Looking for a flexible interface to build your Mac-based studio around that offers tons of connectivity, extremely low latency, lots of extra features, and world-class converters? Prefer Thunderbolt connectivity? Then, I’ll cut right to the chase: check out the Apogee Ensemble Thunderbolt!
The original Ensemble garnered a lot of fans for its feature set and great sound quality. But with the Ensemble Thunderbolt, Apogee has pulled out all the stops. You can run up to 30 inputs and 34 outputs simultaneously, with up to 24-bit/192kHz resolution. The Ensemble Thunderbolt has eight killer mic/line preamps, two with hardware inserts for connecting external compressors, EQs, and other gear during tracking. You get stereo monitor outs, plus eight more balanced analog outs on a D-sub connector. You also get dual ADAT-optical I/O for 16 more ins and outs at standard sample rates that can also operate at high sample rates using S/MUX. S/PDIF and word clock in and out round out the back-panel I/O, along with dual Thunderbolt 2 ports.
Up front, you have two independently addressable headphone outputs, four assignable multifunction soft buttons (I use them for talkback, monitor mute, etc.), two big control knobs, and 10 switches for controlling the inputs. Then, there are four jacks: two guitar-level DI inputs and two guitar-level outputs. The outs can function either as “thru” jacks that can send the incoming guitar signal on to an amp with no latency, or you can use them for re-amping direct guitar signals you’ve recorded into your DAW. The front panel also sports a built-in stereo mic that can be used for talkback or to capture lo-fi “crushed” sounds — the built-in mics even show up as inputs in your DAW.
The Ensemble Thunderbolt is easy to configure, and you can control all the necessary functions from the front panel. If you want to dig deeper, you also get Apogee’s free Maestro software, which gives you access to every parameter, along with enhanced routing capabilities, advanced metering, and more.
Best of all, the Ensemble Thunderbolt is a DMA (direct memory access) device, which means it hooks itself straight into your Mac’s brain. This direct connection reduces latency to being essentially non-existent. There’s no need to use a software mixer in addition to your DAW to manage latency — just plug in the Ensemble Thunderbolt, arm a track in your DAW, and go! It doesn’t get any simpler or more straightforward than that. This one feature alone sets the Ensemble Thunderbolt apart for me (not that everything else wasn’t great) and made a huge difference in how quickly I could get tracks recorded and ideas laid down.
If you’re looking for an interface for your Mac studio, one that can accept whatever signals you need routed in and out, deliver awesome sound quality, and feature industry-leading latency performance, then look no further. The Ensemble Thunderbolt rocks!
