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Hey all, I just wanted to put it out there, that "pt mode" should not be checked when using the Apollo w pt 11. I spent hours and hours setting up my cousins new system, trying to figure out why the link function wasn't working, and why all the built in pres were routed to ch 1, regardless of I/o settings. That's kind of a odd description maybe confusing, but I experienced just strange behavior w inputs until unchecked this. Then it was instantly working as it should. The option can be found in the consoles settings or config menu, under the console tab.

Pt mode creates 2 "null" "blank" inputs for ins 1 and 2, in order to align the rest of the pt inputs properly. This is not necessary w on my cousins system. (Pt 11, Mac Pro quad, Avid 11 rack, not sure of the OS.) since this is a pretty basic system I'm guessing it holds true across the board, w pt 11.

There was nothing else on the internet I could find, so hopefully this helps someone else. Most videos and advice are geared towards 10 and earlier. Which they say that's one of the first things you should do. There is very very little info on the Apollo w. Pt 11. Hope this helps someone.

Comments

audiokid Mon, 03/24/2014 - 00:55

Kyle, or anyone reading this with an Apollo, I have to ask you,

After participating in the L i z a C o l b y mixfest contest, http://www.puremix.net/gearfestmixingcontest (which was tracked through the Apollo),
listening rather closely changed my opinion on it dramatically. The sound I heard on those track was horrible and they seemed out of time.
I've been wondering how tight or even tracks line up if you use the UAD going in. The tracks sounded phasy, smeared and were extremely brittle too. It was painful mixing. I had a hard time finishing it.

Do you think this is an accurate opinion on that product or do you think this had more to do with careless engineering?
And all due respect, I do know those mixfest are pretty much off the cuff but still, that doesn't explain the inconsistency between tracks that had UAD and others that were straight in. And the really nasty artifacts and phase I heard.
I don't think people even noticed this. I was surprised it didn't create a negative spiral on the Apollo.

Whats your opinion? I'd love to hear another example done better so I stop slamming that product. Right now my opinion on it is pretty low.

kmetal Tue, 03/25/2014 - 01:49

hmm thats interesting. im booked up this week between the endless studio remodel and some sessions, but im gonna head down to my cousins early next week to button up some things on his system,and hopefully finally get to play around w/ it a bit. ill do some tracking w it and see what i come up w.

the only thing i can think off the top of my head (which could be way off base) is how delay compensation was/was not integrated. i know they list a latency of 2ms for the 'realtime' plug-insso imnot ally sure if that applies to whats actually sent to the DAW or if that is what it takes to get back out from the D/A converters. gonna have to research how the thing actually works :) maybe they did/didn't have compensaton engaged and should have or vice versa. i can say that in the very quick test recordings i did BFD/guitar/bass, they played back as was recorded (to my ears), but i did not use any of the realtime monitoring efx, nor did i record thru them (as in printing them realtime). they certainly weren't brittle, so im wondering if at least that part was careless engineering.

im thinking a decent test would be to put 2 57s taped together on front of anacoustic guitar, one channel w printed efx, the other dry, and see how they line up, compared to another take of the same thing, w/ both dry. let me know if you think of anything else ii could try.

my hunch is that it was some sort of operator error..? i just feel like something so important like phase would have either been addressed in development (since its the main focus of the whole product, using the dsp power of the way in, and 'realtime' processing) or would have been addressed in reviews or forums.

stranger things have happened tho, so im gonna reserve judgement till i try it. if i get a chance ill ty to make something available on dropbox, so everyone can get a chance to decide. i really hope its not a problem w the apollo, cuz i recommended the thing based on all the opinions i could gather, hope its not one of those too good to be true things

audiokid Tue, 03/25/2014 - 02:01

kmetal, post: 412058, member: 37533 wrote:

im thinking a decent test would be to put 2 57s taped together on front of anacoustic guitar, one channel w printed efx, the other dry, and see how they line up, compared to another take of the same thing, w/ both dry. let me know if you think of anything else ii could try.

Close enough for me.
(y)

gdoubleyou Tue, 04/08/2014 - 13:54

I have an Apollo, and at times I have tracked through the Neve 88RS channel strip, for a little color and control on the way in.

The preamps are neutral, not quite an Apogee Symphony, but close enough for a budget setup.

The Unison Technology they revealed at Winter NAMM is intriguing, the new class of Preamp plug configures the circuitry before the A/D process.

Davedog Tue, 04/08/2014 - 14:43

I would really like some feedback on this. It is on my radar for my upgrade to PT11....Apollo that is. I need at least 16X16 conversion to do what I need to do here and the Orion doesn't play well with PT. Again, things you read and hear about could be explained by operator error in a number of cases but some operators' opinions would carry more weight with me in making a decision. My other choice at this time will be the RME stuff but I can't go HD with it. Not sure I'm going to pony up for HD or not at this time......

gdoubleyou Mon, 04/14/2014 - 12:54

Davedog, post: 413490, member: 4495 wrote: I would really like some feedback on this. It is on my radar for my upgrade to PT11....Apollo that is. I need at least 16X16 conversion to do what I need to do here and the Orion doesn't play well with PT. Again, things you read and hear about could be explained by operator error in a number of cases but some operators' opinions would carry more weight with me in making a decision. My other choice at this time will be the RME stuff but I can't go HD with it. Not sure I'm going to pony up for HD or not at this time......

Apollo 16 maybe, if you have a compatible mixing console.

I'm not sure about PT mode, I use Logic.
AAX support up to Win7, may work on Win 8, not certified yet.

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