Duet (FireWire): Setup

• Open Maestro 2 (found in your Mac's application folder) and click on the “Apogee Maestro 2″ menu in the upper left-hand corner of the desktop menu bar
• select “About Maestro 2″. This will bring up a window showing you which version you have installed (see example below)

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Yes! The Apple Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter works with Duet FireWire and the current Duet FireWire software release, found on Apogee's website. There is no noticeable difference in quality or performance from using a built in FireWire port.

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When attempting to use the built-in microphone of your Mac as an input for the Dictation software and the Duet FireWire for output, you must create an Aggregate Device in the Audio MIDI Setup Application and select that Aggregate Device to be your audio device in System Preferences > Sound. To create an aggregate device and use multiple interfaces simultaneously:

• Open Audio Midi Setup (Located in Applications/Utilities/ on your Mac)
• Click the + from the button left of the window
• Select “Create Aggregate device”
• Double-click the newly created device’s name “Aggregate Device” and rename it if desired
• In the right side of the window, select the devices you wish to aggregate. For example ONE, Built-in Input, Built-in Output.
• For best results, be sure Apogee device is selected as the Master Clock
• In your recording application, select the device name you’ve just created.
• To select this device to be your default for Mac sound, Right click (or control click) the device in Audio MIDI Setup and select “Use this device for sound input/output”
• Select the Output speaker channels by clicking “Configure Speakers”, selecting the stereo tab and assigning destinations for left and right channels
• Select “Done” button and you’re all set.

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Daisy-chaining Duet to an external FireWire hard drive is not support nor recommended. Daisy-chaining may cause overloading of the FireWire bus resulting in poor audio quality.

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The headphone and line outputs are always controlled simultaneously. To set the balance between headphones and speakers connected to the line outputs, set the speaker’s amplifier accordingly. It is possible to mute the headphones and line outputs independently.

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The I/O Buffer setting found in most audio software is one of the most crucial, but often ignored, settings in a Mac-based recording system. When choosing a buffer setting, a compromise between the latency through the application and the amount of computer processor power accessible to the application must be made. Latency- the slight delay between the moment you play a note and hear it in your headphones after conversion and processing. A lower buffer setting results in lower latency but less available processing power. If the application can’t access enough processor power, processor overruns may occur, resulting in audible clicks and pops or error messages that interrupt playback and recording. A higher buffer setting, on the other hand, results in greater amount of accessible processor power (i.e. less chance of overruns) but increases the latency. Determining the best setting requires some trial-and-error in order to find the best compromise. Keep in mind that as tracks and plug-ins are added to a software session, processor requirements increase. Thus, the buffer setting that works during the early stages of a session might result in processor overruns during later stages. The best strategy is to set the buffer to a lower setting during recording and accept certain limitations on plug-in usage, and then raise the buffer during mixing to utilize the computer’s full processor power when latency isn’t an issue. With the processing power of today’s Macs, you may find that adjustment of the buffer isn’t necessary, and you can leave it at a setting for low latency and still access a sufficient amount of processing power when adding tracks and plug-ins. If you do encounter clicks, pops or software errors, don’t hesitate to experiment with the buffer setting. Please consult the section on Working with GarageBand, Logic and Mainstage to determine how to se the I/O buffer setting is found in your audio application.

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