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Apogee Groove improves headphone audio, for a price
It's been awhile since I've spent much time with Apogee's audio gear. In my early Engadget days, I reviewed both the Jam and MiC, two portable recording accessories that turned the iPad into a tracking center for guitars, vocals and podcasts. Earlier this year, the company revealed the Groove, putting years of pro audio experience to work improving subpar headphone audio. The diminutive metal device sits comfortably between your go-to headphones and laptop, providing a massive sound boost despite being about as small as a pack of gum. So, what's the catch? Well, if you're familiar with Apogee, you know its gear isn't cheap. Does the Groove provide enough oomph to warrant its $300 price tag? That depends on your listening habits.
Apogee's tiny USB headphone amp is now available for $295
When it was announced back in January, Apogee promised to deliver its Groove USB headphone amp and digital-to-analong converter (DAC) this spring. Well, the company kept its word as the audio accessory is now available for $295. What does a few hundred dollars buy you? Groove touts up to 24 bit/192kHz audio thanks to a Quad Sum DAC that puts four converters on each channel to keep the audio sounding top notch. There's also a feature called Constant Current Drive that adapts to the frequencies of your headphones to make them sound better. On the front of the aluminum frame, volume controls and LEDs easily handle level changes and muting. What's more, the add-on is USB powered, so you won't have to futz with another cable or batteries -- just think of it a set of super-sized (and super powerful) in-line controls. The folks at Apogee have a knack for building stellar audio gear, so we're anxious to see how this gadget stacks up.
Apogee's USB headphone amp is an audio boost in a tiny package
If you're looking to improve the sound coming from your laptop while working on the go, Apogee may have the fix. At this week's NAMM trade show, the company announced Groove: a small USB digital-to-analog converter (DAC) and amp that aims to boost quality without taking up a considerable amount of extra room. In fact, the unit appears to be about the size of a thumb drive. Groove works with both Mac and PC, tackling up to 24 bit/192kHz audio for both headphones and powered speakers with on-board controls for muting and volume adjustments. The add-on is USB powered, so there's no need to worry about batteries or changing, and the aluminum frame houses Quad Sum DAC tech that uses four converters per channel to keep tracks crisp and clear. There's no word on pricing just yet, but the accessory is set to arrive this spring, and when it does, we'll be taking it for a test drive.
