Always using the best available technologies, the previous generation Duet interfaces from Apogee evolved from the original Firewire to USB devices, and have gained widespread recognition among many music enthusiasts, which immediately appreciated the refined design and the fact that it was the most affordable option to benefit from the quality of Apogee converters when recording and playing audio out of a computer.
In 2007, the original Apogee Duet raised the expectations for what a home studio audio interface should offer. The first generation Apogee Duet delivered a professional and portable option at a breakthrough price for Apogee quality AD/DA conversion and preamps. The original Duet and its successors Duet 2 and Duet for iPad and Mac empowered musicians, producers and engineers with sound quality, elegant design and effortless ease of use. When designing a new generation Duet, Apogee recognized the benefits of using the updated USB-C interface and the significant evolution also in new conversion and audio ICs.
Using best-in-class AD/DA conversion for 24-bit/192kHz recording and playback, it's no wonder that the Apogee engineering team calls the Duet 3 "the best sounding Duet to date." They know this new design will appeal even more to an increasingly demanding market, now familiar with high-resolution audio. And the all-new Duet 3 offers this improved performance in a beautiful, ultra-low profile design, with an aluminum body, scratch resistant glass top and a precision balanced backlit, large multifunction knob.
Designed with home studios in mind, the compact and slim hardware includes two high-quality preamplifiers, and powerful on-board hardware DSP that works with the Symphony ECS Channel Strip (an optional software plug-in) for zero-latency recording with effects, and presets crafted by Bob Clearmountain. The two preamps add up to 60dB of gain and 48V phantom power, while keeping noise and distortion down.
All the input and output connections are conveniently accessible via the included breakout cable, delivering two instrument inputs, two mic/line inputs, and two 1/4" balanced outputs. This break-out cable connects to a dedicated connector and is complemented with two USB Type-C ports for connection and external power as needed. The design is bus powered, and the front of the unit features a stereo headphone output with a mini-jack connector, which is the only drawback (the slim design would not allow a normal 1/4" jack connector).
As Apogee reinforces, the new Duet 3 is ideal for music creation, voice recording, streaming and even gaming. It can be used with any macOS and Windows 10 workstation in the studio or on the go. The interfaces ships with a stylish, padded travel case included. For added convenience, when using it back in the studio, the Duet 3 can be connected simply to an optional Duet Dock accessory, keeping the input and output cable connections always in place and ready, and allowing a more ergonomic studio desk experience. The Duet 2 is obviously fully optimized for Apple Logic Pro X and compatible with all popular audio software.
The Duet 3 is scheduled to be available from July 2021 and retails for $599 USD. The Symphony ECS Channel Strip Plugin sells online for $99 (50% off) and the Duet Dock will add an extra $149 USD.
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