Anybody got an Apogee Duet?

[PhonoquO]

I'm interested to hear product satisfaction comments in regards to the apogee duet. Looks like a nice portable interface. My main concern would be the a/d d/a.

[outcastrising]

Excellent! The converters are somewhat close to my Rosetta 800 at home.
The preamps are as clear as the Apogee miniMP and that pre is $719.00!!!
The knob rocks too press it once and adjust mic, press it again adjust guitar, again and its a jogwheel, etc. For $499 you cannot go wrong!


BTW the people at Apogee rock balls!
Very "human" company and in this day and age that is refreshing!

[NoVi]

+1
I bought one last week. The sound quality of my first recordings really blew me away: it's a fantastic piece of equipment.

[ALL*MYTEE]

Much better than anything in the price range. They do this by having all the controls as software instead of knobs and switches.

They're the same converters as on the Ensemble. A step below the Rosettas, but still excellent. The pres are very good as well.

+1 for great customer service at Apogee. You get a real person when you call and they transfer you to another real person to answer any technical questions. Someone who really knows the product. Now that's old school.

[SoundEng1]

I Love it!! Highly recommended.

[PhonoquO]

damn, it's the no pc support that blows!

thanks for your comments, i get the impression this is a REALLY good product.

[themaestro]

HEN i know you're out there lurkin! chime in

[stilts27]

Yeah Apogee is all about Apple lately..the Duet is a 2 channel Ensemble...

[HENNYTHABIZNESS]

HA! Maestro getting me outta hiding!!!

But yeah, the duet is by far one of the best pieces of gear I bought this year!!!

[macleodgrant]

i got a duet but haven't used it much. the converters are better than my motu 828mkii but i'm just too lazy to use add it to my setup at the moment.

i'll be using it when i go to south africa with my macbook in jan and will get better use of it and opinion on it's quality

[Power Supply]

Can it be used with Pro Tools?

[DanDolo]

Good to hear all the positive responses as I just ordered one myself, and I can not wait

I also got myself a pair of audio-technica A-900 on the way, and a Axiom-25 to play w/ my MacBookPro

My setup is officially mobile playboy

happy X-MAS to me

hope you guys are all enjoying the holidays and spending quality time w/ loved ones

enjoy the time off while you can because next year we are gonna be putting in work!

[macleodgrant]

Originally Posted by Power Supply

Can it be used with Pro Tools?

no, it's core audio only and has no digital options

[Tibbon]

Originally Posted by PhonoquO

damn, it's the no pc support that blows!

thanks for your comments, i get the impression this is a REALLY good product.

Seeing that 95% of people who are professionally doing audio use Mac, that's where i'd put my efforts if I were Apogee. Part of it is (rather like BMW) that they want to do a long-term upsell to their higher end products later on for you. Those are all targeted at professionals.

Not going Mac v. PC here, but I still haven't found a compelling reason to use a PC in the studio (cost isn't an issue imho in a professional environment). I'm sure the basic drivers will come along at some point, but it does make sense.

Of course this wouldn't run with Protools! It's not Apogee's fault. It's that digi locks in the hardware.

[bafonso]

If you use a Mac and two pre and ADC channels are what you are looking for, you simply can't go wrong.

You really have to use one to realize how amazing it is. Put together some tracks, mix them, etc and you will realize what a wonderful piece of gear this is.

[PhonoquO]

Originally Posted by Tibbon

Seeing that 95% of people who are professionally doing audio use Mac, that's where i'd put my efforts if I were Apogee. Part of it is (rather like BMW) that they want to do a long-term upsell to their higher end products later on for you. Those are all targeted at professionals.

Not going Mac v. PC here, but I still haven't found a compelling reason to use a PC in the studio (cost isn't an issue imho in a professional environment). I'm sure the basic drivers will come along at some point, but it does make sense.

Of course this wouldn't run with Protools! It's not Apogee's fault. It's that digi locks in the hardware.

I'm running a project studio and have been on PC for a good while. At this point it, the next laptop i get will be mac for sure, but there's no sense in me getting a MacPro desktop when for the same price i can get 3 smokin quad cores all outfitted with the better components! If it ain't broke, i don't fix it. Macbooks are cheap though now, so it's a toss up between getting either the duet or the yamaha n8 for mobile stuff. Again thanks for all the positive info in regards to duet!

[jjcalleiro]

Is there anyway to use an external pre with this unit?

[SoundProofStudio]

Originally Posted by jjcalleiro

Is there anyway to use an external pre with this unit?

Yes... just plug the out of the ext. pre in to one of the mic lines in on the duet ... And the duets pres automatically get bypassed...

[bodega.]

Originally Posted by SoundProofStudio

Yes... just plug the out of the ext. pre in to one of the mic lines in on the duet ... And the duets pres automatically get bypassed...

How does that work? Do they sense that it's balanced or something?

[qubi]

got one for my second room (voice over mainly), and its very solid and clean. The outputs are a bit noisy, especially with a mac G5, which apparently has some issues (picks up internal noise), but it's just on output, and is NOT recorded into the file (but YMMV since i haven't heard too many other complaints about this. ) I compared it to API512's and langevin DVC into a rosetta800, and while not as full and 3d as those, it is nonetheless a surprising good pre and convertor. My only gripe is with the software input level, which is a bit finicky, especially in the mid range (for me its between mid 40's and 60, where the level change seems a bit drastic). But overall, i have no regrets and am very happy with it. I'm thinking of getting a small mobile setup, and I would definitely go with another Duet for that.

FWIW, i think if you're looking for a 2ch. interface/pre for under $1000, you can't beat the duet.

[halfguard]

i have it, i like it..however, beware if you have over 2g of ram. there are repoted problems with the firewire bus for some reason

[SoundProofStudio]

I own, luv, and vouch for the duet...

[ecko72db]

Does anyone think selling my Mbox 2 and FMR RNP for an Apogee Duet would be smart?

[SoundProofStudio]

Originally Posted by ecko72db

Does anyone think selling my Mbox 2 and FMR RNP for an Apogee Duet would be smart?

personally .... YES....

[SoundProofStudio]

Originally Posted by bodega.

How does that work? Do they sense that it's balanced or something?

I believe so... I had bought a focusrite channel strip and once I plug the out into the duets mic line the pre's automatically were bypassed..

[staudio]

I really like mine. In the Maestro control panel there is a window that allows you to control the type of input.
XLR mic with phase and phantom
XLR line +4 or -10,
and 1/4 inch unbalanced instrument.

[coyotekells]

Originally Posted by ALL*MYTEE

They're the same converters as on the Ensemble. A step below the Rosettas, but still excellent. The pres are very good as well.

No disrespect, but can anyone else confirm this?

I could be way off, but I thought the ensemble was a bit "better", and still not a nice as the Rosetta.

Did Apogee claim the that they the Ensemble had the same AD as the Rosetta and that's what people were calling them out on? Or was it the Duet vs. Ensemble they claim have the same A/D but their has been much criticism to that claim..

I can't remember what I've read.. I'm going to be getting a Apogee interface just for the converters really... but it won't be one of the higher end ones.

Are the Duet's converters really the same as the Ensemble? And what about DA output as well then?

Thanks for the input!

[pedrodash]

You can tell by the price, too. The Duet by itself is not an expensive gear, comparing to its quality.. but 4 Duets (8 A/D/A) are about the same price as the Ensemble (8 A/D/A). Ok, not the best example but yes, they are the same converters.

[Karloff70]

Has anyone tried running this at the same time on the same mac as another interface? Say a FF400? Possible? Feasible?

[stilts27]

Originally Posted by Karloff70

Has anyone tried running this at the same time on the same mac as another interface? Say a FF400? Possible? Feasible?

If you are talking about running a FF400 and Duet at the same time, then yes - it is possible due to aggregated devices in apple's core - but don't see why you would. I would just get one solid interface with more I/O for the price of that combination.

"No disrespect, but can anyone else confirm this?

I could be way off, but I thought the ensemble was a bit "better", and still not a nice as the Rosetta.

Did Apogee claim the that they the Ensemble had the same AD as the Rosetta and that's what people were calling them out on? Or was it the Duet vs. Ensemble they claim have the same A/D but their has been much criticism to that claim..

I can't remember what I've read.. I'm going to be getting a Apogee interface just for the converters really... but it won't be one of the higher end ones.

Are the Duet's converters really the same as the Ensemble? And what about DA output as well then?

Thanks for the input!"

Yes, the Ensemble and Duet have the same pres and converters - confirmed by Apogee and by me owning both. The Duet is just 2 channels though...They needed a mobile solution to compete in today's market and to launch with Logic Pro - and it worked. I can tell you from working at an audio retail store - we sold out quickly 3-4 times when they first came out and had NO complaints besides the breakout cables (but you get over it quickly). I also have all three of their MINI series items (MP, ME, and DAC as well) and they are all great pieces too. Rosetta is still a step above in the converter range though but don't sleep on the others

Apogee's support is one of the better support staffs I've come across as a consumer and retail employee...I wish some other company's would do the same, but hey - what can you do?