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Over a four-decade-long career, Detroit legend Kevin Saunderson has seen and sampled his fair share of technology, so when he brings a piece of gear into his studio, it’s pretty much guaranteed to be top-shelf.
Having used Universal Audio’s Apollo interfaces for a while now, it was time to find out what his experience with them has been like, so we sat down with Kevin for a chat where he told us why he chose them in the first place, how they impact his workflow, and answered the big question of how their plug-in collections compare to the analog hardware they emulate.
Tell us about your current studio setup.
Where do I start? [Laughs] I use SSL controllers – I don't have an actual console – if I want the touch and feel of knobs, kind of the old days, right?
Then I have two of the Universal Audio Apollo interfaces – one of the older ones, and the x16, which is a newer model with 16 channels.
In terms of synthesizers, I have the Waldorf Quantum, a Sub 37, a Moog Muse, a PolyBrute 12, and a Super Gemini. I also have a Roland TR-1000 drum machine, a Hum Audio LAAL look-ahead analog limiter, and a TheoryBoard, which is a type of MIDI controller.
Then, for my DJ setup, I have the new Pioneer CDJ-3000s and a pair of ATC SCM45s with matching 12" subwoofers. That’s just a part of what I have.
What drew you to the Universal Audio Apollo x16 interface?
I come from a time of creating music in an analog world, and what drew me to the x16 is that it’s a great bridge between that and [the benefits of a digital workflow]. It has all the functionality of the gear of the past, but it’s faster; the amount of channels you can put in is great, and it really helps with latency too.
When I started using computers, the equipment had a lot of latency, especially when it came to plug-ins. You would hit a limit in Ableton or whatever DAW you were using – you were going to get that latency – and the x16 really helps cut that down, especially when you're doing vocals.
I can set up my plug-ins, especially for vocals and stuff, so they're ready to go. You can save different setups too, which makes me think about old days, like with the SSL, where they could save different configurations, and the board can come back up how you want it.
Also, I'm a futurist, so I'm always dabbling in whatever new technology there is.
What are some of your favorite features of the x16?
The conversion quality is really good! It's very warm, and it also gives you that feeling of being on a board compared to certain DAWs. I'm very impressed with it.
The monitoring accuracy is impressive too – it sounds great and clean. Of course, a lot depends on your room too, and how it’s treated, but in general, it’s very accurate, definitely.
What do you think of the routing flexibility?
There's too much flexibility in a way; it's endless, it seems! [Laughs] I keep my routing quite basic, but I work with other engineers, and a lot of times, when I'm traveling or touring, or when I have them come into my studio and tweak something or do something, they may configure it a different way, and it becomes more complex, but it works smoothly. Between both of these units, the Apollo has endless capabilities.
How have the Apollo interfaces impacted your workflow?
Being able to connect to Ableton and cut down on latency has helped my workflow greatly. For instance, I can record vocals or live instruments, plug in all my synths, have my compressors ready – set things up in a main template of sorts, and everything is right here in front of me.
Also, all the plug-ins you get with it are great. I don’t use them all, but if I need to, there's always a plug-in to conquer what I'm trying to achieve.
What do you think of the UAD plug-ins and how do they compare to analog hardware?
Things have come a long way! They’re very acceptable. The reason I started using the UAD plug-ins more is because they sounded closest to analog and imitated it in the best possible way. They’re definitely up to par.
Do you have any favorites in particular?
Yeah, I like the Classic Limiter Collection; the Teletronix LA-2A, which is a smooth, optical kind of compressor, and it's perfect after the 1176 to give vocals warmth and consistency; it’s also amazing on bass. The Pultec Passive EQ Collection is also great.
The API Vision Channel Strip is a complete console workflow with EQ, compression, gate, and filter modules for that slight analog punch; it’s great on kicks, bass, drums, and synths.
The Lexicon 224 Digital Reverb is legendary. It’s so lush, and it doesn't really wash out the mixes, so it's perfect for vocals and melodic synths. Those are a few of my favorites.
Do you take the interfaces with you on the road? How do they hold up in terms of performance?
I did, for my e-Dancer show. A lot of times I'm deejaying, and if I'm going out and doing a live show or a studio project on the road, I try to take it, if not hire one out, and it’s great. We use a main one and then use the other one for backup, just in case the system crashes or something like that. I always have two computers running the same thing, and the way my engineer sets it up, if something goes wrong with one, it will automatically go into the other sound card and the other computer kicks in. We haven’t had that happen yet, though, so that’s good.
What has it been like working with the Vintage King team over the years?
It's been great! I've been going down to the VK warehouse for years – when they had the Ferndale location, and now at the Troy location. When you go in there, you just want to buy everything! [Laughs] It’s a beautiful thing!
Ryan's been great; he's very informative and has definitely recommended some great pieces to me. He's been out to my studio a few times to give me some advice as well, and anytime I need something, he and the whole VK crew are right on it. I had a technical issue recently with my speakers, so they put me in contact with the company, and we got to dig it out, and that’s important.
Also, they’re very knowledgeable – they know about new pieces of gear that could fit into my setup because once you start working with someone [regularly], they get a visual map of the setup and what you already have.
And finally, tell us what you've been working on lately and what you’re looking forward to.
I just got finished doing an e-Dancer show with my son Dantiez – it was a live show for the Movement Music Festival – and that’s been our biggest project that we had been preparing for the last few months. We basically took the studio on stage, and we're going to do some other dates throughout Europe as well; we’ve got another one coming up at a festival in Belgium.
I've also worked on an Inner City record with Dantiez that’s coming out on Glitterbox, I believe, in September sometime. So we’re running a record label, traveling, and touring, and it's always busy.
