Apogee Ensemble Thunderbolt

[mickrich]

I have had this for a few weeks now and have done a few sessions with it so thought I would post my impressions.
Overall, it is amazing. The I/O conversion is astonishingly clear.
The dual DI input and reamp outputs are superb.
I had a ground loop issue on the reamp outputs but an Ebtech hum eliminator has sorted that out.
I tested a Fabfilter Pro Q2 match EQ on a DI track and the same track going out through the reamp outputs and back into the DI input and according to Pro Q they are identical :-O No eq curve when matched.
Latency is non existent. I mean impossible to feel any latency whatsoever.
I am clockling ISA 828 and API A2D from it and they both sound better than when using their own clocks.
The headphone outputs are discreet (can be set up as dedicated outputs) and the same high quality so I am using them as an extra 4 outputs to my desk. They sound the same as the main 10 analog outputs. I have 16 outputs of Apogee with the 10 line outs, 4 (2xstereo) headphone outs and SPDIF to my Apogee mini DAC feeding the 16 channels of my ZED-R16 console.
I am not mad about the (8) mic pres. They sound a bit "slow" so I am using my external pres. My API A2D sounds better when using the analog outs to Apogee line inputs than using its own converters. I have it connected to line inputs on the apogee and also SPDIF to the apogee so can use its own converters too. I also have ISA 220, LA610, MXR M80 and BSS DI going to line inputs then my ISA 828 ADAT in and a Behringer ADA8000 ADAT in for recording drum triggers.
Mixes I have done since getting the Ensemble are far clearer than before. I used to use the firewire driver and converters on my A&H Zed-R16 which is regarded as pretty good. I still use the Zed, but as an analog console now.
I am extremely happy with the Ensemble and although it is pretty expensive (€2.5K) it is seriously worth every penny.
I can answer and questions anyone has about the Ensemble. There doesn't seem to be that many of them out there yet.

I can't post anything I am currently working on as it is not released yet but here is a test using Jaymz's Nevermore DI pack.
This is Ensemble front panel reamp out to ts808 to triple rectifier to recto cab to 57 to API to Ensemble line in with absolutely no post processing on the guitars. mix is going line out of Ensemble through Zed-R16 and Drawmer 1968me bus compressor and back into Logic through Ensemble line inputs. Only master processing is limiter for level.
A bit of guitars on their own then the backing track comes in.
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2133088/TMS_ENSEMBLE_TEST.wav

 

[egan.]

That's awesome. I sort of wish these were out when I bought my symphony i/o. It just seems like Apogee really built the features around the needs instead of marketing garbage.

 

[mva801]

Wish I could snag one of these. They're the ultimate solution for the small/ medium studio. The symphony I think is really better for a large studio that requires more inputs (16-32 or more)

 

[LeSedna]

Wow man I was about to send you a PM since I saw on the GAS thread you own one. I am just waiting for the finances to allow it. I just want to be done with an interface, it's pretty much perfect for any future-oriented setup. The right amount of I/O, the right size and shape, the right connection (I'm going full thunderbolt + thunderbolt hub for keyboard/mouse/keys and plan on pluging the laptop in a remote location with an optical thunderbolt cable to have a noiseless setup), I even plan on using it as my main 5.1 setup for movies when I move to my new flat, the CoreAudio makes it so easy to set it up in MacOsX anyway.

How would the DI input compare to dedicated DI boxes ? I usually use a Countryman 85, and I am planning on something more colored for bass recording, but maybe if the DIs in the Apogee are really good, I'll just forget about all of this and simply plug a cable to the front panel !

Any downside ?

 

[AD Chaos]

I wonder how this interface would work in a PC with Thunderbolt 2.0 on the motherboard..

 

[egan.]

I wonder how this interface would work in a PC with Thunderbolt 2.0 on the motherboard..

Correct me if I'm wrong but there are no drivers for windows AFAIK.

 

[AD Chaos]

Damn, for a moment there I wanted to forget it's Apogee...

Well, that blows

 

[mickrich]

That's awesome. I sort of wish these were out when I bought my symphony i/o. It just seems like Apogee really built the features around the needs instead of marketing garbage.

Absolutely. Only thing I think they maybe missed a remote control like the rme one. Doesn't affect me because I use the zed-r16 console for monitoring and headphone mixes etc
Another couple of well thought out features I forgot to mention are:
When you select line input you can actually hear the relay in the ensemble bypass the mic pre completely.
The inserts on channel 1-2 can be bypassed. I have the api a2d analog outs connected to line in 1-2 and the main outputs of the zed-r16 connected to the insert returns so I just activate the insert to record the mix back in so I am not using extra inputs for the mix return.
The guitar I/O can be set to reamp from software or through.
From software works like a reamp box, through works like a di box with in and link out to amp.

Wish I could snag one of these. They're the ultimate solution for the small/ medium studio. The symphony I think is really better for a large studio that requires more inputs (16-32 or more)

I have 28 inputs for tracking.
8 mic/line in, 2 spdif from api a2d, 8 adat in from isa828, 8 adat in from behringer ada8000 and 2 di inputs.

Wow man I was about to send you a PM since I saw on the GAS thread you own one. I am just waiting for the finances to allow it. I just want to be done with an interface, it's pretty much perfect for any future-oriented setup. The right amount of I/O, the right size and shape, the right connection (I'm going full thunderbolt + thunderbolt hub for keyboard/mouse/keys and plan on pluging the laptop in a remote location with an optical thunderbolt cable to have a noiseless setup), I even plan on using it as my main 5.1 setup for movies when I move to my new flat, the CoreAudio makes it so easy to set it up in MacOsX anyway.

How would the DI input compare to dedicated DI boxes ? I usually use a Countryman 85, and I am planning on something more colored for bass recording, but maybe if the DIs in the Apogee are really good, I'll just forget about all of this and simply plug a cable to the front panel !

Any downside ?

As I said in my original post, a loop back match eq test from recorded di track out through reamp out to di in shows the di is 100% transparent so perfect for capturing di tracks for later reamping. I haven't used my bss since I got the ensemble. I still use my mxr m80 for bass.

 

[FrancescoFiligoi]

I've got a Fireface UFX but as soon as Apogee released this, I knew I had to buy it. GASing hard for it!

Also the headphone outs are good enough to drive demanding headphones like HD800s etc etc, which is a good plus.

 

[LeSedna]

Absolutely. Only thing I think they maybe missed a remote control like the rme one. Doesn't affect me because I use the zed-r16 console for monitoring and headphone mixes etc

Another couple of well thought out features I forgot to mention are:

When you select line input you can actually hear the relay in the ensemble bypass the mic pre completely.

The inserts on channel 1-2 can be bypassed. I have the api a2d analog outs connected to line in 1-2 and the main outputs of the zed-r16 connected to the insert returns so I just activate the insert to record the mix back in so I am not using extra inputs for the mix return.

The guitar I/O can be set to reamp from software or through.

From software works like a reamp box, through works like a di box with in and link out to amp.







I have 28 inputs for tracking.

8 mic/line in, 2 spdif from api a2d, 8 adat in from isa828, 8 adat in from behringer ada8000 and 2 di inputs.







As I said in my original post, a loop back match eq test from recorded di track out through reamp out to di in shows the di is 100% transparent so perfect for capturing di tracks for later reamping. I haven't used my bss since I got the ensemble. I still use my mxr m80 for bass.

Hum if I got it right this test only proves the DI is clean not really than it sounds "good" as in it captures well the transients or lows of the guitar DI and I am not sure an EQ can capture any of that !. But then are you implying they are perfectly clean and good and make the use of a clean DI redondant ? If yes it's cool, that's another cable and box off my desk then, even though I love the type 85 I'm happy to just plugin the interface again !

 

[mickrich]

The di inputs sound great me.
If you get the ensemble hold onto your type 85 until you test it against the di inputs then you can decide if you want to keep it.

 

[K Odell]

I just got one of these and love it. My only qualm is with the lag in between turning the talk back on and turning it off, but I also run a Dangerous D-box so I don't NEED the talk back thats on the apogee.

My only question is what would be the best option for running a lunchbox with this also? I'm looking into that as we speak and I just don't know how exactly I want to run it.

 

[mva801]

That all depends on what you want in the lunchbox. If it's preamps, then just run the pres into the line inputs of the Apogee!

 

[K Odell]

Yeah I want to run two electrodyne pres. I really only want two channels maybe 4 max of outside preamps. I just want to be able to use the 8 pres on the apogee plus a lunchbox, but I don't know if that is entirely possible.

 

[mva801]

Yeah I want to run two electrodyne pres. I really only want two channels maybe 4 max of outside preamps. I just want to be able to use the 8 pres on the apogee plus a lunchbox, but I don't know if that is entirely possible.

Only if you have another converter. You'd need to run digitally into the apogee if you want more than the 8 analog inputs it has. If you can find a good 2 or 4 channel converter and clock it from the apogee you'd be good!

 

[mickrich]

I have done lots of sessions with the new Apogee Ensemble but this is the first one that has been released.
Clarity of the ensemble is superb and my mixes have improved a lot with it.
Also got Sennheiser HD650 headphones which are superb. I figured the M50s weren't up to the same standard as the Apogee (and I was right)
Guitars are 5153 into recto cab.
Mix is summed through busses into Allen and Heath Zed-R16 through Drawmer 1968me bus compressor then recorded back through the Apogee line inputs.
Higher quality MP3
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2133088/Dead Aeon_ I, Demigod_Final.mp3

Soundcloud.