Very first, the good. The Apogee Duet (Score: six/10) seems phenomenal. Apogee has been a long time leader in qualified studio gear, with a distinct emphasis on good digital/analog conversion. The Duet lives up to that heritage with crystal apparent sound, and a extensive dynamic selection on the microphone preamps. They are wonderful.
However, the rest of the bundle does not live up to that audio general performance. Very first, not like all of the other interfaces I analyzed for this roundup, the Duet does not appear with any bundled application further than its have manage app. At this selling price, that’s complicated to swallow, specially for the newbie. I also was not a fan of the bodily style of the unit. The key box is good-seeking and modern, taking style cues from Apple with a significant silver knob and a sleek black surface area. But to continue to keep the box so modest and modern, the Duet relies on a separate breakout cable for its two microphone and two audio inputs. The outcome was a mess of cables operating across my desk, which seemed to defeat the purpose.
If you really don’t brain all the cables and have your have application, or if you are just seeking to enhance your sign chain, the Duet seems good. But it feels a tiny caught in between various markets to me—too costly and lacking for a newbie, too uncomfortable for a much more critical musician.