Recording - December 2013 - 11

iPad and iPhone compatible and comes with both iOS cable types. Like the ONE, it requires
the external power supply when used with an iDevice, but will charge it when plugged in.
Second, Apogee has added a USB A input on the rear edge of the box for use with
USB-equipped MIDI keyboards and controllers, allowing you to play iOS-based virtual instruments in real time on real keys. As Mike noted in his review of the Quartet
(June 2013), this new feature lets Apogee add MIDI while using very little real estate
on the box, and is an ideal expansion for these interfaces. (I wish ONE had one.)
I have been using both units for about a month now. Each one installs effortlessly
and makes use of Apogee's Maestro software, available for Mac and iOS devices as
an app. I have enjoyed the ONE paired with my MacBook Pro for recording scratch
tracks, demos and for remote recording of overdubs. It also turns my iPhone 4S into a
full-fledged high quality, albeit mono, field recorder.
Having said that, the new Duet for iPad and Mac is my favorite of the two. It works beautifully on the 21" iMac in my home editing suite for mixing and overdubs as well as for
96 to 192 kHz audiophile playback of high-resolution audio files (my new hobby!). But I
also enjoy using it with my iPad and my Novation keyboard controller to turn many of the
iPad synth apps, whose multitouch interfaces seem more "novel" than "playable" to me,
into full-fledged virtual instruments that are as playable as they are professional-sounding.
Both of these interfaces offer Apogee sound quality through and through, for a fraction of what a Symphony I/O system (reviewed October 2013) would set you back,
making them both great values for your money.-PV

Blue Nessie
$99.99; www.bluemic.com

In the ongoing quest to build the perfect USB microphone for the beginner, Blue has
created Nessie, a mic that incorporates some interesting solutions to common problems
encountered by novice recording musicians, podcasters, and the like. Blue calls Nessie
an "adaptive USB microphone for fearless recording," because it's
designed to take care of some of the most common gotchas
in recording vocals and instruments.
Out of the box, Nessie's a handsome beast, a cardioid condenser with a 14mm capsule (mediumdiaphragm, to those who prefer pro audio terminology) mounted in an enclosure with a built-in
pop filter and shockmount. The mic head sits atop
a built-in stand that's roughly 8" tall, and is connected by a stiff armature that allows the mic to be
angled for best positioning with respect to a
source. The base of the stand also contains the minijack for a headphone output, letting
you monitor computer playback
while singing or playing. Nessie's
ADC and DAC are 16-bit/48 kHz
and sound very clear and neutral.
The mic stand's base is where
you'll find the three controls that Blue
deems most important for easy access. A large
metal knurled ring encircles the entire base and
provides headphone volume control; it's prominently marked and easy to read at a glance.
The front of the stand has a small red mute button for the mic. This button is touch-sensitive
and has no moving parts. The back of the
stand has the headphone minijack and a
3-way slider switch to select the
Recording Mode (see below).
When Nessie's plugged in, a large
LED ring glows white under the volume
ring; it pulses gently when the mic is muted.
Nessie is class-compliant and works on Macs (OS
X 10.4.11+) and PCs (Windows XP/Vista/7/8)
with no drivers to install. There's zero-latency passthrough built in; it's always active and set to a
50/50 mix of miked audio and computer audio,
simplicity trumping the need for a Mix control.
Also removed from Nessie: a Gain control! The
mic's sensitivity is fixed at a level that seems to work
well for vocals and guitars; you can clip it if you
RECORDING December 2013

http://www.bluemic.com http://www.transaudiogroup.com/drawmer

Recording - December 2013

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