Apogee Duet, professional two-channel firewire audio interface for the Mac

[tengu]

Max, why did you design the duet with unbalanced outs?

It has balanced ins but only unbalanced outputs.

[mortlar]

This is great. Love that it´s so small, portable and cheap.
Questions for Max (or anyone else if you know the answers):
Will you be able to use several of these at once? (provided that you have several fw-ports available) And can you use 1 ensemble and 1 duet for 3 headphone outs with separate mixes? (And a little of topic: is it possible to use 2 ensembles together (not as stand-alone) as of today?)
Thanks a lot.
Morten

[xist]

Originally Posted by tengu

Max, why did you design the duet with unbalanced outs?

It has balanced ins but only unbalanced outputs.

Interesting question...

[kaki putih]

And another question for Max...

I have read here that there are issues with running FW audio interfaces bus-powered with the MacBook Pro... like MBP not powering up / recognizing the interface etc.

Does it work with the Duet? Has it been tested, or maybe meanwhile the whole thing has been fixed in the MBP with a firmware update or something like that?

[mortlar]

I have never had any problems with bus powered devices on the mbp. used 3-4 devices. But that´s just my 1 experience. You´ll have to wait for max for more info on testing of duet of course.

[smoore98]

This is exactly what I have been looking for. I had to take my Fireface 400 from my home system to take on the road and disconnect it from my patch bay and it was a big hassle. This looks a lot smaller and doesn't have extra stuff I don't need.

If this is anything like the release of Ensemble, it will be next June before we can actually put our hands on one though. I need one now!

I am assuming I should have no problem using with Cubase 4. It states:

"Compatible with any Core Audio-compliant audio application "

Scott

[smoore98]

Just watched the video. This is a freaking no-brainer for portable mac setups that only need to track up to two channels at a time. FINALLY!!!!!

It looks very elegant in design and how it functions. It operates like Apple had a hand in the design, although I don't know if that is the case. Either way, great job on usability.

availability says Sept. OK, its sept.

I need this. Where do I go to get it? Can we pre-order?

Scott

[dlmorley]

Originally Posted by tengu

Max, why did you design the duet with unbalanced outs?

It has balanced ins but only unbalanced outputs.

I guess to meet the costs and I would certainly rather have great audio going
in that can be mixed in the box or mixed in the studio and just have the DA for monitoring and hence less critical.

I see it more as a great AD than anything else.. and at under $500

[Realtugs]

Originally Posted by tengu

Max, why did you design the duet with unbalanced outs?

It has balanced ins but only unbalanced outputs.

I would say a lot/most of the target audience will be using this connected to small speakers, a DJ style mixer or home sound system amp (for your iTunes pleasure). In those scenarios, they most often have unbalanced ins. Makes sense really.

Cool little unit! May have to grab one for my MBP.

[sigmatibet]

Do you think this little machine could be a good a/d converter fromr my Dangerous 2busLT back to the computer?
In other words, are converters WAY better than my motu 2408s?

in any case sounds like a smash hit

[tsvisser]

awesome idea and product. the lack of balanced outputs is sort of a bummer. on one hand i love the price, but on the other, i would have paid more for a unit that also offered AES I/O too... would make a nice location solution where you would use 1 unit for the main position, such as an X/Y pair, and then another unit for a close pair of omnis (using a battery to firewire solution? - standalone operation?)

i'm buying one!

[Stiff]

Originally Posted by tengu

From what I can see there is no power supply. It can only be powered via firewire.

Ah, didn't think of that. I believe you're right, but it was of course not the answer I was waiting for.

[Sugarnutz]

I noticed that unlike the Mini-ME, which this appears to replace, there is no support for WinXP/Vista. It looks like Apple has a partner that is going to make the hardware, so that as a team they can try to cut Digi's legs out from underneath them. I personally don't care what platform you use, either MAC or PC, just whatever you're most comfortable using, Third party (non-computer manufacturers) have to be careful choosing to support one platform over the other, which will basically cut your user base in half. I mean how hard is it to write another platform driver if you are starting from scratch (it’s a firewire interface for heaven’s sake, every other manufacturer has drivers for both), unless of course Apple is subsidizing your R&D and stipulating "No PC" support. Plus, did you notice how much this thing looks like an Ipod. Please note that other than an aging PowerPC 9600 collecting dust here I am a PC user and a Protools freak. Apple users beware, it looks like Apple & Apogee are gonna try and tie you to the same hardware software bundles that Digi is so infamous for, in time it will get to the point that if you don’t like Logic or Garageband you could be screwed. YMMV.

Hey, Apple might be planning to buy Apogee, you never know.

And this does look like a nice unit, good bang for the buck, just can't use it here.

[Goliath|Audio]

Perhaps someone will write a 3rd party driver for windows. Microsoft's market share is how much??????

[LoopQuantum]

Originally Posted by Stiff

Oh, and another question... Seeing that this resembles a small Ensemble, will there be a stand-alone mode? Please let it have a stand-alone mode!

No digital IO...So you can't put it in front of an MBox and get better conversion in front of PT.

No PC drivers.

For those who have a use otherwise, this looks nice...But I wouldn't necessarily brand this a minime replacement.

And yes...it looks oh so very very Apple.

[smoore98]

ASIO drivers?????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????????????????????? ???????????

[Silver Sonya]

Originally Posted by Goliath|Audio

Perhaps someone will write a 3rd party driver for windows. Microsoft's market share is how much??????

*sigh*

Did you think they just forgot the PC market? This is an Apple-based product. Think of it as a MacBook accessory. The styling, the sleekness, the ease-of-use utility: these are obviously Apple's trademark traits. This is part of a business and aesthetic alliance between Apogee and Apple.

I mean, just look at the thing. Isn't it obvious?

- c

[jindrich]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm,


that was SO close to be the perfect pro portable audio interface. What is it missing?


-a SECOND headphone output (one for the engineer, another for the VO talent/performer)
Dont even have to have different control volumes, so both would listen at the same levels (with SAME brand and type of cans)



WHAT A SHAME.

[Silver Sonya]

Originally Posted by jindrich

mmmmmmmmmmmmmm,


that was SO close to be the perfect pro portable audio interface. What is it missing?


-a SECOND headphone output (one for the engineer, another for the VO talent/performer)


WHAT A SHAME.

OH NO! You might have to spend fifteen more dollars.

- c

[daddykev]

With no digital I/O, it's definitely not a Mini-Me or Mini-DAC replacement.

Max, is there a Mini series replacement in the works (something with SPDIF at least), or are PT users not invited to the Apogee party any more?

[pro]

Looks a bit clumsy...

Balanced outs are a deal breaker for me. The RME stuff has software selectable outputs. Why not this?

[macleodgrant]

yeah, i'm quite disappointing there's only unbalanced outs especially at that price; still though it does look like a nice unit

[Stiff]

Originally Posted by LoopQuantum

No digital IO...So you can't put it in front of an MBox and get better conversion in front of PT.

No you're right... That would have been very nice. I'm still interested in getting one for Logic though. But I wonder the same thing as daddykev, are Pro Tools users left in the dark?

[eskay]

Why the hell didn't they make it so the headphone can be a seperate output than the main out. I would love to use this in a live situation using Ableton Live or NI's Traktor. Even if I'm recording I need an output for the cue mix, and one for the main out.
I mean it's there. Just give us a software update that can give us a seperate headphone out. They would sell by the bucketload. So many electronic musicians would use this on stage.
Come on Apogee it's so close. Make it the ultimate portable recorder. Give us seperate cue out!!!

[DrKoss]

Been a beta tester for this for a while now, and man was it hard not to spill the beans.

It's a very cool box - the sound quality is great.

What impresses me most is that I can record at a buffer size of 64 samples on my powerbook G4 with it. Never dreamed that would be possible. The driver is really solid.

Also, i dig that you can assign the rotary controller to be any midi controller you want - makes this a handy box to have around.

[Stiff]

That sounds sweet... But it's only one controller...

Want to spill some more beans?

[Realtugs]

Originally Posted by Silver Sonya

OH NO! You might have to spend fifteen more dollars.

- c

$15 more? Are you nuts? Insanity, I tells ya!!!

From $10, you'll get a coffee and this... What's that? Still too much, you say? Alright...

Give this one a go... $10 gets you an adapter, a coffee AND bus fare there and back! That's my final offa!

[littledoodler]

why is unbalanced outs such a big deal really?

[rainy-taxi]

even I am concidering this one now instead of an mbox. Im sure that this thing sounds much better then any mbox on the market.

[dynamo]

Unbalanced outs are really not a big deal. I don't get what the problem is....There is a lot of pro and consumer gear that has unbalanced outs and it sounds and works just fine. To balance you add some extra circuit or a transformer, what are the benefits? What it matters it is the nominal level. You can hook up the unit outs to everything, balanced or not, at line level, which actually makes it more flexible.