User Manual

Apogee Element Series User’s Guide

Device Sidebar

The Device Sidebar provides settings that are specific to the Element interface connected to the Mac.

1. Device ID - Identifies the hardware connected to the Mac system.

● Clicking this button causes the displayed hardware to flash it’s status light for three

seconds.

2. Main Output Format - Changes the output to suit what is being connected to the XLR Main

output jacks:

● Speaker - Use this setting when connecting speakers to the Main XLR hardware

outputs

● Line - Use this setting when connecting a mixer or other device with its own volume

control to the Main XLR hardware outputs

3. Main Output Level - Selects the line-level reference for the XLR Main output jacks:

● Choose +4dBu when connecting to “pro” gear with inputs at a +4dBu nominal level.

● Choose -10dBV when connecting to “semi-pro”, hi-fi, or musical instrument gear with

inputs at a -10dBV nominal level.

4. Optical In and Out Format - Sets the digital audio protocol for the optical connectors. Match

the optical format to that of the connecting device:

● SPDIF: The two-channel SPDIF audio format is transmitted or received through the

selected port’s In or Out connections. This format is capable of utilizing a maximum

sample rate of 96kHz.

● ADAT/SMUX: The multi-channel ADAT or SMUX format is transmitted or received

through the selected ports. Capable of 8 channels of digital I/O at sample rates

44.1kHz - 48kHz, and 4 channels of digital I/O at sample rates 88.2kHz - 96kHz.

- *On Element 88, setting the sample rate to 88.2kHz or 96kHz activates the second

set of optical I/O. This provides 4 more channels for a total of 8 channels of digital I/O.

5. Analog In-Optical Out - Enable direct routing from Analog inputs to Optical outputs. When checked, all analog inputs

are passed individually to the Optical outputs.

- On Element 24, signal only appears on ADAT output 1-2.

- On Element 46, signal only appears on ADAT output 1-4.

- On Element 88, signal appears on all ADAT output channels.

Note: When Optical Out Format is set to SPDIF, only inputs 1-2 are transmitted to the optical output 1-2.

Multiple Element Device Sidebar

When multiple Element Devices are in use, the Device Sidebar changes to show the Output Format and

Output Level of both devices, while reflecting the loss of the Optical options: