Technical information

Apollo Software Manual Chapter 3: Console Overview 17

Console Functions

Console enables the following functionality when used with Apollo:

• Hardware control. All of Apollo’s front panel hardware controls (except headphone

volume) can be controlled using Console, facilitating easy hardware manipulation

even if Apollo is installed in a location out of reach of the computer operator.

• Buffer-free monitoring. Using Console eliminates the latency associated with DAW

I/O buffering that makes monitoring problematic for the performer. By removing

the DAW’s “software input monitoring” feature from the monitoring signal ﬂow

altogether, the need to adjust I/O buffer sizes and latency is no longer an issue.

• Realtime UAD Processing. UAD Powered Plug-Ins can be inserted into all Console

inputs and/or auxiliary returns (within available DSP resources), for the ultimate

latency-free sonic experience while monitoring and/or tracking live performances.

All processed (or unprocessed) mix buses, including the monitor, auxiliary, and

cue buses, can be optionally routed into the DAW for recording.

• Unison. Apollo’s Unison™ technology gives you the tone of the world’s most

sought-after tube and solid state mic preamps — including their all-important

impedance, gain stage “sweet spots,” and component-level circuit behaviors.

• Send/Return Auxiliary buses. Console has two pre/post stereo aux buses, with

independent send levels per input, for grouped signal processing (conserving UAD

DSP resources) or routing to the DAW.

• Flexible cue monitor mixing. Up to four independent stereo cue mix buses are

available (two with Apollo Twin) with per-input sends to ensure individual perform-

ers are able to hear “more me” if desired. Cue mixes can be easily routed to any

available headphone or line outputs.

• Flexible signal routing. Using Console, any hardware input can be routed to avail-

able hardware outputs (Apollo & Apollo 16 only). Additionally, cue mix buses can

be optionally mirrored to available hardware outputs.

• Session management. Complete Console conﬁgurations can be saved and loaded

to/from disk as presets, for convenient and unlimited session management. Ses-

sions can also be stored/recalled within the DAW project using the Console Recall

plug-in.

Global Settings

Parameters within the Console Settings Window are available for conﬁguring various

global behaviors:

• Hardware. Global interface settings such as sample rate, clock source, reference

levels, and digital output mirroring.

• Software. Global software settings for Console such as metering and plug-in win-

dow behaviors.

• Flex Driver. This powerful feature enables customized signal routing and I/O nam-

ing at the Core Audio driver level. Custom driver routing tables can be saved and

recalled as presets.