I looked at the Ensemble the same way I looked at Apple’s Mighty Mouse. It looked cool, but had few “normal” features. The front panel only had two knobs and a power button. But, just like my first experience with that mouse, the Ensemble is not a device to be without.
The first thing that I noticed was how simple everything was. After installing the software, I plugged into the wall and the computer and I was up and running. Then I discovered why the actual interface was sparse in its apparent features. Everything is controlled through Maestro, the included software. This was a dream come true for me. I could easily adjust gain levels for my mics, and output levels for my speakers or even headphones without moving over to my hardware bay.
Even though the Ensemble is geared toward Logic, it connected with Digital Performer perfectly. I was able to instantly dive into my work. The sound coming out of my speakers was much more clear than I was used to. I don’t do much recording, but I tested speaking into my microphone and it sounded much more natural. It was able to transfer acoustic to digital as close as I have ever heard. A little side note is that the Ensemble has a “soft limit” that provides a slight compression before clipping occurs. This could definitely speed up recording by eliminating the need to continually adjust the gain.
If you are a serious musician or engineer using a Mac, the Ensemble is a perfect solution to many recording problems.
