[Doc Mixwell]

Originally Posted by treewhispers

Hi,

I have searched for hours for informations if the apogee duet can be used as standalone pre-amp/converter device (just powered by firewire but on a PC).

The Apogee Duet is, unfortunately, a Mac only product.

I KNOW officially you need a Mac to get access to the menue and use this as an sound-device and I don`t have a mac.
but I have hope! my hope ist, that at least the preamps and in-/outputs could work in the normal mode (stock settings) as soon as this thing is connected to a firewire-port (no matter if MAC or PC, cause its firewire!?).
(some options like choosing the active channel and the gain you can access directly via the wheel)

You need a Macintosh to operate this device, as it is a buss powered converter and has no internal power supply, so using it as "stand alone" really cannot be done either way, with a Mac or without a Mac. It was designed to interface with the Mac OS, and Logic, as well as other Core Audio [Mac OS] Audio Programs.

then I would need a tool to send the converted signal from the apogee to the digital-In of a soundcard to bypass the converter in the soundcard ( I got an E-MU 1212)! but maybe this doesn`t exist `cause the apogee didn`t have I/Os.... ;-( an I guess converting a signal twice doesn`t work out well.Building a MAC?
ok, I could built a "mac" with some compatible components like intel-processor, mainboard and so on. if you guys have any ideas building a cheap mac-system please let me know. some patched versions of macs OS work on those systems.

Why don't you just get a device that will operate with your chosen DA Workstation. There are COUNTLESS devices that will work with a PC, such as PCI [e] cards, USB devices, FW devices. If you have a PC, and want a similar device; as the Duet, there is the Sound Devices USBpre, which is a very high quality device for professional location engineers. It has the features you need over USB with your PC.

so this is much trouble just because it seems to be such a good deal, that you get good preamps/conversion for just 500-600 bucks but it`s really unfair towards PC-users and gives the mac user an "audio-quality monopol" in this typical homerecording price range. but I hope [B]I`m wrong and there are real PC-alternatives to the apogge duet in the same price range.

You might be able to find a Mini-Me with FW on the used market, which supports both platforms that'd be an option for you, of course it's only half the box the Duet is. Yes, its true Apogee Makes products geared towards Mac OS, and if we keep telling them to produce dual platform products [which they already do with FW in the higher end converter systems] they just might listen. The Duet/Ensemble interfaces are Mac only, because the design takes into consideration the integration of software programs and audio drivers. In the end; there are other options out there for you; I think its just you won't find them where you are looking.

I got a E-MU 1212m. the converters are claimed to be good (mastering-grade) - ist this right?

I would not suspect that device to be of "professional mastering grade", but it will record audio.

because people spend much more on stand-alone converters and some say there are worlds between this and the cheaper converters, some say the improvement isn`t really there.
and concerning the apogee everyone seems to like the sound of the whole unit (pre-amps AND conversion).
I just need at least ONE good converter that is an audible improvement towards the E-MU 1212.

I hear an improvement with higher quality converters; as they have better analog electronics. The Digital Side of these boxes might be there; [even with your EMU box, but when a company downgrades [or cheapens] the analog electronics, the quality of the conversion suffers greatly. Regardless of what anyone says; the jury won't be out until you demo/listen/use these things under real world applications, with your equipment, and your music, so you can come to an educated conclusion about the end result.

on the other hand I need a good pre-amp. I hav rent a crane song flamingo, which is a good sounding unit, far better than a vtb-1 cheapo of course. I also tried an EHX 12ay7 which colored the sound too much with the stock tubes.
I just need a decent pre-amp that don`t add so much of its own to the music but that did sound neutral in a musical way!
I have read much about this topic and [B]I`d like to know if there are besides the apogee duet other good preamps in the same price-range?

Sound Devices USBpre [comparable, yet not comparable]

I have read good thing on the pre-amp quality of the onyx satellite (same preamp-quality like in a onyx 1212 but a mono signal gets panned hard right/left thru one channel and u have to use the inserts to get the uncoverted signal...)
then the M-AUDIO DMP-3, that should be very clear and neutral, also the old goldmike BUT [B]I don`t like to spend 500-600 bucks on a preamp alone if the apogee duet cost as well and delivers good preams AND conversion!so does anyone have a suggestion for a good audio-card, converter unit AND a good preamp? maybe a 2 in 1 solution: PCI-card with integrated preamps.
this problem drives me really crazy!

I would also suggest the Lynx L22 PCI card, and pairing it with the FMR RNP. Might be a little more than your budget, but worth saving for.