Universal Audio Apollo X VS. Focusrite Scarlett | Mic Pre Comparison!

[@AndrewMasters]

What did you think? What's your interface of choice?

[@DBCisco]

I use a 16 in 16 out to DAW Alesis mixer. Cost $200 used

[@SlackerStuff]

I liked A better tbh. It felt fuller and like a more complete sound to me.

[@nickrobinson2276]

I currently use a pair of Focusrite Clarett 8pre's in my home studio. I can't see myself upgrading until I require something like lynx or other high end conversion. The UA stuff is great for sure but their prices are a little over the top.

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

@@nickrobinson2276 I also have a Clarett 8pre and I'm really happy with it. Can't quite swing the cash for the UA.

[@CLdwyer]

The Apollo for sure. But I wouldn’t get the 3k one lol. I can get a twin for half that for just recording great guitar tracks.

[@PiXimperfect]

If I close my eyes and just enjoy the music and not look for the difference, it's hard to even tell when the interfaces were switched! I guess I saw a meme the other day where the wife said to her husband: So you spent $5,000 just because you could "hear the difference?" Anyway, thanks so much, Andrew, for making this video and saving me a ton of money, lol. I guess I'll stick to my Focusrite unless I begin to... guess what... hear the difference, haha!

[@AndrewMasters]

Glad this video was helpful. Thanks for watching!

[@queswer]

Ben 1 ay önce 18i20 satın aldım. Daha önce kullandığım tüm cihazlarla karşılaştırdığımda orta tonlar bariz kısık. Ama bu testte daha parlak bir orta ton veya yüksek ton! duydum. Air butonu ile ses biraz parlıyor ama olması gereken bu olmamalı. 18i20 gen 3 de saçma bir eq oyunu var. Bu haliyle bence bu cihaz ayıplı bir üründür. Neyse biraz daha kullanayım. Umarım daha fazla pişmanlık yaşamam.

[@BeauStephenson]

At first, my gut reaction was to prefer A because it felt brighter. But by the second loop through, I had switched to B because the low-end and top-end information felt more balanced and I felt there was a lot more depth in the mid frequencies. Either way, both record great stuff!

[@thealtlife8984]

My thoughts exactly

[@BunkerAudioPanama]

After 10 tracks, the difference is even bigger and with a full session, you get the idea... Great review and thanks for your time!

[@SlackerStuff]

I don't know about more than half the things you talk about here but it's nice to hear your passion come through dude. Nice vid 💪

[@DanielBergonzoni]

I could hear a difference in the beginning of the tests, but once you started switching them seamlessly I couldn’t even tell. Great video! I love my Scarlett, but I’ve been thinking about upgrading - either a Clarett+ or an Apollo Twin.

[@robertstone1218]

Thank you so much man, can’t tell you how relevant this is to my current situation

[@AndrewMasters]

I'm happy it was useful! I was pretty surprised myself.

[@blocmovementmedia1186]

I noticed the boosted high end in the Scarlett and the clarity in the Apollo immediately. Great vid. I subscribed because of your honest review

[@damiencrow8338]

It’s definitely interesting for sure. As a dude in his house doing my own stuff the Scarlett is the better option. I use a lot of hardware so it’s line level anyways. With the amount of post processing in the daw we do it makes you wonder if it matters too much in the end result for the average listener. In my case no cause no one cares about my guitar songs anyways haha. Sweet vid dude.

[@AndrewMasters]

Thanks man! Hahaha

[@jeremyserwer2586]

I used an apogee symphony for several years with great outboard gear and ran a project studio with moderate traffic of clients. I think the quality level on most interfaces is now very similar with only that small bump that somehow justifies the extra thousands folks will pay--just like with most Mics. Some studios by that gear as they think their clients expect it or hey maybe they're doing well enough to spring for it. In the end very few are listening that closely for those details and money is better saved or spent elsewhere and work a lot harder on the songs and performance--it's what making music now so exciting we all can create and share and not have to buy cost prohibitive studio time.

[@MattPicsET]

I have both a Universal Audio Apollo Quad and a Focusrite Clarett Octopre. I actually find that overall my Clarett sounds much more musical and glued on its own, even without the Air feature. In contrast, the Apollo preamps on their own sound a bit stale, but the Unison technology quickly fixes that and they sound incredible! I’m always flipping between both.

[@jg916]

Scarlett sounds tinnier but very clear. UA warmer and fuller. I started out doing most of my work on analogue gear and I’m always going for warm and full. I’m always trying to combat the brightness of the digital sound... maybe I’m just old school!!! Lol!! Stay blessed y’all!

[@bwakeman]

Totally heard the difference, but it kinda went away once in a mix. The Apollo’s cost benefit has more to do with processing flexibility in my mind, and is totally worth it when you get to the point where you need it.

[@alexgoroshko8]

Honestly, I thought that A is a UAD, but you have to understand that with UAD you don’t pay 3000$ more only for preamps. You have dsp, software, plugins, and so on.

[@AndrewMasters]

Exactly, also get Luna now too.

[@JoshuaKrell]

I would add to that as someone who has owned both Focusrite and UAD and loved both is UA does come with significantly better AD converters as well. I remember opening up a session I recorded through my Focusrite rack and then monitoring it through the Apollo and my mix with all Focusrite tracks just shrunk in width and depth. I think that's something a lot of people overlook, the Apollo has great conversion in addition to dsp, monitoring and plugins. It kinda makes sense why there's a big price difference.

[@MrHumphrey2000]

You don’t need dsp If you have a good Pc, talk about plugins waves and slate digital has it all, UAD plugins go for $3000 and slate is $9.99 a month.

[@NikolajChristensen]

@@MrHumphrey2000 true. But keep in mind the option to track with effects at almost zero latency. Even with a full mix going on including bus processing.

[@R74-b7p]

@@AndrewMasters I was wondering when you use adat on the Apollo and connect it to another mic pre like the Scarlett etc. Does the dsp from the Apollo work on those pre's from the other unit? Like if you add plug-ins on the scarlett pre's etc. while recording will the dsp work on those or just the pre's on the Apollo? Just curious.

[@yack1232]

Hey Andrew, You are doing a really great job on these videos!

[@AndrewMasters]

Thanks Jeffrey! I appreciate that!

[@ronbates5401]

I run a very similar setup room wise and gear wise to yours. I, too, upgraded from an 18i20 to the x8p. I couldn't be happier. I didn't do it because of the Unison technology or overall nicer preamps. I did it because I needed more flexible routing. Yes, I did want to get into the UA plugins. More importantly, I needed headphone cues for artists. I wanted to make vocalists more comfortable with some light compression and reverb if needed while tracking. The x8p changed my workflow for the better. I've tracked a ton of stuff on the focusrite that sounds fantastic. I think the apollo sounds better, but not 3k better. For people in small rooms working with themselves, the focusrite is fantastic. It's stable and sounds great. But for people who are tracking bands and need more inputs and routing capabilities, the apollo is a no brainer.

[@AndrewMasters]

Totally agree! Great points

[@azbuzzspy533]

Ron Bates would love to know how you set up your headphones from the x8p!

[@ronbates5401]

@@azbuzzspy533 So I have everything running through a redco patchbay. Then I have a behringer headphone amp HA8000 that allows for two stereo cues to pick from. I think the HA8000 is extremely underrated. It's really the only thing I've found to be able to give two mixes and sound greats. Also, it's very cheap and well built. There are not a lot of headphone distribution systems under several grand. So I just do line outs to the ins on the behringer. I track 4-5 piece bands easily. I do all the routing via console. The whole setup is effortless. If I'm doing overdubs, I just route Pro tools to a virtual output and send the virtual output to the headphone cue in Console. I should add each headphone can select from mix 1 or 2. So, if I need to, I can have one mix with click and one with out. Love the whole system!! Feel free to ask any questions. I hope this makes sense. I've had a long day.

[@azbuzzspy533]

Ron Bates yeah that’s great thanks! I’m new to Apollo interfaces and just like different views on the best way to set up the studio

[@billy1cee2]

Not an Apollo fan boy because when you spend that much money , I think I deserve a FREEKIN THUNDERBOLT CABLE in the box .

[@Sliceofhaupia]

if you buy it from some dealers they will give you free of charge a thunderbolt cable!

[@BeauStephenson]

@@Sliceofhaupia Yep, that's Westlake Pro baby!

[@algismartinez]

Totally agree with you 😂 i just purchase a twin mono from amazon & when it arrives i was so excited for test it out.......i almost tear the box looking for the thunderbolt cable, then i waited another week till i can get one 🤣🤦‍♂️

[@iesus95]

HAHAHAHA

[@samjackson481]

Sweetwater hooks you up for free!

[@sidhree]

I upgraded from a Focusrite Liquid Sapphire 56 to a UAD X8P, and can confirm that the hype is true. To be fair, it was quite a leap, considering how old FLS 56 is. It interfaces with Firewire (8) and it was really hard to find a long enough cable that would connect it to my machine (the rack was about 9 feet away). I had my eyes on UAD interfaces like... forever, but did not intend to get one anytime soon. By the time UAD announced its flagship line would ship with Thunderbolt 3 connections, I had been saving for mixing, mastering and releasing an album on vinyl for a little over 2 years. I decided to embrace my reality as a one-man-band-and-everything-else, drop those plans and do it all myself. The savings, along with some financing were invested, and I could not be happier! I'm spending a lot more time on my little home studio, learning a lot and most importantly - producing much more with more confidence. I did release 6 singles with the FLS 56 and would have bought it again if I were back in time. Today it offers tremendous value for the money, if one can look away from the Firewire connection. I'm connecting it to the X8P like you're doing, so the Firewire is not a big issue in this configuration. It would be nice to be able to use the Focusrite utility without it, though. Thought I'd post the link to my profile, for good measure. open.spotify.com/artist/0EiGue54P0MDdLnwCZ1nQp Cheers for the video!

[@JetBoyer]

Andrew LOVE the comparison videos, would love to see more like these. Keep killing it brother, always take new things away from revisiting these videos multiple times!

[@TheSilkoth]

Awesome test, thanks for the video! I like the blind test

[@airutub3r]

I thought the blind test was great because it's not often you get one on youtube were the screen is just black. Gives people the ability to just LISTEN and not watch :)

[@donovanjohnson4204]

I have both. Its a style of music and audience question. Honestly, I am blessed to have the option and wouldn't trade it for the world.

[@vsevkrawczeniuk8019]

The UAD sounded just a little more 'open' to me if that makes sense. Both sound great though. I own the 18i20 and do agree about the noise floor. It gets very noisy very fast.

[@SharonBaba1]

Yes there is a difference, apollo is slightly brighter. Thanks for the review

[@AndrewMasters]

No problem 👍

[@MrHumphrey2000]

There’s a way huge difference in price but not in quality. Thank you for This video, you saved me money.

[@micahbrown3299]

Immediate thoughts are the apollo sounds more natural and round. The high end "open"-ness of the scarlett, from my experience, will not process as well when you start to effect it. That being said, for anyone comparing either, why are you making music? Is it your job, do you have paying clients? If you're learning the ropes, an interface like the apollo will NOT be your bottleneck. Even if you're experienced and talented, it's a good choice. If you have paying clients, who have expectations for flexibility and quality, or if you're a recording artist whose work people will invest time and money into and need a piece of equipment that will last over 5 years, go with something like an UA, antelope, RME, etc. soundcard. If you're a hobbyist, whose most expensive mic is a Rode NT1a (good mic, just making a point), who works in an untreated room, etc, the focusrite will do exactly what you want. Use the rest of the $$ on microphones, treatment, or making your instruments sound better! I own an apollo twin, and though I love it, think it's amazing what people get for so little these days. Great comparison!

[@belluccistudioz-lite2578]

Before you mentioned which was which I already knew 'A' was the focusrite and 'B' was the Apollo. Experience has taught me that sometimes you need a brighter mic pre and other times you need a warmer one. As for the price difference, that only becomes apparent when you really need to push them at either end of the extremes of really soft or really loud. As far as sound goes, you usually can't tell modern cheap from modern expensive. When you can tell the difference is when the situation requires the more expensive pre with more headroom or a lower noise floor. That is where your investment pays off and that is why really good studios will be needed for years to come. One thing is certain though where we benefit from different pres at different price points is that they each offer their own thing in the process and sometimes you need a cheapy and most times you need the more expensive one, depending on what you want to do with it. The world of sound engineering is very interesting and there is no one right answer. nice work on this video!

[@AndrewMasters]

Thanks man!

[@felipetroccoli7809]

I'm currently saving money for a new audio interface and I'm stuck between a new scarlett or a univesal audio twin/arrow to track guitars and basses. The UA really stands out because you can record using the high quality plugins with unnocitable latency. Great video Andrew, cheers from Brazil!

[@NewsToAstonish]

For a couple hundred bucks more, get the Focusrite Clarett 8 pre. You'll love it and the preamps sound awesome. It meets you right in the middle in terms of budget, right around $1,000.00. I just got mine yesterday and I love it. I do want a Universal Audio Apollo interface someday though just for the input expansion, and of course, great plugins, software, and amazing pres that UA makes.

[@1eidji652]

@@NewsToAstonish can i chained my focusrite with uad apollo x8 ?

[@NewsToAstonish]

@@1eidji652 Yes you absolutely can!

[@1eidji652]

@@NewsToAstonish thanks you for your answers :) but with which câble I need to chained them ?

[@iengineer_247]

I believe Focusrite is very good for drums mostly and the Apollo is good for everything!!! I think you have to be focused on what you're exactly doing with production then decide what works for you either Multitracking a band or just recording simple things like vocals etc.... Also keep in mind you get what you pay for. I have an Apollo Twin X and I'm about to get the Scarlett back for External Preamps as well. Together they do work very good I did a project or 2 with them together.

[@henrynagle2865]

I too started out with an 18i20 around 2015. It served me very well. For the last couple years I used it with an Octopre, so I had 16 inputs with preamps for like $750? Not bad. As I got more gear the Scarlett stuff became wired in and less portable, so I bought a UAD Twin in 2018. And then I started to get used to the UAD plugins.... I used the Twin with the Octopre for a minute but there weren't enough hardware outputs for me on the Twin so I bought a used UAD x16. So now I've got 18 inputs, two with UAD pres, and I'm using a motley crew of outboard stuff in front of the x16. It's lots of fun and I love having options. Really though, I was fine with the Scarlett stuff. They sound great and were cheap and reliable. I still have them in a little rack as a portable rig. I can't bring myself to trust the light pipe ADAT connection. I've had some issues with pops and clicks now and again, so I'm stoked to be using all thunderbolt cables with my UAD stuff. But besides a few UAD plugins that I've come to depend on I don't know that I'm getting better sounds than I was before. It's all about improving my listening abilities now. One thing I really liked about the early days when all I had was the 18i20 and a few mics; creating was a bit faster and a bit simpler, and all I really had to work with to change my sound was the source or the mic placement. Pretty simple, and good for learning and listening and moving fast. I kind of miss that.

[@henrynagle2865]

Thanks for the video!

[@NewmanBrando]

Can certainly hear the difference, Apollo has better bass and sound altogether, but I certainly love the FR price a lot more. Tough to decide.

[@oscwildle1]

Thank you for making this video Andrew! It just goes to show that us budget musicians can make great sounding music without shelling out a TON of money for the UAD. That being said the Scarlett is a stand alone so you get no extra assistance in recording tracking or mixing- and that’s where you have to put in the extra effort.

[@AndrewMasters]

My pleasure!

[@ramontemusic]

@@AndrewMasters i bought three synthesizers two of them are stereo, so i need at least 5 inputs on the audio interface and unfortunately i can't spend on an expensive device right now, what do you think about getting a UA VOLT 4 and sheap Mackie mixer? Or should I take Focusrite Scarlett 18i8? in which case the sound will be better?

[@Oxix52]

I immediately heard the difference and liked B much better. It made me quite nervous because I have an Apollo x8p and was initially afraid that maybe I was liking the Focusrite more. But, of course, B turned out to be the Apollo.

[@airutub3r]

Awesome video!

[@2011Rollsroyce]

I personally have a Focusrite Scarlet 18i20, and I also have a Universal Audio X8P and I Definitely love the UAD 8XP

[@edbass624]

Mind blowing I heard the difference on my tiny iPhone speakers !! 🤯

[@andylumb4723]

I think the accumulation of recording 30/40/50+ tracks to make a record is when you start hearing the difference. You begin to hear the depth, detail and character of a particular preamp and it contributes to building a 3D image but to be honest, I listened on my studio monitors and my headphones and they sounded slightly different but I couldn't confidently say that one was better than the other. Just very slightly different.

[@AndrewMasters]

True. Yeah it's kind of a silly comparison because I didn't use the unison preamps.

[@Jeremy_Kinsey]

There's a HUGE difference. It's also important to remember that the total sum of all tracks combined, with a high noise floor, it adds up to a noisy & lower quality print. The Apollo is the winner, as the mixed session will reflect a higher dynamic range, and lower noise floor overall, in the final mix. Cleaner, high quality print.

[@juap]

The difference was so tiny that you can fix the differences by using a plugin, moving the mic, or just doing eq. and have the same excelent, profesional and extremely clean and intended result with both. Technology is so advance right now, there is lot of competition.

[@Magkill3]

At a certain point it really boils down to what speakers and Mic you use. I use both in multiple studios and can instantly tell the difference. But then again I've listen to both for 9 years. Once you step into the $1000+ per speaker/sub and mic range it really shows. But using anything sub $1000 on both ends it really is minimal in difference like you said.

[@p4493]

Lol no, its a matter of quality, not only freq response.

[@LeoSundayMusic]

I think your test demonstrates a good point - First, I listened on my iPhone X speaker (intentionally) .... and only heard the slightest of differences ... To my ear the Focusrite was a bit brighter but when you did the back to back tests at the end, it was really hard to hear a difference ... Second - as studio peeps we tend to be “gear sluts” and are always convincing ourselves that we need that little edge to make our music rise to the top .... (we are lying to ourselves!) ... in our brains we know that the key to a great sounding mix is to get the most out of the gear we have, developing our “ears”, and learning from the best in our business! Third, the real key to an interface, from what I e learned through research, is the sample rate (24/192) and AD/DA conversion quality. We can add sweetness, color, etc. before the “box”, in the box, and after the box this making any “bells and whistles that come with an interface nice, but not essential for a great mix .... Thanks for sharing your thoughts and doing this test. It’s a help for all of to be discussing these types of topics!

[@jordankapeliela]

I think B sounded warmer on the right side. But That is more of a preference thing for some. They both sound great. And if you can do just as good with one that is cheaper, I think that's a great idea! What ever you thought was better to your liking, choose that one because you will enjoy listening to it more.

[@MoveUpMedia]

Focusrite’s have logarithmic pots, so dialing from zero to 100% isn’t an even increase in gain. Earlier in the dial will have less gain as you turn up. Once you get past a certain point, the gain increases significantly quicker.

[@justinterrellxl]

I know the title says mic pre comparison but one more thing to consider is that there are no MIDI inputs on Apollo interfaces. I know you can get a separate rack for MIDI but still conserving space is key for me. I don't see myself getting more than 2 midi devices and I hate leaving the sweet spot. I'm about to get the Focusrite 18I20 because of price, functionality, and the AIR feature. The AIR feature can work magic when used properly. I test it on every song with my Focusrite Solo.

[@ryantorpea6960]

Wow I can’t believe it but I actually preferred, there was just more hollow weird frequency sticking out on the apollo, I definitely hear the difference, but I preferred the sound of a standard scarlet. A cloud lifter obviously helps with the lack of gain, obviously the Apollo has a better gain structure and the plug in options are wild, but the overall sound of the Scarlett was a bit richer to me

[@wizkid340]

Pretty close. I love your description of the acoustical differences. I have Audient asp880 that I connect with id44 for my drums and was on the fence with those 3 different preamps. Thanks for showing the difference between the two.

[@acmeyakko]

I went from a Saffire to an x8p. The high mids in the Focusrite stood out to me right away. It hurts my ears a bit and I used to fight it mixing. That just goes away with the Apollo (not to mention how nice the unison preamp plugins sound). If you're going DI through an amp sim that high mid thing builds and gets worse (and for me more painful). It was worth it to me since I do some high gain amp sim recording. It's still great that people can get into recording with cheaper models and have something that sounds at least reasonable.

[@jaegervand2112]

Using the adat out made this shootout valuable. I believe the biggest difference between these two interfaces are the ad/da converters.

[@ryanrajagopal2930]

You are a legend, thanks for doing this!

[@AndrewMasters]

Happy to help!

[@jeremyserwer2586]

I used an apogee symphony for several years(Now I'm using apollo twin MK2) with great outboard gear and ran a project studio with moderate traffic of clients. I think the quality level on most interfaces is now very similar with only that small bump that somehow justifies the extra thousands folks will pay--just like with most Mics. Some studios by that gear as they think their clients expect it or hey maybe they're doing well enough to spring for it. In the end very few are listening that closely for those details and money is better saved or spent elsewhere and work a lot harder on the songs and performance--it's why making music now is so exciting. We all can create and share and not have to buy cost prohibitive studio time.

[@AndrewMasters]

The law of diminishing returns. I agree, and love my Apollo x haha

[@jeremyserwer2586]

@@AndrewMasters For sure. I also use the Slate VMS 1, Helix LT and all MIDI for keys and drums. That's what you have to do Recording wise in SF.

[@Delvientosound]

Love it man! I recently purchased the Apollo twin x duo. I'm excited to give it a try with some horn tracks. Thank you for this video!

[@AndrewMasters]

Heck yeah, that's awesome man! You're gonna love it.

[@studiohornborga]

Thank you! Im currently recording through an Apollo Twin and then via ADAT connecting a Begringer ADA8000 - thinking about updating the BEHRINGER to a 18i20. Thank you for everything! ❤

[@ahorakemusic]

In my opinion the mids were clearer with the apollo. A little fuller. Great comparison test!

[@AndrewMasters]

Thanks!

[@Video-C]

its a good comparison thankyou ( having a scarlette 18i20 myself and needing to add-on one more interface ) its good to know the difference what a high-end interface (Apollo X) offers. Question - whats your view on the Avalon pre amp Vt 737sp

[@Danielrunion]

The difference in price is not just the sound of each. The extra money for the UAD piece is for access to their plugins.

[@Danielrunion]

@@jztreso Great point.

[@goodsongclub]

Yo Andrew are you using the Alpha 65's for monitoring? I got the same ones, love how much depth they have considering the entry-mid level price bracket. They beat out some monitors that were almost double the price when I tried them in the store.

[@AndrewMasters]

I am. They are amazing. They translate super well in my room. I'm really happy with them!

[@DadRockAndGuitars]

Good video! Definitely a bit of a difference, but like you said, the Apollo has all the processing and plugins with it and that's the real difference. Better headroom on the Apollo also makes sense at that price point. However, if the Apollo is out of budget (it is for me), then you can still do some really good work on the Scarlett. I currently have the Focusrite Clarett 8pre and I'm really happy with it. I also run my old Saffire OctoPre for the extra inputs when tracking drums like you do with your Scarlett.

[@billschnake6378]

Two of the pre amps that I have been trying to decide between. I have watch this one 3 times and each time came up with the same answers which means that I must be correct for me. In all cases the Scarlett won until you played the last samples. That is the exact point that I like the UA better. Prior to the last set of playbacks I like the sound of the Scarlett better. It sounds more like an old friend while the UA is clearer. In the last set of playbacks you used more of the mid to upper range of the guitar vs playing closer to the nut. I think that is the difference, in the lower, nearer the nut, of the guitar the Scarlett sounds like an old friend, warm and kind. The UA sounds accurate across the entire spectrum. My two cents worth. Y'all have a Blessed Thanksgivin' and be kind to each other.

[@joorchampi3346]

Two pre-amps sound very good. Actually I have a Motu 2408 MK3 and I am very happy whith your sound and preamps.

[@JustinTutor]

Like you said, UAD has so much to offer that Focusrite just doesn't have. That being said, I can confidently say those Unison pre's aren't $3,000 better than what Focusrite is bringing to the table. I'm the kind of guy that wants absolutely no excuses for when my stuff sounds mediocre though. Like if I'm capturing something through my Apollo and it still sounds bad, it's definitely user error.

[@jayclas4023]

Justin Tutor he didn’t use the unison pres, he’s use the console stock pre which is probably trash even though the Apollo was very clean. Owning an Apollo, the different pres make the unit sound different

[@Xenozenomusic]

@@jayclas4023 The stock pre isn't even trash. It does what clean does when you don't need the colours of Unison pres.

[@brianvillage5]

the noise floor and headroom are worth the extra price. a single acoustic guitar track doesnt show the huge benefits. take that guitar track and stack it up with drums vocals bass and a bunch of other layered tracks and that noise floor becomes more prevelant. i would buy an apollo for the same price if they werent doing the best plugins on the market on top of their top notch hardware.

[@nicholassergiacomi4823]

Chill personality and informative 👌🏻 got my sub 🤘🏽

[@daltonlepe3453]

wow! I THOUGHT "A" WAS THE APOLLO... damn... guess I'm keeping my Scarlett ❤️

[@nicksonguitar14]

me too. same.

[@jeffdombrowski4736]

I came back and watched this again 4 months later and listened. yes, they're different, and yes you notice in the moment, but when the song is all said and done are you gonna be able to pick out what it what? No, all you care about is the finished song. You have to take in to account, you're going to manipulate the track and eq and compress and change the original sound so at the end of the day it doesn't matter. I Was at work today and a saffire pro 40 came thru the door on trade. i immediately bought it to use for the line inputs to bypass the preamps to use my external pres to connect to apollo. Some people get so bent out of shape about gear and forget about the song. I recorded the other day through a magical API console and a ton of great outboard pre's and comps in a great room and it sounded incredible, However if I would of had cheaper gear and the same room, I think with a little more decision making and eq in the mix process i'd get a similar or same result. Long rant, but i figured you'd appreciate it

[@Yendor227]

From my experience you'll really hear a difference with a large track count. Individually you'll hear a little difference but with a larger track count your mix and the tracks should sound smoother with the better mic pres and converters. That's my experience with having run a commercial studio and testing all kinds of mic pres, mics and adda converters.

[@carlosdelaportilla]

when I first got into “music production” (aka I had a MacBook with logic) I didn’t even know I needed an audio interface. I bought the Scarlett 2i2, in less than a week I had returned it and upgraded to an Apollo twin. I was already a professional musician but a total noob when it came to recording, even then I knew I needed to upgrade... Currently using an x4.

[@AndrewMasters]

Good move!

[@BunkerAudioPanama]

Carlos de la Portilla You've got the ear! 💪

[@just.some.dud3]

Super helpful review man, thank you!

[@AndrewMasters]

Glad it was helpful!

[@timothyhatfield8909]

To me the UAD Apollo has more depth and meat to it. I have and Apollo 8, twin, Scarlett, Focusrite ISA two, and some Warm audio WA73's in saying this I prefer hardware mic pre's. As far as the UAD Apollo is at the $3200 your getting a lot more then 8 Pre's, the ability to use and have all the plugin's, unison mic pre's, world class A/D converters etc. monitor control for two sets of monitors

[@ShredShed]

I liked B way better. if you figure 8 of the pres are upgraded- we'll sae 100 bucks per preamp. And an additional 6 cores of DSP....the apollo smokes the scarlett. Also now that the Apollos come with a free DAW LUNA- no brainer.

[@AndrewMasters]

Totally, I love it. I’d love to get another one.

[@wepsicola]

The cores are the big difference. The UA has cores of it's own and doesn't use (or as little as possible) CPU from the computer. I'm using the Focusrite and soundwise it's really good. But when using a lot of plugins, the CPU usage of my Windows PC is hitting the ceiling pretty fast. When I had the money, the UA would be a great investment (along with a MacPro laptop ;)

[@supersamschwartz]

Really great to hear that difference in headroom. I could hear it really clearly on my phone

[@trptkrazed]

Even on my crappy laptop speakers there is a palpable difference. Like you said, it's a preference thing. The Apollo sounds warmer and bigger where as the Focusrite sounds more compact so there are more overtones in the Apollo's sounds, from what I can hear.

[@NominalTopic]

When you multiply those little differences across all the instruments you're tracking...it compounds significantly.

[@PaulRandyMingo]

Thanks man as I am getting gen3 18i8 and my producer uses the twin so it was a great demo

[@jec_als3]

Nice video. I use 18i20 and work well. If i need preamp for a guitar i use line6 pod go and the sound is incredible. Save 3k$. Apollo is a great stuff too but really more expensive

[@gnogtr]

As a person that has also had both (currently using the x8p with a 4-710d in adat with 2 other outboard mic pres) my recordings have vastly improved after upgrading from the Scarlett. It’s still a good interface, don’t get me wrong, but th Apollo makes 3k$ of a difference to me.

[@Soobysounds]

So you pick the UA pres over the WA until you hit 9 channels? What about the WA pre through the UA converters?

[@AndrewMasters]

I only do that when I’m tracking drums, otherwise the warms go straight to the UAs

[@jasonbrandow8708]

If you do add a UA pre to the Apollo in the Unison slot, add the same UA pre in the Scarlett in post. Then it’s a fair comparison. Another suggestion is the Scarlett with a UA pre plugin vs. Just the UA preamp. You’re only adding 100 bucks to the Focusrite.

[@AndrewMasters]

@@jasonbrandow8708 That's a good idea!

[@cheporestrepo]

The big differences in the pre amps are the headroom and the quality of the cranked PRE amp, the DSP that you can use for plugins and yes, thats it, Its not the same id you crank up the pre amp on the focusrite with a TLM 103 than a cranked up pre amp on the apollo, Apollo will bring a fuller and bigger sound while not distorting nor create artifacts (taking care of the voice signal for sure)

[@ddrumdude]

VERY helpful video, especially since I also use a Scarlett 18i20 and have done for years. I'm very happy with the Scarlett but definitely thought there was more detail and clarity in the Apollo. It would be very interesting to hear the difference between the UA Neve and API preamp presets etc against the Scarlett as well, since those are considered some of the most sought after preamps in the industry. May be an idea for a future video? Cheers.

[@Apoz]

Wow the scarlett had so much more dynamics!

[@weschilton]

LOL, no it didnt.

[@ZenMountain]

No.

[@Apoz]

@@ZenMountain I mean it's not really a matter of taste, but I guess everyone has it's own opinions haha.

[@PJSOFT]

I noticed that too, but it's his playing, not the interface.

[@xaosnox]

Whoa! I was not expecting to hear that much of a difference, especially since I'm using a pair of headphones that I've had on for about 3 minutes and sound WAY different to my usual monitors. The Apollo just shreds that Focusrite. If the Focusrite was B, I was about to cry. And the $2-3K difference includes all of the processors, plugins, real time monitoring and more. It's hardly fair to compare their prices. One is just some third rate pre-amps. The other has some second-to-a-few preamps and a whole truckload's equivalent of analogue gear. My investments in UAD Apollo and the Townsend Labs Sphere L22 were some of the wisest choices I've ever made. Everything's in a whole other league instantly.

[@eikarumba429]

I have an Apollo X6 and an Arturia 8pre connected to the Apollo over ADAT so not a dissimilar setup. As others have said, the Apollo obviously offers much more than just great pre-amps and while I guessed which was which, yeah sure the difference isn’t huge - well at least not with your Guitar test. I record a lot of piano which has a much larger dynamic range and is always a challenge to track pieces that can have huge transients to very quiet slow attack parts. In this regard the Apollo’s dynamic range and low noise floor would be worth (and is to me!) the extra cost and the difference to the Focusrite (which I’ve tried in the past) would be much more pronounced. So I guess I’m saying that I think the outcome of your test would be different if you were tracking an instrument that really exercised the noise floor and dynamic range of a pre-amp. That said not everyone needs that for what they are recording. By the way the Arturia 8pre was the closest on paper I could find to the UAD pre-amp specs for a seemingly ridiculously low cost plus it has plugin functionally like the UAD too! It’s new and still a bit rough around the edges in terms of the control software and I hate the power button! But the quality of the pre-amps so far, pretty damn good. Check it out.

[@davidfabien7220]

I knew the answer right away. Recording just one input makes very little difference between the two preamps. I believe the Apollo will stand out if multiple inputs are recorded.

[@CraigHlavka]

A- sounded great. B- sounded great, but a little more organic, like I were in the room with it.

[@augustleo7434]

There is a difference between the preamps, but you could get very close to the Apollo using EQ. As you state, if you are buying the Apollo, then it should be for the better performance specs and access to UA plug-ins. Thanks for the shootout!

[@johnadams2815]

I had a Scarlett for years. The Scarlett sounded like a Focusrite. Afforable, good sound, wide open and more boosty the high end. I then went to an Orion 32 which was very very transparent but overall the sound was frankly, boring. My x8p showed up yesterday and I was absolutely floored by it, the lower-mids were warm and rich, and there was a bit of sparkle at the top when pushing old analog synths through it.

[@AndrewMasters]

Amen. Good purchase! I seriously love mine.

[@Avedis-G]

Huge difference and I listened through an iPad Pro! So much cleaner on the UA. I realize that these things can be edited later but to me the cleaner the start the better the finish.

[@johnnewtoniv1637]

I would have liked to see the apollo with a preamp loaded in the unison slot, it changes the impedance of the pre which can drastically change the way it reacts, i have the same setup except my apollo is a mkii, focusrite is definitely a great value for the money, however i will add that i have had nothing but problems with their drivers on windows, console and the matrix routing on the apollo are the best in the industry

[@AndrewMasters]

John Newton IV totally agreed! I was going to do the warm audios into both interfaces as a bonus thing but wasn’t sure if it would be too much for this video.. I thought I might keep it simple for the sake of simplicity! But I’m definitely going to do a video with the warms.

[@Truth565]

Andrew Masters Yep do the Warm and I’m presuming it’s 1073 clone? If yes then maybe compare the Unison Neve 1073 also?

[@AndrewMasters]

Mikegs3 THATs a great idea

[@santiagodemarte]

I definitely hear the difference. Focusrite sounds darker and a little bit distant, but it still has a good sound. I live in Brazil so, paying the difference (we pay something like 9x more, you can buy a used motorcycle with that money) is not an option at all, which means I'll stick with my scarlett 6i6 first generation.

[@johnpalmercreates]

Most ppl are using at least the unison pres that come with it. It would cool to hear the difference since that is apart of the allure of buying an Apollo.

[@ringomaharaj1268]

WOW!!! At first I could tell the A sound was so much better, then I was even more pleased to find out it was the focusrite interface (I have one).

[@roygurn9000]

Focusrite sounds as good or better and with the price difference, it's a no-brainer! Thanks for the heads up

[@wadegustovson5767]

Good vid man. Super helpful.

[@axemanchris]

I just bought the 3rd gen Scarlett 18i20 and so far I like it. Sounds better then my old interface us-1641. I do hear the UA being slightly more open sounding and bit cleaner, but not by much. I was considering going for the Apollo, but now I think i'll just get a 2ch UA interface instead just for vocals or overheads.I think the Scarlett does just fine.

[@CoffeeConversationMusicGear]

@andrewmasters I think to the average person no you can’t hear the difference but to someone who mixes and masters you hear the audible headroom, presence, and clarity. But you gotta know what to listen for, for one and the other is experience: I think it justifies the costs based on individual tastes. I love Focusrite and have used their products forever but I also have an UA Apollo twin, so I hear it. It depends on the person, their ears, their experience and knowing what to listen for to tell the difference.

[@AndrewMasters]

Totally agree

[@Jim951cup]

Interesting comparison! I have been using a Focusrite Clarett for a while and I also had this "familiar" feeling, which at first made me feel more comfortable with the Scarlett than the Apollo. Upon more focused listening I did pick up how much cleaner the Apollo was though. But the noise at the beginning of the recording on the Scarlett? That's kind of insane, I never had that much noise with mine, I think. That being said, the Clarett is supposed to have better pres than the Scarlett. Anyway great video and great channel (just discovered and subscribed!)

[@RS-pp7ng]

oddly enough, the scarlett sounded more 'open' in this example.

[@SonnyGreenwichJr]

I want the UAD Arrow, can't afford anything more and like that it's buss powered. I need to be mobile! And now that I've decided to only go in the box I want those Unison pre's... From ridiculously windy & frozen Ireland! ☘️💪🏽👀👍🏽☘️

[@AndrewMasters]

I know a film composer that works exclusively off of an arrow! Know your system and you can do anything.

[@AnthonyMartinsRock]

@@AndrewMasters the understated "know your system" is very important when discussing the Arrow interface as it can run very few active plugins in your daw at once! They great with lower specification of DA conversion than the Apollo but sill good AD.

[@gordongurley3982]

Definitely a difference. Definitely brighter on the Focusrite. Agree that it has that fizzy top end. I imagine with electric guitar, hi hat, overheads, that brightness would become annoying.

[@ediththeband]

this all day

[@monsterandmaster]

This why we invented... EQUALIZERS ... haha

[@hanumanvaya]

It's like the Apollo can see inside your guitar. If that makes sense. The sound is round and full and deep. Basically what I've never been able to achieve with years of junk. At least there's more affordable thunderbolt/usb c options now. Cool test.

[@bobchapin2681]

I had the same experience working back and fourth between the Focusrite Clarett and a Lynx Aurora (utilizing a number of different high end Pre’s). The Clarett can stand on its own just fine and in fact it’s Pre’s (in particular with “Air effect” enabled) were often the desired choice. Great topic to cover and a good reminder that in any event content trumps tools.

[@AndrewMasters]

Thanks!

[@AnthonyMartinsRock]

Cool, I was about to pick up a Lynx Hilo but ended up grabbing a Prism Orpheus 8 channel. Got rid of my Apollo and replaced it with an ssl six.

[@thaofficiall2thad420]

I wanted a clarett have scarlett 2i2 nw .but now thinking of apollo. Clarett air is intriguing

[@IndyRockStar]

i have a scarlet 2i2 and needed midi input/output. I just bought the 18i20 for that reason. I'm planning on doing a major studio upgrade next fall, so for $500 the 18i20 is an affordable stop gap. By next fall I plan to upgrade from a windows setup to an Apple studio set up with the Apollo X and Adam Audio A8H monitors.

[@davidbrown2806]

Yes, there is a sound quality difference. I am making the same cost/benefit decision with a Twin X Duo vs Presonus 26c. $300 vs $1200 ( Cdn ). There are other technical considerations as well ie latency, for one. Thunderbolt is going to cost, whether it is UA, or any other brand.

[@Cosmic_Snake]

Thanks for making this video. I record with a Scarlett 2i2, and was considering an Apollo but the difference sounds pretty negligible.

[@Balverine]

If you cant hear the difference you just dont deserve to sound better