Universal Audio Release Thunderbolt Drivers For Windows 10. Posted on November 3, 2016 November 3, 2016 by Neil Hester. Apollo 8p, Apollo 16 MkII, Apollo Twin Thunderbolt, UAD-2 Satellite Thunderbolt, and first-generation silver Apollo/Apollo 16 models equipped with a Thunderbolt Option Card).
Hello there,
I have got difficulties with my ApoIlo twin mk2 ThunderboIt device.
Im a Windows user and I wish that somebody had the exact same problems and can help me.
When I make use of the UAD driver (1024 Examples) I obtain very large problems (Sound dropouts) at my stresstest project(and on the various other tasks that issue), while when I make use of the internal Realtek soundcard (850 Examples) of my Notebook computer I obtain much better results (Probably 5-10% of the Dropouts from the UAD driver).
One problem I discovered out is, that when thé Realtek Asio drivér will be energetic, my personal computer goes upward to 90% CPU usage, while when thé UAD driver is active, the Processor usage is usually at 50-60% maximum.
Im creating for one month with the UAD Support and it seems they cant help me:/
So may one of you guys.
Kind Respect,
EIias
What l did:
Home windows reinstallation
Drivers reinstallation, Apollo Thunderbolt Mk2 reset to zero
Changed Bios settings like Speedstep.
Changed Battery settings.
Set up:
Alienware 15 ur4 with Intel i7 8750H.
Apollo twin mk2 Quad
mac pc thunderbolt cable connection
As a confirmed Windows Pro Tools user I've looked on with slight be jealous of at some of the peripherals that possess traditionally only been accessible to Mac pc customers. If there provides happen to be a Windows edition it offers generally only been FireWire, and that presents problems for laptop computer customers.
So it has been excellent to observe Universal Audio launch the USB3 variations of some of their DSP Accelerators and Audio Interfaces. I've happen to be delivered an Apollo Twin USB3 and a Satellite television Octo USB3 to possess a have fun with with, specifically on Windows.
Very first Opinions
What I'michael about to state shouldn't issue at all, but as part of the overall owner experience it's really essential. The packaging and demonstration is outstanding. It reminds me of the product packaging for the 1st iPhones - sturdy and stunning, along with excellent safety for the unit inside. It gives you self-confidence in the models from the moment you open up them. As I said, it shouldn't matter at all, but general it does for some reason.
Both systems have got a decent weight and wonderful build quality. I have got one minimal issue with the Satellite though. The external power supply plugs in to the Satellite television using a quite durable 4-flag XLR, which nowadays is certainly a fairly proprietary connection. If your PSU had been ever to fall short or you forgot it, it's not the sort of issue you'd end up being capable to rapidly source from your nearest consumer electronics store. The Apollo Double utilizes the significantly more common power jack as utilized on numerous devices.
On Home windows 10 Professional, this had been a overall breeze, simply needing a restart after running the installers. Windows acknowledges the audio interface, and then also the DSP ( two in the Apollo and eight in the Satellite television ) as two models of Westlake processors. Once the drivers are set up, it views it as a pair of Audio DSP Accelerators.
Native VS DSP
As I mainly use Pro Tools for posting production rather than buy, I believed it would be best to check how much UAD DSP plugins fill the host system, vs identical plugins in their AAX64 Native form. A variant on the traditional D-Verb check. For this I decided to go with the Sonnox Inflator plugin, as I experienced it on both platforms.
I got 24 mono audio songs at 48KHz 24bit, each with a -20dN 1KHz tone cut and after that four situations of Inflator, producing a total of 96 situations. I turned up the effect regulates to maximum, and measured the weight on the sponsor system making use of the Pro Tools program meters.
What occurred next amazed me, as it seemed counter intuitive. This has been the program load making use of 96 instances of Sonnox Inflator AAX 64 Native.
Be aware - this will be during playback, as expected to the dynamic plugin source allowance in Pro Equipment 11 onwards, you get a negligible reading with playback ceased.
This was the system load making use of 96 situations of Sonnox Inflator UAD -
Five instances the web host system load!
So I got in contact with the guys at Common Sound to find what'beds heading on. Apparently, this can be straight down to the way Pro Tools moves information between Native control and any DSP, whether that's UAD, Avid HDX or the likes of SoundGrid.
The even more plugins you have got in series on a sales channel, the more 'Native to DSP to Native to DSP to Native' circular journeys the data offers to make. This is definitely very very much a stress check, which doesn't have a lot of grounding in true life circumstances, so it isn't something you'd normally have to get worried about. However if you are fond of cascading down plugins on a individual route, it might end up being something to maintain in thoughts, and it might probably be well worth sorting out an alternative workflow.
The various other thing to keep in thoughts, is that no matter what fill the UAD DSP accelerators include to your Native program, this is totally outweighed by the advantages of having the DSP acceleration.
UAD Plugins
A lot has already been composed about UAD plugins, especially in Julian Rodgers' great A-Z of UAD series, but not really a great deal has long been mentioned about their make use of in write-up production. I believe this can be partly credited to nothing of the UAD plugins becoming obtainable in true 5.1 or 7.1. I say 'true' as it can be of program now achievable to practice link multi-mono plugins, especially after Avid sorted out the stage coherency problems that used to can be found with multi-mono plugins. This will be more helpful for mechanics (though with the connecting controls accessible nowadays not so much of an advantage), but with reverbs it's a little bit of a deal breaker.
This means that the plugins have to be utilized in either mono, stereo system or multi-mono, before becoming sent around the surround room. When you're talking object centered mixing like as Dolby Atmos, this will be actually an benefit as there is not so much coach dynamic range control and more of an in-line workflow.
My Most liked UAD Plugins
The UAD AMS RMX16 and UAD Lexicon 224.
I got the satisfaction of getting both these as equipment around 15 decades ago, linked to an earlier AMS Neve DFC. Mainly because soon as I fired up these two plugins, happy thoughts of their audio came water damage back. To me the AMS constantly sounded a little brittle, which could become a real benefit in the right circumstances, and the Lexicon has been always attractively hot, but as with the AMS, extremely versatile. Hearing to these plugins produced the hairs on my neck of the guitar stand up - lovely!
The UAD Oxford EQ.
After my time at the DFC service arrived to an finish around 2002, I had been lowered in the serious finish of 'in-the-box' fixed bit level mixing. This has been in the era of Professional Tools 5. Sony Oxford plugins were the closest I could find to the attractive EQs on the AMS Neve DFC. Not really only much nicer to look at than the stock plugins, their user interface has been far more intuitive to me, and appeared to become doing specifically what it mentioned it was doing on the display - a unique benefit over various other plugins of the day time! The UAD Oxford provides the same convenience of use and exact same easy audio as the TDM versions I keep in mind.
The UAD Oxford Limiter
![Apollo Twin Driver Apollo Twin Driver](/uploads/1/2/4/9/124902402/998933122.jpg)
The various other function I actually skipped from the DFC has been the incredible dynamics area. Digidesign'beds share compressor / limiter at the period sounded nasty, Maxim has been just daunting and the often included Focusrite compressor has been nowhere close to as flexible or clear as the Neve. This has been furthermore in the darkish days of 'volume wars', therefore having a good dynamics area was vital.
I had been starting to despair until I found the Sony Oxford characteristics plugins. Once again they emerged the closest to the transparency and convenience of make use of of the Neve. Today they possess up to date the features to consist of true peak limiting. Simply enable the 'Car Compensation' function, and the plugin will enable an extra processing phase which dynamically adjusts accurate peak activities that breach the threshold that you desire. I possess tested this and it does indeed function. Examining with Sonnox, they possess the Sixth is v2 AAX Oxford Limiter in advancement, which will have True Top limiting ability, and hope to have got it launched in the end finish of this season. For the instant, the just way to get a True peak limiting Oxford Limiter, can be on the UAD platform.
Apollo Twin USB3
This is definitely a '2x6' user interface with built-in UAD-2 DUO control. Other functions include.
- Realtime UAD Control
- USB 3 connection for Windows-based techniques
- Unison™ technologies for stunning versions of traditional mic preamps and stompboxes
- Includes UAD-2 DUO DSP Processing onboard
- 2 mic/line preamps
- 2 line outs
- front-panel Hi-Z device insight
- front-panel headphone result
- Electronically managed analog monitor outputs
- Includes “Realtime Analog Classics” UAD plug-in package
- Works UAD Powered Plug-Ins via VST, RTAS amp; AAX64 in all main DAWs
While the Satellite television Octo will be just a 'black box' that could end up being located anyplace in your setup, the Apollo Double is extremely much made as a tactile control surface with IO effortlessly available. Whilst this is certainly great for saving on the move, in a recording studio atmosphere I've found that lengthy term having audio I/O, power and data leads arriving up to your work region can be an irritation. That'beds simply my viewpoint even though.
The Apollo Double appears to become mainly for make use of in a one room, personal record situation. While you can expand the inputs making use of ADAT optical, you cannot broaden the outputs in the same way.
I've carried out extensive Abdominal listening tests against my RME Fireface 802, and I was hard pushed to inform the difference. On earphones I can identify a slight extra high end glow on the Apollo, but it's extremely subjective.
Universal Audio have put a digitally controlled analogue attenuator on the monitor outputs. This indicates that until the quantity control, your audio is usually at complete level, taking full benefit of whatever bit depth you are usually functioning at. Obtained wisdom says that if you reduce quantity in the digital domains, you furthermore by advantage of maths, decrease resolution. I must be getting aged and my ears probably a bit put on, but again I've been recently hard pressed to tell the distinction. Various other interfaces I have got compared to my RME possess been significantly different, indeed worse in my viewpoint, so I can just watch this as a great issue.
What I perform like a great deal though is usually that all the controls on the Apollo are usually 'soft' - you don't control the mic get or the headphone degree with a bodily pot. Not really only will this trim down on the possibility of component failing, but all the controls are furthermore accessible on the General Audio System software, which gives you considerably better versatility as to where you can find the main device and allows you to store setup snapshots.
The UAD USB3 System
Universal Sound's USB3 program allows up to six sets of DSP accelerators to be used at one time, if you possess good enough USB3 ports. Unlike Thunderbolt, USB3 does not enable daisy chaining.
At the period of composing there are usually no Macintosh motorists for the USB3 devices, and there are no Windows drivers for the Thunderbolt gadgets. This means that if you require to move your session from one system to another you have got to have got both sorts of equipment. Because I use my MacBook Professional for my mobile function, it indicates I wouldn't end up being capable to open my classes that I've happen to be doing on my Home windows system, on the move. Mind you, as none of them of the interfaces are bus driven, this in itself restricts the cellular possibilities.
There are also so much no Common Sound USB3 interfaces that move beyond stereo procedure. For Home windows customers you are restricted to the FireWire Apollo. FireWire is almost completely extinct now on Windows machines and indeed Macs without an adapter, and certainly not really a 'stock' choice. It is definitely also function limited likened to Thunderbolt.
Summary
I'michael critiquing these in the context of making use of them for Blog post Manufacturing, as that is definitely my main series of work, and the huge bulk of the last 26 decades of my living.
In music recording and blending, this can be more frequently than not enclosed to one facility. Whether you're saving using the actual time refinement, or blending making use of the UAD plugins, that combine or session often remains in the exact same space.
In Posting we already perform an awful great deal of collaboration, indicating that our sessions require to end up being able to open very easily in a range of configs. This is definitely what's therefore excellent about iLoks and Indigenous handling.
Third celebration DSP offers a really hard period getting founded. I frequently start mixes in one recording studio and complete them in another, frequently on a different system. It'h good enough of a job looking at that the some other studios have the right edition of Professional Equipment, the right version of plugins and good enough HDX credit cards (if applicable), without getting to rely furthermore on them having the same third celebration DSP. While I can obviously commit the plugins using Pro Tools 12 it nevertheless limits compatibility and flexibility.
Surround ability will be another point that I'd like Universal Audio to deal with. While I said that in-line processing could be an advantage in immersive systems such as Dolby Atmos, we still possess to end up being able to create 7.1.2 'furniture', for which there are some excellent but processor starving plugins obtainable. If UAD could somehow slot the loves of Nugen Halo, Rapid Audio PhoenixVerb or any of the Audio Ease reverbs, that would become a excellent benefit for 'exterior' DSP, for post production customers.
The Universal Audio equipment is nicely constructed and noises great, as do the plugins. For my own utilization, I would have got to restrict my use of UAD plugins and hardware to tasks that I know are just going to remain within my own studio. Some project based or 'one halt store' amenities might become able to accommodate this workflow, but for the instant it doesn't match in to mine.
There are certain issues, like cascading running and interfaces, that are possible making use of Thunderbolt, but not really possible using USB3. As factors stand, there provides been more growth of the Thunderbolt standard for Apple computers than right now there has been for Windows. That's not really to state it's difficult, it's i9000 simply that as Apple company acquired a mind start, they are usually ahead in conditions of driver support for Thunderbolt. Right now that Microsoft have got attracted a collection under older operating techniques, there is usually renewed hope that much better Thunderbolt assistance will end up being coming.
Universal Sound didn'capital t loan me a Thunderbolt device to discover if I could obtain it working on my Home windows Thunderbolt setup. If anyone can lend me a Thunderbolt Apollo 8 I'll enjoyably test it out!
If you're an specifically Windows consumer, doing plenty of live life saving, or also an designer seeking to become capable to monitor with plugins on the move, after that the Common Audio USB3 system would become well well worth a appearance at. The advantages over the hardware equivalents are numerous, and by like a keep track of handle on the Apollo, Common Audio possess made a really neat one box answer.