Apogee Duet Monitors/Speakers

Preamps do not power speakers. There are two different types of reference monitors - passive and active. If you buy a set of passive, or unpowered monitors, then you will need to buy a separate amplifier. However, most monitors right now are active, or powered. . . which means they have their own power amp built in. You'll be fine to run a set of cables from the breakout cables into those speakers.

Preamps power microphones. Amps power speakers.

tfat,
duet was designed to work with active monitors.
duet has a stereo -10dbv output.
these aren't supposed to plug into passive monitors.
-10 will work into the front end of a power amp and then passive monitors.
also, anything you can plug a CD/DVD player into should also work with the duet output, like a boom box.
small active two-ways are your best bet, and i would suggest dynaudios.
DR9.

KRK makes some fine monitors. You're on the right track - you'll need ACTIVE monitors.

Also, for the record the Duet has UNbalanced outputs. That's an issue for some folks who insist on equating unbalanced with unprofessional or some similar nonsense. Just make sure the active monitors you select accept unbalanced input.

The Duet is a fantastic interface with a few issues that should get addressed by a driver update "soon".

Sonically on a small studio set-up the difference between -10 & +4 is next to zero. The only time radio interference through cables becomes a problem is in live situations where the cable length can get into the hundreds of meters. Professional monitors (Adam, Genelec for example) allow for the different settings on your sound card. On my Adam A7's for example I have more than enough power output for my 17m2 control room. The Duet is a very capable box, comparable with the RME 400, slightly better than the MOTU Ultralite, leagues ahead of similar products from Echo, M-Audio and TC Electronic. It's integration with Logic 8, Logic Pro 7 and Core Audio is unbeatable at the moment.

Here's the Apogee FAQ:
http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/duet.php?section=support

There's specific mention of the why's & wherefore's related to the unbalanced outputs.

Seriously, do some research. If you still think unbalanced outputs are an issue then choose a different audio interface.

I don't use them, but KRK's are good monitors. Its really up to you and what you can get the most accurate mix on. If you mix on KRK's just because someone told you that you should but all of your mixes aren't translating to other systems well, the KRK's may not be for you. A lot of that will also have to do w/ your room acoustics. they play a much bigger part in your mixes than your monitors themselves.

This is the trick that very few people will tell you cuz everyone just wants to push their brand agenda - If you are a good mixer and you know what sounds good, you can get a good mix on almost ANY set of monitors. You just have to know what they sound like - if you have music that you know VERY well and listen to them on a set of monitors and get to know the nuances of those monitors (cause every set of monitors has its own idiosyncrasies) then you can get a good mix on any monitor.

I use Yamaha NS10's, Dynaudios, Genelecs, and the JBL LSR4300 series, and they all work great for me. I also have a set of Sony bookshelf speakers that I bought for $25 apiece when I was 16 that I've used to reference many mixes on. Why is that? Because i KNOW how those speakers sound. . . I listened to music through them for years.

It's not something that can be addressed via driver update. Unbalanced outputs are designed into the device. It's not even a "limitation" as keeps getting suggested.

Again - don't buy it if you don't understand the product and your needs. If you want a superb-sounding 2-in/2-out FW audio interface with unbalanced outputs they don't come much, if any, better than the Duet.

hi again,
just to clarify:
sonically, there should be no sonic difference between bal/unbal, -10/+4, if all component match and are set up well.
in fact, unbalanced can "sound" better, because there's less circuitry.
balanced amplifiers/opamps can fall out of spec, where one of the amps in the chip is not a mirror of the other.
this cannot occur in an unbalanced design.
i owned a Manley Labs VoxBox for a while, and it had two main outs:
XLR tranformer balanced,
and
TS "audiophile" unbalanced.
most of the time, the "audiophile" out sounded cleaner and punchier.
DR9.

If it really bothers you there are -10 to +4 convertors available.

In reply to the original post; biggest factor is your budget. Next factor is the listening environment. My (cheap) monitor's sound greatly improved when I moved them from the desk to monitor stands.

There are many active monitors and amplifiers available that are designed to accept unbalanced -10 signals. Usually the -10 inputs/outputs are RCA connectors. In my opinion the Duet's -10 output is a plus in that you can plug it straight in to any stereo receiver with a simple pair of 1/4" to RCA adaptors. Something you would not want to do with balanced +4 outputs.

As long as the output level and impedance match the inputs you are fine. Keep your cabling as short as possible. Balanced lines are necessary for cable runs over 10-20 feet or in noisy locations. (Your home telephone line is balanced.) It is true that hi-fi audio is typically unbalanced because as one poster mentioned less circuitry = purer signal.

As for you people who can not produce a decent mix because the Duet's outputs are not "pro", you are making excuses.

The Duet squarely hits it's target: personal recording. Of course any serious mixing would be better accomplished at a well designed nicely equipped control room, but I don't have one. Do you?

I agree with you fermusic. All connections should be balanced for professional mixing and mastering. I wanted to get a DUET to drive my Genelecs but now this issue is stopping me, cuz Gens don't have unbal ins or -10/+4 switch. I guess they are sending a clear message on this issue. Now I'm looking for a portable interface/DAC that has Bal out. Benchmark DAC sounds really good, but it's so pricy!

hi,
read my profile.
i have both duet, and rosetta.
been working in this so-called "industry" for 45yrs now, and i've used just about every wired config anyone could ever think of.
if balanced wiring is so critical to the "sound" why then is high end audiophile gear still of unbalanced design?
and seeing as how broadcast (AM, FM, TV) use BAL @+8, does that then make these
applications "more pro" than +4?
i'm picking you've gotten this technical "wisdom" out of a book/off the net.
DR9.

Hi,

I'm using some Genelec 8040A, take a look at the Genelecs, they're expensive but they're a widely used monitor and I've used alot over the years and this is my favorite, great solid build (no wood) and isopods are fantastic.
The 8020 may suit you nicely, they come with a 2 year international warranty and they're powered monitors so you just connect straight from the DUET.

Monitors are so important in the work you'll do, so although expensive they're crucial.

hi,
the output of a device does not make it pro.
i have a mixer custom designed by Avalon Audio.
it outputs well over +30dBu and needs it's own 40volt power supply.
so, i guess, using your analogy, this is "more pro" the my rosetta?
tell me, what good is all this head room if it overloads or blows up the next piece of gear down-stream?
yes, you will loose some headroom running -10 into +4, but why would you do that?
surely, -10 should be connected to a device with the same sensitivity, then there will be no more loss of headroom.
i've A/B duet and rosetta, and when set to output the same SPL, the signals are almost identical.
the rosetta sound a little rounder maybe. it's not worth the price diff.
DR9.

In that case I guess I should can the Duet and go back to my Soundblaster Live since it has SPDIF (so it's pro) and therefore more dyanamic range. Thanks for the heads up.

fermusic wrote:
I'm sure of that... (but also Motu, Digi002/3. Metric Halo, and others)

Sound is good but with-10dBu you got MAX 60/70 db dynamic range because this is the physical limit for Analog Amplifier... (that's why a said that it is a not professional output sensitivity)

read the specification of Rosetta 200 or Universal Audio 2192:
they gives + 26dBu OUTPUT!!!