We are giving away a stunning audio interface and modelling microphone bundle from Universal Audio, worth a combined £3200$3500!
Universal Audio were founded in 1958 by renowned recording engineer Bill Putnam Sr to manufacture recording gear, with one of their earliest products being the now legendary 610 valve preamplifier. The brand remains in the Putnam family today, and as well as producing world‑famous analogue equipment, introduced the pioneering UAD digital processing platform, which has been in constant development since the original UAD1 PCI card was launched in 2001.
For this month’s exclusive SOS competition, we’re giving you the chance to win a complete Universal Audio recording bundle, comprising the very latest UAD-equipped audio interface, as well as UA’s flagship modelling microphone.
The Prize
The Apollo x4 Gen 2 Thunderbolt interface boasts the highest-resolution A-D/D-A conversion of any UA interface ever, and sports four of UA’s acclaimed Unison preamps. As well as offering outstanding technical specifications, the Unison preamps can work with UA’s legendary DSP technology to accurately emulate classic input stages on gear from the likes of Neve, Manley, API and Fender, to name just a few.
With its onboard QUAD Core DSP engine, the Apollo x4 Gen 2 allows access to faithful recreations of legendary analogue gear from Ampeg, Marshall, Helios, Pultec, Fairchild, Teletronix, UA and many more, courtesy of the most flexible UAD technology to date. You can use these emulations either directly in your DAW, or via UA’s latency‑free Console front end, which in addition to providing a flexible and professional digital mixing platform with world-class emulations, also integrates Sonarworks’ industry-leading room and headphone correction system.
The lucky winner will also receive Universal Audio’s flagship modelling microphone, the Sphere DLX. So, as well as all the outboard emulations you’ll ever need, you also get access to the sound of classic mics used by everyone from the Beatles to Beyoncé, including models by Neumann, Telefunken, AKG, Sony and more.
The microphone itself is a premium dual‑diaphragm design, which lets you record the outputs of both front and rear‑facing diaphragms discretely. This allows it to not only model the sound of legendary microphones, but also their polar patterns — and even change the polar pattern after recording. Furthermore, it also means that you can vary the off‑axis response, and even the degree of proximity effect, for a unique degree of post-production flexibility. So whether it’s cardioid or figure‑8 mics you need, or the sound of classic capacitor, dynamic or ribbon microphones, the Sphere DLX will have you covered.
The Apollo x4 Gen 2 allows access to faithful recreations of legendary analogue gear from Ampeg, Marshall, Helios, Pultec, Fairchild, Teletronix, UA and many more...
How To Enter
To be in with a chance of winning this incredible studio hardware and software bundle, simply answer all the questions on this page and submit your entry by Friday 4th July 2025. Good luck!
Prizes kindly donated by Universal Audio.
Competition Rules
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Only one entry per person is permitted.
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In entering this competition, you confirm that you are aged 18 years or older.
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By submitting your entry, you agree to supply Sound On Sound and the Prize Donors with a photograph of you and the prize(s) plus some words about what it means to you to win the great prizes. You give your permission for this to be used on each company's website, in email newsletter announcements and/or on their social media channels. Your name will be abbreviated to first name, last initial plus your town/city/country, eg. WINNER: Lewis H, London, UK.
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In submitting your entry, if you win you agree NOT TO RESELL the Prize(s) within 12 months.
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Please DO NOT ENTER if you do not agree to these terms.
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Employees of SOS Publications Group, Universal Audio and their immediate families are not permitted to take part.
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No cash alternative is available in lieu of the stated prize(s).
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The competition organisers reserve the right to change the specification of the prize(s) on offer; or offer you an alternative prize of similar value.
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The SOS judges' decision is final and legally binding, and no correspondence will be entered into.
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No other correspondence is to be included with competition entries.
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Please ensure that you give your DAYTIME telephone number on your entry form.
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Prize winners must be prepared to make themselves available in the event that the Prize Donors wish to make a personal presentation [this rarely happens].
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The winning entrant(s) name and country will be made available upon request.