Apogee Ensemble Thunderbolt Professional Sound Card

The Power of Thunderbolt

Combining Apogee’s industry-recognized inventions and revolutionary new features with Thunderbolt technology, the new Ensemble sets the new standard in professional studio sound cards.

Highlights:

• 8 Microphone preamps with Advanced Stepped Gain circuit, 75 dB gain
• Ultra-low latency Thunderbolt connection (1.1ms Roundtrip)
• 2 guitar inputs with Class A JFET inputs on the front panel, dual mode re-amp output
• Talkback functionality with built-in microphone and control button
• 2 PurePower headphone outputs
• 10 individually assignable analog outputs
• 16 analog outputs with premium Apogee converter

High speed Thunderbolt 2 performance

Apogee has designed a revolutionary new driver for the new Ensemble that gives you a 32-sample buffer and an incredible 1.1ms round-trip delay at 96 kHz. In this way, even if the plug-in is used, it is possible to listen to the DAW easily. Even at high buffer sizes, Ensemble’s low latency design means you won’t have to sacrifice speed when you need more power.

So how does this happen? The Direct Memory Access (DMA) engine that the driver uses and works directly on the “Logic” circuit in Ensemble’s hardware can write information directly to the memory of your Mac computer. Because these processes happen independently of your Mac’s CPU, the drive never fails to power down and can transmit huge amounts of information extremely quickly. Thanks to the full 32-bit signal path used from the output of your DAW to the D/A converters, your audio signals do not need any additional processing until they reach the headphones or speakers. This means incredible performance and transparent sound in real life.

• Listen on DAW with plug-ins
• Computer-free DMA engine
• 32-bit signal path providing incredible performance

Immaculate sound quality

Whether it’s boutique brickwall filters they designed in the 1980s or current Symphony I/O systems, Apogee’s converter technology has been setting industry standards for over 20 years. Ensemble Thunderbolt is built on this unique technology. With carefully selected and tested components and brand new high-performance circuit designs, Ensemble Thunderbolt’s A/D D/A converters have been dramatically improved over its predecessor, resulting in higher dynamics, lower distortion and almost zero noise.

On top of all this, incredibly clear, jitter-free playback is provided by the ESS Saber32 32-bit Hyperstream D/A circuit with Time Domain Jitter destroyer introduced in Ensemble Thunderbolt. Compared to the previous generation 24-bit technology, the ESS Saber32 D/A converters’ 32-bit filter processor provides surprisingly low distortion / noise and wide dynamics, taking the transparency and quality for which Apogee is renowned. Apogee was one of the first manufacturers to use ESS Saber32 D/A converters in pro audio products.

• Ultra-clean recordings with updated A/D converters
• Crystal clear playback with ESS Saber32 D/A
• Low distortion and wide dynamic range with 32-bit filters

Dynamically optimized Microphone preamplifiers

The Ensemble Thunderbolt features 8 microphone preamplifiers with Apogee’s Advanced Stepped Gain design. These dynamically optimized circuits offer greater bandwidth, ultra-low noise and zero distortion with a clean 75 dB gain. Whether you’re recording a crazy drummer or the most sensitive classical musical instrument, Ensemble will retain the 3D effect of reality.

If you are a long time Apogee user, you know that Apogee AD/DA converters will not be without Softlimit. Introduced with the AD-500 in 1992, Softlimit technology has been used in countless platinum-platinum award-winning pieces. Softlimit instantly rounds the distorting digital clips before the A/D conversion of the signal, eliminating the distortion effects. Not only does this process give you more headroom, it also adds tape warmth to your recordings. In the new Ensemble Thunderbolt, this unique technology is always at your fingertips, ready to use.

• Clean usable gain of 75db
• Preamps that reflect depth, detail and dimension
• Soft Limit that prevents digital clips

Wide Input / Output possibilities

There are so many inputs/outputs in Ensemble Thunderbolt that you’ll never have a problem no matter how you work. With four combo and four XLR inputs, you can connect up to 8 microphones, external preamps or any analog equipment. At the same time, 10 assignable line outs (two balanced monitor outputs and 8 balanced line outputs) can respond to very different workflows. Finally, with two independently controlled headphone outputs, two hardware inserts, 18 channels of Digital I/O, wordclock input and output, Ensemble Thunderbolt can adapt to any use.

With today’s technology, although there are unlimited guitar amp simulations, none of them can give a real amp sound. Ensemble Thunderbolt’s Class A JFET circuits using a bootstrapping design on the custom guitar inputs load your guitar with ultra-high impedance, allowing you to capture all the tonal and harmonic characteristics of the guitar. With the re-amp outputs, you can easily include your stompboxes in your recording environment without worrying about any impedance matching or level problems.

• 4 combo and 4 XLR inputs
• 10 balanced line outputs that can be configured to respond to any application
• Custom made guitar inputs

All input/output details with double high precision display

Thanks to two high-resolution OLED displays, all visual information critical to recording is here. You can see all levels, groupings, polarity, mute, phantom power and soft limit information for all inputs and outputs without the need to look at the computer.

Input control and controller button with selection button

Ensemble has made it very easy to access all the important recording and listening functions. To adjust the input levels, all you have to do is press the desired input channel button and adjust the level with the input controller button. All input selection buttons have LED lighting. The selected button illuminates brighter than the others, indicating the selection. You can adjust other features such as input type, 48 Volt, Soft Limit, grouping, polarity and high-pass filter by holding down the selection button.

Listening and output Controls

The “Monitor Control” layer on the Ensemble is comprehensive enough to cater to any listening needs – without the need for any additional devices. Choose from 1/4″ monitor outputs, 3 sets of stereo speaker outputs, or listen to a 5.1 surround system. You can adjust the levels of your speakers and headphones from the front panel buttons or from the Maestro software or the volume controls of your Mac.

Assignable buttons

You can use features such as “Talkback”, “Mute”, “Dim”, “Sum to Mono”, “Clear Meters” or “Speaker range selection” with assignable buttons named

A, B, C, and D. Each button can be assigned to the desired function via the Masetro software.

TalkBack

There is an extremely useful talkback system on Ensemble. It can be sent to headphone or line outputs with an on-board or external microphone. From Maestro software or assignable buttons can act as talkback.

High speed Thunderbolt 2.0 Mac sound card
Analog input		4x Combo mic/line/ens input
		2 pcs 1/4 ” balanced insert
		XLR Mic/Line intro
		2 x 1/4″ Hi-Z inputs
Digital Inputs
		ADAT 16 channels (44.1 / 48 kHz) Toslink
		SMUX 8 channels (88.2 / 96 kHz) Toslink
		SPDIF 4 channels ( 96 kHz) Toslink
		COAX input: 2 channel S/PDIF (192 kHz) RCA
		Word Clock BNC
Analog Output
		2x 1/4″ balanced monitor outputs
		8 balanced line outputs (DSUB)
		2 x 1/4″ independent headphone outputs
		2x 1/4″ dual mode guitar/inst outputs
Digital Outputs
		OPTIC output
		ADAT 16 channels (44.1 / 48 kHz) Toslink
		SMUX 8 channels (88.2 / 96 kHz) Toslink
		SPDIF 4 channels ( 96 kHz) Toslink
		COAX output: 2 channel S/PDIF (192 kHz) RCA
		Word Clock BNC
A/D and D/A conversion		24bit / 192 kHz