Apogee Duet 3 Review
2x4 USB Type C Audio Interface
- Top-quality Apogee AD/DA conversion and digital clocking
- Pristine analog circuitry and thoughtfully engineered power management
- 2 world-class mic preamps with +60dB of gain, +48V phantom power, and Apogee's Advanced Stepped Gain Architecture
- Redesigned breakout cable with 2 instrument inputs, 2 mic/line inputs, and 2 balanced outputs
- Excellent-sounding headphones output
- Onboard hardware DSP enables you to shape your sound right at the input stage with zero latency
- Includes a hardware-accelerated version of Apogee's ECS Channel Strip
- Convenient bus-powered design via the unit's USB-C port
- Eye-grabbing contoured body topped with scratch-resistant gorilla glass
- Includes a travel case
Ratings Based on Features
These results are a summary of user reviews of the Apogee Duet 3. For example, 86% of 63 users who have commented on the Volume control of the Apogee Duet 3 have given positive feedback.
Highlighted Customer Reviews
Showing 1 to 5 of 5 Reviews
Apogee Blew It
Apogee Electronics Duet 3 Ultracompact 2x4 USB Type-C Audio Interface
Reviewed by Brahim on B&H Photo Video
This audio interface had the potential to be one of the best audio interfaces in any price range...unfortunately it is lacking some features and severe design flaws. Sound quality is excellent. Nothing to say about that. I would give it 5 stars when it comes to sound quality. But I can't recommend this due to severe design flaws. Design is terrible. I think Apogee tried to make this as compact as possible and it looks beautiful. However, it comes at an expense of big design flaws. The headphone jack is close to the surface that if you are using the dock it lifts the interface at about 30-35 degree angle and depending on which headphones you are using or how big the headphone plug is it will hit the surface of whatever it's resting on, so each time you press on the volume knob to switch from headphones to speakers or other inputs it will press on the headphone plug as well. I believe in the long run this can cause damage to the headphone jack or potentially damage the headphone plug itself. You can probably buy an adapter that extends out...but for a unit that costs 649 dollars this is not acceptable. If you're gonna lay this flat and not use the dock and just use the dongles with it, you should be fine. I just want to make you aware of it before you purchase it. The front headphone jack is only a 3.5mm, so if you have headphones that have a 6.5mm plug, you will have to use adapter to plug into the front or if you have the dock ($179) it will be on the back where you plug the monitors. Extremely awkward placement. Another design flaw is when you adjust the volume there is no volume indicator on the unit to tell you what DB the volume level is unless you have their Apogee Control Software open. It has some confusing bars and you'll never know what the volume level is. Needless to say Apogee you blew it. You had potential to have something phenomenal here and instead created something with severe design flaws. Terrible. This should have had the same design functionality as the Duet 2 and that one is much more user friendly. Unfortunately, they went backwards in functionality. Returned this immediately. ... More
Best portable audio interface
Apogee Electronics Duet 3 Ultracompact 2x4 USB Type-C Audio Interface
Reviewed by Johnson on B&H Photo Video
At first glance you will just fall in love with how this interface looks. with an all black design and a scratch resistant glass on top this is a thing of beauty. This whole design by apogee resembles apple's design Philosophy and it fits perfectly on your desk next to your mac . But the beauty of this device lies in the knob. Its clicky and extremely tactile delivering a luxurious-feel for dialing in monitor levels and mic pre gain. It also has meters on the front which shows audio level while playback and recording. Btw did i mention this knob glows.. Now enough of me drooling over the design lets talk about the ports. So the ports are available via the breakout cable with 2x Mic/line inputs 2x " Instrument inputs 2x " Balanced outputs 2 USB Type C ports and one 0 ohms headphone output which means you get the best performance with any headphone available today, regardless of headphone impedance For full breakdown pls check my review Best Portable Audio Interface: Apogee Duet 3 Review https://youtu.be/gOcrxKoorb0 ... More
LOVE this interface and wouldn't use another!
Apogee Electronics Duet 3 Ultracompact 2x4 USB Type-C Audio Interface Kit with Desktop Dock
Reviewed by Mike on B&H Photo Video
I have had a Duet on my officedesk since the first one was released [X] years ago. Since I am constantly listening to music, reviewing mixes and making sure I have the cleanest, highest quality audio coming out of my Mac, my Duet is the only DAC I trust to ensure that I'm hearing music as it's intended to sound. And the Duet 3 is just the sleekest, coolest looking one to date. I love the big control knob, the ability to quick-mute without having to reach for my mouse, and how straightforward, intuitive and seamlessly it integrates with the Mac OS (for outputs and inputs alike). Apogee gear, and the Duet specifically, have just become such a trusted part of my setup - I don't ever want to listen to music out of my rig without it. ... More
Does Not Work
Apogee Electronics Duet 3 Ultracompact 2x4 USB Type-C Audio Interface
Reviewed by Mike on B&H Photo Video
I was an avid Apogee fan and used the Duet 2 for close to 10 years with no issues despite multiple computer changes and updates. I'd been waiting for months to purchase this item yet it does not function in any way how I had hoped. At first my iMac wouldn't recognize the device even with the driver installed and all firmware updates completed. When Apogee released the Intel Mac compatibility update, it actually recognized my Mac for a second and then would disappear. After tons of trouble shooting, I've determined this product was either released too soon or not properly tested before being released as it does not work whatsoever and I could never even get any sound (input or output) to go through the device. I am returning the product and moving away from Apogee after this huge headache of an experience. ... More
works great and looks great
Apogee Electronics Duet 3 Ultracompact 2x4 USB Type-C Audio Interface
Reviewed by Edward on B&H Photo Video
just replaced an audient iD14 with this (I had an old Duet some years ago). Easier interface and less clunky-looking.
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