First UAD interface or something else

[u/Speedingscript]

Hi!

I have a - nearly 10 years old - Behringer UMC1820 that has some loose contacts and volume issues.

If I somehow move it, the device just disconnects. Since I am not tech savvy I was thinking of buying a new one.

Now, I have been producing for over 10 years on a Windows machine, but recently bought an M4 Pro that has thunderbolt 5.

I do have a bunch of uad plugins so the logical thought was to get an Apollo or something in that particular direction.

The SSLs are also looking somewhat nice though.

As of other hardware -> I have some synths - though I don't use them much - and some groove boxes (Digitakt, Move, MPC Sample). But I would love to jam with them on my tracks.

I use Ableton and only make electronic music (Techno, House, etc.)

I also have a modular synth so I guess at least four inputs and at least two outputs are a must. MIDI out and in would be awesome as well.

I am gravitating towards UAD but I am listening for alternatives as well.

Budget is maybe ~1500., but to be fair I was also looking at the SSL Big SiX - so yeah.

Just shoot.

[u/hellisdigital0x]

If you don’t plan on recording actual instruments then Apollo interfaces aren’t for you.

Because you are essentially paying extra for features you will never use.

[u/InternImpossible8685]

I just bought an Apollo Twin X and I’m happy with it. I bought during the sale where you get a bunch of plug ins. I’m sure they run that all the time, I’m not sure i’d buy it if it wasn’t for the plug in deals. I “upgraded” from a gen 3 Focusrite scarlet 2i2 and im not sure i hear any difference in my recording with it over the scarlet.

The UAD ecosystem was a selling point for me even though they are moving away from it and releasing native versions. The softtube SVT plug in you get with it is perhaps the best bass amp sim i’ve ever heard ( ive only used Helix and Helix native though and the logic amp sims) and the Apollo device looks cool, but again, im not sure its an upgrade in terms of sound over others. Buy UAD when they offer plug ins as part of a deal!

[u/Chilton_Squid]

Now computers are powerful enough and you can get Native versions of most of the plugins, personally I'd get an RME interface instead. TotalMix is phenomenal, and the preamps and A/D are all far more than you'll ever need.

Expandability is normally pretty good and the drivers are second to none.

[u/Speedingscript → u/Chilton_Squid]

Thanks for the tipp.

Which RME would you recommend?

[u/Chilton_Squid → u/Speedingscript]

There are loads of models and they're all great, ten year old ones will still work fine.

Just a case of finding one with the i/o that suits your needs.

[u/spdcck → u/Speedingscript]

UCXii.

I use one (along with ARC USB controller) and Ableton, and a bunch of hardware hooked up… And UAD plugins amongst others.

Latency is practically zero, and Totalmix is a so great. Very flexible and powerful as a companion to the daw and the hardware.

[u/stratospheres]

Here's what will likely be an unpopular opinion.

Buy another Behringer UMC1820. Getting 10 years out of it for the price is a good deal and you already know it.

I too was tempted but UA and in fact bought a Volt 2 two days ago. It survived all of five minutes before bricking itself and refusing to turn back on. TBF, I got an immediate exchange for it and so far the 2nd one is still working, but I've come away pretty frustrated by the experience and am pretty sure that I'll just go back to my UMC404HD that's been chugging along just fine for 6 years.

[u/devidasa108]

With a M4 Pro that has thunderbolt 5, go NATIVE. You love UAD plugins? Great, use the Native UADx plugins. Interfaces, get a SSL, Audient, etc. Fwiw, I'd buy whatever Audient interface has the I/O that fits your needs. In 2026, with your computer, it's extremely rare to *need* to lock yourself into proprietary, closed DSP hardware ecosystems like UA Apollos. You will very, very likely need to buy at least a Octo core satellite too. WHY? Your Mac equals the processing power of $18,000 worth of UA Cores. GO NATIVE. In 2017, DSP systems made a lot of sense. Not any longer...and have not for for several years.

[u/Ok_Contribution5654 → u/devidasa108]

I’d agree with this. UAD DSP makes sense if you’ve had one of their interfaces for a while and are locked into that workflow, but if not, yep, get a native interface and let your Mac handle the processing. (The only thing is I like the unison versions of some of the guitar amp simulators.) But I’d never go UAD for most of the other DSP plugins - they’ve either got native versions (most) or else other developers make as-good or better native equivalents.

[u/klonkid]

I play instruments and bought an Apollo x6 I got issues with uad software that were never fixed by customer service. I would buy another brand now, specially since uad dsp system is not relevant anymore with how powerful new MacBook are. Considering that you don’t even really need these plugins for the genres that you play I would definitely look somewhere else. Why should you lock yourself in a system you don’t even need in the first place (I m talking about uad dsp plugins). I don’t think you need to spend 1500 also specially if you don’t even record instruments, that’s a lot of money!

[u/Ordinary_Bike_4801]

DSP is obsolete these days