Apogee duet: Anyone try it yet?

[Svart]

anyway, back on topic.

Anyone have a suggestion for a decent 2 channel external box (can be firewire OR usb) with phantom and preamps? There doesn't seem to be much out there like this.

I really don't want to invest in a different laptop and have to change programs/formats unless I absolutely have to. I have everything configured how I like it now, I would like to continue on that same path if possible.

 

[cannikin]

I edited my posts because of the age old PC vs Mac argument. I started it and sorry for that guys. I'm completely bias because I work for Apple and it puts the food on my table and pays my bills.

Anyway, sorry Ptown and everyone.

But Apogee and Apple struck an exclusive deal -- they were trying in the early days to make Logic/Apogee the "Pro Tools Killer" didn't really work as they hoped.

Back to topic -- I had the Mini series and could say that I DID NOT liked them at all. The soft limit really didn't to good things in my opinion. I really don't have any recommendations, I use the Focusrite Saffire and it sounds pretty good for the price, it has built in DSP but Focusrite is slow to update the drivers.
I like it, it sounds good for the price point.

 

[cannikin]

Svart,

The Saffire has 2 mike inputs, phantom and 2 headphone jacks. Again I think it sounds great for what it is. ITs no Lavry or Apogee but its good.

Might be a good option for you.

 

[Svart]

No problems on the Apple stuff, I don't care to use it personally because I can't do what I want with it and it costs too much (IMHO) for what it is.

That Saffire looks reasonable. I'd like to know more about what's inside. I'm sure it's the same AKM, Crystal or TI codec stuff with a cheap(?) preamp.

Do you currently have one? Have you opened it up?

 

[Ptownkid]

No worries cannikin, everyone is entitled to their opinion my friend. I don't think any less of you for having yours.

 

[bluezplaya]

Hey I was going to start a thread similar to this to get some different opinions but maybe I can ask a similar question (hope I'm not hijacking).

I am using Nuendo 3 (PC) with a pair of RME Multiface II 's and sending those 16 outs to my 16 channel Yammy M1516 and mixing on the desk. I'm at the point now where I might be ready to upgrade to some better converters. I'm thinking that some high end converters with some serious fidelity and transparency would compensate for the warmth (or too much warmth, if you will) of the board.

What can anyone recommend for a 16 channel unit? BTW, I'm also using a Black Lion Microclock.

Adam

 

[CroatianSensation]

oh, boy.
Sorry....didn't mean to offend.
With way thing's are going the last thing I need is you all mad at me.
Been a long week for me and it's Tuesday.
(i think)
Next time I'll do what I usually do: yawn and move on.
I should have known better.
Maybe it's the steroids (seriously ) the doc's got me on...or maybe the glue I've been sniffin' either way I'm quick to react.

It's like the Cubs vs. Sox here in Chicago.
When I was a kid father decked me out in a "cubs suck" hat so
the only park I've ever been to is Sox's (formerly Comiskey) park.
Well, that's not entirely true....I did go to Wrigley once....to see the POLICE a few summers ago.
Anyway.
Carry on. Carry on.


:sam: :sam:

 

[Svart]

For the money, the Alphalink AX can't be beaten. VERY clean conversion, it would work very well with a colored console.

 

[Rochey]

Pres are the PGA2500.

Same as the ensemble.

 

[bluezplaya]

I'll look up that Alphalink. Hows about the Lynx Aurora 16?

 

[Svart]

Pres are the PGA2500.

Thanks Rochey! I figured as much by what you said!



The lynx is damn good too. I went with the Alphalink because it has 24 analog I/O and I got a hell of a price. You can expect that either will get you much futher than you would expect.

Check out Alto music in NY, they gave me a DEAL, at least 400$ less than the next cheapest online retailer like sweetwater..

 

[bluezplaya]

What converters were you using before the SSL's?

 

[Svart]

AKM5394 A/D, AKM4395 DAC in a Tascam MX2424. The converters were/are top of the line but the system itself is easily beaten by the Alphalink which uses AKM codecs (AKM4620B I think). Goes to show that just because you have 800$ in AD/DA ICs and OPA opamps in your box doesn't mean that it works better..

 

[bluezplaya]

So what would I need along with the Alphalink unit? I would have to get something to connect it to my PC. I see they have the card for it but it's like $1300. Will anything else do?

 

[Svart]

I got the mixpander for 1100 i think, I don't know though, the package was 3300$ altogether(alphalink, mixpander, cable, mixer software w/DSP plugins). The Alphalink AX has ADAT lightpipe outputs. Don't worry, they are driven by an FPGA, not the jittery Alesis ICs. There are a lot of sound cards that have optical inputs but a lot of them are also almost as much as the Mixpander which has DSP processing as well..

The other Alphalinks have MADI interfaces but are more expensive..

Setup with Reaper was a breeze too.

 

[Svart]

got some pretty cool info on the Duet out of one of the slutz...

Pre-amps are indeed PGA2500. Converter is a Crystal part, not AKM, the rest is STI LM388 opamps (not exactly expensive). The reason it works so well isn't really the parts (although this helps) but the layout and the 6 layer PCB. That and some care with PS design and other things. Experience perhaps more than anything.

Core micro-controller is in the Oxford Firewire controller - which includes an Arm core. One chip wonder runs the whole shebang. Chip has serial control buses that directly run the PGA2500s. Also provides clock to the ADC/DAC chip. Same chip in the Ensemble I suspect - it has enough IO pins to run it. Chip even has direct input pins for the controller knob.

Firewire is more complex than a datastream. Firewire presents a virtual address space with control registers directly addressable. So rather than a protocol that involves packets going back and forth you have a memory mapped paradigm for control. (Obviously packets under this, but you don't code at this level.) So again, it isn't so easy to do a simple port - especially if the API is proprietary. Not that it is impossible, but it is a business decision. Other vendors do provide dual use systems and use Apple's API on OS-X.

 

[Svart]

interestingly enough, there is NO information on the IC besides some outdated links through google. They are no longer on the website... I wonder if they pulled it off the shelf for Apogee?

 

[Rochey]

I have serious serious serious doubts that they pulled a device off the web because of one customer. For a customer to demand that kind of exclusivity, they would have to either have a custom chip (meaning, you'd never see it on a website).

Likelyhood is, it's an old chip that they used on another design, and rather than rewrite code for another 1394 chip, they re-spun the code on the old chip to support a smaller chipcount... Why reinvent the wheel?

 

[Svart]

I don't know either but that centrance press release stated that they are the only provider for solutions using the 970 and 971 chips..