Advice for UA Apollo Arrow interface

[dnf777]

Hi all. I am a basement studio artist at best. Record mostly solo acoustic with some drum/bass tracks from Studio One. Currently use Presonus studio interface. Was thinking about upgrading to an Arrow just to play with a little higher level of their UAD plug ins. Don’t plan on spending $$$, just the included package.

Concerns are I read most included plug ins are time limited then require purchase, and 2, I see popular web stores FLOODED with Apollo interfaces. Is there an issue with them, or is it just a lot of guys like me realizing they prefer the cheaper simplicity of their familiar consumer grade interfaces?

Thanks, Dave

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by dnf777

Hi all. I am a basement studio artist at best. Record mostly solo acoustic with some drum/bass tracks from Studio One. Currently use Presonus studio interface. Was thinking about upgrading to an Arrow just to play with a little higher level of their UAD plug ins. Don’t plan on spending $$$, just the included package.

Concerns are I read most included plug ins are time limited then require purchase, and 2, I see popular web stores FLOODED with Apollo interfaces. Is there an issue with them, or is it just a lot of guys like me realizing they prefer the cheaper simplicity of their familiar consumer grade interfaces?

Thanks, Dave

I'm not sure how much of an upgrade that would be, especially as you'd only be using the handful of stock plugins that come with the Arrow. The plugins are fine and they certainly give you a nice selection but it's important to understand that UAD plugins do not run natively. They depend on dsp from whatever number of sharc chips you have in your system. The Arrow has one chip, so your processing power will me limited to that. None of the plugins in the included package are very dsp heavy except for the 610B but you'd likely only be using that on the way with their Console software (you'll need to learn to use their Console software if you're going to use the 610 preamp emulation on the way in).

The only time limits associated with UAD plugins are the demo periods. Any plugin can be demoed for 14 days but all demos reset after a purchase, so you can demo something multiple times before making up your mind. There is no expiration on the plugins that come with the Arrow.

[KevWind]

I would tend to agree with Jim
I don't think going from one entry level interface to another per se, will accomplish all that much improvement . Me I would wait until I was ready to make a major interface upgrade. OR perhaps think more about either an outboard mic pre, or better mic/s

Also In todays world the bundled plugins with the major DAWs are pretty good

Studio One's bundled plugins are very usable. If it were me I might look at the specific plugins I use and perhaps think about adding one or two specific 3rd party plugs like the LiquidSonics Seventh Heaven reverb https://www.liquidsonics.com/software/seventh-heaven/

[Cocobolo Kid]

The UA plugins are good, but I had lots of Windows 8 driver issues with their hardware. UA's technical support was the worst I have ever experienced. I sold all my UA hardware and plugins.

Subsequently, I found equally as good plugins at Plugin Alliance, and you can try every plugin they make for only $25 a month.
https://www.plugin-alliance.com
I am not affiliated with them, just a happy customer.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by KevWind

If it were me I might look at the specific plugins I use and perhaps think about adding one or two specific 3rd party plugs like the LiquidSonics Seventh Heaven reverb https://www.liquidsonics.com/software/seventh-heaven/

SeventhHeaven is wonderful and in a different way, the UAD Capitol Chambers is also wonderful. I wouldn't want to be without either. But one doesn't need a UAD interface to use Capitol Chambers. A satellite would be sufficient.

Originally Posted by Cocobolo Kid

The UA plugins are good, but I had lots of Windows 8 driver issues with their hardware. UA's technical support was the worst I have ever experienced. I sold all my UA hardware and plugins.

Driver issues seem to come with the territory where Windows PCs are concerned but plenty of people are using UAD interfaces without issues. Sometimes two things won't play together nicely. I'm currently going through that with a piece of gear. I haven't posted about it yet because it's not yet concluded, but I'll probably know the end result next week and tell the tale.

My experiences with UA tech support have been few but positive and they've been years in the past. That said, I know it's a mixed bag and I don't doubt you've had bad experiences with them. I don't think the bad experiences are consistent though because I've also heard people give glowing reviews. "Inconsistent" may be the way to describe it.

Originally Posted by Cocobolo Kid

Subsequently, I found equally as good plugins at Plugin Alliance, and you can try every plugin they make for only $25 a month.
https://www.plugin-alliance.com
I am not affiliated with them, just a happy customer.

Another thumbs-up for Plugin Alliance. They have some very good plugins and I've purchased many over the years. They also run some excellent sales at various time where you can pick up top shelf plugins on the very cheap.

[dnf777]

Thanks all. Decided to stick with studio one and its bundle for now. Still much to learn before upgrading.