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Apogee Duet

To anybody that buys a Duet for its sound output quality, don't make the same mistake I did. The duet's headphone output will not drive high impedance headphones like Sennheiser's HD-600 + HD650 and AKG K701's to their full potential.

I bought the HD-600's thinking I could have a portable audiophile set up, but found a narrow soundstage and bass muddy. It was much better connected through my integrated Proton amp (similar to a NAD 3020) with tight definable bass and a wide soundstage. I could understand then why so many rave about how good the HD-600s are. I am getting a Chinese AC mains powered USB DAC/headphone amp in a couple of weeks to power them.

I now have the open Audio Technica ATH-AD1000 which to me sounds great, although I have a overwhelming desire to upgrade to the ATH-AD2000 or the closed ATH-W5000. Some people may claim that like the Etymotic ER-6i's they lack bass. The AD1000 even sounds OK connected to my iPod Nano.
 
Hmm...from what I've read, most people seem to think highly of the headphone amplifier in the Duet. To my ears, my HD-590 has never sounded better. That said, the 590 is easier to power than the 600, 650, etc.

The DAC is worth the price alone. Hell, the pre-amps are worth the price alone...if only I could sing. I primarily got it to replace my guitar amp (living in a condo now)--I've used cheaper USB interfaces this way before, but this made a huge difference. I actually feel like I'm playing a guitar again. I was considering the PreSonus Firebox ($250) and was a little intimidated by $500 pricetag. Listening to iTunes through the Duet DAC is worth every penny. After my first day with it--absolutely no regrets. A true piece of art.
 
I have read several good reviews of the hardware but was wondering how the Duet has been with regard to software updates? Have you ever had to hold back with updates because of incompatibilities?

I have been looking at changing to an interface instead of recording direct via the line in on my Mac into Garageband and Logic and this should allow me to record direct or via microphones.

I can't find a product that doesn't need additional drivers (I always try to get thinks supported with any built-in generic OS X ones if possible) so I figured this being a recommended solution on the Logic page should be well supported? I always update to the latest OS X versions on release so was hoping to find a solution that will allow me to keep doing this.

The only other concern is long term FireWire support now Apple have shipped a new Mac without it. :confused:
 
Mattww said:
I have read several good reviews of the hardware but was wondering how the Duet has been with regard to software updates? Have you ever had to hold back with updates because of incompatibilities?

The only other concern is long term FireWire support now Apple have shipped a new Mac without it. :confused:
Click to expand...

The latest driver for the Duet came out in May, and works just fine :) I think it's more of a software update, IE Maestro, than a driver, as I believe the driver itself is part of OS X now? Either way, it's all good.

As for FireWire.. Thats 2 Macs without it now. The MacBook Air, and the latest MacBooks. And I expect if the Mini ever gets updated, that will lose it too.
 
I'm trying to use the Bose Companion 5 speakers with duet

but the connection for the Bose is directly into the USB of the computer. Is there any alternative so that i can hook them up to the output of the Duet?
-CMichaelRubino
Thank you
 
fernmeister said:
As for the overal Duet performance - I found the sound fantastic and the interface is really good to use. But I've also had the random harsh distortion thing and the only reliable solution that works for me is to close the app, log out and log back in. I had Kernel panics when switching sampling rates, but that has only happened once since the Mac Pro firmware update. However, the Kernel Panics still happen when switching users (though not always). Apogee customer service have admitted there is a problem and a fix is "on the way."

What's not clear is if the problem is OSX related, or Apogee related, or both.
Click to expand...

Are you still experiencing those issues? I am. Random harsh screeching sound. I found that it usually occurs when some application calls for graphics rendering (like the Cover Flow mode in Finder, iWork things, playing High Definition video).
Funny thing is, if I don't do anything, it usually gets worse and worse and eventually the audio will just drop out completely, leaving me with no choice but to unplug and replug my Duet.
If I do act quickly, meaning, when the screeching starts, I quickly open a Finder window, select Cover Flow mode and click a bunch of folders so it rebuild that view each time, the sound will go back to normal. Very, very strange.

I'm on the latest version of Leopard (10.5.6), and I'm using the latest driver from Apogee. The problem occurs in every application, but video players (Quicktime, VLC) are most prone to the problem.

Any insight?

Oh, and the internal audio has zero issues, aboslutely no dropouts, clicks, pops whatsoever.
 
CMichaelr said:
but the connection for the Bose is directly into the USB of the computer. Is there any alternative so that i can hook them up to the output of the Duet?
-CMichaelRubino
Thank you
Click to expand...

Not really.. The Bose setup essentially has its own built in audio interface in this case. However, from what I have read, it does have a secondary input? So you can plug in iPods or other MP3 players etc etc.. So it's feasible that with the right cable you could take the output of a Duet and route it into the Bose's aux input.
But thats a bit of a chore, and using a Duet for these speakers is not likely to bring about any appreciable gains anyway.

PS, While im here. for anyone with a Duet that was not aware, there was a software update released last month. But like the May 08 update, I think it is again just a Maestro update, rather than a driver update, as the driver itself is included with recent versions of OS X now.
 
Finetuned,

I have the same exact ugly distortion that occurs at some random point with my Duet and as you said, it's some combination of video players ie. VLC, iTunes being open and the only way to get rid of it is to restart. BTW, you don't even need to use the players, just have them open. And as you said, internal audio is unaffected.

Anyway, any updates on this issue?
 
Just experienced the ugly distortion the other day and had to restart to get rid of it. Sounded to me like it was BitCrushing the input signal, as if the BitCrusher Distortion Plug-In was active. I would put this plug-in on and off, to no effect.
 
The only time I ever had any distortion issue experience with the Duet, was when using Soundflower. Its hard to describe what happens, but its as if the duet loses its clock, and it loses sync/locks up the audio into a very very short repeating loop that ends up sounding like a digital buzz.
I put this down to a soundflower issue though, as its not done this when using any other software. Also, it was fixed not by restarting the whole computer. But simply reselecting the audio output again. And of course, by not using Soundflower where avoidable.
 
The descriptions are really suggesting that many people are having the same problems. Which is somewhat reassuring but also a sittse scary because I thought I might be able to get rid of the problem by the time I buy a new Mac.

What kinds of Macs are you using, how old are they?
 
I use a Apogee Duet with my black MacBook, I haven't had many glitches with it so far. The only one I had was the day that I got it, it would"shut off" or "disconnect" from the computer, but that was easily fixed with the updated that Apogee released.

Just make sure you are running the latest software version and you're golden.

:cool::);)
 

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Just got one of these and with Garageband I can get the audio output to play through my speakers which are connected via the optical out on my Mac. With Logic Express however after selecting the duet in the preferences audio out is playing via the headphone port on the duet and I can't seem to change it - this great for recording but I'd like the option of switching monitoring to my speakers via optical out when just jamming over a backing track. Is this possible?
 
I can't seem to get that going as well however I'd like to use the Mac's speakers for monitoring even though they're subpar. Sometimes while using the guitar tones in Logic to practice with I don't want to be wearing headphones but the audio seems to only want to come out of the Duet's output. Perhaps I'm doing something wrong but when switching preferences around the only sound I could get out the Mac was digital feedback.
 
newbie requiringhelp with Duet

Hi. Hope I'm in the right place....apologies if I'm not......I have just bought the Apogee Duet and cant seem to get any signal output. I have configured my G4 Macbook Pro to use the Duet, I have configured the Apogee control panel and followed all instructions in the Duet setup manual and I can SEE signal going in when I play guitar but cannot hear it through my headphones. When I play itunes however , it comes through crystal clear. (I have also made sure the output light on the Duet itself is lit) Any suggestions much welcome. Thanks.
 
I have the same problem

lumm said:
Hi. Hope I'm in the right place....apologies if I'm not......I have just bought the Apogee Duet and cant seem to get any signal output. I have configured my G4 Macbook Pro to use the Duet, I have configured the Apogee control panel and followed all instructions in the Duet setup manual and I can SEE signal going in when I play guitar but cannot hear it through my headphones. When I play itunes however , it comes through crystal clear. (I have also made sure the output light on the Duet itself is lit) Any suggestions much welcome. Thanks.
Click to expand...

did you ever get an answer or get it working?
 
I have had two bouts of the distortion/screeching mentioned on earlier posts. This is with the 17" Unibody MBP, listening via headphones.
The first time While playing a DVD movie, I restarted and that corrected the problem. The second time, while doing some light audio editing via Peak Pro, I removed the firewire cable from the Duet and then re-inserted it, and that cleared the noise.
Very disconcerting and hurtful to the ears. I hope Apogee is sorting this out.

UPDATE: This problem is manifesting itself quite often now. I notice it most often starts (though not always) when replaying audio for the first time immediately after launching applications like Peak 6, or Toast 10. Sometimes, after pulling out the firewire cable and reinserting it, the sound output reverts to the computer speakers, even though all preferences still indicate the Duet is selected. I have to reset preferences to another source and then back to Duet, to achieve Duet output again – and then it sometimes comes through the left channel only. Only a full restart overcomes all these problems... until it rears its head again. I am using fully updated OSX and Duet software, on the new 17" Macbook Pro. In the last two days alone, this has happened six times. I had no such problems with the Duet before OSX 10.5.6 or the new Macbook Pro.
 
Sir Cecil said:
Actually, no I haven't. But I did send them two e-mails with a question about the breakout cable and, over two months later, have never received a reply.
Click to expand...

I confess, I have never needed their tech support. But reports I have read suggest it's very good. Give them a call perhaps? Can't hurt..
 
hello!

I have had similar problems described in this thread (and in http://www.gearspace.com/board/music-computers/170787-apogee-duet-software-help.html) according to the click and pops with Duet

link to a sound example recorded by Bias Peak 6 and Apogee Duet

This sound example shows a recorded sound from a Analog Tape player Studer B 67 MK2. I'm manually turning the tape in slow speed to detect if the clicks are on the tape or generated from the computer.. the clicks can not be on the tape since the pitch dosen't change

this sound example might be interesting since it was recorded but often I hear the click without a noticable effect on the raw sound recorded (henche only happening in the duet output signal). The example doesnt prove that duet is mailfunctioning since it can also be peak that creates this.


gear:
iMac 2.66 GHz intel core Duo, 2GB RAM - OSX 10.5.6
using Katsura's Pro Phase (ProPhase for Mac OS X - real time audio phase analyzer) and Bias Peak 6 but same clicks appears with quicktime or other software when the ckicking occurs

A restart clears off these problems

I haven't noticed the graphics rendering-effect but I will put some attention to it since im also using Katsura's Pro Phase application to register the channel separation on the Studer Analog tape recorder digitalizing from..
 
1. Duet DO drop FW800 speed. Even if you have it last in a daisy chain - and even if you have a FW-hub. I've tried both and I have about 700 Mb/s to my WD FW800 disks (2 in a software RAID 0). When I plug in Duet - last in chain or via my hub - the speed drops more and more over time (30 minutes) and stays on 400 Mb/s. If I unplug Duet the speed goes up to 700 Mb/s again. This is the case with or without the driver from Apogee installed.
This is in Lion - I never tried this in Snow Leopard. I'm quite shure it's the same in Snow Leopard. So - the Duet DO slow down FW800 speed. Where in chain doesn't matter.

2. Duet needs a new driver for Lion. Only killing duetDaemon (=restarting it) makes it work. The popup comes and goes. It's not stabile.
 
jorgus said:
1. Duet DO drop FW800 speed. Even if you have it last in a daisy chain - and even if you have a FW-hub. I've tried both and I have about 700 Mb/s to my WD FW800 disks (2 in a software RAID 0). When I plug in Duet - last in chain or via my hub - the speed drops more and more over time (30 minutes) and stays on 400 Mb/s. If I unplug Duet the speed goes up to 700 Mb/s again. This is the case with or without the driver from Apogee installed.
This is in Lion - I never tried this in Snow Leopard. I'm quite shure it's the same in Snow Leopard. So - the Duet DO slow down FW800 speed. Where in chain doesn't matter.

2. Duet needs a new driver for Lion. Only killing duetDaemon (=restarting it) makes it work. The popup comes and goes. It's not stabile.
Click to expand...

http://apogeedigital.com/products/apogee-mac-osx-lion-compatibility.php
 
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