Universal Audio release Arrow bus-powered interface

Published 16/1/18
Portable 2-in, 4-out Thunderbolt 3 audio interface out now

Universal Audio have announced a brand new audio interface: the Arrow, a portable 2-in/4-out device for macOS and Windows that’s entirely bus-powered. The fact that it’s bus powered is pretty significant as up until now UA’s most portable interface, the Apollo Twin required an external power supply.

The new Arrow features many of the advantages of UA’s Apollo interface range, including 24-bit/192kHz A-D/D-A conversion, Unison preamp modelling technology and real-time UAD plug-in processing. With a price of $499, the Arrow also looks like the most affordable way to access these proprietary features, whether you plan to use it on the move or not.

Universal Audio have already enjoyed considerable success with their compact Apollo Twin interfaces, and while the Arrow is another wedge-shaped desktop device it’s equally likely to find itself in the front pocket of a laptop bag. Like the Twin, the Arrow features a large level knob, switchable to control either preamp or monitor levels, with clear metering and a row of dedicated function buttons. There’s a high-impedance instrument input and a headphone output on the front of the wedge, with a pair of combi jack/XLR mic/line inputs and a pair of balanced line outputs at the rear.

Unlike the Twin, there’s no digital audio I/O and, with no Duo or Quad option available, you’re limited to a UAD-2 Solo Core processor, but that should still provide enough DSP muscle to cater for two-channel tracking and mixing using multiple UAD plug-ins. The Realtime Analogue Classic bundle is included, featuring 14 UAD plug-ins ranging from preamps, compressors and EQs to delay, reverb and amp modelling. On top of that, the Arrow is available immediately.

https://www.uaudio.com/audio-interfaces/arrow.html