No mixing or recording engineer needs to be briefed on Apogee: its rackmount units represent the pinnacle of sonic reproduction at the conversion stage. Yet there’s always been a gulf between those who use these desktop devices—the Duet and the Quartet, namely—and those who seek the Symphony, the flagship in AD/DA conversion. Today, that gulf is no more: Apogee has released the Symphony Desktop, an interface offering the legendary specs of the Symphony I/O mkII in a portable form factor.
It does that, and so much more.
This interface offers an impressive 10-in x 14-out configuration, making use of USB and optical connections. Over USB, you can achieve sample rates and resolutions of up to 192 kHz / 24-bit.
Two stepped gain preamps can give you up to 75 dB of gain, as well as variable impedance values to engender different sounds. These preamps make use of two XLR-1/4" combination inputs located on the back of the unit. You’ll also note the front-panel 1/4" instrument input, also with variable impedances to accommodate different instruments, and two different headphone outputs—one 1/4", the other 3.5mm.
All of this hardware plays nicely with two included preamp emulations, one modelled on a Class A Neve 1066 preamp, and the other modeling a 1950s-era Ampex 601. Whether you want a round British sound or a lush ’50s timbre at the input stage, the Symphony Desktop can provide just the right thing.
Also included are some digital tools: the Symphony EQ, the Symphony Compressor, and the Symphony Reverb. All three are offered in Native software formats, while the EQ and comp can also be accessed right from the hardware. Built-In FPGA DSP lets you run other high-quality Apogee FX rack plug-ins.
Basically, if you’ve ever wondered “what would happen if I had the quality of a Symphony in shape of a Duet or Quartet,” you no longer have to wonder: the answer is here—and it’s now available at B&H. So check one out at our SuperStore, or visit us online to get yours today.
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