Recording - May 2017 - 40

Apogee

Element 88 and Apogee Control

No controls
on the outside-
great sound on the inside

A

REVIEW BY PAUL VNUK JR.

pogee has been busy. In addition to redesigning and
updating many of its products like the Symphony I/O MkII
(reviewed October 2016) and the Thunderbolt Ensemble
(March 2015), at last year's AES Convention Apogee launched a new
Thunderbolt-based lineup called the Element Series. There are three
models, the Element 24, Element 46, and Element 88; they represent
a bold departure not only for Apogee, but for interfaces in general.
Apogee has long been a standard bearer for elegance and
functional simplicity. Most of their interfaces are controlled by
only one or two large multi-function dials and perhaps an extra
button here and there. With the Element line, Apogee takes this
idea all the way-with no controls at all, not even a power button-
without sacrificing any functional capability.

Physical Elements

Each of the units has a 1U high enclosure, scaled for width based
on physical I/O. They come in a sturdy curved black metal case
with silver metal endcaps and a silver/purple Apogee badge. They
are made for desktop use, but the Element 88 can be rackmounted
with its included rack ears. Their mic preamps and 24/192
converters are identical to those in the Thunderbolt Ensemble.
Each Element's numeric designation comes from its number of
analog ins and outs, but their track count can be even higher thanks
to the additional optical I/O. Analog inputs and headphone outs
are located on the front, as is a green connection LED. The analog
outputs, digital connections, and Thunderbolt port are on the rear,
along with a DC input jack for the external power supply.
The Element 24 is a 10-in/12-out box with two analog
inputs on a pair of XLR-1/4" Neutrik Combo jacks, a single
headphone out, a pair of XLR balanced analog outs, a single
pair of optical I/O ports (ADAT-S/MUX-S/PDIF), and BNC
word clock connectors. The Element 46 is a 12-in/14-out
box expanded with four analog combo inputs, and a pair of
headphone outputs; the rest is the same as the Element 24.
40

RECORDING May 2017

The Element 88, reviewed today, is a 16-in/16-out box with
four Combo inputs, four XLR inputs, two headphone outputs,
balanced XLR outs, a second set of balanced 1/4" Alternate
outputs, two pairs of optical I/O ports, and word clock.

The soft side

As with most Apogee products, Elements are Mac only (OS
X 10.10+). Move over, Maestro-to control the Elements,
Apogee has created the new Element Control Software.
The Element Control Software is the interface's hardware
controller and a software mixer in one. On the hardware side,
it includes preamp controls like level, +48v phantom power,
phase, pad, and soft limit. Headphone and main output control,
as well as system settings like digital clock source and sample
rate, are all handled here.
The Element Control software's mixer is a huge step up from
Maestro, both visually and functionally. It is a full-fledged digital
mixer with customizable and storable setups for level, panning,
routing, and even an effects send. Since the Element series does
not include built-in DSP effects, this made me scratch my head
at first, but a tutorial video (www.apogeedigital.com/video/
element-tutorials-low-latency-recording-with-reverb) shows how to
set up a send and return to an effects channel in your DAW and
use that as an effect in the mixer. This is useful for adding reverb
or delay to a singer that they can monitor through when tracking.
If you do not need the software mixer, you can call up a
smaller window with just the physical I/O controls as familiar
Apogee soft-dials and buttons.

Double your fun

Right out of the box, you can use two Elements side-by-side and
expand your channel count. There are a few small caveats to note.
First, each Element only features a single Thunderbolt port and this
means you will need a pair of TB ports on your Mac. This sounds
simple, and is if you have a recent Mac, but could be an issue with
earlier single-port models. On the newest MacBook Pros, which have
moved entirely to USB-C, you will need USB-C to Thunderbolt adaptors.
Second, Apogee does not use OS X Core Audio's ability
to handle aggregate devices, as this would be fiddly with the
control software. Instead Apogee has created its own multiple
unit driver, which allows both units to be available side-byside in the Element Control Software as one big mixer.
The last caveat is that you must use one of the optical ports
per unit to chain them for clocking control. This sounds complicated,
but I was sent a pair of Element 88s and had them connected
and tracking 16 analog channels with very little effort.

Monitor control

Lastly, like the Thunderbolt Ensemble, you can use the Element
as a monitor controller. This may seem anticlimactic for the two
smaller units, since you can't control more than a single set of monitors,
but for mixing you can dim, mute, and set outputs to mono.
The Elements even have talkback! Since they have no built-in
mic, you can select any input you want and put a mic on it, or
it can even access the built-in mic on your Mac. Mine defaulted
to that setting on power-up; it freaked me out the first time I hit
Talkback, and I couldn't figure out where it was hearing me from!


http://www.apogeedigital.com/video/element-tutorials-low-latency-recording-with-reverb http://www.apogeedigital.com/video/element-tutorials-low-latency-recording-with-reverb

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Recording - May 2017

Contents
Recording - May 2017 - Intro
Recording - May 2017 - Cover1
Recording - May 2017 - Cover2
Recording - May 2017 - 1
Recording - May 2017 - 2
Recording - May 2017 - 3
Recording - May 2017 - 4
Recording - May 2017 - 5
Recording - May 2017 - Contents
Recording - May 2017 - 7
Recording - May 2017 - 8
Recording - May 2017 - 9
Recording - May 2017 - 10
Recording - May 2017 - 11
Recording - May 2017 - 12
Recording - May 2017 - 13
Recording - May 2017 - 14
Recording - May 2017 - 15
Recording - May 2017 - 16
Recording - May 2017 - 17
Recording - May 2017 - 18
Recording - May 2017 - 19
Recording - May 2017 - 20
Recording - May 2017 - 21
Recording - May 2017 - 22
Recording - May 2017 - 23
Recording - May 2017 - 24
Recording - May 2017 - 25
Recording - May 2017 - 26
Recording - May 2017 - 27
Recording - May 2017 - 28
Recording - May 2017 - 29
Recording - May 2017 - 30
Recording - May 2017 - 31
Recording - May 2017 - 32
Recording - May 2017 - 33
Recording - May 2017 - 34
Recording - May 2017 - 35
Recording - May 2017 - 36
Recording - May 2017 - 37
Recording - May 2017 - 38
Recording - May 2017 - 39
Recording - May 2017 - 40
Recording - May 2017 - 41
Recording - May 2017 - 42
Recording - May 2017 - 43
Recording - May 2017 - 44
Recording - May 2017 - 45
Recording - May 2017 - 46
Recording - May 2017 - 47
Recording - May 2017 - 48
Recording - May 2017 - 49
Recording - May 2017 - 50
Recording - May 2017 - 51
Recording - May 2017 - 52
Recording - May 2017 - 53
Recording - May 2017 - 54
Recording - May 2017 - 55
Recording - May 2017 - 56
Recording - May 2017 - 57
Recording - May 2017 - 58
Recording - May 2017 - 59
Recording - May 2017 - 60
Recording - May 2017 - 61
Recording - May 2017 - 62
Recording - May 2017 - 63
Recording - May 2017 - 64
Recording - May 2017 - 65
Recording - May 2017 - 66
Recording - May 2017 - 67
Recording - May 2017 - 68
Recording - May 2017 - 69
Recording - May 2017 - 70
Recording - May 2017 - 71
Recording - May 2017 - 72
Recording - May 2017 - Cover3
Recording - May 2017 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202404
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202403
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202402
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202401
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202312
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording-november-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202310
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202309
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202308
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202307
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202306
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202305
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202304
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202303
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202302
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202301
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_20205
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/musicmaker/musicmaker/recording_201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_201001
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200912
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200911
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/recording_200910
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/musicmaker/nxtd
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com