Published 3/12/07
Pint-sized professional sound
Apogee, the company whose crystal-clear audio converters and preamps are found in pro studios worldwide, have announced the Duet audio interface, a device aimed squarely at professional home studio users and engineers with portable rigs.
The Duet is a two-input, two-output Firewire interface that's equipped with a pair of digitally controlled mic preamps, which each boast a massive 75dB of gain range. Instruments and balanced line-level sources can be plugged in, using a pair of quarter-inch TRS sockets, while the mic inputs are on separate female XLRs. In terms of monitoring signals out of the Duet, the device is equipped with quarter-inch unbalanced outputs, plus a quarter-inch headphone jack, located on the front face. All connections (except the headphone output and Firewire socket) are facilitated by a breakout cable, which connects to the back of the unit.
The Duet is designed specifically for Apple Mac computers and, like it's bigger brother the Ensemble, integrates directly into Logic Pro and Logic Express (there's a dedicated Apogee Setup pane, with which you can alter settings). In addition to this, application support has been built into Final Cut Pro, Apple's top-flight video editing program, and Garageband, so users can configure their interface from inside their creative application.
For those of you familiar with the Apogee Ensemble, which features a pair of multi-function rotary encoders, it'll come as no surprise that the ample-sized silver-coloured knob on the top of the Duet has multiple uses. Pushing the knob inwards selects which function is currently assigned to the knob, enabling the user to change the inputs' gain and the outputs' levels, but it can also be configured to send MIDI control data, by changing settings in the included Maestro utility application.
It has to be said that the Duet looks, well... very 'Apple-esque'. Its thin form with sleek metallic finish and rounded corners shouts "Macbook" just as loud as it does "iPod", and as for those level meter LEDs, just look at the charge indicator on any post-G3 Mac laptop battery to see where they got their inspiration.
Apogee's Duet will be available later this month, costing $495. UK pricing was to be confirmed at the time of writing.
Sonic Distribution +44 (0)1582 470260
www.sonic-distribution.com
www.apogeedigital.com
The Duet is a two-input, two-output Firewire interface that's equipped with a pair of digitally controlled mic preamps, which each boast a massive 75dB of gain range. Instruments and balanced line-level sources can be plugged in, using a pair of quarter-inch TRS sockets, while the mic inputs are on separate female XLRs. In terms of monitoring signals out of the Duet, the device is equipped with quarter-inch unbalanced outputs, plus a quarter-inch headphone jack, located on the front face. All connections (except the headphone output and Firewire socket) are facilitated by a breakout cable, which connects to the back of the unit.
The Duet is designed specifically for Apple Mac computers and, like it's bigger brother the Ensemble, integrates directly into Logic Pro and Logic Express (there's a dedicated Apogee Setup pane, with which you can alter settings). In addition to this, application support has been built into Final Cut Pro, Apple's top-flight video editing program, and Garageband, so users can configure their interface from inside their creative application.
For those of you familiar with the Apogee Ensemble, which features a pair of multi-function rotary encoders, it'll come as no surprise that the ample-sized silver-coloured knob on the top of the Duet has multiple uses. Pushing the knob inwards selects which function is currently assigned to the knob, enabling the user to change the inputs' gain and the outputs' levels, but it can also be configured to send MIDI control data, by changing settings in the included Maestro utility application.
It has to be said that the Duet looks, well... very 'Apple-esque'. Its thin form with sleek metallic finish and rounded corners shouts "Macbook" just as loud as it does "iPod", and as for those level meter LEDs, just look at the charge indicator on any post-G3 Mac laptop battery to see where they got their inspiration.
Apogee's Duet will be available later this month, costing $495. UK pricing was to be confirmed at the time of writing.
Sonic Distribution +44 (0)1582 470260
www.sonic-distribution.com
www.apogeedigital.com
