Cheap VS Expensive Audio Interface: Universal Audio Apollo Twin VS Focusrite Scarlett

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  • čas přidán 19. 04. 2020
  • What is the difference between a cheap VS expensive audio interface, featuring the Universal Audio Apollo Twin and Focusrite Scarlett 2i2. We discuss HOW these two popular audio interfaces are different, comparing features and audio to help you decide which interface to buy or upgrade to. Audio examples on vocals.
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    💲 BUY the Apollo SOLO:
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  • Hudba

Komentáře • 2,1K

  • @EdThorne
    @EdThorne  Před 4 lety +28

    💽 Get Your Tracks Mixed by Ed: edthorne.com/mixing
    🎬 Best Interface For Mixing! This HP Amp is Insane!: czcams.com/video/n0fyFRl2R24/video.html
    🎬 Scarlett 4th Generation vs 3rd Gen: czcams.com/video/_LDDzsxp1a0/video.html

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      Underground Raiload TV show in Chicago That’s great. I haven’t used one yet but I’ll look out for it. Rode are a popular brand and I would imagine will clear up a lot on the Podcasting circuit so I’ll look into reviewing one.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      Yeh count me in 🙂 TheEdThorne@gmail.com

    • @33yearsoldcarpenter
      @33yearsoldcarpenter Před 3 lety

      Which is the best interface!

    • @peterwelsh1932
      @peterwelsh1932 Před 2 lety

      @@bradleyc79 did you mean “Railroad” ?

    • @just2comment2
      @just2comment2 Před 2 lety

      @@33yearsoldcarpenter buy whichever you can afford, i have the Scarlett and love it and i am sure i would love using the apollo also. With good plug ins and a good computer with at least 4 cores, i don't have any latency issues

  • @Musicbypinge
    @Musicbypinge Před 3 lety +476

    biggest difference, you cant have a coffecup standing on the apollo twin, but works just fine for scarlet

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +46

      Haha🤣 I think this is my favourite comment on this video 🙂

    • @Musicbypinge
      @Musicbypinge Před 3 lety +16

      @@EdThorne haha thanks man xD its so true for me thought, i have so little space on my desk so my coffe usually stands on my scarlet

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +46

      @@Musicbypinge That’s a recipe for a wet mix 😜🤣

    • @Musicbypinge
      @Musicbypinge Před 3 lety +3

      @@EdThorne haha

    • @jameshandley8252
      @jameshandley8252 Před 3 lety +8

      And that’s why the scarlet wins 😂

  • @ecsmediallc539
    @ecsmediallc539 Před 3 lety +566

    As Ray Charles once famously said, "If it sounds good, it is good."

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +12

      ECS Media LLC True words. Apologies for my voice 😜

    • @dnantis
      @dnantis Před 3 lety +4

      @@EdThorne Ed ...to my ears i hear the UA is a little more thick sound but
      it goes a bit like to the edge of going distorted (kind of when you are way too close
      ti the mic effect) and is also way too much sensitive to pickup artifacts and that is for being so true\good in the Mic Preamp section !
      The Scarlett is a bit thinner but not as bad that cant be fixed with ext gear
      or int plugins !
      So, now that i know this thinning problem on the Focusrite, i will always add a bit
      of more body to the vocals i will record from now on !!
      Thanks for the video and alert me of this !

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +1

      dnantis Hi, yeh, I didn’t quite get the gains matched in this video, my apologies. I did however get them identical in the video below and I think you can hear the same differences in the audio: czcams.com/video/IkuuxFvNB_g/video.html

    • @eduardoserrano9579
      @eduardoserrano9579 Před 3 lety +6

      I believe the author of that quote was Duke Ellington and later used too by british engineer Joe Meek

    • @zhalali5428
      @zhalali5428 Před 3 lety

      agreed

  • @bitshred
    @bitshred Před 3 lety +396

    People need to remember that there were albums recorded on old ADAT's and DIGI 001's . Many cheap off the shelf interface are now 24 bit, 96KHZ with better specs than those. The Shins first album was record on an old HP computer with a sound card. The gear isn't so important as much as the ability to make the most of what you have. And of course, great performances with emotion. If you have the money, then go ahead and buy the best you can afford. Otherwise, focus more on the music, instead of lusting over the latest sexiest UAD equipment.

    • @gtanz8475
      @gtanz8475 Před 2 lety +30

      Truer than true. In the end, buying and upgrading gear can become an obsession and making music is all but forgotten.

    • @SWATTECHNOLOGIES
      @SWATTECHNOLOGIES Před 2 lety +19

      Scary, you took my words out of my mouth almost verbatim. There is a 192KHz/24Bit 100 plugins frenzy out their with everyone thinking that's their edge. Wrong. Your music, passion, playing and compositional capabilities are your edge. I'll never forget an interview with The Spin Doctor's producer from the early nineties. They asked him how their drums sounded so good, what was the secret? His answer? "Aaron Comess is an excellent drummer". There you go.

    • @clipz1
      @clipz1 Před 2 lety +6

      very true after hearing this just shaprening up on your mixing skills can make all the difference as apose to spending that xtra money for something most may not use to its full potential

    • @gibsoneb3
      @gibsoneb3 Před 2 lety +1

      Well said.

    • @yungle392
      @yungle392 Před 2 lety +1

      Faxx

  • @donnalisajenkins
    @donnalisajenkins Před 3 lety +252

    The funny thing about recording is the ones actually listening to the finished product would never say oh he use a Apollo interface or he used a Scarlett interface. If your a audio engineer you know how to make anything sound great 👍🏾

    • @teymusic490
      @teymusic490 Před 3 lety +1

      is the apollo twin good without using the console and plugins? I need it for my Neunmann u87.

    • @samuelng6441
      @samuelng6441 Před 3 lety +15

      But the problem comes when you want a good translation from your DAW to out of the DAW to be same, and not sounding different.
      It's not a matter about quality anymore but colouration. And in Mixing/Mastering, that can be a hell to second-guess through because you want your mixes to sound exactly the same once they are bounced out.

    • @teymusic490
      @teymusic490 Před 3 lety

      @@samuelng6441 think I go with a RME babyface. Heard only good things about it.

    • @wmurray003
      @wmurray003 Před 3 lety +3

      @@samuelng6441 In REAPER my bounces always sound BETTER once rendered down into a Wave file. I always find this odd.

    • @samuelng6441
      @samuelng6441 Před 3 lety +1

      @@wmurray003 bruh.... that's because it's lossless. You shouldn't be bouncing your mixes in mp3 anyways for whatever reason other than to test how your mix sounds under the stress test.

  • @russrandolph7882
    @russrandolph7882 Před 3 lety +36

    Vid just recommended to me. Seems like a lot of hate on the focusrite interfaces. I own multiple Scarlett interfaces and they all function beautifully. I have lots of interfaces from multiple manufactures and the reality is that anything manufactured recently sounds pretty decent. Years ago I wouldn’t work on anything but apogee converters. But converter tech is so good now for so cheap that you can get a decent converter paired with usable preamps for a crazy inexpensive price. Just because the Scarlett is cheaper, doesn’t mean that isn’t usable for pro work. There are plenty of affordable interfaces out there working right now. Very few products in the modern pro audio marketplace are “night and day different” from a competitor, regardless of price.
    Understand signal flow and gain structure, by the best interface you can afford and put time into your craft.
    All that to say this- if you only have Scarlett money, buy a scarlet and get to work. Your interface decision isn’t going to make or break your career.

    • @dannymolns3573
      @dannymolns3573 Před 4 měsíci

      Once you upgrade, you'll notice the difference.
      I used to have a Scarlett as we all have done. Was good! But the Apollo is another world

  • @SAM-wy7nx
    @SAM-wy7nx Před 4 lety +35

    Subtle difference but I agree the Apollo is a bit more pro sounding sometimes the accumulation of small advantages wins the game

  • @samalcis
    @samalcis Před 3 lety +18

    Andrei Tarkovsky once said that art is never made under ideal conditions. When I mentioned this one day to Warren Chang he said “No, but it certainly is nice when you can.” 😉

  • @blindcanseemusic
    @blindcanseemusic Před 3 lety +88

    I think the interface is no longer a limiting factor. Both sound good enough to record a hit (or a miss).

  • @timhoadacoustic
    @timhoadacoustic Před 3 lety +6

    That was really interesting, thanks so much for taking the time to make this video. The A/B comparison was especially interesting. Very helpful 👍

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +1

      You’re more than welcome. Stay tuned for a part two later this year 🙂🙏

  • @DanVasc
    @DanVasc Před 2 lety +2

    Thanks for the info!

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 2 lety

      Hey Dan, you’ve got a killer voice bro! This was one of my early videos and I left a lot out 🤣 The value in the Apollo is in the Unison Preamps, UAD plugins, near zero latency whilst monitoring with the plugins, the ability to print these monitoring effects as you record, and it’s desktop controller functionality. Plus, the monitor routing flexibility is far superior. I glossed over the Unison feature a little bit in this video but there’s more info about it in this video reviewing the Apollo Solo: czcams.com/video/lYDFQP3kBcE/video.html
      What’s your set up?

  • @mikewhite8848
    @mikewhite8848 Před 3 lety +15

    I got the focusrite and I made great recordings with it, it's scary to think how much better the recordings could be with the Apollo. I had a stand alone studio in a box recorder, people used to rave how great the recordings sounded and often would ask which studio I record at. I simply just added some effects and some EQ on the vocals. I was shocked how with the focusrite I didn't have to add EQ just a little reverb and gave me big studio quality recordings.

    • @RookieMistakeYT
      @RookieMistakeYT Před 3 lety +2

      As someone that has owned both you’d be very underwhelmed and disappointed. The difference is minimal. Take a look at the Audient Evo4 or ID4 MKII. I consider it a step up from the Focusrite Scarlett and a good middle ground. I would consider it the best starting point or standard for budget friendly home studios that don’t need a ton of inputs and outputs. Otherwise just save up, get an Avalon 737 and then you’ll be left with no more questions about how the king of mic preamps sound and never need to consider another preamp ever again lol.

  • @BlueTransAm83
    @BlueTransAm83 Před 4 lety +11

    Use Scarlett 4i4 just starting DAW. But did a research. So far solid guitar strait, then with plugins. Studio One Professional. And no hookup issues.

  • @jahlijahman
    @jahlijahman Před 3 lety +12

    I’ve used the Scarlett 2i2 for 5 years and I recently upgraded to the Apollo Twin Mkii... I’m not saying you can’t make great professional recordings with the Scarlett 2i2, because great records have been made on a tascam 244 four track, but I will say, I don’t regret upgrading to the Apollo and the plugins that you can only get on an Apollo Interface are truly amazing. I think if you’re looking to “open pandora’s box” and be inspired by new plugins and sounds, get an Apollo Twin. Otherwise stick to what you got and keep recording great music! (:

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      Are you using the Unison Preamps? czcams.com/video/PM8V9rb9D_4/video.html

  • @jahsouljah1
    @jahsouljah1 Před 4 lety +10

    I've been hearing lots of "tests" on CZcams regarding both audio interfaces and so far I didn't notice so much difference between them until I got to your video. In my opinion when we are recording instruments, you can't tell the difference so easily, but when it comes to Vocals it becomes really obvious that Apollo has a warmer and clearer sound, thanks for sharing!

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety +1

      Thanks Fellipe. Yes, I agree, I think it's more obvious on vocals. Thanks for watching :-)

    • @polgar_tamas
      @polgar_tamas Před 4 lety +1

      Yeah, we hear the difference and lots of people thinks is not worth the price and all that shit... if they want to compare this interface just direct sounding I can say to them just buy a cheap Beringer um2 and done. I guess compare focusrite scarlett with older apollo twin make a little bit more sense because this X series ada converters almost the best... new/cheaper tech compare with very expensive soundcards and all that stuff... ohh and the "downside" is converters too good for default headphone amp & preamps I think...
      Great video btw. Keep it up!

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety

      @@polgar_tamas Thanks Tamás.

    • @Henchproductions
      @Henchproductions Před 4 lety

      The huge difference is sgen you track latency free through the UAD unison preamp plugins.

  • @Kristoffer2791
    @Kristoffer2791 Před 3 lety +14

    Ive practiced hard on the guitar and Ableton, and im ready for this amazing thing!

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +2

      Kristoffer2791 Awesome. I have a video demonstrating the UAD guitar amp sims coming soon👌

    • @HarvinderSingh-yy8th
      @HarvinderSingh-yy8th Před 2 lety

      Practice makes a man perfect. Carry on.

  • @quransmith7397
    @quransmith7397 Před 4 lety +3

    Great video! You sold me on the Apollo Twin. Just subscribed!

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety

      Quran Smith Thanks, glad you liked it. You will not be disappointed with the Apollo 👌

  • @blue4baby
    @blue4baby Před 3 lety +16

    Thank you Ed Thorne, for providing this shoot out. Many commenting here do get the purpose and appreciate it.

  • @douglasnewman4163
    @douglasnewman4163 Před 3 lety +1

    Thanks for your great comparison video on these two units! Very complete.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      You’re welcome. Thanks for watching. I glossed over the Unison feature a little bit in this video but there’s more info about it in this video reviewing the new Apollo Solo: czcams.com/video/lYDFQP3kBcE/video.html

  • @justinguitarcia
    @justinguitarcia Před 4 lety +5

    Nice. At my studio I've been using the Focusrite Clarett 8pre for years with some outboard gear. It's an excellent unit for live rehearsals etc. Yet since the quarantine I've been marooned at home so just ordered the Apollo and I'm stoked to try it out for my living room setup.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety

      That’s great, Justin. I’m sure you’ll love it 👌

    • @marioofficalmusic
      @marioofficalmusic Před 4 lety

      Justin Garcia hows it been? I’m in the exact situation! Is it worth it

    • @masterstacker2833
      @masterstacker2833 Před 4 lety

      Apollo rules. Consider getting a satellite unit if you need more SHARC processing power.

  • @flywittzbeats4008
    @flywittzbeats4008 Před 2 lety +4

    Thank you so much for this... you can tell the audio you recorded through both contain almost the exact same signal, with perfect gain setting/mic placement. This video is perfect for showing artists the difference in preamps. For me personally, it's definitely worth saving up for that apollo. But it's really subjective

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 2 lety +2

      Thanks for watching, I’m glad it was helpful. The value in the Apollo is in the Unison Preamps, UAD plugins, near zero latency whilst monitoring with the plugins, the ability to print these monitoring effects as you record, the expandability with other UA devices, and it’s desktop controller functionality. Plus, the monitor routing flexibility is far superior. I glossed over the Unison feature a little bit in this video but there’s more info about it in this video reviewing the Apollo Solo: czcams.com/video/lYDFQP3kBcE/video.html

  • @paullennox2404
    @paullennox2404 Před 3 lety +7

    A big lure for the apollo is the plugins; especially using them in 'Unison' mode with the unit - in essence turning your mic input into either an api, neve or other desk through the software. I've been using the neve pre on the unison input for everything and the tonal character difference is amazing. I also print a lot of pre recorded tracks through the same plugin and the character difference is night and day to me. DSP limitations are annoying although i'm happy to put up with them due to the quality of the plugins. Its the diminishing returns thing really.... Had a scarlett 18i6 for 6 years and loved it, but I couldn't go back now (annoyingly!). Great vid

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +1

      Thanks Paul. I have a new series starting tomorrow diving deeper into the Apollo world. I’ll be exploring Unison, monitoring/printing fx and DSP management in much more detail. 🙂

  • @modernmusicstudio303
    @modernmusicstudio303 Před 3 lety +1

    Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the dfferences! This was a very interesting video to watch

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      You’re welcome, thanks for watching 🙂

  • @gruntworkmedia
    @gruntworkmedia Před 3 lety +4

    I appreciate you doing this little breakdown for noobs like myself. Definitely got a new subscriber. Off to another one of those vids. Thank you!

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      Thanks Elhanan. Welcome to the channel 🙂

  • @erezk2170
    @erezk2170 Před 3 lety +20

    First off: two thumbs up for an excellent review. It was informative, enjoyable to watch - a time well spent. Thank you for taking the time make it available.
    To answer your question: to my ears, the Apollo sounded better than the Scarlet. Even with my humble setup (macbook and presonus 4.5 monitors), there was a more "immediate presence" with the apollo sample than with the scarlet. If I were a professional, I would buy the apollo - or something at that level - no questions about it. But if budget is a consideration the scarlet would be a good choice.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +1

      Thank you for the comments. I agree with your assessment there 🙂

  • @CYMotorsport
    @CYMotorsport Před 3 lety +54

    in a studio monitoring situation, it's pretty obvious. but given I don't make music, I 100% can still hear it in the final product. as can the audience. many people have recognized the wider range for the apollo when it's layered with other effects. for voiceover, it's very helpful if youre working with cinematic music. For reference, you display it at 8:40. Look at those waves. great review!

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +3

      Thank you 🙂🙏

    • @Leonidas909
      @Leonidas909 Před 3 lety +9

      I don't get it, one wave is just louder than the other, which is bad A B comparison btw, people will always choose the louder sound.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +2

      @@Leonidas909 Yeh, I didn’t quite get the gains balanced in this comparison. I did however get the balance right in this video and the sound differences are the same: czcams.com/video/IkuuxFvNB_g/video.html

    • @DJeMo
      @DJeMo Před 2 lety

      Yeah the pre amp in the apollo must have a little nip on dynamic range pick up, judging by the wave difference

    • @TheRealDirtySkillz
      @TheRealDirtySkillz Před 2 lety

      Can't compression and EQ fix the Focusrite. You can make templates for your vocal chain channel. That's what I've done.

  • @WaltThizzney415
    @WaltThizzney415 Před 4 lety +4

    I used an MBOX 2 at my home studio for years and had a few songs actually make the radio with my recordings, mic placement and great mixing made the difference.

    • @almas7123
      @almas7123 Před 3 lety

      Ok you got my attention. Help this rookie out. What or how to I mix great?

    • @WaltThizzney415
      @WaltThizzney415 Před 3 lety

      @@almas7123 if all you are recording is vocals, sound blankets are a godsend, I set them up in triangle and put the mic in a corner. Once I get a good signal, I know my vocal takes are will be good in general. I never mix at home though, unless it’s for reference for my mixing engineer. I do have a good relationship with someone who mixes for $150 a track, they not only do a great job but they also will zoom me in on the session to make sure the vision is complete. You also want a mixing engineer who is gonna add the proper treatment i.e. tuning and aligning, and in some cases sound additions or sound subtractions. There are mixing engineers that are more pricy, and they often doesn’t include a master either. I have had mixes done by engineers who charge $1000, which were in respect to the engineer, worth every penny, but I also NEVER write off my current mixing engineer because he has the same skills and charges way less and I know the tracks are just as good I’m quality, if not better in some cases. I also do know my mixing engineer does use an Apollo twin and has a ton of UA plugins that make up a lot of the sessions.

    • @WaltThizzney415
      @WaltThizzney415 Před 3 lety

      @@almas7123 also take some sound engineering class If you can it will really help with the basics of anything you might be missing, like learning Eqs and bus channels all which greatly make up the fundamental part of it

  • @vexpired7559
    @vexpired7559 Před 3 lety +1

    I am in the process of up-grading my equipment and found your analysis very helpful indeed. Thanks.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      You’re welcome, I’m glad it was useful. I have plenty of UAD videos on the way. Here’s one about the Unison Preamps you might find useful: czcams.com/video/PM8V9rb9D_4/video.html

    • @vexpired7559
      @vexpired7559 Před 3 lety

      @@EdThorne Thanks Ed, as l mentioned, l'm upgrading my equipment now. What is your opinion on HEDD monitor speakers type-20 3way, or do you have another make l should look at ? Appreciate your thoughts.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      Dr Chair Advise I haven’t heard the HEDD stuff first hand but it’s apparently VERY similar to the Adam Audio speakers (as the HEDD people are former employees of AA). The Adam stuff is great so I’d guess HEDD is great. I’m really happy with my Nuemann KH120s. Check out the 310s for their three-way version. They get brilliant reviews.

    • @vexpired7559
      @vexpired7559 Před 3 lety +1

      @@EdThorne Thank you so much for taking the time and trouble by answering my question. I guess l am going to go for it, as it'll be the last monitors l'll ever get and listening & seeing its spec, seems to tick all the correct boxes !
      Also the UA Apollo 4x interface, that you brilliantly demo'd, will make all the difference.
      By your accent, are you from London. I lived there for 25 years, based in Ealing and now back to my roots in the NorthWest near Liverpool.
      Keep on doing your great videos, it is really nice not to hear a load of waffling about all thing other than the subject in hand, as others do across the pond ?

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      @@vexpired7559 I think you'll really like the HEDD speakers. I too am from the north, although not as far as you, but I've been in London 15 years. Thanks for the kind words, I'm glad you like the channel. Let me know how you get on with the speakers :-)

  • @W4TSKY
    @W4TSKY Před 4 lety +8

    got an apollo twin mk2 a few weeks ago. upgraded from an older native instruments audio 6. the difference is undeniable.

  • @tothrec
    @tothrec Před 2 lety +13

    Thank you so much for the detailed reviews and comparison. The Apollo has a cleaner and more open sound (as you noted). It's not just how one track sounds, imagine the difference when used to record 20 tracks (it adds up).

  • @djpurefire
    @djpurefire Před 2 lety

    Hi Ed, congratulations on your 10k following 😉
    Thanks so much for your great videos, i find them really interesting & accurate too 👍
    I used my AKG flat response headphones to listen to your video, but only through my iPhone.
    I can hear the difference between the two, with the Apollo Twin sounding a bit brighter & the Focusrite Scarlett a bit warmer.
    I think both are lovely, with the price considered 😉
    I hear your voice too, best wishes ☘️

  • @optipwr40
    @optipwr40 Před 2 lety +1

    This was a great comparison video. Thank you for it!

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 2 lety

      Thank you. You can find more information about the Apollo DSP and Unison plugins in this video: czcams.com/video/lYDFQP3kBcE/video.html

  • @jdutra
    @jdutra Před 4 lety +5

    this has been a question I've had for a long time. Thank you for this well edited video.
    I think it's clear that the Scarlett has placed itself in the market in a very specific combination of price range vs quality, while UAD has a different approach, mostly directed to who's a few years into home studio audio production. Thanks!

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety

      jdutra Thank you 🙏 The Scarlett is great value for money, especially with the bonus plugins etc. Thanks for watching.

  • @Henchproductions
    @Henchproductions Před 4 lety +7

    The really huge difference comes in to play when using the unison feature of the, UAD when tracking.
    You get to record hrough the modeled Pre-amps. As well as complete latency free tracking with the plugins.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety

      Yes. Do you monitor with plugins, and do you record/write any of these when recording?

    • @Henchproductions
      @Henchproductions Před 4 lety +1

      @@EdThorne The unison slot in the console makes the plugin in the recording. The rest you can choose. I choose not to. But if I start running out if DSP, I'll commit in protools, which basically dus an offline voice, then makes the existing track inactive.

  • @operationkickass1049
    @operationkickass1049 Před 3 lety +2

    First video to give a good explanation as to why there is such a big price difference. Thanks

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      operation kickass Thanks.

  • @batphink2655
    @batphink2655 Před 2 lety +1

    Smashing review Ed they both sounds great to my ear and I agree the Apollo has a little more depth yet an almost transparency in the detail.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 2 lety

      Thanks 🙂 I glossed over the Unison feature a little bit in this video but there’s more info about it in this video reviewing the new Apollo Solo: czcams.com/video/lYDFQP3kBcE/video.html

  • @Danny2009ie
    @Danny2009ie Před 4 lety +37

    The main Apollo benefit for me are the UAD plugins. The sense of presence/space and rich tone would be very difficult to create on the Scarlett. Not sure you would notice this so much in a mix, but side by side on good monitors there is a clear difference between Scarlett and Apollo. Worth it for me. Especially for recording challenging instruments with huge range like acoustic guitar.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety +3

      I agree Daniel. Thanks for watching 🙏

    • @dustinthiessen
      @dustinthiessen Před 4 lety +3

      heck, you don't even need good monitors to hear the differences... they were quite apparent to me, just listening on my laptop speakers

    • @finnlomax5715
      @finnlomax5715 Před 4 lety

      @@dustinthiessen The conversion in UAD apollos interfaces is far superior too :)

    • @sylvesterheisenberg7682
      @sylvesterheisenberg7682 Před 2 lety +1

      Thanks for the comments. Im paranoid about how much scarlet advertises youtubers I've been trying to see the differences cause it's clearly over hyped

    • @arash5550
      @arash5550 Před 2 lety +1

      @@sylvesterheisenberg7682 check arturia mini fuse. That 100 $ interface just kills Scarlett preamp. Like the Scarlett sounds tiny compare to minifuse! So yes it's overhyped.

  • @akbarishmael3551
    @akbarishmael3551 Před 4 lety +3

    I like them both.... I can use either .... and still get top notch sound from both! I just use them both differently.... the Scarlett I’ll mainly use simple eq & compressors.... and with the Apollo I’ll use the plug-ins that I bought for it!

  • @ytvideos101
    @ytvideos101 Před 3 lety +1

    Nice video and keep up the great work! IMHO...Focusrite demo seemed to have more compression where as the Universal Audio demo seemed more crisp with detail and a bit louder.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +1

      Scott Davidson Thanks Scott. I didn’t quite get the gains balanced in this comparison but I’d say the Apollo is clearer with more top end detail anyway giving it the impression of being louder as well. I got the balance right in this video and the sound differences are the same: czcams.com/video/x50dw_BfudU/video.html

  • @walesu.k.2108
    @walesu.k.2108 Před 3 lety +2

    Great video very informative, that set up you have is sweet! That hair is also fire 🔥

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      Haha, thanks :-) Glad the video was useful.

  • @hotjamsm07
    @hotjamsm07 Před 4 lety +18

    I own both interfaces. You can get good, pro-quality recordings from both. The big difference for me is that Apollo has a thunderbolt interface. This allows me to track vocals or guitars in real-time with plugins. I mainly use my apollo as a "digital" amp locker. I have most of the amp sims and they are excellent. When I'm tracking I can not detect any latency. When I'm tracking vocals on the Appollo I have several legendary vocal amp/sims and they are really good. I can also add EQ, compressors, reverb, and track in real-time with no latency. Is the overall sound better? For me, I really can't tell, they both do a great job. However, the Apollo is much more than a simple interface.

    • @Sen-lx4kl
      @Sen-lx4kl Před 2 lety

      Totally agree.I own both,too.
      Apollo twin do very great job in vocal and guitar tracking.Also I'm very satisfying in compose,arrange and mix with scarlett 2i2.

    • @joshshultz1250
      @joshshultz1250 Před 2 lety +2

      if you are setup correctly you should not be detecting any noticeable latency with usb

    • @perniciousreaper4393
      @perniciousreaper4393 Před 2 lety +1

      Interesting take. I have the Scarlett and use numerous plugins during tracking with no detectable latency.

    • @hotjamsm07
      @hotjamsm07 Před 2 lety

      @@Sen-lx4kl I have been very impressed with the quality of the Scarlet. Amazing for the price.

  • @jessestuart4728
    @jessestuart4728 Před 4 lety +5

    Some have posted inaccurately about the specs of the two interfaces. 15dBu max o/p for the 2i2, and 20dBu max o/p for the twin. Likewise the 2i2 ha can handle 9dBu input level, while 25dBu for the twin. The 2i2 is similar to other usb powered interfaces in that it is low power and will not accommodate signal levels from pro outboard gear.
    Having an interface with low enough latency that one can monitor through the daw and not need a separate hardware (driver) mixer to handle headphone mixes. This really speeds up workflow. This is due to the Thunderbolt architecture in the twin. Likewise having DSP for headphone reverbs which don't force a higher I/O buffer is really helpful.
    As we are often needing a lot of plugins, having some that are DSP powered helps things. I would agree with others who have posted on this video that people sometimes try to replace an experience deficit with more costly gear purchases. However, the idea that someone who is wanting to approach the sound quality of Neve (UAD plugins) for example, wanting higher quality conversion, or engineers in a professional studio; are all compensating for something is ridiculous. There is a reason why historically the best albums have been recorded in professional studios: they have access to higher quality mics, preamps, consoles, monitoring acoustics. While one channel's worth of class A gear may not make the album way better, you can't deny the over all effect of Class A gear on all the tracks in a production. While the UAD is not really the same thing, at least it tries (preamp emulation, modeled plug-ins) and gets closer.
    There is also a reason why experience as an engineer or producer makes or breaks a recording. Some DAW users however view modeling of the harmonic characteristics of vintage gear or using vintage gear, as snake oil or unnecessary. Their productions tend to become bland and two dimensional. There is an art form in how the gear is used that isn't just dialing in compressor or eq settings. The UAD, while not quite the same as vintage gear, gives you more in this regard than a Scarlett interface.
    A Scarlett interface is cheaper and what I can say as an owner of the 18i8 is that there is nothing wrong with it. For the money, getting an 18i8 and having a system that has clean & quiet head-amps, no driver issues, and comes with some really useful Softube plugins is great, so long as someone doesn't expect the head amp to sound like a 1073.

    • @clarke.inverary
      @clarke.inverary Před 4 lety

      Great thing about the 18i8 is that you you can bypass the AD converter's and choose your own via the digital input.

  • @Bgoods
    @Bgoods Před 4 lety +1

    Nice informative A/B video. I learned from this. Thanks.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety

      You’re welcome. Glad you learned something 😀

  • @bigstr9178
    @bigstr9178 Před 3 lety +1

    Just upgraded from Maudio M track 2x2 C series, to the apollo twin x and I'm loving it. There is definitely a noticeable difference. Nice videos by the way new sub here👍👍

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +1

      That’s great. Glad the video was useful. Check out my Everything Apollo playlist for Apollo/Console tutorials: czcams.com/play/PLPGp5cq-hMjyC2_RhjC3dK5BaPrsqPyDu.html

    • @bigstr9178
      @bigstr9178 Před 3 lety +1

      @@EdThorne thank you :) your videos are very helpful

  • @KennyLauderdale
    @KennyLauderdale Před 4 lety +36

    They sound the same to me... I mean honestly when you add drums and guitars and sythns... You'll never hear the "corona cough"... Scarlett is good enough...

  • @thejbfactory5793
    @thejbfactory5793 Před 3 lety +128

    I wasted so much time and money in the studio splitting hairs. Then I realized that the regular customer has absolutely no idea about the sonics. Either they like the song or they don't.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +26

      James Brown This is very true. And most people listen to music through their phone speakers or AirPods anyway 🤦🏼‍♂️

    • @kombe971
      @kombe971 Před 3 lety +4

      UAD has talk back mic and processes the plug ins independently of the DAW. That’s why it’s more expensive

    • @UPxYOURs2
      @UPxYOURs2 Před 3 lety

      @@ghostbaum tru

    • @Francisco-dr4yi
      @Francisco-dr4yi Před 3 lety +23

      They don’t “realize” it , but better mixes don’t cause ear fatigue and are easier to replay.

    • @novusordoseclorum1915
      @novusordoseclorum1915 Před 3 lety +7

      hahahahaha you cant look at it that way man......music is to be felt too....thats what all the money for good gear come in at. To get rid of the rugged and harsh unnecessary subtle stuff. It pays off in the end.✨

  • @DannyOrtizMusic
    @DannyOrtizMusic Před 3 lety +1

    Really helpful video. Thanks man!!

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      You’re welcome, thanks for watching. For more info on Apollo features, check out my review of the new Solo: czcams.com/video/lYDFQP3kBcE/video.html

  • @diegoambrosio5718
    @diegoambrosio5718 Před 3 lety +2

    It seems as the buyer gets what buyer pays for. Excellent video!

  • @Conradmusic
    @Conradmusic Před 2 lety +3

    Good stuff, if you look at the manuals for the Apollo and the focusrite, in the technical specs section, you’ll see slight differences in things like THD+N (Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise), and if you research the physics of those measurements, you’ll understand the difference. The expensive sound cards are physically clearer. And prob have better physical transistors etc.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 2 lety +1

      Exactly. Good info, Conrad.

    • @lqr824
      @lqr824 Před rokem

      specs aren't always meaningful though. For instance even-harmonic harmonic distortion is warming, odd-harmonic distortion is nasty. 0.1% THD doesn't tell you whether the distortion it does have sounds good or not.

  • @SauliusMatas1
    @SauliusMatas1 Před 3 lety +3

    A big thing to consider is whether you plan on adding hardware pre-amps to your rig. The Apollo Twin usually comes with a small bundle of UAD plug-ins, which in my case included the UA-610 pre, LA-2A, 1176 and Fairchild compressors, and Pultec EQ. I use all of these, but the most important one for me, by far, is the "Unison" version of the UA-610. To my ears, this plug-in is indistinguishable from the hardware version, in every possible way. I've owned a lot of hardware pre's that I've been unloading since I bought the Apollo Twin. I no longer need ANY hardware pre-amps.

  • @knutivanhoven3638
    @knutivanhoven3638 Před 3 lety +1

    This was a great ad for the Scarlet. I couldn't honestly tell the difference on the compare it recordings.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      The Scarlett is great value for money. The Apollo is on another level in terms of monitoring and functionality.

  • @EarthCry
    @EarthCry Před 4 lety +62

    What isnt being discussed here is that the output converters of any given interface are extremely important for mix decision making. I came from using MOTU interfaces and felt when I moved over to UAD that I could simply hear a bit more detail. This is something you cant really experience unless first hand. Also CZcams's audio compression as well as the compression in the video render is going to seriously limit your ability to hear the difference in clarity between the units. My 2 cents. Great review thanks!

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety +13

      EarthCry I agree with you, definitely best heard in person. Do you think it’s worth while posting the raw audio files on my website for people to hear themselves?

    • @EarthCry
      @EarthCry Před 4 lety +5

      @@EdThorne sure! While its likely difficult to do with vocals, trying to gain match the takes would help. Louder is always perceived as "better" to the inexperienced.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety +5

      I tried, but not hard enough it seems 😀 I adjusted the output signal so they were the same level but the Apollo is just a fuller sounding device with more top end making it sound louder. A lot of people have been listening using their eyes too because the wave forms are different. I definitely paid much more attention to this on my following interface video (across ten devices - that was tricky). 😀

    • @ghostbaum
      @ghostbaum Před 3 lety +1

      so you're saying crappier interfaces compress well and better ones don't?

    • @seriosmusic
      @seriosmusic Před 2 lety +2

      @@ghostbaum I don't think either of them do compression on their own. The quieter sound isn't compressed, it just didn't capture as much data.

  • @mariodriessen9740
    @mariodriessen9740 Před 4 lety +5

    There was actually a much bigger difference than I expected. I'm a beginner and I bought the Scarlett not long ago. I'm not disapointed, but when I'm beginning to get good at this I would definitely invest in the Apollo Twin, or something even better.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety +2

      For the money, the Scarlett is great, it does a good job. It’s worth getting familiar with all the plugins that come with it. Enjoy the creative process 🙂

    • @mariodriessen9740
      @mariodriessen9740 Před 4 lety +2

      Ed Thorne ; Thanks, I will! :-)

  • @candyflip6345
    @candyflip6345 Před 2 lety +1

    Thanks for this video.

  • @johnivory3005
    @johnivory3005 Před 3 lety +1

    Thank you for this video!

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      John Ivory You’re welcome John. Thanks for watching 🙂🙏

  • @theconspiracyofnoize5984
    @theconspiracyofnoize5984 Před 4 lety +5

    I bought my Scarlett for$80.00 . Obviously if I could afford the more expensive one right now I’d get it. But I appreciate the information for a future purchase. The Scarlett is just a starting point for my budget right now

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety +4

      You’re welcome. The Scarlett is great for the money. And what’s most important is getting recording. 🙂

    • @theconspiracyofnoize5984
      @theconspiracyofnoize5984 Před 4 lety +1

      Ed Thorne sorry for the tinge of sarcasm there 😁😉

  • @louiseisobel
    @louiseisobel Před 3 lety +6

    "I don't hold the answers but I know that this feels right......"
    I woke up to these vocals repeating in my head lol

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      Ha. Awesome. You can hear the full song here (with much better vocals): open.spotify.com/album/3WZWJfHlOkTDy9faRObW8j?si=olQ0Lg64T1mzoNZQVzPmbw

  • @DBLCreations
    @DBLCreations Před 3 lety +1

    They both sound great in my opinion. I have the Apollo Twin X quad myself and i have them connected to Genelec 8040 monitors. I might give it a listen with my headphones though but thus far, i think they sound both great!

  • @ZuitSuit
    @ZuitSuit Před 2 lety +1

    Bro great vocs and thank you for the vid i was about too break the bank on the appolo but im a baller on a budget and i can upgrade down the road :) You rock

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 2 lety +1

      Yeh man, that’s what a I did. I used a Scarlett for years before upgrading.

  • @SanFordBeats
    @SanFordBeats Před 3 lety +9

    I got both and you can definitely tell the difference when using them. It’s all about how you using it, like I use Scarlett to make beats and then when I need to record artist I switch to the Apollo, it’s good and worth the money if you have it. But if you got the Scarlett just use what you got until it’s time to buy a new one when you saved enough, don’t let people get to u , whether having the expensive one making you better at what your doing. #KeepGrindin

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +2

      Well said 🙂

    • @dvnito3890
      @dvnito3890 Před rokem

      why you dont just use the apollo for beats too?

  • @theeverythingelectronicsst3897

    The Apollo definitely was more clearer... I could tell and hear the difference... Whether or not it's a 600 pound difference I'm not convinced...

    • @almas7123
      @almas7123 Před 3 lety +5

      I didn’t watch the video, just viewing comments about it. My question since you could tell the diff, did he show the interface as you listened to it or did he hide it from you and made you guess which interface you think it was. That would be more Legit in my opinion. Too often we say the brand is just better because it’s pricier, etc.

    • @OfficialGOD
      @OfficialGOD Před 3 lety

      CZcams​ dude go to soundcloud

  • @dkambury
    @dkambury Před 4 lety +2

    Good comparison. I had a Focusrite 6i6 before I got the Apollo 8, and “felt” it sounded better, but was well-aware it could just be my own confirmation bias at work. So it was nice to hear them A-B’d. My initial impression, before you said anything, was that the UAD had more depth and more “air.” It may not make a huge difference in one track, but with multiple tracks stacked together could really have an impact.
    I’d be curious to hear the comparison with the Scarlett’s Air button engaged and disengaged, compared with both itself with the UAD.
    Anyway, good video, but the background music was entirely too distracting.
    Keep ‘em coming!

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety

      Dennis Kambury Thanks for the feedback Dennis. My model is also the 6i6 so I didn’t have the air button to hand, but I figured otherwise it would likely sound the same and it would be better to talk about the new model.
      Any particular bit of music you didn’t like? Too loud?

    • @dkambury
      @dkambury Před 4 lety +1

      Ed Thorne, the music itself was fine, but I guess too loud, cause I kept having my focus drawn away by it. Too catchy, maybe ;)

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety +1

      @@dkambury Haha. Too catchy - I'll take that. I have tried to pay attention this on subsequent videos and checked the audio levels on different systems. Thanks for the feedback :-)

  • @improving-audio
    @improving-audio Před 3 lety +1

    Ed, good comparison, thank you - would love a similar comparison between Scarlett and an obviously 'pro' unit like a Babyface Pro FS.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      Thanks Steve. I suspect there’d be no comparison. The Apollo is already in another league in comparison. I’ll look into it though, thanks 🙂

    • @improving-audio
      @improving-audio Před 3 lety

      @@EdThorne Thanks! I think your video very nicely shows the higher quality of the Apollo. The chatter I hear is that the engineering quality of the Babyface is the best and I was wondering if that translates into any obvious audio improvement. Maybe the comparison could be between the Apollo and Babyface. Keep up the good work!

  • @higgnbe
    @higgnbe Před 4 lety +5

    there is a difference that i could hear but the scarlett was right up there and since I have the 18i20 I feel pretty damn good about it

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety

      The Scarlett’s are great 😀

  • @yaboylevi
    @yaboylevi Před 3 lety +5

    The Focusrite is amazing, I have the 3rd gen Solo and it's so good! I love it!

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      Levi Its great value for money, especially with all the free plugins and samples. 👌

    • @billB101
      @billB101 Před 3 lety

      I have a 3rd gen Solo and a RME babyface and honestly on my ADAM A7x's I hear no difference between the two.
      Obviously the RME is a lot more expandable ( I have expert sleepers ES3 and ES6 for a modular/DAW hookup using RME's ADAT ins and outs ) and it has XLR outs and nice pres, but that's pretty much where it ends.

    • @reekrodriqguez6552
      @reekrodriqguez6552 Před 3 lety

      bill borez You have the new one or older one?

    • @billB101
      @billB101 Před 3 lety +1

      @@reekrodriqguez6552 I have the original RME babyface.

  • @NicholasGreenwood
    @NicholasGreenwood Před 3 lety +2

    I'm very satisfied with my $150 Roland Rubix22. I can see myself moving on to the Apollo for reasons entirely separate from audio quality--I want the external processing and access to UAD plug-ins, which sound amaaaaazing.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      Those are good reasons to upgrade. Plus the Unison preamp emulations are great, and it’s a much more functional desktop controller.

  • @ChinoMagliba
    @ChinoMagliba Před rokem +2

    UAD Apollo for sure!!!
    I came from using Behringer Xenyx USB, M-Audio ProFire 2626, M-Audio 2X2M track, Focusrite 2i2 3rd gen, and now using Apollo Twin Duo mkii.
    Looking forward to upgrade x4 soon!
    The zero latency tracking solved most of my recording and practicing problems before. Yes, the differences are dramatic for me personally.
    And I love UAD plugins!!!

  • @BosomNogomPanjIzvali
    @BosomNogomPanjIzvali Před 3 lety +4

    nobody talks about Behringer U-phoria umc 404. This is just a stellar low price audio interface with midas preams, christal clear sound recording, low latenci (really low latency), mono/stereo button, multiple outs, a/b monitors, single earphones out, pad, inst, line buttons etc... Stellar for 110Euros I paid for it!

  • @fasgamboa
    @fasgamboa Před 3 lety +12

    3:40 - about external processing power. What to look for to know an external audio interface has that processing capacity? Looking for an interface I can use plugins with no delay, but the Apollo is a bit to much $

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +2

      Hi. In that case check out the Steinberg UR22C. That comes with onboard dsp.

    • @jadeone
      @jadeone Před 3 lety

      Another thing to consider is using 0 latency plugins a la Presonus/Acustica/Brainworx with a low buffer size. Anything under 8.6ms or so should be undetectable as latency, which should be totally achievable with any modern interface.

    • @batphink2655
      @batphink2655 Před 2 lety

      @@EdThorne That's what I uses it's a great one for the money!

  • @gitarman666
    @gitarman666 Před 2 lety

    Love my Apollos! although I only use a few choice uad2 plugs with unison tech, cost and cpu both are obvious contributing factors

  • @Lewtubie
    @Lewtubie Před 4 lety +1

    Great vid homie!

  • @wolverine3344
    @wolverine3344 Před 4 lety +3

    Definite difference , way more air and texture on the twin. I’m awaiting a comparison between twin X and Apogee Symphony Desktop. Is this one you’re considering to review later this month upon launch?

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety

      * WOLVERINE * Thanks for the comment. I have another video planned for more budget sound cards before I do any higher end stuff.

  • @marcorock101
    @marcorock101 Před 4 lety +444

    I totally don't hear the 600£ difference

    • @streetlogic
      @streetlogic Před 4 lety +44

      On individual tracks there's not gonna be much difference but when your adding more tracks you'll be able to hear more. But I have a focusrite. No complaints.

    • @jhohanmusic
      @jhohanmusic Před 4 lety +65

      CZcams is not tidal my friend :\

    • @wagonrider93
      @wagonrider93 Před 4 lety +4

      @@jhohanmusic True dat

    • @LMarquee
      @LMarquee Před 4 lety +11

      It's worth it to me if you use their unison technology and if you like using their plugins without taxing the power from your computer. The Focusrite is amazing too; I used it for the first 6 years of my musical journey.

    • @P37_28
      @P37_28 Před 4 lety +56

      Unless you do a lot of recordings, mixing, mastering and I mean a lot...You can never hear the difference. A producer can make a song sound good with ANY interface, because his ears are well tuned and utilize the interface to their maximum potential. Vice versa, one who does not know how to mix and master can make a world-class interface sound equally crappy.
      Ultimately, everyone hears different stuff...and hearing takes experience.

  • @ciggsy
    @ciggsy Před 2 lety

    damn, good comparison man.... love it

  • @DocHollidayGames
    @DocHollidayGames Před 3 lety +1

    To get a complete comparison of the two, it would help to hear the vocal track in the context of the mix.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +2

      This is a good shout, and something I’ve done in more recent videos. This video was early into my CZcams career and the mix idea hadn’t occurred to me. Thanks for the suggestion. 🙂

  • @rafaelocandof
    @rafaelocandof Před 4 lety +4

    I am an Apollo owner. IMHO, they are both perfectly usable, professional tools. Apollo IS more high-end, because it gives you all the fancy options you mentioned and grants you access to UAD's plugin-library (which is pretty expensive, but the plugins that the interface comes with are more than enough to get you by) which is remarkably above other companies in regards to modeling analog sound, so if you know what these old, analog boxes do and are going for that specific vibe, then Apollo is a great way of getting those sounds ITB without breaking the bank. However, I've used the Scarlett a few times and it works perfectly and sounds wonderful as long as you're using a decent mic (even a SM57). It is all about taste and needs. I don't see much functionality in Apollo for EDM artists and the like, but if you're going to be tracking a lot, those extra $600 are REALLY worth it.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety

      All valid points 👌🙏

  • @gphillimo
    @gphillimo Před 3 lety +11

    I have gotten great results with the focusrite. I also have a i7 cpu so I don't get any latency when recording.
    I won't be using the apollo unless it's gifted to me.

  • @LeMans512
    @LeMans512 Před 3 lety +1

    A perfect example of the law of diminishing returns.
    Great review.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      Thanks, Kenneth. I left a few key details out of this video in hindsight. The value in the Apollo is in the Unison Preamps, UAD plugins, near zero latency whilst monitoring with the plugins, the ability to print these monitoring effects as you record, and it’s desktop controller functionality. I glossed over the Unison feature a little bit in this video but there’s more info about it in this video reviewing the new Apollo Solo: czcams.com/video/lYDFQP3kBcE/video.html

  • @harrysaunders5911
    @harrysaunders5911 Před 3 lety +2

    On listening to this presentation through a decent pair of headphones I found that
    hey both sound exactly the same to me. However I am seventy one years old and suffer from tinnitus and can't hear high frequencies anymore. I own a focusrite solo and am well pleased with it but as I need to upgrade to something with more flexibility, ie inputs. I had been thinking along the lines of the UA Apollo, but not anymore. Thank you for your insight. You have made my mind up for me, and saved me a few bob into the bargain!

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      Harry Saunders Hi Harry, I’m glad the video helped your decision. The Scarlett is great for the money. The Apollo is expensive for the Unison preamp emulations, monitoring and UAD plugins. Thanks for watching.

    • @loudane9962
      @loudane9962 Před 3 lety +1

      Ed Thorne or get an apogee and outclass both of them

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      lou dane I’ve recorded with an Apogee Duet and I found it a little dull. I’d prefer a Clarett or something brighter and juicier sounding.

    • @callez2402
      @callez2402 Před 3 lety

      I truly love my Appollo twi n mkIi Thunderbolt.. Took my music to a new level. And when it works, its an easy interface to work with. However, right now its down, thunderbolt and pc can be a hassle. Worked beatifylly for 3 years though. Need to go to my pc specialist.

    • @callez2402
      @callez2402 Před 3 lety

      And I agree. insteaf of producing all theese useless promotion videos and fancy stuff, they should work harder with the basics. But again, when iit works, and if you can afford a few of their plugins, its heaven. I actully think other vendors should copy their concept so that we consumets get some more competion, in particular on tne PC side and UCB C

  • @singmysong4444
    @singmysong4444 Před 3 lety +3

    Just bought the Scarlett 2i2 and LOVE it!!! This unit rocks! I'm doing Voice Over Work and need a quiet quiet interface.... This one does it for me.... Nice review...

  • @streetlogic
    @streetlogic Před 4 lety +19

    focusrite still has focus control like the UAD console. not sure if the scarlet solo but i have the 18i20. but interesting video

  • @EYEMRMTV
    @EYEMRMTV Před 2 lety +2

    I just want to add something for those wanting to use the Apolo as your main sound card on your home studio/gaming rig and even Skype calls. The Apolo isn’t compatible with some applications like the the scarlet is. I couldn’t use it with my talk back mic on video games and Skype calls or any video call applications. Neither application nor web based video call websites couldn’t recognize the interface but had no problem recognizing the scarlet. If your a producer who also games and streams and does conference call on the same pc. The Apolo May give you complications on applications not meant for Audio engineering. I’m not sure if they have updated their compatibility by now but for me it was a major draw back and it definitely added more value to the scarlet for those reasons.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 2 lety

      The Apollo can be used for Loopback. Set inputs one and two to record outputs 1&2.

  • @sDanceVEVO
    @sDanceVEVO Před 3 lety +1

    Awesome video!

  • @davidallred991
    @davidallred991 Před 4 lety +3

    I have Scarlett 18i8 and Octopre because I have lots of small synths that I like to jam live on so I need lots of inputs, so I am a fan because of price level. I couldn't do all this in the "Pro" line of interfaces. From my understanding when they say "Pro" the difference is if your sound is going to be used in a professional setting. If you are looking to make a track that is going to be played through a banging club sound system or in a movie theater, then you will then notice the difference. So I think it is hard to tell the difference much in normal environments. I could be wrong, that is just my understanding.

  • @RipperTheEntertainer
    @RipperTheEntertainer Před 3 lety +7

    I listened on headphones. They both sound great. To me the cheaper one has a better over all sound. I can work with that

  • @gavinhall4112
    @gavinhall4112 Před 3 lety +1

    Thanks for this. I had been considering both of these units because my guitar teacher uses the Apollo but recommended the Scarlet as a starting point.
    Interestingly, Jacob Collier recently released a song recorded on Voice Memos on his iPhone because it had a quality that he liked, and couldn't replicate with studio gear.
    Whether it's photography, cooking, or music, a master will get a very similar end result, regardless of the tools. When tools are labelled as "pro", it's more to do with workflow efficiency and reliability. If you're in a time = money situation then you don't want gear that slows you down. If you're doing it for fun at home then it doesn't matter so much.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +1

      Absolutely. The Apollo has so many workflow benefits though!

    • @gavinhall4112
      @gavinhall4112 Před 3 lety +1

      @@EdThorne my gear greed agrees! 😀

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      @@gavinhall4112 Haha

    • @obscurazone
      @obscurazone Před 2 lety

      Best comment Ive read on this vid! Well said

  • @msi1985
    @msi1985 Před 4 lety +2

    Hey great video excellent production job and great a/b comparison !
    I have a question about how did the test ' my initial theory is that you already had that vocal track and what we heard was each one of those interfaces processing and sending it to your DAW ?
    I had a similar idea to test audio interfaces, specifically for my tracking guitar
    My idea was to play something on my boss looper, then use each respective audio interface to send the signal into the DAW.
    Currently I'm using the focusrite 2i2 3rd gen, and I will say for the $200 price tag has served me well.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety +1

      Hi. Thank you for the positive feedback, I appreciate that. I recorded the vocals on separate takes through each interface. I think your idea is actually a better way to get a more consistent result performance wise, however my concern would then be people complaining about the boss loop pedal ‘colouring, or ‘altering’ the sound. What I could do, is send the audio from the DAW, through the headphone output, back into the XLR input on the interface, but then technically the headphone output could colour the sound too. Basically you can’t win on CZcams 🤣

    • @msi1985
      @msi1985 Před 4 lety

      @@EdThorne you're right it's only 16bit depth at 44.1khz BUT at least it would be consistent across each test , some kind of a splitter unit into each interface at the same time could also do the trick
      Does CZcams compress audio ? Just wondering how much different your a/b sounds in person vs the upload

  • @jayjay1drum1skate
    @jayjay1drum1skate Před 4 lety +5

    Was the air feature on when recording this? Great comparison man

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety

      Hi James, no but you can hear it in this video: czcams.com/video/x50dw_BfudU/video.html

    • @thatchinaboi
      @thatchinaboi Před 4 lety +5

      Then it's not a fair comparison.

    • @MK-fw4to
      @MK-fw4to Před 3 lety +4

      @@thatchinaboi lol what

  • @crazymonarch5795
    @crazymonarch5795 Před 3 lety +6

    I own the 2i2 and my biggest gripe is that there's no level meter. You just get a color change when you clip or get close. 99% of people want to see the meter to gauge their gain levels. I've had my hands on the Apollo and only gripe about that is the monitor knob. A fader is better for volume adjustments.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      This is true but some interfaces only have a input and clip LEDs which is even worse

    • @PateFamily_Sunny
      @PateFamily_Sunny Před 2 lety

      If you run the scarlet's software on a separate monitor you can keep it open and see your levels.

  • @Rouwiinator
    @Rouwiinator Před 4 lety +1

    Interesting choice of things to compare. There's not really anything unprofessional about the focusrite stuff but I think both units don't really have a lot in common.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety

      That’s the point of the video, to explain how a cheaper and more expensive interface differ in functionality and features.

  • @4renzicfiles92
    @4renzicfiles92 Před 4 lety +1

    I got the old school Scarlett 2i4 at least 10 years old. Never had an issue.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety +2

      Good British engineering, Built to last 💪

  • @TechWeLove
    @TechWeLove Před 3 lety +5

    Dang. They are pretty close, which is surprising for the price difference. When I listen to them over and over, I am not sure I can tell the difference.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +1

      The value in the Apollo is in the Unison Preamps, UAD plugins, near zero latency whilst monitoring with the plugins, the ability to print these monitoring effects as you record, and it’s desktop controller functionality. I glossed over the Unison feature a little bit in this video but there’s more info about it in this video reviewing the new Apollo Solo: czcams.com/video/lYDFQP3kBcE/video.html

  • @michaelbaum4568
    @michaelbaum4568 Před 3 lety +4

    My 8i6 is great. I think whatever difference we're hearing between these two boxes is in their preamps, not their converters. I opted to save the money on and interface and spend the extra money on a used Blue Robbie and run it into one of the line-ins. On my Neumanns and Blue MixFis I cannot hear a difference between my Robbie on the Focusrite and my friend's nicer interface, leading me to believe it is just the Preamps that we're hearing in your video

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety

      Mike Baum I suspect you’re right. It may be a combination of the two factors.

    • @neyzendeniz
      @neyzendeniz Před 2 lety

      Hi Michael, i am playing nayflute instrument and i have presonus studio one software in my laptop. I am blowing nayflute with backup music track in studio one. For better recording quality, could it be useful to supply focusrite Scarlett audio interface or Roland vt4 vocal processor ?

  • @frontprochproduction
    @frontprochproduction Před 3 lety +1

    Great video Sir. I just wanted to say I have a Gen 1 Apollo Twin Solo. I have been using it constantly for over 7 years and it still works and sounds great. DSP limitations force me to render individual tracks on larger projects, but that's not too much of a problem. I have used lots of other interfaces that work and sound good, but to me the Apollo just seems to record source tracks that are just a bit more "real" sounding, especially on vocals and acoustic guitars. I recently purchased an Earthworks SR40V to use as my primary recording mic when making those types of tracks, and I found that the incredible detail that mic captures is not lost when the signal passes through the Apollo. Finally, after all these years, I'm really hearing what this Apollo is capable of recording. I thought it might be worth mentioning to anyone looking at setting up a home studio or upgrading one they already have that if you don't have a quality mic on the front end of your signal chain even the best interface will not give you the best sounding source tracks.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +1

      Fire Side Studios That’s great. Are you using the Unison preamps too? I’ve got a video coming exploring those in detail.

    • @frontprochproduction
      @frontprochproduction Před 3 lety +1

      @@EdThorne yes sir. I use a Neve pre and just a little LA-2A compression whenever I track something. Always sounds great.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +1

      Fire Side Studios Awesome. I’m comparing the Neve 1073 with my Warm Audio preamp this weekend. Interesting results.

    • @wesleyhendricks153
      @wesleyhendricks153 Před 2 lety

      Thanks so much sir for your comment. It's much appreciated. I have watched some of the UAD Apollo interface reviews for some time and saw that they are like the interface any studio should have cause of their excellent sound quality. But one really see the pro's and cons once you own one I suppose. I hear some say about the DSP that limits the Apollos plugin usage but that their plugins are of the most wanted hardware emulations in the world. So now my question is, what are the differences between the Solo, Twin, etc? Does it mean the processor can handle more plugins on the different models? I am also considering going for the Volt 476 or an Apollo cause the Volt's are a bit limited regarding UAD's plugins. Also does the Volt, being fairly new, have sound quality difference compared to the Apollo's? Wish I knew a lot more in order to make the right decision. Any input will be appreciated. Kind regards.

  • @dovane9932
    @dovane9932 Před 3 lety +1

    Great video. I saw several videos that tell the UAD's team really work only with Mac owners even in the support after buying. It is a tough decision when you are on Windows...
    Best from France.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +1

      Dovane Thanks Dovane. UAD have reportedly been slow to support Windows but I think they’re working on this. The new Solo comes in two models, one specifically for Mac and the other specifically for PC.

  • @mezusmusic343
    @mezusmusic343 Před 4 lety +8

    Do to the situation I can't hit the studio so I recorded vocals in my house. ( Scarlett 2i2 and mxl990 mic) the mix ingenire at universal music preferred my setup that the one on the studio (enormous expensive) Scarlett its amazing for the price lol

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety

      Mezus music It’s fantastic for the money!

    • @mezusmusic343
      @mezusmusic343 Před 4 lety +1

      @@EdThorne Definitely!! If you record in a quite room and don't abuse on the gain, you can get an amazing sound! Also a lot of times when the song is finish it is really hard to notice the difference.

    • @japanluv
      @japanluv Před 4 lety +2

      Hola. Where are you from ? I liked your songs. Subscribed:D Im from Romania, wife Colombian and we live in the UK. In working mad hours and this is my 2nd attempt to build a bedroom music studio and learn to produce my own songs. I have no paino or guitar skills, I like writting lyrics though. Some months ago bought an used Ableton Push 2 and Live 9 Suite. Few days ago upgraded to Live 10 Suite. Was checking Scarlet 2i2, Motu M2. I still have a good pair of Sennheisers so I wont investing in studio monitors yet. But Im looking at an audio interface and a decent microphone like Rode NT1a and others like yours. Any suggestions? Gracias.

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety +1

      japanluv Hi. I’m in London. Thanks for the sub and kind words on the music. The NT1 gets great reviews. Check out the Aston Origin/Spirit mics too. See my latest video for interface options 😀

    • @mezusmusic343
      @mezusmusic343 Před 4 lety

      @@japanluv hola are you talking about my song or eds? Haha

  • @ellobobeats6324
    @ellobobeats6324 Před 3 lety +3

    I can hear the subtle difference. I like the sound of the apollo. The apollo makes the vocals sound a little more compressed and warm. As where the scarellet sounds a tiny bit more flat

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 3 lety +1

      I agree. Thanks for watching 🙂

  • @beyootv1333
    @beyootv1333 Před 3 lety +1

    Amazing video amazing lighting good info no kidding 👍

  • @thajasondub
    @thajasondub Před 2 lety +1

    great video!

  • @bdotvisualz7461
    @bdotvisualz7461 Před 4 lety +18

    All I’m going to say is, the best gear is the GEAR YOU HAVE. & I sold my apollo to get a presonus studio 26c.... 🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️

    • @EdThorne
      @EdThorne  Před 4 lety +4

      Fair point. Whatever gets you creating when inspiration occurs 👌

    • @DonaldWaughmusic
      @DonaldWaughmusic Před 4 lety +2

      Absolutely! I love gear but that doesn’t make much difference if you’re not making music.

    • @gweeds334
      @gweeds334 Před 4 lety +1

      I was hoping there was going to be someone mentioning presonus here. That company doesnt get the love it deserves. Ive been using the 1818vsl along with Studio One for years and couldnt be happier with it.

    • @mrmemyselfandi9609
      @mrmemyselfandi9609 Před 4 lety

      @@gweeds334 When Presonus first started their products were all hand made in the USA and nothing short of STELLAR. The problem started when that quality made them popular and they moved everything over to China to make a few extra bucks and the sound quality dropped off radically. Still good...but not great like they were. Rockford Fosgate did the SAME thing before coming back with their tail between their legs and correcting the mistakes.
      I have an original blue tube pre which isn't expensive, but I really liked the sound of it. I figured if I wanted that sound but better I would buy the new blue tube model ...along with another Presonus "class A" pre they had for sale to check things out and BOTH of them sounded bland and vanilla....non musical and tight. Just didn't sound good, was average at best, and didn't have that magic I was used to. If you love your stuff it was probably handmade back in the day...or you just know how to mix tracks really well to try and put life back into them.
      I talked with one of their head engineers and the first thing he said to me was "Hang onto that thing!" and then told me the story about how things had changed and the older products were just better.
      The original blue tube I have is what they call a starved plate design, which is a cheap way to make a "tube preamp", but it also adds this flavor in the sound that you don't get with normal tube pres. I've heard it said that they sound almost like a transformer based pre that runs tubes so they have this blended sound which might be why I like it. I've had recordings on that thing that went right into a standard sound blaster sound card that would blow your mind when mixed right. Damn the numbers..does it SOUND GOOD?
      People ask me ALL of the time what I'm using and their stunned when I tell them. The sound is just phenomenal and stands up to the very best equipment I've ever heard, no lie. It just worked. But it's getting old and depending on how long it's been turned on the sound will change radically. That makes getting a vocal take during that small pocket of time where it's been warmed up just enough to come to life, but not so long that it starts to muddy up and lose transparency and vibrancy.....more difficult. It's possible that certain preamps are just temperamental. I want to get that Amazing sound consistently and the UA Apollo twin looks good. But Presonus's equipment now...meh. I had one of their interfaces too and it was crap.