. Pros Stunning audio quality for both recording and playback. Direct iPad compatibility is thoughtfully designed.

1. Apogee Duet A451fa0 For Mac

Apogee Electronics is an award-winning manufacturer of the best USB, Thunderbolt and Pro Tools audio interfaces for recording music on iPad, iPhone and Mac.

Charges iPad while connected. Compact form factor. Cons Doesn't work with PCs. Only one headphone output. Needs Lightning Connector adapter for newer iOS devices. Bottom Line Recording with an iPad just hit the big leagues thanks to the Apogee Duet for iPad & Mac audio interface, which offers two channels of pristine input and output. The Apogee Duet for iPad & Mac audio interface ($595 direct) brings stellar recording and playback capability to your iPad, iPhone, or Mac.

Unlike the previous Duet 2, the new Duet has built-in iPad compatibility, which required some internal hardware changes. Granted, our Editors' Choice, the, which does the same thing, is much less expensive. But the Duet for iPad & Mac gives you your money's worth, thanks to its beautifully detailed audio quality, software integration, and ease of operation; you almost can't put a price tag on this level of performance.

The iOS device integration is noteworthy in that it's a direct digital connection certified by Apple, without the need for the Camera Connection Kit, which only works with iPads, not iPhones or iPod touches. When connected, the Duet also charges iOS devices (although you'll need to plug in the bundled AC adapter), and offers iPad software control with Maestro, the company's low-latency mixer that works the same way on both iPads and Macs.

In the hardware, iPad certification requires certain chips inside the peripheral device; it's more than just a firmware change, which is why existing Duet 2 owners can't add iPad connectivity without buying a whole new unit. The Duet for iPad and Mac comes bundled with a cable loom with combination XLR and 1/4-inch instrument inputs and a pair of stereo 1/4-inch outputs, a usefully long 8-foot USB cable, an AC adapter, and an iPad cable. Unfortunately, the bundled iPad cable out of the box only works with older iPads, iPhones, and iPod touch devices with 30-pin connectors, not the newer Lightning Connector-equipped models; you'll need to pick up Apple's $29, which you can get at any Apple Store or online. For this review, I tested the Apogee Duet for iPad & Mac with a 1st-generation Apple iPad, an Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch running OS X 10.8.2 (Mountain Lion), and a quad-core Xeon-based Mac Pro running OS X 10.7.5 (Lion), with a variety of programs including on the Mac and on the iPad. Performance and Conclusions Because the instrument and XLR cables are combined, you can't, say, leave a pair of stereo microphones connected while plugging in a guitar, the way you can with the.

You also need the Duet's cable loom attached when driving a pair of studio monitor speakers, since the outputs aren't built into the enclosure like on the Forte. That said, I'd rather have all of this than the Forte's key limitation, which is that you need the AC adapter plugged in whenever you're recording with phantom power, or whenever you need more headroom out of the headphone amp; the Duet doesn't have those limitations, and is much more of a portable audio interface for remote recording as a result, since you can run it from a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air's USB port.

The built-in mic preamps offer 75dB of gain range; Apogee says the company optimizes the mic pre circuit at each stepped gain setting to capture more dynamics and frequency bandwidth. Just as with the Duet 2, the Duet for iPad & Mac sounds incredible, during both playback and recording. Apogee makes a big point of the Duet's exceptional total harmonic distortion (THD) and noise floor figures, which mean a lot more here than they do in, say, the consumer electronics world, where stereo equipment manufacturers have been known to play with those numbers rather liberally. In the real world, if you listen carefully, you can really hear the difference between the Duet and other interfaces—even against a direct competitor like the Focusrite Forte. The Forte sounds great, mind you; it records and plays back clean, pristine audio. But with the Duet, you get another level of midrange and high-end detail, both through the mic preamps, when tested with a Rode NT-1A large diaphragm condenser mic, and during playback, where you pick up a little more stereo separation and detail on individual instruments.

You can make, mix, and monitor excellent recordings on either interface, but the Duet sounds just a bit better overall, in a variety of situations. Recording on the iPad was also as easy as I expected; I installed the free Apogee Maestro app, which offers a similar interface to the desktop version. I plugged in the same mic, made sure phantom power was enabled, dialed in an appropriate level of gain, and recorded audio with GarageBand on top of MIDI virtual instrument tracks without a problem. Reliability was also rock solid throughout, on both test machines. I ran into some trouble with the earlier Duet 2, which may have been indicative of something up with my test systems, but the Duet for iPad & Mac ran flawlessly during the review—mimicking the behavior of the original FireWire-based Duet.

Download from youtube to mp3 for mac. At the moment, the Apogee Duet for iPad & Mac is the best recording interface you can buy for the iPad. As far as computer recording is concerned, it's a little less clear, thanks to the host of competitors that have rushed to the scene since the original Apogee Duet proved a success following its launch in 2008.

The Forte is an obvious choice if you're recording on the PC platform, thanks to its Windows compatibility, and it sounds really good in its own right, if slightly different than the Apogee Duet. Propellerhead Reason fans should have a look at the, which offers clean sound and tight integration with Reason. Finally, if you're on a strict budget, you'll do well with the Editors' Choice Focusrite iTrack Solo which brings clear recording to PCs, Macs, and iPads at a low price, even if it lacks the level of detail and transparency that both the Duet and Forte offer.

Product Description Apogee Duet sets the industry standard for portable professional audio recording on Mac and iPad. Made for the musician, producer and engineer that wants the ultimate sound quality and elegant simplicity, Duet features legendary Apogee AD/DA conversion, 2 world-class microphone preamps, USB MIDI I/O and ESS Sabre32 DAC technology.

With Duet’s 2 Combo inputs you can connect microphones, guitars, keyboards or line level devices such as external mic preamps or a mixing board. Duet also includes 4 analog outputs - 2 1/4” balanced outputs for connection to speakers or outboard equipment and a separate, independently controlled 1/4” stereo headphone output. Apogee Duet Audio Interface Features.

2 analog inputs with world-class mic preamps and selectable 48v phantom power for connecting microphones, instruments or line-level devices. 4 analog outputs - 2 balanced 1/4” outs for speakers or outboard gear, 1/4” stereo headphone output.

USB 2.0 High Speed connection to Mac. Direct digital connection with iOS devices (iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Lightning and 30-pin cable sold separately).

Software control of hardware parameters including input selection and low latency monitoring. Legendary Sound Quality Apogee is an award-winning industry leader in digital recording technology with over 25 years of experience. Preferred by recording pros around the world, Apogee products like Duet, Ensemble and Symphony I/O have been instrumental in creating countless GRAMMY and OSCAR winning recordings and have set the industry standard in professional recording for over two decades. Duet is built solidly on this reputation. A difference you will hear. From the mic preamps to the AD/DA converters and the clocking, Duet is best-in-class and cutting-edge Apogee technology. With components carefully selected in critical listening tests and a highly efficient circuit design, Duet was built by Apogee engineers to make a difference you can hear.

Pristine, next generation AD/DA converters Duet’s AD/DA converters are designed to deliver the purest recordings and best listening experience possible. Duet’s efficient circuitry and state-of-the-art components provide a simplified signal path resulting in incredibly transparent recordings. Smooth, detailed world-class mic preamps Much like the AD/DA converters, Duet’s mic preamps feature the latest components and offer 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, either with the controller knob or from within software, while delivering ultra-low noise and smooth, crisp detail. Duet’s mic pres are suitable for all dynamic, condenser or ribbon microphones, allowing you to capture any sound without compromise. Soft Limit: 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 included in Duet and can be enabled in Apogee Maestro software. 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. IPad puts you in touch with your creativity Interacting with iPad to make music is like playing an instrument.

In fact, some apps like Apple’s GarageBand turn your iPad into a guitar or virtual instrument. Whether you are moving faders on a mixer, adjusting software parameters, or editing a waveform, iPad’s multi-touch interface is a more hands on environment and superior to mouse clicks or track pad swipes. There’s a music app for everything There are hundreds of music apps for iOS and iPad. With multi-track recording DAWs like GarageBand and Auria, synths and drum machines like Animoog and DM1, utilities and guitar effects like Audiobus and JamUp Pro, the music creation offering for iPad is vast and varied. And most apps are more affordable than their Mac based counterparts. Setting up your studio has never been easier iPad makes everything easier with a simplified user interface and plug and play connectivity for accessories like Apogee audio interfaces.

You’ll be amazed by how simple it is to set up your studio. Share your music Sharing functionality is built-in to most apps, making it easier then ever to move files and collaborate on different devices including iPad to Mac. Breakout Cable Duet’s breakout cable includes two combination XLR-1/4 inch mic/instrument connectors and two balanced 1/4 inch connectors for speakers.

The elegant single cable-to-junction design allows for easy cable management and the locking connection to Duet is robust and stylish. 2 Analog Inputs Duet’s two XLR-1/4 inch combination input connectors allow you to connect microphones, guitars and keyboards or your favorite external mic preamps, compressors and EQs. 4 Analog Outputs Duet includes 4 analog outputs.

Two 1/4 inch balanced outputs for connection to speakers or outboard equipment and a separate, independently controlled 1/4 inch stereo headphone output. With these 4 outputs it’s 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. MIDI Duet provides a single USB MIDI connection for your CoreMIDI compatible keyboard, synth, or DJ controller. This eliminates the need for an external MIDI interface and promotes an all-in-one music creation solution where Duet and Maestro manage all audio and MIDI.

On iPad, Duet’s MIDI connection allows both Duet and a keyboard or DJ controller to be connected at the same time to the iPad’s single 30-pin dock port. Full Color OLED Display The high resolution OLED screen built into Duet’s top is the main control center for Duet, 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. 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.

Configurable Touchpads Duet features configurable touchpads. The 2 touchpads, 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. This unique feature allows you to select the function you want and access it directly from Duet without having to look at software.

All new Maestro developed for iPod touch, iPhone and iPad Apogee’s new free Maestro app for iOS brings total hardware control to iPad. Designed to create a seamless transition between Mac and iOS, Maestro’s design was customized for each device; iPhone, iPad and Mac, ensuring an intuitive user interface across every platform. The app includes all the same essential functions available on the Mac including low latency monitoring. Maestro can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store on your iPod Touch, iPhone, or iPad.

Apogee Duet A451fa0 For Mac

In the box:. Duet.

Breakout Cable with:. 2 Combination Line/Mic/Instrument Inputs. 2 Balanced Line Outputs. USB Cable (Lightning and 30-pin cables sold separately).

Universal Power Adapter for US, UK and EU. Quick Start Guide CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 WARNING WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm.

Product Specifications Apogee Duet Audio Interface Specifications. Mic Pre:. EIN: 128dB (un-weighted) @ 60dB, 150Ohm input. Max input level: +20dBu. Input impedance: 3KOhm. Hi-Z:. Max input level 14 dBu.

Input impedance: 2MOhm. A/D conversion:. Max input level (+4dBu ref): +20dBu. Max input level (-10dBV ref): +6dBV. Input impedance: 5KOhm. Freq resp 20 Hz -20Khz: +/-0.2dB (@44.1Khz).

Rel. THD + N: -106dB (@ 96Khz). Dyn.

Range: 114dB (A-weighted). D/A conversion:. Max output level (+4dBu ref): +20dBu.

Max output level (-10dBV ref): +6dBV. Line output impedance: 90 Ohm. Max output level headphones: 19dBu.

HPH output impedance 30 Ohm. Freq resp 20Hz -20 Khz: +/- 0.05dB (@44.1Khz). Rel.

What is your opinion of this product? Great sound for price but I received my unit with slight defect.

Trying to get in touch with Apogee Customer support is a process that really needs to be streamlined. My i/o cable is being held in place with duct tape due to a defective i/o port. Most companies would say send it in and we'll take care of it, Apogee makes you fill out 2 forms and make you submit a CC for possible repairs that may not be covered under warranty. Your CC is also stored so they can ship your item back to you. May look to move away from Apogee all together. Plug in, download software and your up and running.

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