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Apogee Symphony Desktop USB Audio Interface

With the same high-quality converters and preamps from Apogee's rackmount Symphony, this desktop-sized USB audio interface for Mac or PC offers 10x14 I/O.

Apogee Symphony Desktop USB Audio Interface

$1,495.00
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Apogee Duet 2 USB Audio Interface

No longer available at zZounds
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Capture pristine digital audio on your Mac. The Apogee Duet 2 USB audio interface gives you 2 inputs, 4 outputs, a full-color OLED display, and much more.

Apogee's Duet is the most respected portable audio interface ever. Along with receiving many industry awards, Duet has also been instrumental in the creation of numerous GRAMMY winning records. While others have been trying to emulate its sound quality, ease of use and innovative design, they have been busy making an even better Duet. The Apogee Duet 2 builds on the incredible success of its predecessor by incorporating customer feedback, adding advanced features and delivering even better sound quality than the original.

Turn your Mac into a professional recording studio

The Apogee Duet 2 is the best solution for capturing your music to your Mac. With the Apogee Duet 2, make studio quality recordings of vocals, guitars, bass, keyboards, drums, and anything musical. And because the Apogee Duet 2 is portable you can take it anywhere your creativity takes you. When it's time to mix, Apogee Duet 2's output quality lets you hear your recordings with incredible detail and dimension allowing you to put the finishing touches on your musical project like a pro. The Apogee Duet 2 sounds so amazing you won't want to listen to your iTunes library without it.

Better sound quality. A difference you will hear.

By drawing upon the experience of developing Apogee's flagship audio interface, Symphony I/O, Apogee engineers rebuilt Duet to achieve a difference you can hear.

From the mic preamps to the AD/DA converters, Duet 2 offers the best of everything Apogee, allowing you to capture… read more your audio with even more clarity and dimension than the original Duet. This is professional sound quality you can take anywhere.

Smooth, detailed world-class mic preamps

The Apogee Duet 2 mic preamps feature a design, all components and seamless click-free transitions as the gain increases and decreases throughout the incredible range of 0-75dB. This unprecedented feature allows you to dial in the perfect level while delivering ultra-low noise and smooth, crisp detail. Most importantly, the Duet 2 mic preamps are optimized for any sound source, so no matter what you are recording you'll capture every detail.

Pristine, next generation AD/DA converters

Much like the mic preamps, the Apogee Duet 2 AD/DA converters deliver the purest recordings and best listening experience possible. This design takes the personal studio to the next level with state-of-the-art components and next-generation conversion.

Full Color OLED Display

The Apogee Duet 2 now has a full color OLED display. This high resolution screen is the main control center for Duet 2, delivering visual feedback for multiple functions including metering, numeric value for input and output levels, input grouping, and phase, muting, phantom power and Soft Limit indication. With this display you know the status of any input and output at any given moment without having to refer to Maestro or your recording software.

Configurable Touch Pads

The Apogee Duet 2 also introduces configurable touch pads. The 2 touch pads, located on either side of the encoder knob, allow you to quickly access output functions such as "Mute Outputs", "Dim Outputs", "Sum to Mono" or "Toggle Headphone Source". Each are assignable using a drop-down menu within Apogee's Maestro 2. This unique feature allows you to select the function you want and access it directly from Duet 2 without having to look at software.

Redesigned Breakout Cable

The Apogee Duet 2's breakout cable is greatly streamlined with 2 combination mic/instrument connectors (XLR and 1/4") built into a single connector and 2 balanced 1/4" connectors for speakers. The elegant single cable-to-junction design allows for easy cable management and the locking connection to Duet 2 is robust and stylish.

Made for the Mac, Core Audio compatible

Designed exclusively for the Mac and made for GarageBand and Logic, the Apogee Duet 2 is the perfect centerpiece for any personal, Mac-based studio. Duet 2 is also Core Audio compatible making it ideal for other music creation apps like Pro Tools, Ableton Live and Cubase.

Maestro 2 control software

The Apogee Duet 2 not only benefits from Symphony I/O's sound quality development, it has been integrated into the completely redesigned Maestro 2 as well. This full version update features multiple tab interface for quick access to all device and system settings.

It also includes touch pad assignment, Soft Limit selection, output assignments, dim and mute output selection, sample rate selection and an improved low latency mixer. Now all Duet 2 parameters and functions are packaged into a single window design for the most streamlined and user-friendly experience.

Soft Limit for protection from digital overs

An Apogee technology first introduced in 1992 on Apogee's AD-500 converter, Soft Limit can be heard on countless platinum selling records around the world. Once a technology exclusively reserved for Apogee's most advanced audio converters, Soft Limit is now available in Duet.

This superior analog design prevents the digital clipping that causes distortion by instantaneously rounding off transient peaks before they
hit the analog-to-digital converter. Soft Limit allows several more decibels of apparent level to be recorded while subtly providing an analog-like warmth to the sound.

Separate headphone and speaker outs

By very popular demand Duet 2 includes 4 analog outputs. Stereo headphones or left & right mono speaker outs can be assigned in pairs to output 1-2 or 3-4 or the low latency mixer and each can be placed in stereo, mono, muted or dimmed modes.

It is now possible for a DJ to monitor a separate mix in headphones while sending a house mix to the club, a live performer to send a click track to in-ear monitors while sending a backing track to front-of-house, and a recording engineer to send a headphone mix to the performer while dedicating the main outputs to studio monitors.

(This feature is in response to customer demand)

Breakout Box Accessory

Available as a separate accessory for Duet 2 is a solidly built, aluminum breakout box with 2 1/4" instrument inputs, 2 XLR microphone inputs and 2 balanced XLR outputs. The breakout box features studio-quality I/O connectors and includes a 2 meter cable for connection to and from Duet 2. (Sold separately)

(This feature is in response to customer demand)

Balanced Outputs

Duet 2 offers balanced outputs for connection to any studio monitor or outboard equipment. There are many benefits to balanced outputs including the ability to run cabling long distances, reduced susceptibility to external noise, as well as simply offering compatibility to a much wider variety of audio equipment over unbalanced connections.

(This feature is in response to customer demand)

Multi-function Controller Knob

Along with its sleek aluminum chassis, the multi-function controller knob is one of the most recognizable features of Duet's design. This central control feature allows you to quickly and easily toggle thru Duet 2's inputs and outputs and set levels while looking at Duet 2's dynamic OLED display.

Features

USB 2.0 Mac audio interface
2 analog inputs; Combination Line/Mic/Instrument
4 analog outputs

- Balanced line outputs, +20 dBu maximum output level
- 1 Independent 1/4" stereo headphone output

2 Microphone preamps with up to 75dB of gain
A/D and D/A conversion at 24-bit/192kHz
Top panel high resolution OLED display
Multi-function controller knob

Two assignable top panel touch pads:
- Mute speakers, headphones or all outputs
- Assign headphones to outputs 1-2, 3-4 or low latency mixer
- Dim speakers, headphones or all outputs
- Sum to mono speakers, headphones or all outputs

Selectable 48v phantom power, Soft Limit and phase invert read less

System Requirements

Computer: Intel Mac 1.5GHz or faster
Memory: 2 GB RAM minimum, 4 GB recommended
OS: 10.6.4 or greater
Connection and Power: USB, powered by any available USB port on the computer (DC power optional)

Compatible Software:
Compatible with any Core Audio compliant application including:
- Logic
- GarageBand
- MainStage
- Soundtrack Pro
- Pro Tools (> v. 9)
- Albeton Live
- Cubase

In the box:
- Duet 2
- Breakout Cable with:
- - 2 Combination Line/Mic/Instrument Inputs
- - 2 Balanced Line Outputs
- 2 Meter USB Cable
- Universal Power Adapter for US, UK and EU
- Quick Start Guide
- Software download and installation instructions

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 310-584-9394
Web: https://apogeedigital.com/support

Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars. (17 ratings)
Submitted October 12, 2011 by a customer from gmail.com

"Yes, it's worth the money."

Overall: 5 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
This review has been selected by our experts as particularly helpful.
I won't be searching for another product because no other company can touch Apogee's technology. If I do get another product, it will be from Apogee. The cost of admission is worth it.

Sound
The Apogee Duet 2 is without question, the best audio interface for any producer looking for first class preamps and a transparent listening experience. It has enhanced my mixdowns though it's top notch A/D-D/A converters, allowing me to hear sounds and frequencies in the sonic field that I was unable to hear before. And when plugging in an electric guitar, the recording quality and ZERO latency are a musicians wet dream.

Features
Super clean appearance along with the amazing OLED screen and touch pads make this interface extremely functional and aesthetically pleasing. The Maestro 2 software is simple to use, and the Duet 2 seamlessly integrates with Logic.

Ease of Use
Plug and play, it doesn't get easier than this. No complex routing, no abundance of knobs that have no use - no B.S. If you don't know how to use it, you shouldn't be making music.

Quality
This thing is built like a brick, though when I travel with it I still keep it in secure case. No loose parts or blemishes. The breakout cables are a bit of a mess, but in all honesty, it doesn't matter.

Value
I was skeptical to drop this amount of money on a simple audio interface. However,… read more with the payment plan offered by zzounds.com, I couldn't resist. Now I don't know what I would do without this thing in my possession. You truly pay for what you get, and what you get is the best sound in this price range and beyond.

Manufacturer Support
We're talking Apogee here. I doubt this product will fail.

The Wow Factor
It's aesthetically pleasing, it's easy to read the colored meters, and switching between sound sources is cake. Did I mention you can map different functions to the touch pads like "sum to mono?" Yeah, this thing is sexy.

Musical Background:
Active Producer/DJ

Musical Style:
Electronic: House, Drum & Bass, Electro, Dubstep read less
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No longer available at zZounds