So Avid got their Thunderbolt HD Native box to market first but now Universal Audio have announced they are shipped a Thunderbolt Option Card for their Apollo interface so enabling Thunderbolt technology on the Apollo DUO and QUAD Audio Interfaces on Thunderbolt-equipped Macs.
It is compatible with Intel’s new Thunderbolt technology on the latest generation of iMacs, MacBook Pros, MacBook Airs, and Mac minis, the Thunderbolt Option Card provides greater UAD plug-in instances, improved performance at higher sample rates, and reduced UAD plug-in latency versus Apollo’s standard FireWire connection.
“We’re really excited to be the first company to provide true integrated Thunderbolt connectivity in the audio interface market,” says UA CEO and Founder, Bill Putnam, Jr. “We’ve worked hand-in-hand with Intel to create rock-solid Thunderbolt connectivity for Apollo, and we are looking forward to seeing the impact this important step forward has on the digital recording community.”
The Thunderbolt Option Card can be installed by the user by sliding the card into the expansion bay of Apollo and includes two Thunderbolt ports. Bus power is provided to all downstream Thunderbolt peripherals, allowing users to connect devices in series with the Apollo interface — including hard drives, processors, and computer.
Now this is the killer feature for me. When the Thunderbolt Option Card is engaged, Apollo’s FireWire 800 ports are instantly reconfigured as a hub for connecting FireWire devices.