User manual

Apogee Quartet
This sleek
four-channel
interface and
monitor controller
embodies all the
quality and style
we’ve come to expect
from Apogee.
USB Audio Interface
For Mac
Quartet is, but that’s not all it is, as it has an
integrated monitor controller too.
As the name suggests, the Quartet is
a four-channel interface, and while this
may not look exactly generous to those
who need to mic up a drum kit, a pair of
ADAT (S/MUX) ports allow eight further
channels to be added at sample rates of up
to 96kHz, using one of the many expander
units available, including Apogee’s own
Ensemble. This takes the maximum input
channel count to 12, which, being realistic,
is enough for most small studio recording
projects, even if they include a drum kit.
If no expansion is required, the Quartet
can run at sample rates up to 192kHz.
The Quartet will work with any Core
Audio compatible DAW running on an Intel
Mac (1.5GHz CPU or above).
Overview
The wedge-shaped, die-cast aluminium
hardware is sleek, surprisingly weighty, and
a perfect complement to the Duet and One
units, whose user interfaces share the same
single-knob paradigm. Its ‘QuickTouch’
touch pads and displays are set into a single
black panel, and the whole design exudes
a stylish simplicity that is both elegant and
practical. Even the non-slip base is incredibly
effective — you really have to push hard to
make this unit move once it’s positioned on
a smooth surface.
The Quartet features two colour screens,
similar in style to those used in the Duet,
for metering and status display (levels,
PAUL WHITE
A
pogee have both extremes of the
Mac-compatible audio interface
market covered, from their
desktop Duet and its siblings at one end of
the range, to their large-scale Symphony
systems at the other. That being the case,
it makes perfect sense for them to come
out with something that sits comfortably
between the two; something that’s still
affordable to the quality-conscious home
recording operator, but with enough I/O
to handle ensemble recording and, if need
be, surround mixing. That’s exactly what the
Apogee Quartet £1259
p r o s
High-quality converters and mic preamps.•
Compact, elegant format.•
Integrated monitor controller and •
headphone amp.
Maestro software allows the setting up of •
two different zero-latency monitor mixes.
c o n s
Adding an expander unit provides eight •
more inputs, but no more outputs.
s u m m a r y
The Quartet is a logical addition to the
Apogee interface range, and is well suited
to the quality-conscious project studio
owner who requires no more than 12
simultaneous inputs.
The Quartet’s back panel features four ‘combi’ XLR/jack inputs, six analogue outputs on quarter-inch
jack sockets, ADAT input ports, USB ports for both MIDI and connection to the host computer, word
clock output, a ground terminal and cable clamp, and an input for the external power supply.
ON TEST
156
November 2012 / www.soundonsound.com