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Apogee Duet

H

hukuma

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 15, 2007
29
0
San Diego, CA
Hola,
Anyone using this device? Any comments? Thinking about using it with my 17 MBP for some portable demo work. I'm thinking that this little gizmo paired with Garageband (or perhaps Logic Studio, if I can pull the trigger) could be nice for some demo / sketch work.
Any thoughts are greatly appreciated. I am a big fan of Apogee...the quality has always amazed me.
Keep Groovin',
HUKUMA
 
G

gotzero

macrumors 68040
Jan 6, 2007
3,225
2
Mid-Atlantic, US
I am planning on getting one. I am kind of unhappy the ins and outs are not balanced. In most of the applications I will use it for it will not be too big of a deal, but I just think it was a silly thing to overlook.
 
H

hukuma

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 15, 2007
29
0
San Diego, CA
Balanced Ins & Outs

Pls explain...I'm a noob when it comes to doing this myself. I've historically left the recording to someone that knows what they're doing...I'm hopeful to use the Duet for some rough demo / song sketch work. I basically record demos using my Roland V-Drums, a trusty (perhaps rusty) SM-58 or 57 and a M-Audio keyboard.
I'm looking for a high quality, great sounding, SIMPLE way to put my ideas into this beautiful box they call a 17' MBP. If it sounds professionally produced, all the better.
 
G

gotzero

macrumors 68040
Jan 6, 2007
3,225
2
Mid-Atlantic, US
Balanced outputs make life easier for longer cable runs, certain outboard audio gear (mic pres for example) often have only balanced outputs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanced_audio explains much better and faster than I would.

I am just griping b/c my monitor system is all balanced, and I do not want to plug into a transformer to plug in. This will be a killer mobile input and I cannot wait.
 
CanadaRAM

CanadaRAM

macrumors G5
Oct 11, 2004
12,417
6
On the Left Coast - Victoria BC Canada
hukuma said:
I basically record demos using my Roland V-Drums, a trusty (perhaps rusty) SM-58 or 57 and a M-Audio keyboard.
I'm looking for a high quality, great sounding, SIMPLE way to put my ideas into this beautiful box they call a 17' MBP.
Click to expand...
The Duet has no MIDI interface, so if the M-Audio keyboard has it's own USB/MIDI interface built in, that's OK.

The Duet is simple, but there are minimal mixing capabilities. If you have an outboard mixer, then you can use multiple sources, otherwise it will be 1 or 2 mics OR one or two channels of instruments, at a time.

If it sounds professionally produced, all the better.
Click to expand...
That isn't down to the tools, mate, that's down to the craftsman's skills.

the ins and outs are not balanced.
Click to expand...
Que?
There a 2 balanced, XLR mic inputs with phantom power, and 2 unbalanced 1/4" instrument level inputs.
The output for monitor speakers is unbalanced, as is normal.
 
G

gotzero

macrumors 68040
Jan 6, 2007
3,225
2
Mid-Atlantic, US
CanadaRAM said:
Que?
There a 2 balanced, XLR mic inputs with phantom power, and 2 unbalanced 1/4" instrument level inputs.
The output for monitor speakers is unbalanced, as is normal.
Click to expand...

Most of my audio hardware uses balanced main outs, and my monitors use balanced ins. Also, what if I want to use my analog pre but Apogee A/D. Most mic pres are balanced I/O. I am splitting hairs, but I would like at least an option for balanced line I/O, as it is how I prefer to work (long cable runs, etc)
 
G

gotzero

macrumors 68040
Jan 6, 2007
3,225
2
Mid-Atlantic, US
CanadaRAM said:
Well, then you would choose an interface a bit higher up the scale from this entry level (albeit nice) Apogee.
Click to expand...

Already have some ;)

I am just looking forward to something as small as the Duet and truly bus powered... That is probably why they are not balancing everything anyway.
 
E

e.m.

macrumors 6502
Mar 18, 2005
280
0
San Francisco
gotzero said:
Most of my audio hardware uses balanced main outs, and my monitors use balanced ins. Also, what if I want to use my analog pre but Apogee A/D. Most mic pres are balanced I/O. I am splitting hairs, but I would like at least an option for balanced line I/O, as it is how I prefer to work (long cable runs, etc)
Click to expand...

I am interested in this too. Will it be a problem if I use my standalone mic pre that has balanced out connected to the unbalanced apogee instrument in?
 
zimv20

zimv20

macrumors 601
Jul 18, 2002
4,402
11
toronto
e.m. said:
Will it be a problem if I use my standalone mic pre that has balanced out connected to the unbalanced apogee instrument in?
Click to expand...

the unbalanced part is okay, but the high-impedance of the instrument input is dodgy.

not sure what'll happen, i've never tried it.
 
E

e.m.

macrumors 6502
Mar 18, 2005
280
0
San Francisco
zimv20 said:
the unbalanced part is okay, but the high-impedance of the instrument input is dodgy.

not sure what'll happen, i've never tried it.
Click to expand...

hmm. i'm sure apogee had in mind that some users will use external pre's. i wonder if there's a way to bypass the duet pres when connected through xlr.
 
E

e.m.

macrumors 6502
Mar 18, 2005
280
0
San Francisco
zimv20 said:
good pre. i'd give the apogee's a listen, though, i doubt you'd lose much by using them.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Except I use the inserts on the RNP, and I'll lose that if I went with the Duet pres. Also, in the future, I'd like to use other pre's as well...

I contaceted Mercenary about this. I'll post here if I find out anything.

My MOTU Ultralite just went kaput, so I'm looking for a new converter.
 
E

e.m.

macrumors 6502
Mar 18, 2005
280
0
San Francisco
Mercenary just got back to me (that was fast!) and it takes any +4 line level signal, and it is balanced. Yay. That solves my problem!!
 
H

hukuma

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 15, 2007
29
0
San Diego, CA
So far, so good

Well...I found one at my local music store this weekend. I couldn't pass it up.
Thus far, I've only had an hour or so with it...just enough time to install software, figure out the basics, and record a couple of tracks on GB to test out the basic input features (used my acoustic Tayor with built-in pickup & a trusty (perhaps rusty) SM-58).
Next stop...full Logic Studio workout. If I could just skip work one or two days this week...
 
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