APOGEE Duet 3 Use Review

This is a review of the APOGEE Duet 3(´◔౪◔)◞

Apogee finally appears in the $500 to $1000 range of audio interfaces!

After the first DUET and then 2, it finally upgraded to 3.

I’ve been waiting for this!

I used to use both 1 and 2, so I’m excited to hear the APOGEE sound for the first time in a long time.

I’d like to write about the differences between APOGEE and other audio interfaces.

The APOGEE sound is great after all!

There is also a microphone recording for comparison!

What is APOGEE?

APOGEE is an American audio equipment manufacturer(`･ω･´)

I remember that APOGEE ROSETTA was the most commonly used converter in recording and mastering studios from 2000 to early 2010s.

APOGEE is a manufacturer that has been making completely professional products. It is truly a legend.

In 2007, such a manufacturer released the first generation APOGEE DUET for consumers.

It was a MAC-only audio interface, but its sound was revolutionary.

-The first DUET-

The resolution of the sound is super high!

I bought one of these, and at the time I had never even touched a product that produced such an amazing sound,so I almost wet my pants when I heard how good it sounded.

The design is very similar to that of a mac, and it looks like the gear of the future, and I saw many people around me using it.

-DUET 2-

After that, DUET was upgraded to DUET 2, which was released around 2013.

I bought this one as well, but I remember that the sound direction changed (from solid to fat), and I personally didn’t feel comfortable with it.

APOGEE ( アポジー ) / Symphony I/O MKII サウンドハウス

After that, APOGEE continued to release professional products of the level installed in recording studios, but did not sell consumer products that could be easily used on desktops.

APOGEE ( アポジー ) / Symphony Desktop サウンドハウス

And last year, finally, for the first time in a long time, there’s a type that can be used on a desktop!

I wondered if DUET3 would be released soon….?

APOGEE ( アポジー ) / Duet 3 サウンドハウス

Here it comes! DUET3!

It’s been 7 years since DUET2 was updated.
Around 10 years ago, DUET3 was one of the three most popular among DTM users, along with RME and MOTU.
Will it be able to compete with UA and ANTELOPE again?

Before I go any further, let me conclude,To sum it up, sound-wise, it’s competitive enough!

I mean, the sound of APOGEE is still great.

There are some differences between APOGEE and other manufacturers in terms of price and features other than sound, which I will review in detail later.

Unboxing review of the actual product

Here’s the actual review(´◔౪◔)◞

Box.

Back.

No returns once the seal is opened.

Open!

A warranty card and a simple manual.

In Japan, if you register your product, they will give you a one-year warranty.

Inside the box is a pouch case.

Open!

APOGEE’s design is very stylish.

The body is cool! And compact!

More on the accessories before we get to the main unit!

There was a breakout cable in a small pouch.

DUET3 is used in the same way as the first generation, with a breakout cable connected to the main unit.

And the USB cable. The main unit side is connected with the USB-C connector.

The PC connection side can be USB-A or

If you remove the cover, you can connect it via USB-C port. It’s flexible!

Now, back to the main unit!

The main unit is quite thin and compact, but rather heavy.

There is only one control knob in the center.

When you press it, you can feel a click.

When you turn it, you can feel a pleasant click.

There is one headphone jack on the bottom side of the unit.

Connect it with the mini phone jack.

On the top side of the device, there is a breakout cable terminal and two USB-C terminals.

The other side of the USB-C port can be used for power supply, etc.

This is useful when connecting to a laptop, as it gives you more terminals.

The surface of the device is covered with tempered glass.

Because of this decoration, it looks quite luxurious (´◔౪◔)◞

Specifications that fully satisfy my desire to own!

The silver parts on the sides and knobs are also not plastic, but have a metallic texture.

At this point, I thought it was the coolest desktop AIF I’ve ever seen (`･ω･´)

I’ll try connecting it to my PC.

Let’s try, it works on a PC!

I connected it to my MAC.

It was recognized without any particular driver!

When I play a song, it sounds fine!

Install the Apogee Control2 software.

DUET3 has a special software called Apogee Control2.

You can download and install it from this site.

I was able to download it without any special product registration.

Here is the screen of the software.

The UI is similar to RME’s TOTAL MIX. This software is used to perform basic and detailed operations.

I couldn’t understand how to use it just by touching it.

I need to read the manual properly( ･ὢ･ )

The DUET3 has a built-in DSP dedicated to effects, but

DUET3 has a dedicated DSP for plug-ins like UA Apollo and Antelope Zen Go.

Allows you to use effects without overloading your PC!

However, the only effect we can use now is this plug-in called Apogee Channel FX.

To be honest, it’s not as good as UA or Antelope….
Moreover, it only supports real-time recording of input sound.

There is currently no support for “apply only to monitoring sound” like UA.

Neve and Ampex modeling plug-ins can be used with the higher-end Symphony Desktop, so perhaps the ban on using them with DUET3 will be lifted in the future.

As of now, in regards to the usage of the DSP,there seems to be a clear line drawn between DUET3 and the higher-end models.

Let’s listen to the sound!

So, no matter what, it’s all about sound, sound, sound!

DSP, dedicated software, and plug-ins are all very interesting, but when it comes to Apogee, it’s all about the sound!

Would it be interesting to compare? I have

I alternated between these two models and DUET3 for comparison viewing!

The MOTU M2 is a low-priced product that has been gaining recognition since its release for its sound quality that is close to that of higher-end models.

As you know, UA Apollo X is a standard high-end model that is used by many professional creators.

Mine is the rack type, but the sound output is the same as the desktop type.

The price order is

It will be.

Apollo is more expensive than the competition because it has a powerful ancillary feature, the ability to use UAD plug-ins.

In terms of sound quality, I expect DUET3 to be a pretty good match, but what do you think(`･ω･´)?

The Apogee DUET3 sounded solid, very high resolution!

For now, I listened to the sound from DUET3.

Sound comparison is done with headphones.

Click play.

And there you have it, a piquant sound world where the veil has truly been lifted!

The APOGEE sound is exactly where I thought it would be!

Not in the direction of the DUET2 sound, which I personally wasn’t good at, but in the direction of the very solid and high resolution of the first generation!

And, of course, the performance must have been so much better than the DA chips of 2007, that it felt like a very modern tone!

I think this is a perfect sound for those who like it. It’s so APOGEE!

How does it compare to MOTU M2?

Here are my rough impressions after listening to and comparing the MOTU M2.

MOTU ( モツ ) / M2 サウンドハウス

The MOTU M2 also has a very musical sound.
Once again, I thought it was a product with very high cost performance.

However, I felt that the Apogee was much better in terms of resolution and sound contour expression.

To begin with, I thought that the sound production of the two is quite different.

Comparing them in this way, I found the M2 to be rather similar in tone to the UA.

It’s thick, smooth, and pleasant sounding, with high enough resolution if you don’t listen to APOGEE(`･ω･´)

Such a difference in impression.

How does it compare to UA Apollo X?

On the other hand, how does it compare to UA Apollo X?

My impression is the same as I felt with the MOTU M2!

APOGEE DUET3 compared to Apollo X

Sound.

On the contrary, Apollo X is more

I felt.

If you find Apollo X’s sound a bit cloying, APOGEE DUET3 will be a good fit for you.

Personally, I like the tuning of Apollo X, but I know some people don’t like it.

What is the difference in sound between RME and ANTELOPE?

I can also compare the difference in sound with RME and ANTELOPE from memory.

I feel it.

Please note that this is only my personal opinion.

DUET3 is as good as UA, RME and ANTELOPE in sound quality!

To be frank, it is quite good.

But the resolution is so high that you may get tired of listening to it(`･ω･´)

The UA Apollo X and MOTU M2 have a tone that is less tiring to listen to.

By the way, all of these items are at a level where you can mix Computer Music if you get used to it.

It’s not a matter of superiority or inferiority, but rather a tendency.

Try recording with Apogee.

So I recorded a microphone to check the texture of the AD and mic pre.

using a NEUMANN M149 microphone.

Create a comparison instrument with the exact same guitar, mic, and phrases as the other AIF I recorded previously.

The mic pre is the one built into the audio interface.

I recorded two tracks of acoustic guitar performance with LOGIC X and panned it left and right.

For rhythm, I used the included loop.

No plug-ins were applied. This is the sound as recorded.

Other than DUET3, there are no other comparisons.

It is.

I’ll lay out the files I recorded with these before (´◔౪◔).

Let’s see!

APOGEE DUET 3

UNIVERSAL AUDIO APOLLO X

RME Babyface Pro fs

Antelope Zen Go

Antelope  Discrete 8 Synergy Core

impressions

Yes, there was such a difference in tone!

When I listened to them side by side, my impressions of each model were generally similar to what I heard when listening with headphones(`･ω･´)

The Apogee DUET3 has a clear hi-fi sound, high resolution, and solid tone.

RME and Antelope Discrete 8 Synergy Core also have a clear tone, but again, the direction of the sound is slightly different for each.

UA and Antelope can be used with DSP plug-ins to change the tone significantly, so please refer to them as default sounds only.

Is DUET3 a good buy in terms of sound quality and price?

Is DUET3 a good product to buy?

In my opinion, it’s very attractive!

At $500 and up, it’s not cheap, but I think it sounds as good as the more expensive RME, UA, and ANTELOPE Synergy Core.

Rather, there are things that shine when it comes to resolution and separation.

Each of them has quite a different character, so if the type you are most comfortable with is DUET3, you should buy it!

APOGEE ( アポジー ) / Duet 3 サウンドハウス

What I’m wondering is whether the restriction on plug-ins that can be used with the built-in DSP will be removed in the future.

In other words, how many more plug-ins can be used?

It would be disappointing to have a DSP that can only be used for one effect.

I would also like to have reverb, delay, and other spatial effects.

It also has a loopback function, so having a reverb would make it easier to use for distribution.

I’m very much looking forward to future enhancements!

The sound is just amazing( ･ὢ･ )！

summary

There were a few other minor usability issues that I noticed, and a few that I liked.

I’ve been thinking that breakout cables are not so bad as I thought.

I’ve already written quite a lot of words, so…

I’ll write more later.

＊I’ve written an additional review.

For now, I really like DUET3!

Thank you for reading to the end!