Apogee Duet: BREAKOUT box simplifies connections

Generally speaking, folks who sprung for Apogee's Duet have been pleased with the performance, but as we learn each and every week, there's nothing that can't be improved upon. Take the Duet's factory breakout cable, for instance. Sure, it provides a plethora of connection options, but it also creates a rat's nest in no time flat. Thankfully, a few engineering souls decided to take matters into their own hands, create a much better alternative, and then offer the thing up for sale for the lazy folks (read: us) on the outside. The duet:BREAKOUT box provides one simple box-to-Duet connection, after which you can run XLR / 1/4" cables straight to the ultra-rugged accessory. Get yours now with 1/4" or RCA outputs for $100 apiece.

[Bunson @ Jul 10th 2008 4:19PM]

I want one.

[Bunson @ Jul 10th 2008 4:19PM]

I want two.

[Lowest Ranked @ Jul 10th 2008 4:48PM]

2 + 1, ok lets see...

[Mr. Fax Sender @ Jul 10th 2008 4:19PM]

I'm gonna act like I get what it's for.

[Lowest Ranked @ Jul 10th 2008 4:53PM]

Mr. Sex Offender.


Sorry. I had to.

[Randy @ Jul 10th 2008 4:54PM]

Same here.

[Mehdi Cheddadi @ Jul 10th 2008 4:24PM]

It looks like a video adapter...for a game called breakout?

ORLY?

[MicHo @ Jul 10th 2008 4:37PM]

sad sad day, google may actually be your friend

[MicHo @ Jul 10th 2008 4:37PM]

I'd never let that fugly box close to my desk, let alone my duet

[Minilap @ Jul 10th 2008 4:58PM]

Looks rugged, good if you are on the road a lot.

[Alex @ Jul 10th 2008 5:35PM]

Can't see what would stop you from using a duet to record live shows. Anyone have any experience with that?

[Eli @ Jul 10th 2008 5:43PM]

Engadget, come on. I know what this is, but there are a lot who don't. Put a simple explanation of what the Duet is so that the majority of your readers will understand what's going on.

[eddy @ Jul 10th 2008 5:45PM]

Okay, I'll say it first...I'm puzzled.

I have a breakout box that allows my stereo mini jacks on my camcorders to accept XLR plugs, but seeing the VGA port on this one just completely baffles me as to how that pairs up with the XLR plugs and 1/4" plugs.

[JWolf @ Jul 10th 2008 6:17PM]

The box is almost as ugly as their ghetto website.

[JWolf @ Jul 10th 2008 6:19PM]

That box is almost as ugly as their ghetto website.

[michaelportent @ Jul 10th 2008 7:34PM]

Apogee is usually pretty damned solid. If this plays nice with both macs and pcs, I'd say this is an awesome value for the sound quality you can achieve.

[BOGRASH @ Jul 10th 2008 7:52PM]

way to mismatch aesthetics

[Stephen Lang @ Jul 10th 2008 8:38PM]

The VGA looking port is to connect the ugly box to this silver box-
http://www.apogeedigital.com/products/duet.php

The silver box is an audio interface with Firewire transfer into your computer.

I guess some people don't like the cable that comes with the silver box, this basically replaces it with more durably connectors I guess.

[John Laur @ Jul 11th 2008 1:51AM]

Generally you dismiss a product as "bad" when it costs a ridiculous amount of money for what it does and has to have simple (but expensive) accessories like this to make it halfway decent.

You know you can get something more capable like an Alesis Mulitmix 8 Firewire for about a quarter of the price right? But I guess it's not made of aluminum though and has way too many knobs though.. so it must be crap, right?

[MicHo @ Jul 11th 2008 10:06AM]

I guess you dont know audio? apogee is a renowned sound company...

[Hotline @ Jul 12th 2008 12:26PM]

I actually started out with the Alesis Multimix. Blech. Didn't sound nearly as "alive" as the apogee. I agree with MicHo, the general public is way to fine with average gear.. ProGear all the way.

[whiskey @ Jul 13th 2008 8:21AM]

If it folded like the letter A with the screens on the outside and did let you connect two mouses and two keyboards it would be really innovative (a PC for two? lol).

Nintendo should sue for making a laptop just a bigger DS.