Can an Apogee Ensemble replace my mixing board?

[remmet]

I have no doubt the Apogee Ensemble would sound better than my MOTU 1224 interface, but I also wonder if it would allow me to do without a mixing board (assuming the number of inputs on the unit would be adequate). Is anyone familiar enough with the Ensemble to know whether this would be possible?

Richard

[mazz]

The specs are pretty clear on apogee's site so I guess the question for me is: what do you use your mixer for?

[remmet]

I currently use the board as a receptacle for my synths/samplers, the outputs of which I bus into Digital Performer's audio tracks through the 1224. I also monitor the synths/samplers and stereo out of the 1224 through the board.

I've looked at the specs of the Ensemble and, with its Maestro software, it appears capable of fully replacing the board functions that I use. But if I'm wrong about that, it would be a very expensive mistake, so I'd like to be sure.

Richard

[mojobone]

My take is 'yeah, but don't sell the mixer'. (them things is handy)

[remmet]

My take is 'yeah, but don't sell the mixer'. (them things is handy)

Man, don't we ever sleep?

Anyway, I'm hoping the sale of the board will pay - or help pay - for the Apogee. It's a 32 track board and I'm using less than a 3rd of the inputs. I'd love to get rid of it.

R

[Kolstad]

I think it can. It would be a noticeable step up in sound quality, for sure. The preamps and a/d converters in external soundcards are a BIG part of the overall sound, and the Apogee is as good as they come.

If you are concerned about the number of inputs on the mixer, and you have a usb midi keyboard with midi in, you can also route an additional hardware synth through that.

If it's the mixer's controller faders and knobs you'd miss, you can get the same functions on small external controllers like the Korg Nano's and/or on a midi controller like M-Audio's Axiom Pro.

[Fullertime]

Personally I like having a hardware mixer in my setup just for routing and playback. I like to be able to hook up an iPod, another sytnh, a DVD Player or anything a client brings in without having to re-route the software. Plus I think it looks cool!

The Apogee will NOT disappoint you!!!!!

Fuller

[mazz]

I guess if you can make do with 8 inputs, then the Apogee will do very well due to it's great A/D conversion, not to mention it's great D/A conversion, which is often overlooked in it's importance.

The question is, do you really need 8 channels of great A/D just to record synths and samplers that are probably 16 bit audio (unless you have an analog synth)? And so do you need to spend 2K to record synths? Maybe an excellent 2 channel preamp with digital I/O would be a better choice for recording those occasional acoustic instruments and spend the money on something else. The 1224 already has 8 inputs that are working now for your synths/samplers, and I'm sure for those it works just fine. If you need more than 8 inputs and don't need to listen to all the synths at once, consider a patchbay.

Remember that you need some way to control your monitors if you currently use your mixer for that. Personally I don't trust controlling my speakers only via the computer/DAW, I like to have a hardware knob at my fingers, not to mention the ability to listen to other sources besides the computer without having to boot up the computer.

With the Apogee you'd be completely in the box, which might be just fine. Also you're paying for ADAT I/O which you may or may not need. That's included in the "36 channels of audio" in the specs, do you really need that?

Apogee makes great D/A A/D converters and clocks, which you will get with this unit, it's a great upgrade, but think it through completely on how it will affect your work flow vis a vis listening, mixing, having to have the computer on to listen to things, etc.

HTH,

Mazz

[mojobone]

Yeah, the AD conversion will improve, but by how much? A lot depends on the mixer's preamps; if they're vanilla, it's an upgrade, if it's a vintage Neve, API, Soundcraft, Toft, A&H or equivalent, maybe not so much.

[mazz]

Maybe the best of both worlds is a 12 or 16 channel Mackie mixer with Firewire I/O.

http://www.mackie.com/products/onyxiseries/

You'd get synth recording, control room monitoring functions, zero latency monitoring, some pretty decent preamps, wide compatibility and much lower price. You won't get the Apogee conversion, but for what you're doing right now, do you really need it?