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|  | |  | | | Apogee Duet 2 | | | | | | | |
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6P-CVB8-I90R | | Availability:
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| | Features | USB 2.0 Mac audio interface2 analog inputs; Combination Line/Mic/Instrument4 analog outputsBalanced line outputs, +20 dBu maximum output level1 Independent 1/4" stereo headphone output2 Microphone preamps with up to 75dB of gainA/D and D/A conversion at 24-bit/192kHzTop panel high resolution OLED displayMulti-function controller knobTwo assignable top panel touch pads:Mute speakers, headphones or all outputsAssign headphones to outputs 1-2, 3-4 or low latency mixerDim speakers, headphones or all
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| | Description | Hey you! Yeah you, with the Mac! Do you use Logic, Soundtrack Pro, Final Cut, or GarageBand? Are you tired of feeling like a second-class citizen? Well you don't have to take it any more. Thanks to Apogee and Apple's partnership, now you too can enjoy complete audio interface integration into your favorite software. Following in the fame and glory of Apogee's Ensemble and its best-selling predecessor the Duet, Duet 2 gives you the same kind of all-access integration that blurs the line between your interface and your Apple software, now with handy USB connectivity! This sleek little box gives you two pristine inputs and outputs that both sport the kind of sound quality that the very mention of the Apogee name conjures up in the minds of audio engineers everywhere. | |
| | Product Details | | Package Length: | 8.9 inches | | Package Width: | 6.7 inches | | Package Height: | 4.2 inches | | Package Weight: | 2.75 pounds | | Average Customer Rating: |  based on 8 reviews |
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| | Customer Reviews | Average Customer Review: ( 8 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 found the following review helpful:
 Don't waste time comparing the duet with other products Jul 31, 2011
By Dominik
I am a producer and sounddesigner for electronic dance music. I am NOT a mastering engineer or gearslut. I am mainly working in Logic & Ableton and have a MB Pro i7 (latest gen), 8 gb ram and OSx 10.6.8. I have bought the Duet for my mobile setup.
+ Installation: No problems encountered. Im glad they didnt waste money on a cd.
+ Overall Performance: I have no problem running big logic projects with a 64 samples buffer. Crackles at 32 samples!
+ Sound: Brilliant, crystal clear - its like buying new glasses! Both AD & DA is amazing for the price you pay.
+ Soft Limit: Really does the job well! Big +
+ Design: looks beautiful, the OLED Display is really helpful & the assignable buttons are great. I have them on mute and sum-to-mono and I can't live without them anymore.
+ Maestro: simple but effective software. Easy to Use!
+ Breakout cable: very sturdy. good.
+ Big volume knob. Yay!
+ Integration into OSX & Logic & Ableton is seamless.
+ USB - works. And I can still use my FW port.
- Drivers: I guess that about once every day the soundcard just disables itself, annyoing! Plugging it in and out solves the problem.
- Iphone Design is cool but the black part is made of plastic :( meh!
- no midi
- no Digital i/o
I am using the Duet in combination with a usb midi interface and a patchbay for synthesizers (I mainly use my Virus C and don't mind unplugging it when im looking for a specific sound of a different synth). I've also bought a PreSonus Faderport and LOVE it. If you're used to touching faders and buttons, the combination of the Duet & the FP will almost make you feel like youre back in your studio at home ;-)
If you think of buying the Duet as an upgrade to m-audio or similar products - go ahead. This one is a big step ahead! If you just need a good sounding soundcard for travelling - this one's your pick :)
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 Great Sound - VERY QUIRKY UNIT Jan 07, 2012
By Anna Brown
"book wizard"
I would agree with all the other reviews here that the unit really does sound amazing! I use this unit strictly as a D/A because it really does make that much of a difference. I primarily use the Focusrite ISA One as my single Mic Pre. Whenever I need to do stereo recordings, (rare), I then use the Duet 2 as my Pre. It does well here too, but the ISA does give me better tone as a Pre. I honestly think its the combination of the two -- but I digress.
The Duet 2 has a steep learning curve. There would be several sessions where I would literally spend an hour trying to figure out the signal flow, because I could see the signal getting to the unit and not getting into Logic Pro. On some occasions it was because some MAC update knocked out the drivers, and new drivers needed to be installed from Apogee. On other occasions, I had to reseat the USB -- regardless - it is NOT intuitive.
At this point, several months of use, bugs, and frustration, everything has been going smooth. I really love the sound quality I get out if this unit. I just hope it last longer than my Apogee One.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
Great Sound output Quality but has a few glitches Nov 13, 2011
By Phagun Oswal
"Tribal tech"
As you must've already read in many other glowing reviews, this review too will state the obvious that you will truly HEAR THE DIFFERENCE in the sound quality once you run your guitar tone or vocals through the Duet 2. The ad da converter and the limiter does an exceptional job at smoothening the audio input and enriching its overall sound and quality. You will be happy with how much better your tone, and textures sound. I was previously an M Audio Firewire 410 loyalist, but after the Duet 2, I wonder why I waited so long to get this baby. The difference in quality of sound seems every bit worth the $599 I paid for it. Plus, the unit with its OLED and build quality feels & looks very good
My only problem with this unit and the reason I could not give it a full 5 stars is because the on board touch sensitive buttons that can be user assignable are inconsistent and there is clearly something going wrong with them. I encountered the problem of being in the middle of recording session and have my monitoring output get completely cut off (in other words muted) on its own. I won't even be touching the unit or be anywhere near it and would be recording a part and all of a sudden, with a mind of its own, the Duet 2 mutes my output. I've metaphorically banged my head against a wall trying to figure out why this peculiar and rather stupid problem keeps occurring, and obviously went into Maestro to fix the issue (whichever way I could). BUt Maestro 2 is so minimal that it provides no real access to any component of the user defined buttons with which this problem could be truly corrected.
I even went ahead to email Duet's customer service and the crazy thing was that I was expecting a detailed response/ troubleshooting resolution to this issue and instead they told me something that I had already discovered through hit and trial. So if I removed the option of "mute" to one of the 2 user defined buttons, the problem of involuntary muting goes away. Please understand this is not a resolution to the issue, this is merely a temporary fix. So for me for all practical purposes the second button can never be used to assign the mute function. Moreover the other bit of disappointment is that there aren't really many other groundbreaking functions that really can be assigned to these on board buttons. They seem gimicky in how little they really are capable of doing.
Anyway, Apogee never got back to me with a true solution, but rather just wrote to me about that temp fix. I was kind of disappointed with that and their lack of knowledge on the issue. For a company that supposedly is doing everything right and making such a great product as the Duet 2, I was sad to see how it has this glitch that cannot be resolved.
Second minor problem I noticed with the unit is that the jacks where the USB cable goes does not seem very sturdy in its build quality. If you touch it, it definitely moves and has a considerable play in it. Not that its making any difference to my sound, but it gives a very flimsy feel of something that would eventually come apart with time. At least that's how flimsy it seems.
To round up I would just say, that if you're looking for a portable audio interface that gives exceptional sound quality output and integrates seamlessly with the mac then I'd say go for it. But if $599 seems an absurd price point coupled by the issue I described above and the fact that at the end of the day this interface works only on your good ol "high end" mac computers and not PCs or Linux based computers, then this may just seem like an "excessive" expenditure for you. Considering there are a plethora of AI's available in the market for much cheaper and which the do a great job too.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Better than the Original in almost ever way! Oct 25, 2011
By Ryan
My first impressions were that it was a very small improvement over it's predecessor, but after a few weeks of using the Duet 2 I've really got to say that it's better in every way then the Original. I really like how much louder it is. I can crank everything up without worrying about noise at all. I mainly record Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, and Saxophone and I love how it doesn't color my recordings at all. I get a truly revealing sound through this little guy.
Screen/Buttons:
The OLED Screen is bright enough and the Buttons are extremely functional. Both have improved my workflow.
Headphone out:
Listening to music with a pair of Grado RS2i headphones is an amazing experience in general, but I've heard a marked improvement when I use them with the Duet 2. I love that you can separate the headphone out from the Monitor outs for two separate mixes (finally).
Latency/Stability/Software:
HUGE improvements from the old model. Much more stable drivers and lower latency. I've really enjoyed how much more power the Maestro 2 software gives you over the Duet 2. With my old Duet I often times encountered issue with hissing, pops and audio cutout. I would then have to reset my device or my system to resolve the issues. Traditionally in my experience USB has been more stable than Firewire. I had my doubts about the switch they made, but it's been much more enjoyable recording without the issues that firewire always had with the original Duet.
Breakout Cable:
The new Breakout Cable is fantastic because you'll only ever have two things connected at any given time so they reduced the amount of cable/clutter for that exact purpose and streamlined the XLR and 1/4" connectors into one. Less mess with the same functionality as before!
Build Quality:
It's not bad at all build wise. Just as heavy as the Original and much more appealing aesthetically. I'll admit that everyone expected the screen to be glass, but it is in fact plastic. Some people have a problem with this. I don't.
Sound Quality:
Some prefer a warmer/colored sound, but I really enjoy an accurate sound that reveals the truth about my recording. Some won't be pleased with the lower end on the Duet 2 when recording (i think it's fine for it's price, if you want something better then pay more), but it provides a very accurate response to higher frequencies.
Overall:
Louder, clearer/cleaner and sexier than the Original Duet, while providing more functionality, stability and a larger feature set as well.
4 of 5 found the following review helpful:
WOW! Huge step up from the original Duet. Jun 24, 2011
By HiFiGuy528
See my unboxing video here:
[...]
Just want to let you guys know that I am very impressed and happy with this DAC/Headphones amp. It's sound is very revealing and not a hint of harshness like some modern DACs. The headphones out has plenty of kick to drive my Beyer T1 (600 Ohms). I am pairing it with my new Sony MDR-7520 Professional headphones. Match made in heaven for a mobile DAC. Did I mention it is USB Bus Powered? Yeah, no power supply needed.
See all 8 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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