Derro

Well, after much pulling out of my hair and substituting a iMac for the MacBook, I was further convinved that there was most definitely some very badly amiss. Turns out that that just after I got my MacBook and before I got an external DAC, that I downloaded an equalizer application called "Hear" by daemon/joesoft. THIS was the culprit and even though I removed ALL files associated with it there was one hidden deep deep within a system folder and it was this plug-in that was causing the problem. I have since seen that others too have had the very same experience with this application. I can NOW and only now hear the full glory of the Apogee DUET and it is simply STUNNING! I just had to satisfy my curiosity as to how the Apogee MiniDAC was in comparison to the Apogee DUET, so I dropped into my dealer who by luck had a MiniDAC Demo unit. I said that I want to know how the two stood up against each other and his unhesitating answer was "DUET is better!" ..... but as we know, we need to hear this for ourselves, especially since this guy had not actually compared one against the other. As it happens, this was a demo unit and he said that if I wanted I could do a straight swap against my new DUET. With that in mind, I was not swayed by the prices of the units - since effectively they would cost me the same, no matter which I choose. Well, now after extensive and tortuous listening sessions with both I have come to a final conclusion. Both were level matched and each had similar VandenHul interconnect between DAC and my 300B S.E.T. amplifier The MiniDAC was connected by the USB connection and the DUET by Firewire. The Apogee MiniDAC is most certainly an extremely good DAC, but in comparison to the DUET, the MiniDAC is slightly smaller scale and not as full bodied and a tad hard sounding at times.... a little clinical, very slightly mechanical and closed maybe. The DUET after that just opens up everything - HUGE sounding - wonderful wider soundstage with far better depth than the MiniDAC and vocals sound more natural. Phrasing and emotional expression is just easier to grasp with the DUET. Strings sounded like strings on the DUET, whereas on the MiniDac they were all there OK, but seemed smaller scale and thinner sounding. I am totally convinced and happy with the DUET. For me, definitely better sounding than the MiniDAc - within the context of MY system and MY preferences. When you read this, it may look like to you that there big differences between the two, but that in fact is not the case - what we are talking about here are minor, very minor changes in the presentation. Just wanted to put things straight in case my post may have caused some to be swayed from the Apogee Duet..... the problem was nothing to do with the Duet, but it was my system that was at fault. The integration, use and asthetics of the Duet with the Macbook is simply superb and works beautifully. Thanks to everyone who took the time to read and or to post inn responce to my initial problem. Regards DerrO

Thanks for the response Chris..... I would be most greatful if you can shed any light on this matter. I am surprised at the results from both the Duet and MiniDAC, both exhibiting the same sonics after reading so many good reports about the MiniDAC and Duet, I thought that this would be a step up from my KingRex DAC, but in fact it is not and I have to say that I am now beginning to resort back to Airport Express! I guess this is just an inherent signature of Apogee and I better start looking again for something else. Maybe I am just being too expectant! Thanks, DerrO

I have been using the Apogee Duet for some time now, but have reservations about it. All music from my cd's is ripped 44/16 to my MacBook. I am using iTunes and before you ask, all effects, equalizers enhancers are off. Audio Midi is set, (yes prior to opening iTunes) to 44/24. My problem(?) is that while playing if I hit "pause", I am hearing a very brief echo type effect at the instant of stopping the music. Similar to speaker cabinet resonance in a poor cheap speaker. And before you suggest that it is my amp or speakers, let me say that I am using a pair of 300B mono-block amplifiers and open baffle speakers and also Sennheiser HD580 headphones and this effect is not there when I use any other source or other cd player. I have narrowed it down specificaly and only to the use of the Apogee Duet. If I use the Sennheisers directly into the MacBook, there is no problem, but the problem is aso there when I use the Apogee Duet as a headphone amplifier, thereby eliminating the rest of my system. I have also tried an Apogee MiniDAC and both the effects are there also. I had hoped that the MiniDAC would be an improvement since it has been very well reviewed and well respected and also cost about twice the Duet.... but the two minor points aside, the Duet is a better sounding DAC than the MiniDAC.... it is slight but it is there and the Duet wins out bby a wisker. In addition I do have also some reservations about the upper top end and especially crash cymbals which all appear one note and "tizzy" or better still they sound just like a three year old kiddies drum kit with a 3" cymbal and have absolutley no body to them. Sounds more like tambourine than a cymbal! .... or is it just me? Anyone care to comment or anyone out there using the Duet that cares to talk about it? Anyone experiencing similar? Thanks for reading and hope that someone will have something to say! DerrO

Thanks and yes,I am aware of the Apogee link! It does not address the issue and is only an overview. I mailed Apogee and the tech dept did not help and they suggested I contact Apple pose this question to Apple since in essence we're talking about software algorithms as well. Thanks for the input, DerrO

>>>I only let the external DAC do the upsampling. I don't let OS X do the upsampling.

Hi Chris, Thanks for the prompt relpy. Firstly the DUET is not USB - it is ONLY FireWire. So I do I have FireWire connection not USB. Yes, I have enabled error correction, equalizer off, volume maxed out in both iTunes and system. You say Chris that you only use upsampling with an external DAC... but the Apgoee DUET IS an external DAC! I have read differing opinions about setting the sample rate in AUdioMidi at 96k and forget about it then, but likewise I have also read the opposite in that I should set it to what the source is.... thats why I am a little confused. I was using the KingRex DAC prior to this but honestly I do not like it at ALL. It is bass heavy and a searing bright top end, indeed I thought that there was something amiss with my system and the Airport Express actually sounded better, much more natural. The Apogee DUET is truly in another league altogether and while I was expecting an improvement, I was not prepared for the amazing sound from the DUET. Astonishing bass definition, punch and tonal qualities. A soundstage that has opened up considerably. In the past I can now say that by comparrison, it was like listening outside a venue and now with the APogee DUET I have walked through the doors and I am there! Then again, it has literally only been in use since yesterday and we will see what develops after some burn-in hours. I am using this in conjunction with my 300B amplifiers and Full range single drivers. Thanks for your comments Chris... if you think of anything else... you might be good enough to let me know! Take it Easy.... DerrO

Hi all. Hope someone can throw some light on this for me. Firstly, I am TOTALLY new to computer audio and digitally illiterate! I am using the DUET with iTunes and a MacBook. It is ONLY for audio playback within a hi-end audiophile audio system. All my cd's have been ripped into iTunes in AIFF. Now this is what I am confused...... there is talk of AudioMidi, Core Audo, Quicktime, iTunes, Maestro ....... and what sample rate should be set where. I only have this set up since yesterday, but my impressions are that using 44/16 the top end is somewhat sterile.... if I change things to 96k in AudioMidi then the top end is a little lifeless. I was under the impression, be it right or wrong that setting to 96k would mean that the original 44/16 would be upsampled to 96/24 and that playback would be enhanced. But listening does not agree with this. Is there anyone out there using the DUET in a similar situation as I am and I am sure that thre are many... if so how have you got everything set? Hope that someone can shed some light on this for me. Thanks in advance to anyone whomay care to help. DerrO

About to push the button on an Apogee Duet... however I am a little unsure if the output is suitable for connection to a normal hi-fi amplifier .... the output is stated as being -10dB but I am lost as far as dB values go and how this equates into volts! I will only be using it for playback and not recording .... the other suspect was the Stello DA100 DAC .... but more expensive and shipping to where I am, duties and taxes puts it out of the league .... however if someone was to say that it would be a better option.... well then, that may change things! Appreciate any comments about this and from any Duet users out there. regards Derro

Ok, maybe someone has the answer for this, I have searched and searched, but to no avail......so ..... Given that I use a single driver full range speaker, with a notch filter, I have found that I am getting better results now with the notch filter removed and doing the frequency correction within iTunes with the equalizer. However that said, the equalizer is rather limiting with only ten bands to adjust. It would be really great if there was an alternative plugin that has a greater range of adjustment, say 30 band equalizer would be nice. This would be a great help and a development tool for those of us interested in speaker DIY... not to mention that it could also be used to some degree for room correction. My question therefore is - is there a more comprehensive plugin equalizer for iTunes on a Mac? Or .... any suggestion for an outboard equalizer that I assume would go between the MB and the DAC, and indeed is this a better or worse way to do this? The "audiophiles" may "poo-poo" the idea of even contemplating the use of the iTunes equalizer, but I have to say that I would consider myself a fully paid up member of the audiophile nutter community, but the fact that I can actually now remove the components that make the notch filter, the associated wiring, joints, connectors and so on - which is of course in the analogue domain which is the worst place it could be.... have made the sound quality and dynamics better, no matter what you may think about the use of equalizer, the notch filter (or any filters in the spkr) are themselves frequency manipulation, but in the part of the audio chain where they are not best positioned. Since the equalization is being performed inthe digital domain, I must assume that that is a far better place to do correction than to do it at the speaker. Anyway, just my current thinking on this and hopefully someone may have something to say about this!!! DerrO

At the risk of having the wrath of the Gods on me I will ask anyway, but please just dont shoot me for asking!..... I know it is not audiophile practice to use the Equalizer in iTunes and that it should be turned off. Thats a given ....! However, I assume that it operates in the digital domain and just how much of a negative effect does its use have on the final sound quality. Certainly I wold not even consider it if it was in the analogue stage. Surely, gentle use of the equalizer could be used in the same what many use a DSP in fully blown systems and could be used to assist or compensate of room irregularities or correction, speaker correction - especially where open baffle speakers are being used. Does anyone use the Equalizer? Does anyone care to report on the negative aspects of using it and just how much damage it does... or does it? Thanks... DerrO

Chris.... THAT was a fast reply. Super - that is just the answer I was looking for. I am running Tiger 10.4.11 on my iMac, but Leopard 10.5 on my MacBook and while I was familiar with the hot corners, I didn't realize that they now offered this option in Leopard. ( thinking it was just the same as Tiger) Super.... Genius!! .... Thanks for your help. DerrO

Hi, I am using a MacBook, just recently acquired and along with my KingRex DAC, everything is going just fine. However, when I am using iTunes and I select a track it would be nice if I was able to IMMEDIATELY turn the display off, since I usually listen in total darkness. As it stands, I have the display set to its minimum of one minute to sleep the display - so in the dark room, I have the display illuminating the place like a christmas tree. And before you say it, the Cmd+Opt+Edj is no use either since this sleeps the computer totally and the app. I can only turn down the brightness to its min, use a black desktop, but it is still distracting and live with the first minute.... Any ideas? Finally, just want to say that this site is absolutely wonderful!!! DerrO

Hi , OK, thats fine then .... nothing to worry about and nice to know it was not me at fault!!!! Derro

Hi, First post here and hope there will be much more to come! I have just got a new MacBook OS 10.5 and the KingRex DAC with iTunes and got it set up yesterday. However I notice that iTunes still controls the system volume. I was under the impression that once an external DAC was connected that the digital output would not be effected by any computer controls. I seem to remember reading somewhere that once the DAC is connected that the volume controls of both iTunes and the MacBook are bypassed. Am I missing something here or is this the normal way it operates? Thanks Derro