Apollo vs. Scarlett when using UAFX Dream DI

[darraes0]

Hello, I have the UAFX Dream connected directly to my Scarlett 2i2. (I do have some high quality pedals in front of it). However I'm finding the sound volume very low and the quality of the tone not as great as one would expect given the sound samples and general recognition of the Dream out there.

I'm trying to figure out what is going on. Bear in mind I'm not a producer, I mostly play guitar and record simple riffs, backtracks and solos for my own entertainment. With that in mind, would upgrading to an Apollo Twin X DUO make a big different in the sound output volume and tone quality?

Also, I recently got an Ox Box and I'm connecting my Amp Heads through it. I didn't find a great sound yet, so I'm wondering what am I doing wrong..

(I assume the Scarlett in such scenario should be with the Inst option OFF as the guitar is already going through the Dream.)

Thanks in advance!

 

[bellows and brass]

I have both a scarlet and an Apollo twin, and feeding either of them a healthy line or mic level signal will produce almost identical results.
I dont have any experience with guitar so can’t tell you what difference there is between the two in that regard, but I suspect this is a cable, level, or impedance problem.
try it with inst option on. maybe turn your speakers down first, but short of some gain changes nothing bad should happen.

 

[darraes0]

Do you think it is a bad cable in a broken cable or cable quality? I do have cheap cables all over the place, but they have good reviews

• https://a.co/d/c1aHf0o
• https://a.co/d/fGTEvj4
• https://a.co/d/gOqnfXT
• https://a.co/d/gPIBatC

 

[klong]

For the Ox Box, the most ideal scenario is that you have an audio interface with an ADAT or SPDIF input, that way you are using the AD conversion in the Ox and that digital signal is going straight into your interface. If everything is hooked up right with the LINE outputs into your interface instead however, the difference would be very small, just another round of of D/A and D/A conversion.

I'm not sure which of your interface's inputs would be best for the Dream's level/impedance (Hi-Z, Line or Mic?) someone else on hear must know though.

These are both great sounding pieces of equipment though, so they aren't likely to be the weak link in your chain.

The audio quality difference between interfaces converters is pretty tiny these days. The apollo interfaces are nice though, obviously.