Better for what purpose? A preamp is a tool. The better tool depends on the job at hand and your desired outcome.

Have a read here to get some perspective: https://www.soundon…

This is the follow up article that you should read after listening to the files in the first article: https://www.soundon…

Ive not used the UA pre amp emulation on the apollo, but compared to the flat preamp on my cousins apollo rack, id give alittlr edge to the ART, subjectively, and not having comoared them side by side. I find the UA pres very medicore and the ART not a whole lot better. The ART is a very good value for the money. That said, id live with the UA pres and save a bit more money for a truly pro level pre like the focusrite ISA, or something like audient Mico. I think millenia and grace and a few others (daking?) Make a singke channel unit in the price range of the mico and isa one.

Id hate to see someone spend $300 dollars on a small improvement, when $500 can be night and day instead. Especially on something as integral as a pre amp is to the sound.

I'm with Kyle here. I had the ART next to the Apollo and the ART sounded more fun.

Mind you, the ART was in for repair and being a lot older, the interesting sound might have come with age...

You know a preamp won't transform your voice Colin, right?
Nonetheless, the more you invest, more details and/or character will be grabed from the mic and sent to your track.
I had my first AWE experience when I got my first highend mic pre the ISA. (it was an ISA Two) At the time I had a Focusrite saffire 56.
What I realised is that everyone of my mics had a slightly bump in quality with the ISA. The adjustable impedance made a big role in it with the dynamic mics.
Even my old SM57 came to life on the ISA and I would never consider it on vocals before having this preamp.
Since then I got a RME FF800, a Mitek AD96 converter and 2 old UA LA-610 which also gave me this impression I was missing on quality before. (specially with the use of the compressor on the way in)

So yeah the ART has a very good press, but it's not beating the clean +80db of the ISA ;)

Good info, thanks