The Apogee Ensemble is Chris Vandeviver’s Hardware Product Of 2020, he explains why.
Much to my own surprise, 2020 became the year I decided to make some rather pricey upgrades to my studio. Up until now, I've always chosen the budget end of studio gear. Optimistic that as audio technology advances, quality will increase as prices decrease.
Sure, I have no doubt that quality commands a premium. But I often wondered, is the added expense all it's cracked up to be? For example, is the Apogee Ensemble, which clocks at $2495 USD, really that much better than a PreSonus Quantum (which was my interface earlier this year), which retails a hair below $1000 USD?
This year I decided to test my assumptions. Back in January I decided to put 3 audio interfaces up against my PreSonus Quantum. My primary goal - identify if there truly were any noticeable differences in audio quality, specifically with the output converters. So I ordered the following:
Focusrite Scarlett Solo (Gen 3) ($109.00 USD)
Universal Audio Apollo Twin X ($899.00 USD)
Apogee Element 24 ($595.00 USD)
To be clear, I walked into this competition expecting to be unimpressed and unwavering in my choice of interface. I expected the differences of the Twin X and Element 24, in particular, to be minuscule at best. Maybe they'd sound better. But enough to swap converters? I was skeptical.
But it turned out, the results of my comparisons surprised me. They weren't mind-boggling, mind you. But different/improved enough that I was genuinely surprised. Level-matching each unit against the Quantum, I A/B’ed through a separate monitor controller as I test-drove a variety of reference tracks.
To avoid stringing you along any further, my comparisons eventually led me to purchase an Apogee Ensemble. That's right, the $2495 USD unit I thought was a piece of overpriced marketese!
Apogee Ensemble
While each unit has its merits, I landed on Apogee for 2 reasons:
Top-notch sound, specifically the output converters
Tight and clever integrations with Logic Pro and Macs in general
First, I found the Ensemble's output converters a touch less bunchy and more spacious overall as compared to the Quantum. Again, those differences were small. But enough for me to notice.
Then there's the ingenuity of the Apogee Thunderbolt interfaces. Both the Ensemble and Element series are digitally controlled and recallable. They integrate with Mac systems wonderfully. In fact, if you have a Mac that has a built-in microphone, you can use it as a Talkback mic via the Apogee Control software!
Additionally, Apogee offers an iOS app for its software mixer. Thanks to the digitally controlled input and output controls, my iPad serves as a monitor controller for all the Ensemble's functions.
Third, I wanted to maintain the level of I/O I was accustomed to with the Quantum. While the Element 24 is fantastic, it is a bit restrictive. The Ensemble, on the other hand, has a dazzling array of options. Including:
8 analog inputs
10 analog outputs (2 balanced monitor outputs, rest via D-Sub)
2 direct JFET instrument inputs
2 instrument outputs for direct throughput to an amp or reamping
2 PurePower headphone outputs
2 analog inserts for piping in outboard (if I ever purchase any)
Then there's Apogee's ingenious systems for eradicating any recording latency.
It appears Apogee is about the only developer to take advantage of Logic's built-in Audio Device Controls. Specifically, the Direct Monitoring function. With a single click, the direct signal from the Ensemble is piped directly through Logic's Software Mixer to the outputs - latency-free.
Then toss in Apogee's DualPath FX. A small, but effective range of plugins that run off of the Element/Ensemble's DSP. Think Universal Audio's Console. But one better - you never actually have to leave your DAW to enable Apogee's FX.
The Apogee FX plugin offers a Channel Link function, which tethers an instance to the hardware's DSP from your DAW's mixer. Select the desired input from within the plugin's dropdown, and voila! Apogee FX is living inside the DAW's mixer, but utilizing the hardware's DSP resources.
I could go on and on about Apogee's Ensemble. But I'll leave it at that. However, Production Expert's Russ Hughes has a glowing review of his own of the Ensemble that you can check out. The value the Ensemble brings to the table really is worth stating again.