Announced today, Avid and Apogee have teamed up to offer a new line of Avid Artist Suite interfaces. The new Avid branded Apogee Duet and Quartet feature the same awarding winning I/O and functionality as their non branded counterparts, but sport an all black exterior and come bundled with Pro Tools 11.
With the new interfaces we are getting full Mac and Windows support along with a bundled download of Pro Tools 11, over 60 virtual instruments/effects and an iLok key to authorize it all. There is also access to EUCON-enabled (Extended User Control) I/O software for direct control between the Pro Tools software and the new Apogee hardware.
As for the hardware itself, both the Duet and Quartet pack the same impressive specs and functionality with up to 24-bit/192 kHz recording resolution, a combination of mic/line/instrument/digital/analog I/O, and USB connection for a MIDI keyboard or DJ controller. These interfaces come with Apogee’s reputation for some of the best sounding converters in pro audio, industry standard Pro Tools software, and are priced accordingly:
The new Pro Tools Quartet pre-order will run you $1,899 and the Duet is going for $1,099. If you aren’t interested in Windows support or the bundled Pro Tools software, both the Quartet ($1395) and Duet ($595) can be had at nearly half the price with iOS support included. Apogee has a couple nice charts outlining the differences between each model in detail.
Full Press Release below:
[9to5-press-release]
Apogee Electronics Chosen as Avid I/O Connectivity Partner to Offer Pro Tools | Duet and Pro Tools | Quartet Audio Solutions
September 11, 2014: 03:00 PM ET
AMSTERDAM, Sept. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Apogee and Avid® (OTC: AVID) are pleased to announce two new Avid Artist Suite products for music recording and stereo audio post, Pro Tools® | Duet and Pro Tools® | Quartet. These solutions feature Avid branded versions of Apogee’s award-winning Duet andQuartet audio interfaces, each paired with Avid’s industry-standard Pro Tools 11 software for Mac and Windows customers.
Photo – http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140911/145506
“We are very excited to be working with Avid as the premier I/O Connectivity Partner,” said Betty Bennett, Apogee CEO and Co-Founder. “Our two paths have been intertwined since the early days of the digital recording revolution. While Pro Tools | Software was first defining an exciting paradigm shift in our industry, we were perfecting AD/DA conversion and hardware technology for digital audio. Our first collaboration was in 1997 and featured Apogee’s AD-8000 as a front end for the Pro Tools | 24 MIX system. Today we are very pleased to join forces once again in offering customers these two outstanding solutions.”
Defining Digital Audio – The Path to Partnership
Apogee’s hardware and Pro Tools | Software have both played significant roles in the advancement of digital audio recording. In 1985, Apogee’s founders developed special technology that addressed the inherent brittleness and distortion heard on the new listening medium of the day, compact discs (CDs). Apogee’s unique 924 and 944 anti-aliasing filters were used in high-end Sony and Mitsubishi digital recording systems to make the CD format sound warmer and more like analog. These Apogee products were key to the acceptance and acceleration of early digital recording and established Apogee as a leader in the field. Around the same time, Pro Tools (then Sound Tools) was forever transforming the recording and editing workflow by bringing it to the computer and making it more efficient and flexible than ever before. By 1997, Apogee was developing premium standalone digital audio converters. Apogee’s AD-8000 became very popular among professional Pro Tools users. Today, Apogee’s Duet and Quartet audio interfaces, as well as Avid’s Pro Tools | Software, are regarded as some of the highest quality tools available for music creation among industry professionals and aspiring artists.
Pro Tools | Duet Highlights
- 2 IN x 4 OUT USB audio interface by Apogee with Pro Tools 11 software by Avid
- Works with Mac OS X and Windows platforms
- Pro Tools IO Control EUCON™-enabled software for advanced control (requires download)
- Record performances in up to 24-bit/192 kHz resolution
- Connect mics, instruments, and more to high-quality I/O:
- Two combination mic/instrument/line inputs
- Two 1/4″ balanced line/speaker outputs; one stereo headphone out
- USB MIDI I/O for a MIDI keyboard or DJ controller
- Premium AD/DA conversion delivers sonic fidelity and precision
- Dynamically optimized mic preamps provide up to 75 dB of transparent gain
- Selectable Soft Limit® protects against digital distortion from clipping
- Take control with two configurable touchpads and a multifunction controller knob
- Keep an eye on levels and settings with a full color OLED display
- Achieve better sounding audio tracks, virtual instruments, and plug-ins
- Create with Avid’s industry-standard Pro Tools | Software
- Sold and supported by Avid
- Price: $1,099
Pro Tools | Quartet Highlights
- 12 IN x 8 OUT USB audio interface by Apogee with Pro Tools 11 software by Avid
- Works with Mac OS X and Windows platforms
- Pro Tools IO Control EUCON™-enabled software for advanced control (requires download)
- Record performances in 24-bit/192 kHz resolution
- Connect mics, instruments, and more to high-quality I/O:
- Four combination mic/instrument/line inputs
- Eight channels of ADAT/SMUX input via Toslink
- Six 1/4″ balanced line outputs for three speaker sets or 5.1 monitoring
- One stereo headphone output
- USB MIDI I/O for a MIDI keyboard or DJ controller
- Premium AD/DA conversion delivers sonic fidelity and precision
- Dynamically optimized mic preamps provide up to 75 dB of transparent gain
- Selectable Soft Limit® protects against digital distortion from clipping
- Take control with three configurable touchpads and a multifunction controller knob
- Keep an eye on levels and settings with two full color OLED displays
- Achieve better sounding audio tracks, virtual instruments, and plug-ins
- Create with Avid’s industry-standard Pro Tools | Software
- Sold and supported by Avid
- Price: $1,899
About Apogee
Founded in 1985, Apogee Electronics designs and manufacturers award-winning audio recording solutions that are easy to use and sound amazing. Apogee products like Symphony I/O, Quartet, Duet, ONE, JAM and MiC have been instrumental in creating countless GRAMMY® and OSCAR® winning recordings by the world’s most successful music artists. For more information, please visit http://www.apogeedigital.com.
About Avid
Through Avid Everywhere™, Avid delivers the industry’s most open, innovative and comprehensive media platform connecting content creation with collaboration, asset protection, distribution and consumption for the most listened to, most watched and most loved media in the world—from the most prestigious and award-winning feature films, music recordings, and television shows, to live concerts and news broadcasts. Industry leading solutions include Pro Tools®, Media Composer®, ISIS®, Interplay®, and Sibelius®. For more information about Avid solutions and services, visithttp://www.avid.com.
© 2014 Apogee Electronics Corp. All right reserved. Avid, the Avid logo, Avid Everywhere, Interplay, ISIS, Media Composer, Pro Tools, EUCON and Sibelius are trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. The Interplay name is used with the permission of the Interplay Entertainment Corp. which bears no responsibility for Avid products. Soft Limit is a registered trademark of Apogee Electronics Corp. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
APOGEE PRESS CONTACT:
Brad Delava
Apogee Electronics
brad@apogeedigital.com
310-584-9394 x446
SOURCE Apogee Electronics
[/9to5-press-release]
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