ONE: 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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The OS X System Preferences Sound window provides settings to choose ONE for Mac sound input and output and control ONE’s input/output parameters. If you didn’t choose ONE for Mac sound I/O in step 3 of the Quickstart guide, you may do so in this window.   1. Choose Apple > System Preferences and click Sound. 2. Click Output. 3. In the devices list, select an operating characteristic for ONE’s output: Select ONE: Stereo when connecting to headphones, powered speakers, a mixing console or a home stereo. Select ONE: Amp when connecting to an instrument amplifier. 4. Set ONE’s output level with the Output volume slider. 5. Click Input 6. In the devices list, select the active ONE input: Select ONE: Int Mic to use the internal mic; Select ONE: Ext Mic to use a mic connected to the breakout cable’s (XLR) input; Select ONE: Ext 48V Mic to use a phantom-powered mic connected to the input; Select ONE: Inst, to use an instrument connected to the input. 7. Set ONE’s input gain with the Input volume slider.  

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The Apogee Control Panel, found in Apple’s Logic Pro and GarageBand software, provides control of ONE settings.    

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The OS X utility Audio MIDI Setup provides settings to choose ONE for Mac sound input/ output and control ONE’s parameters. To open Audio MIDI Setup, choose Applications > Utilities > Audio MIDI Setup.   Selecting ONE for Mac Sound Input/Output 1 Select ONE in the Default Input menu. 2 Select ONE in the Default Output. 3 Leave System Output set to Built-In Audio to send OS X alert sounds and user interface sound effects via the Mac’s built-in speakers.

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It’s an accepted “best pactice” of most audio software providers that audio files should be recorded on a hard drive other than the Mac’s Startup drive (i.e. the drive on which the operating system is installed). You can probably get away with recording a few tracks to your computer’s Startup disk, but for the best performance of your Apogee recording system, record onto a separate ATA/IDE, SATA, or FireWire drive whose spindle speed is at least 7200 RPM.

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Once your microphone or instrument is connected, your audio software is configured and you’ve created a new recording track, just how do you set the input gain for a proper recording level in your audio software? There’s no simple answer, but with a few guidelines and a bit of experience, you’ll master this. Ideally, the input gain should be set so that when the input signal is at its loudest, the level in audio software (or in Maestro) is just below maximum without lighting the Over indicator.   In reality, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to guess just the right gain setting to accomplish this - when your gain is too low, the signal never gets close to maximum and when your gain is too high, a digital Over may occur. Now, with a 24-bit system (such as ONE), the noise floor is so low that there’s no real penalty for undershooting the gain setting and recording at a lower level. There IS a penalty for overshooting the gain setting - a digital Over that results in significantly increased distortion. Thus, it’s better to work with a recording level that’s a bit too low than a level that’s a bit too high. Just how much to undershoot the gain setting is determined by the nature of the sound being recorded. As a general rule, instruments such as bass and organ have a more consistent level than percussive instruments, such as a tamborine, and may be recorded at a higher level. Also, the performer’s skill and playing style can dictate more or less caution when setting levels. As you gain experience, you’ll be able to more accurately set a good recording level while avoiding digital overs.

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ONE operates at a sample rate of 44.1kHz or 48kHz . In most cases the sample rate is set by the audio application with which ONE is streaming audio. For example, when working with GarageBand, ONE’s sample rate is automatically set to 44.1kHz, to match the GarageBand song’s sample rate. For those audio applications that don’t include a sample rate selection, such as Apple’s iTunes, ONE’s sample rate may be selected in either Format menu under Audio Input or Audio Output.  

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ONE includes an internal mic for those instances when you want to record quickly and easily - to preserve an inspiration, capture an ambience or record a conversation. Once you’ve selected Int Mic as ONE’s active input, here are a few hints for getting a great sound. Placement - ONE’s internal mic has been designed to provide a clear, precise sound even when it’s sitting on a desk and the source source is off-axis (meaning that the sound source isn’t at a right angle to ONE’s top panel). By changing the angle of ONE to the sound source, it’s possible to vary the amount of presence in the captured sound.     Setting Levels - When using ONE’s internal mic, it’s inevitable that manipulation of the top panel encoder will be heard over the mic. In this instance, use a software control panel  to set input gain and output level.

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Most powered speakers offer an input volume control, often labelled as input sensitivity. Rather than describe an overly complicated method for setting this control, the easiest way to determine the right setting is to note where you generally set ONE’s output level. If you find yourself rarely turning the output past a very low output level (say, -35 dB), decrease the input sensitivity on the speaker. If, on the other hand, you find yourself setting ONE for full output and the speakers aren’t loud enough, increase the input sensitivity. Ideally, ONE’s output should be at 0 dB when you’re listening at your absolute maximum desired volume.

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