What the Symphony Desktop does have that the Element/Ensemble doesn’t

- Symphony Class:

- Preamp Emulation: This appears to be Apogees answer to UA’s unison. The technology behind it sounds a bit more intriguing than UA’s offering, However it is unknown if any elements other than gain will be adjustable as they are with Unison.

- Printing and Monitoring for Dual Path FX: For the Element/Ensemble there is no option to print dual path FX. The symphony Desktop has that option. I don’t see any reason that the Element/Ensemble couldn’t be updated to include this feature… and it should

- Enhanced Plugin UI: When Linked to an Apogee input the plugin will display the full Control channel strip and headphone and monitor control from within the plugin… NICE! This is also something that the Element/Ensemble could be updated to do, and I hope that they are.

- Symphony Channel Strip: Kind of a simple all in one chance strip added to the FX rack. They could also make something like this for Ensemble/Element if they wanted to.

- Reverb: Yes FX rack for symphony gets reverb. Another Item that should definitely be added to the Element/Ensemble.

- iPad Compatibility: This device is USB 2.0 and will work with the iPad. Maybe we will finally get Logic for iPad? USB 2.0 might be a minus for some people.




What the Symphony Desktop doesn’t have that the Element/Ensemble does

- World Clock Options: No ability to set Internal/World Clock/Optical

- Peak Hold/Over Hold: Options don’t appear to be present

- Talkback: No options for talkback mic.

- Sample Rate???: The option to adjust the sample rate seems to be missing…. Im assuming that this is there and has just been moved?

- Mixers/FX Sends: Unlike the Element/Ensemble that have 4 mixers and 1 FX send the Desktop only has 2 mixers and no FX send

- Stereo Linking: There seems to be no option to stereo link the 2 analog channels. I really hope that this is only do to the software screenshots being from an early version of the software. Not having stereo linking would be a dealbreaker for me personally.

- Control Software Customization: You can’t select specifically which channels are displayed. You only have the option to turn optical and playback on or off.

- Independent Optical Formats: On Element/Ensemble you can select the optical input and output format independently. It’s a package deal with the desktop.

- Analog in-Optical Out:

- High Pass Filter: Ensemble only (Element also does not have this option)



What is not known

- Number of Playback Channels:

- Guitar Input: is it a separate 3erd input or does it utilize one of the two main inputs…. I’m pretty sure it uses one of the 2 main inputs.

- IOS Control Software: Will it be compatible?



This information is all based on screenshots and videos and the final product could be different… Let’s hope that it is for at least a few things. I hope apogee releases some more info soon.

All in all I think this will be a great product for many people and I am highly considering it for myself pending a few unanswered questions. That being said I would prefer one of two things. A version of this device with 4 inputs, 2 sets of monitor outs, Thunderbolt 3, and the missing Control feature from the Element/Ensemble, or… an updated Element with Alloy preamp emulation and the nicer FX rack from the Desktop.

Nice info there! I am today using Apogee Element 24 and it is a beast! The only downside i think is that I thought the headphone amp would have more power.

Apogee Desktop looks really nice but to be honest, is it really worth it? Is it really that better than Element series?

Regarding price difference I could get a second hand Audient Asp800 with retro channels and a monitor controller top on that. That feels like a more versatile setup than Apogee Desktop itself.

What are your thoughts on this?

you have right about the headphone amp is not good!

would also like some more info regarding SPECIFICALLY the difference in quality between the converters and the mic pre.

surely the symphony is better in both regards (better in this case for both being more transparent and clean) but how much better, if that's even possible to quantify or qualify?