. Offering high-resolution sound and easy integration with Rekordbox, it allows seamless mixing and digital vinyl control, making it a great choice for professional and hobbyist DJs.
Final thoughts
The Universal Audio Apollo Twin X Gen 2 is designed to bring high-quality mic preamp emulations, audio conversion, and real-time plugin processing to professional studios and home setups alike.
With its sleek design, rugged build, and intuitive features like Auto-Gain and Bass Management that make your life so much easier, this interface is certainly a strong contender for one of the best 2-channel audio interfaces of 2024.
Learn more about studio gear in our previous guides here:
What Is an Audio Interface and Why Do I Need One?
The 13 Best Microphones for Vocals – Studio and Live Recommendations
Microphone Gain 101 – What It Is and How to Set It
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