Shootouts – Recording Club

Apogee VS. Universal Audio

Introduction

In the last two decades, many companies rushed to meet the demand for audio interfaces. Subsequently, we now have a huge selection of interfaces to choose from. While many low to mid-range interfaces share almost identical features, we’d like to have a close look at two audio interface companies that many would argue stand out from the rest.

Apogee

Apogee began it’s venture into the audio market by creating filters and digital analogue converters for CD players. Shortly afterwards, their specialization was developing converters for audio recording. In the early 2000s Apple asked Apogee to create a high-quality audio interface for the Mac. This interface was the Duet Firewire that paved the way for future audio interfaces including two more iterations of the Duet plus their flagship Symphony MK2 that exists in many high-end studios today.

Universal Audio

Universal Audio was famous for creating analogue gear such as microphone preamps and compressors. Their equipment could be seen in early analogue studios of the 70s and are still made today. In the 2000s, UA spread their wings and started venturing into the digital realm with their DSP enabled plugin cards and shortly afterwards, their Apollo and Volt audio interfaces. The Apollos are hardware DSP enabled and include excellent software control.

Apogee VS. Universal Audio. Which is Better?

Universal Audio definitely wins hands-down for interface design (software and hardware) which is probably why you see them in many studios. Their skeuomorphic UI console software is a dream to use as an audio engineer because it resembles existing analogue hardware. Their plugins sound fantastic and the DSP enabled Apollos are great for recording with these plugins in real-time. For example, being able to hear a guitar amp simulation plugin while recording perfectly dry is a valuable resource for guitar players looking to re-amp their guitar tones.

While Apogee might not be at par with UA’s comittment in many of the aforementioned areas, they do specialize in analogue to digital conversion which could translate to better sounding recordings. When it comes to recording, many could argue that in the end, it’s really about the sound. So who can make a better sounding interface – Universal Audio or Apogee? You be the judge!

Below are two multimedia playback decks. Use the picklist to select which items you would like to compare and click the ” START/ STOP ” button to listen. Click the “Compare” button to switch between the two sound sources to hear the differences.

Item A

(Select)

(Paused)

Item B

(Select)

Which audio interface sounds better?

Interface A

Interface B

No Difference
Universal Audio SD-1 vs the Shure SM7B

The SM7B Rise to FAME

The Shure SM7B large diaphragm dynamic microphone is probably one of the most commonly seen microphone on social media today. Its adoption exploded during COVID when many took to influencing and other types of work-at-home ventures. It was originally invented in 1973 for broadcasting applications and was based on the unidyne element invented in 1939 which has seen several revisions since.

While the SM7B certainly has the history, does that necessarily mean it is the best broadcast microphone? Does it live up to the hype brought by its presence in social media?

increased competition

Since the time of COVID, many other companies have tried to enter the broadcast market with their own broadcast microphone in an attempt to get a slice of this market. One such company is Universal Audio, who has a rich history of fantastic analogue hardware and more recently, digital hardware with their Apollo and Volt audio interfaces.

In 2023 Universal Audio released a series of microphones to expand their product line. This series included the SD-1 broadcast microphone which looked similar to the Shure SM7B with the exception of location of the XLR output and yoke, and of course, the white painted chassis. Clearly the SD-1 was created to compete with the Shure SM7B.

SM7B vs. SD-1: Which Sounds Better?

The one clear benefit of the SM7B is the less intrusive XLR output that routes the microphone cable parallel to the stand connection. When using the microphone at a desk, this a welcomed feature. Interestingly, this is the only broadcast microphone that has this feature. However, don’t forget that the number one qualifier of a great microphone is sound quality. This begs the question:

Does the Universal Audio SD1 sound better than the Shure SM7B?

Shootout: SM7B vs. SD-1

Below are two multimedia playback decks. Use the picklist to select which items you would like to compare and click the ” START/ STOP ” button to listen. Click the “Compare” button to switch between the two sound sources to hear the differences.

Item A

(Select)

(Paused)

Item B

(Select)

Which microphone sounds better? The names of the microphones will be revealed after you vote.

Microphone A

Microphone B
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1. Shane Gore on Universal Audio SD-1 vs the Shure SM7BMay 16, 2025
  I’m surprised the SD1 sounds so much better yet the SM7B is so much more common.