Axe-Fx 3 better through Apollo Twin Mk2?

SubKrypt

SubKrypt

Member
Does anyone have any experience recording the Axe fx 3 through the Apollo Twin mk2? I’ve heard some people say it’s better than direct.
 
I just started recording with the axe and using it direct with Logic. I assume the comments regarding the axe being good through the apollo refer to the beneficial effect of putting it through the preamps and/or plugins with the apollo?
 
Ah. Cool. No experience with the Apollo, but so many good preamp types to play with in the Axe.

I use Logic, and find it great to work with. Plenty of tools there too.
 
"better" is completely subjective. what can be better than a direct digital recording of a digital processor?

perhaps the person who likes the Apollo just likes using the Apollo, likes the altered signal due to the preamps or any other features the Apollo has, using it is a better workflow than changing to the Axe USB, or possible justification for owning that gear.

i wouldn't worry about it. you can plug the Axe into infinite other things and prefer it or not. i would say you aren't missing out by not owning additional gear. the Axe USB faithfully and exactly records what comes out of the Axe with no changes.
 
chris said:
"better" is completely subjective. what can be better than a direct digital recording of a digital processor?

perhaps the person who likes the Apollo just likes using the Apollo, likes the altered signal due to the preamps or any other features the Apollo has, using it is a better workflow than changing to the Axe USB, or possible justification for owning that gear.

i wouldn't worry about it. you can plug the Axe into infinite other things and prefer it or not. i would say you aren't missing out by not owning additional gear. the Axe USB faithfully and exactly records what comes out of the Axe with no changes.
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Yes, it certainly is subjective! I assumed direct would be better with the axe as well, but I guess its just trying things to see what appeals individually. Im just buying an interface for mics and wondered if it would be worth spending a bit extra on the Apollo
 
SubKrypt said:
Yes, it certainly is subjective! I assumed direct would be better with the axe as well, but I guess its just trying things to see what appeals individually. Im just buying an interface for mics and wondered if it would be worth spending a bit extra on the Apollo
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i don't think the axe running through it would be a reason to buy an apollo vs something else for mics. i'd ask what effect the apollo has on mics specifically vs other gear.

i really don't think there are night and day differences with most gear under say $1500 or even under $1000. i use a behringer xair 12 for my live streams with $1 1/4" cables and it sounds great. from there, i use a $20 RCA usb stereo interface to get it into the computer and it still sounds great. that's probably the cheapest digital mixer setup i could use.

of course, using other more expensive gear sounds a bit better, but it's not like my cheap setup is full of noise or sounds bad. i've used more expensive gear too, and yes, it's better if you compare them, but not by that much. once you get past $2000 and more, then you really start to hear significant differences, but even then, it may not be worth the extra money for a bit more low end, for example. it really comes down to the details and what you're looking for or missing.

remember that expensive gear exists for a reason. most manufacturers have low and high priced items so you buy the low priced gear to start, enjoy the company, then set a goal to someday get the high priced gear. but the high priced stuff isn't always night and day better. just be diligent knowing the differences. something like the Axe3 vs the FM3 is more clear cut because they sound identical, but the Axe3 would be for those who need more CPU power or more I/O. that's much easier to decide than the "voodoo" of higher end preamps that may or may not be better in your setup.

hard to say. gotta do the research, but ultimately in my experience, there is a range of lower-priced gear that sounds maybe 95% as good as something 3x the cost. we can spend infinite amounts of money always getting "the best" thing, and sometimes the difference isn't worth it. (it always depends on the specifics!)
 
when you talk about nuances like axe fx3 direct vs through apollo's unison plugins or compressors...people with trained ears, with the right gear, environment can hear it.

If you listen through cheap headphones or in a room with bad acoustics or speakers altering/coloring the sound way too much, and if you dont know actually what you should listen to, where the differences are...you won't recognize what you can add to the sound with apollo.

I do really enjoy recording through apollo's eq or compressors...not always but most of the time, it's great to have it. This is also smth more about mixing.

If you like the concept of Axe Fx 3, the insane detailed simulation of amps, pedals, delays etc etc....UA does it with preamps, compressors, eqs, fxs etc...you might like/love it. But your signal chain will be as good as the weakest part of it. Bad room(or bedroom) acoustics, it's already almost thrashed!
 
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Thanks for the great advice guys, much appreciated. Sometimes its hard to know where genuine gear needs end and GAS begins!
 
Running the Axe-Fx III through the Apollo's analog ins isn't going to be better/worse, as others have mentioned, but different. I go digital out of the Axe-Fx III to digital in of the Apollo via SPDIF and an SPDIF/Optical converter but that's solely to support my audio and video recording workflow.
 
chris said:
something like the Axe3 vs the FM3 is more clear cut because they sound identical, but the Axe3 would be for those who need more CPU power or more I/O.
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Well, not identical. A small handful of some of the more subtle/esoteric parts of the modelling have been disabled in the FM3 to lower the CPU overhead. So that's actually pretty much a perfect example for your larger point: There are some subtle sonic differences but if you don't know what you're looking for you're probably not even going to miss it.
 
They may have been referring to using UAD Unison preamps and/or UAD effects via the Apollo, but just running the Axe thru the Apollo won’t improve the sound quality.
 
As Chris, Leon and others have said, going through an Apollo (or other pre-amp) isn’t “better“ — and by better I guess we mean how we like the sound. You could rightly argue that recording through the Axe USB would be ”cleaner”, “clearer”, “purer”, etc. because each conversion in your signal chain has the potential to introduce noise.

That being said, I go through my Apollo 8 (with a Voxbox plugin on the Unison insert) because I like that coloration on my recorded guitar signal. But if I wanted the cleanest signal, I’d use the Axe’s USB audio.

”Better” is in the ear of the beholder.
 
Obviously, if you go SPDIF there is no difference because there are no converters being used. I have a UA Arrow I use for a portable rig and an Apollo Twin that I recently upgraded to an Apollo x4 (two XLRs I use for the AxeFX and two for the Townsend modeling microphone). The converters/pres in the Apollo x4 were upgraded and you can tell a small difference. What I think you might really like about the Universal Audio devices, however, are the UAD plug-ins that run in 'Unison' mode to change the physical impedance of the device to match the channel strip you are emulating, such as a Neve, or API, etc... That is very cool and very noticeable. The plug-ins you purchase are licensed across all of your registered devices so I bought the Ultimate package because I know myself well enough. :)

check out the details of Unison modeling here:
https://www.uaudio.com/blog/unison-quick-tip/
 
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I've run analog into Apollo and found nothing that flipped my switch. That said running III into Apollo via S/PDIF and using Console to balance the monitor mix is the cats azz.
 
I have the mk1. It sounds great through the analog inputs.

I had an audient pre amp (not interface) that I recently sold that made it noticeably bad


That said, is it better than usb? I don’t know. I love the volume knob on my desk though.
 
I haven't had a chance to try with any UA gear but hope to soon. I work at UA :). I just run usb out to my PC.
But for Apollo users, be sure to check out the UA site later today, big product coming out................................................
 
stdio said:
I haven't had a chance to try with any UA gear but hope to soon. I work at UA :). I just run usb out to my PC.
But for Apollo users, be sure to check out the UA site later today, big product coming out................................................
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You’re not talking about Luna are you? That’s been out for a little while now... I wish it wasn’t Mac only...
 
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