Apogee Duet 2 Audio Interface Review

An audio interface is one of the most crucial elements a recording studio needs. However, a good audio interface can make a huge difference when it comes to the workflow and resulting recording quality.

Unfortunately, with so many different models on the market, finding just the right audio interface isn’t easy.

Apogee Duet 2 is one of your best options. Let’s see exactly why!

Apogee Duet 2 – Sleek looks, killer performance

Apogee is one of the most popular brands when it comes to recording audio, whether it’s audio interfaces, mics, or headsets. Their Duet 2 caters to the needs of every MacOS user, managing all the possible needs inside a minimalistic little box.

Lightweight, portable, yet definitely up to the job, the Duet 2 has got you covered.

Key Features

• Aluminum and glass compact body
• Multi-control knob and touchpads
• 2 combined analog inputs
• Visual feedback on the OLED screen
• 24-bit/44.1-192 kHz Bit resolution/sample rate

This audio interface offers all the necessary features of much larger and bulkier models, in a very convenient form factor.

Whether you travel frequently and want to record on the go, or simply need a self-contained device you can use to control all the necessary parameters with, the Duet 2 is definitely a great option worth considering.

Pros:

• Attractive and durable design
• Really easy to set up and use
• OLED screen makes for a straightforward recording experience
• Amazing audio quality

Cons:

• No MIDI input
• Not compatible with Windows PCs
• Connection glitches may occur sometimes

Who is the Apogee Duet 2 for?

While the Duet 2 offers above-average audio quality, due to it having only 2 inputs that can be used at the same time, it’s clear that it’s not meant for a serious, professional studio.

Apogee primarily focused on traveling musicians with this device, as you can easily use it anywhere you go, and still get great sounding recordings. As you can control pretty much all the main parameters on the device itself, you can focus on your playing much more.

If you already have an Apple desktop or laptop and want a good audio interface to complement it for your home studio setup, the Duet 2 is one of the best solutions you can go with.

It’s great for tracking guitars, vocals, or keyboards, whether at the same time or separately.

What makes the Duet 2 unique?

Unlike most other audio interfaces out there, the Duet 2 not only performs good but looks nice on your desktop as well. Having it beside your keyboard means you’ll have all the controls at the reach of your hand and still have plenty of room to spare.

The USB connection provides enough power to run this interface, and if you plan on using it with a microphone that needs phantom power, simply plug it into a wall outlet.

The 2 combined analog inputs support both XLR connection for microphones and standard instrument connectors. Recording 2 instruments or a vocal and instrument at the same time is made much easier.

Pressing the multi-control knob switches the controls from one input to the other, and the visual feedback on the OLED screen lets you monitor the levels in real time. The touchpads offer some extra control like muting, dimming, toggling sources and similar features.

What the users had to say

With a generally good rating, it seems the Duet 2 offers a great experience.

”As a beginner, recording my own songs has never been easier”

“The recordings sound so clean and natural, the overall experience is amazing”

The included software and the fact that it can stutter sometimes were the most common cons users mentioned.

“The software you get with it is pretty basic”

“Sounds great, but can be really buggy sometimes”

Some extra info

This version of the Duet 2 is not compatible with iOS devices. Apogee released an updated version of it that supports connecting to an iPhone and iPad.

You can configure the touchpads on the device via the software in order to change the individual functions.

The Duet 2 is compatible with Logic, GarageBand, Final Cut, Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Studio One, and probably with some other DAWs you might already use.

Apogee Duet 2 – Do or don’t?

Unless you plan on doing some serious recording work, like tracking whole drum sets or numerous channels at the same time, the Duet 2 by Apogee is a great audio interface you should consider getting.

It complements the visual aesthetics as well as the performance of Apple hardware it works with and offers a smooth workflow with top of the line recording quality.

Sure, it may be a bit on the expensive side, but it’s definitely worth the money.