REPRINTED FROM APRIL 2007 WWW.PROAUDIOREVIEW.COM The power supply in the AD-16X and the Apogee Symphony DA-16X is a specially designed Synchronous Switching power that works in conjunction with Apogee’s low jitter clock and filtering Recording System by Russ Long technology. It provides better heat and noise performance and an improved transient This competitively priced, high-performance response, thus creating an ideal power system for first-rate conversion. native DAW is a challenge to the industry The AD-16X incorporates Apogee’s classic pervasiveness of TDM systems. SoftLimit and UV22HR features. SoftLimit is an analog peak limiter that enables the cap- Apogee Electronics has unveiled the regardless of the exact configuration. ture of an additional 4-6 dB of level without Symphony System, perfectly timed with the any overs. UV22HR is Apogee’s industry rollout of ultra-fast, multi-core Intel-based | FEATURES standard bit-reduction/dithering technology The Symphony System is made up of three for CD and DVD mastering; UV22HR can also components: first, a combination of X-Series be used to produce improved Internet and converters (Rosetta Series converters are computer audio content without increased file sizes or data rates. The DA-16X incorporates Apogee’s elec- tronically balanced line drivers, which were originally designed for the Mini-DAC. These APPLICATIONS also supported) each Studio, broadcast, audio post equipped with X-Symphony Cards ($195); second, the Symphony PCI Express KEY FEATURES Apple Mac Pros (PCI-e) card ($795); and lastly, a compatible 32-channels of I/O per card; 1.6 and the state of the art Logic Pro 7.2 DAW Apple computer (such as the Mac Pro, price milliseconds of latency at 96 kHz (the lowest available in a native update. The Symphony System is a complete variant upon configuration) running Logic Pro audio system); amazing sound; DAW that offers the greatest number of I/O ($999), or any other CoreAudio-based applica- flexible configuration; reasonable channels per card of any CoreAudio compati- tion, and optional Maestro software (included price; built-in Big Ben-quality clock ble digital interface. It is actually the only solu- with the Symphony PCI card). A PCI-X version tion capable of 96 channels of I/O for Mac of the Symphony card is available for earlier PRICE Symphony PCI Series card: $795 without the need for an expansion chassis. The model Mac G5s not supporting PCI-e. AD-16X: $3,495 system maintains a low CPU load, thus con- The AD-16X and the DA-16X ($3,495 each) DA-16X: $3,495 serving the computer’s processing power for are Apogee’s latest and most advanced con- X-Symphony Card: $195 plug-ins. Connection between the computer version systems. They ramp up Apogee’s leg- Logic Pro: $999 and the audio hardware is completed via one endary build quality by incorporating a CONTACT high performance balanced cable that is capa- redesigned power supply, standard 192 kHz Apogee Electronics Corp. | ble of flawlessly transmitting digital audio sampling rates (the C777 clocking technology ☎ 310-584-9394 over long distances. And the Symphony found in the Big Ben) and several optional ➲ www.apogeedigital.com System is a competitively priced package, expansion cards. Copyright 2007 JRS Publishing (USA), Inc. Reprinted with permission. line drivers simulate transformer behavior. ing “modifier” keys when setting the mixer, Stereo setting offers the convenience of routing The circuitry is an ultra low output and saving and recalling routing and mixer signals a pair at a time. I found that the Stereo impedance/high current driver, capable of configurations. generally worked best for all of my applica- running levels up to 26 dBu to the most com- The Settings windows allows the user to tions, but it was nice to have the option of con- plex or low impedance loads. This translates toggle between the Apogee interfaces that are figuring the paths as mono if required. The sig- into seamless integration with vintage equip- connected to the Symphony PCI card, set the nal paths can be labeled in the Input column. ment. clock source for the selected unit, configure The Output routing pane is almost the The Symphony PCI card was designed the VBus, and configure the Performance same functionally as the Input pane but it is specifically for the Apple Mac. It is a 24- Tuning. The V-Bus feature, used to make connections bit/192-kHz PCI-e card that provides 32 employing Apogee’s ultra- between signal paths from simultaneous channels of digital I/O. Up to fast Symphony driver, pro- software applications and three Symphony cards can be installed in one vides unlimited routing possi- hardware outputs. Hardware Mac, making it possible to have 96 simultane- bilities across multiple appli- outputs are represented by a ous inputs and outputs running natively with- cations in any Symphony row at the top of the grid, in a single computer. A 192-channel (96 in and System. This makes recording while the column to the left of 96 out) I/O setup requires six AD-16X boxes out of QuickTime or Final Cut the grid represents paths and six DA-16Xs. And configuring the AD- Pro directly into your DAW a from software. In the Matrix Apogee Symphony Card 16X and DA-16X to “Advanced” routing breeze. The Maestro Control column of drop down menus, allows additional hardware (converters, digi- Panel allows the virtual chan- signal paths from software tal effects, etc.) to be connected via the nels to be enabled. The V-Bus channel names may be configured as Mono or Stereo. The AD/DA’s digital I/O. are clearly labeled and the number of addi- Mono setting, like the Input pane, allows for The heart of the Symphony System is the tional V-Bus channels is selectable within the greatest routing flexibility, while the Stereo Maestro software. This software application, Apple’s Audio Midi Setup. Logic users will setting offers the convenience of routing sig- while not required, provides undeniably valu- love this feature because it makes it possible to nals a pair at a time. A path may be set to Off able control of Apogee interfaces by allowing record bus outputs within Logic Pro. VBus in this menu as well. Signal paths may be the user to adjust hardware settings, configure offers zero latency performance with minimal labeled in the Output text box. If the AD16X is routing between hardware I/O and audio processing power on up to 32 buses per set to Standard routing, there will be no paths software I/O, and to perform low-latency Symphony card, ensuring maximum audio listed in the Output pane as there is only one mixes of hardware I/O paths and software performance. signal path (analog inputs to all digital out- outputs. Maestro consists of two main win- Maestro’s Performance Tuning feature pro- puts). When it is set to Advanced routing, the dows, the “Settings” window and the vides the ability to fine tune the performance Input pane is used to route the AD16X’s ana- “Routing/Mixer” window. Maestro also of the Symphony driver to allow super low log inputs to software inputs and the Output includes functionality for checking Ensemble latency for high performance platforms. This pane is used to route software app outputs to software and firmware versions, personaliz- gives the user the ability to maximize the per- the AD16X’s AES and ADAT/SMUX outputs. formance of the Symphony system on all sup- There will likewise be no paths listed in the | APPLE OF THE REVIEWER’S EYE ported hardware. Input pane if a connected DA16X is set to The Apple Mac Pro included with my The Routing/Mixer Window has three “Standard” routing. review setup was, by a large margin, the panes labeled “Input,” “Output” and “Mixer.” The “Maestro” mixer blends the hardware best computer that I’ve ever used. It worked Like the Setting window, each of the inputs with the software application playback perfectly, was lightning fast and, quite Routing/Mixer panes has a “Unit Select” tab and routes the mix directly to hardware out- frankly, made me drool. If I had the money that allows the user to toggle between the puts. The “Mixer Select” (A-B) drop down (or even enough room on my credit card) it Apogee interfaces that are connected to the menu selects between the two available mix- would have found a permanent home in my Symphony PCI card. ers per hardware interface. The “Input studio. The Symphony System, even con- The Input routing pane consists of a rout- Channels” provide the ability to control sidering the Mac Pro’s price tag, is about ing grid that plots the various connections inputs to the mixer. Hardware inputs of the half the price of a Pro Tools rig of similar between hardware inputs and signal paths to selected interface are the source for these specifications. software applications. These connections input channels. The mixer always displays 18 appear as inputs within the software applica- inputs; the unused mixer channels are grayed | HERE’S A CLOSER LOOK AT THE tions. It is also possible to send one hardware out if the selected device is equipped with less COMPUTER input simultaneously to several software sig- than 18 inputs. The mixer inputs each have ■ Mac Pro w/Dual-Core 3-GHz Intel nal paths. The hardware inputs are represent- “Pan,” “Level,” “Solo” and “Mute” controls. Xeon processors ed by a row at the top of the grid, while paths A bar graph style meter displays the pre-fader ■ L2 Cache (per processor): 4 MB to software are represented by the column to input level.