Hi! Just bought an apogee duet in order to try and record some piano compositions. I'm just wondering if anyone can offer me some advice as to the optimal way of doing this. I've tried a few different options:

1. Headphone out into the instrument input
2. Line out into the instrument input
3. Balanced out into the xlr inputs.

Of these three number 1 sounds the best, warm and clear, and the other two sound rather anaemic and distant even with the keyboard volume on full. This can't be right though as the headphone socket can't be designed for anything other than monitoring on headphones.

Am I doing something wrong that is stoping me getting a nice warm, clear sound from the real output channels?

Many thanks,

Dave

I'm guessing that the instrument input is mono right? So you'll only get one channel of the stereo piano sound. Balanced outputs (L & R) are the way to go. As you have found!
Cheers
A

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getting better all the time..

D'oh - I think I've been really dim here. So what I need to do is take the balanced out L + R into inputs 1 and 2 on the duet. Then in logic I need two mono channels one panned hard left for the L input and one panned hard right for the R input?

I've done this and it is sounding much better. It is also peaking at about -6DB when I'm playing at full volume, is that the right level approximately to be recording at?

Thanks!

I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with recording from the headphone socket, and if it sounds right, it is right.

You should be able to get an equally good recording with the main outputs though.

This thing looks moderately complicated. It's probably a matter of messing around with the parameters for input signal type and gain level.

Quote:

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1. Analog Level - Use this menu to select microphone, instrument, or line input.

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(From P27 of the manual)

http://www.apogeedigital.com/pdf/duet_usersguide.pdf

...so, have you chosen line input...?

Quote:

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XLR Line +4dBu – Set Input to XLR Line +4dBu if you’ve connected
a professional level line input, such as a pro mixing console, to the IN
(XLR) connectors.
XLR Line –10 dBV – Set Input to XLR Line -10dBV if you’ve connected
a consumer level line input, such as a CD player, to the IN (XLR)
connectors.
XLR Mic – Set Input to XLR Mic if you’ve connected a microphone to the
IN (XLR) connectors. The gain is adjustable between 10 and 75 dB.
Instrument – Set Input to Instrument if you’ve connected a guitar or
keyboard to the IN (1/4”) connectors; gain is adjustable between 0
and 65 dB. It’s also possible to connect CD players and other consumer
level (-10 dBV) devices to these inputs

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...need to establish whether your keyboard is delivering a consumer- or professional-level signal.

Have you gone into the metering, looked at the gain level, etc...?

Quote dwr22:

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D'oh - I think I've been really dim here. So what I need to do is take the balanced out L + R into inputs 1 and 2 on the duet. Then in logic I need two mono channels one panned hard left for the L input and one panned hard right for the R input?

I've done this and it is sounding much better. It is also peaking at about -6DB when I'm playing at full volume, is that the right level approximately to be recording at?

Thanks!

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Exactamundo. -6 doesn't leave much headroom in case of overenthusiastic playing tho so you might want to back that off a little so you are peaking at say -12.

If for some reason you want to use the headphone out you'll need a stereo jack to two monos splitter cable. But I would stick with balanced outs since you have them.

Cheers
A

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getting better all the time..

PS I don't use logic but i would probably just use a single stereo input channel rather than two panned monos. Unless logic doesn't have plugins for manipulating stereo channels (gain, pan) individually.

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getting better all the time..

Woo hoo! Thank you both so much! I've been struggling with this for ages and each of these suggestions made the sound better.

The -10db input level is clearly the one to go for.

One final question - I've noticed the latency of hearing the input coming out of Logic increases as I carry on working - so after half an hour or so the output is significantly behind when I play. I normally have to restart the mac at this point and the issue is fixed again.

I'm sure this can't be a RAM issue as I have 8GB - do you have any suggestions to keep the latency down?

Thanks

I wouldn't monitor through Logic. I think from memory with that keyboard you can plug headphones into it without it killing the main outs. If not, does the apogee have zero latency monitoring? I.e does it let you monitor the signal on the way in?
Cheers
A

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getting better all the time..

Quote dwr22:

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I've noticed the latency of hearing the input coming out of Logic increases as I carry on working - so after half an hour or so the output is significantly behind when I play. I normally have to restart the mac at this point and the issue is fixed again.

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something not quite right there... the latency shouldn't increase as time passes. You should have a fixed latency (the amount of latency depends on the buffer size, which is fixed and doesn't vary over time)

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www.Lozjackson.com

Quote dwr22:

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D'oh - I think I've been really dim here. So what I need to do is take the balanced out L + R into inputs 1 and 2 on the duet. Then in logic I need two mono channels one panned hard left for the L input and one panned hard right for the R input?

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Just use one stereo channel - it's what they are for. It's easier to work with the two individual mono recordings.

Quote dwr22:

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The -10db input level is clearly the one to go for.

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I'm suprised something as expensive and pro-sumer as a 700sx needs the -10db input? OK, so my old JV-1010 benefits from having that boost, but for my RD1000 (even older, but bit more pro) -10db is too hot.