Apogee Element Series User’s Guide 1, December 2016

 

Apogee Element Series

​ User’s Guide

 

iOS App Toolbar 

 

 

 

Preferences

​ - Opens the Preferences Menu 

Prevent Screen Lock

​ - When engaged, the iOS device’s screen will not 

automatically turn off while the Control app is open. 

Devices

​ - Opens the Connect to Device Menu. 

Clear meters

​ - Clears any Peak Hold or Over Hold indicators on the level meters. 

Talkback 

​- Tap and hold to engage Momentary Talkback; release to disengage Momentary Talkback; 

    Double-tap to toggle Talkback on; tap again to toggle Talkback off. 

Mute all outputs

​ - Engages Mute on all speaker and headphones outputs. These mutes must be manually disengaged. 

 

Analog Input Settings 

Provides options and controls related to the analog inputs of your Apogee Element Thunderbolt Interface 

 

Input Source 

- Mic

​ - XLR input is sent through the microphone preamp 

- Instrument

​ - ¼” input is sent through a Hi-Z to Low-Z circuit then to the 

microphone preamp 

- +4dBu/-10dBV

​ - Live level signal from XLR input bypasses preamp 

circuit 

Gain

​ - Drag your finger up or down on the gain circle to adjust the Input Gain 

 

​48V​ - Toggles phantom power on/off 

 G

​ - Group the input gain controls of adjacent odd-even channels 

 SL

​ - Soft Limit attenuates transient peaks of the analog input at a 

threshold of -4dBfs before the signal is sent to the A/D converter. 

- Inverts the input signal’s polarity 

Input Icon 

​- The icon provides visual indication of the type of Input Source selected 

Input Level Meter

​ - Shows the input signal strength after going through the preamp circuit. 

 

Navigation  

- Use your finger to swipe left or right to page to additional analog inputs  

 

 

 

 

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Apogee Element Series

​ User’s Guide

 

Monitor Output Settings 

Provides option and controls related to the Main and Headphones outputs of your Apogee Element Thunderbolt interface. 

 

Output Source Selector

​ - Selects the sound source for this output. The 

options are: 

Playback

​ - Sends a playback channel stereo signal directly to this 

output, bypassing all mixers. 

Mix

​ or ​FX Send​ - Send the stereo signal from this mixer’s Master to 

this output 

 

Output Mute button

​ - Mutes the output 

Output Dim button

​ - Reduces the output listening level by -15dB 

Sum-To-Mono button

​ - Collapse left and right signals to mono at the output. 

This combined signal is sent through both Left and Right Outputs and is 

useful for verifying the mono-compatibility of a stereo mix. 

 

Output Level Meters

​ - Displayed the output level. Is not affected by the output level control. 

Output Level Control

​ - Set the listening level of the hardware output. 

 

Navigation  

- Use your finger to swipe left or right to page to additional analog outputs  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Apogee Element Series

​ User’s Guide

 

Snapshots & Examples 

When Element Control software is first opened, you are presented with a Snapshot Template chooser. 

 

 

 

The following section will explain and explore these default Snapshot Templates in depth, with use-cases demonstrating how 

each would be used in with a recording program (DAW) like Logic Pro X. 

 

 

 

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Apogee Element Series

​ User’s Guide

 

Getting Started Snapshot Template 

This Snapshot Template provides simple input settings in the Input Channel section, a single stereo playback channel for 

audio playing from audio software such as iTunes or your DAW, and output settings for dealing with your speaker and 

headphone outputs. This represents the most common and familiar use of an audio interface. 

 

This template provides: 

Primary Window

​ - 

●

All Analog Input Channels 

​- Provides settings for adjusting & controlling the analog inputs as well as input level 

meters to show the strength of incoming signal. 

●

One Playback Channel

​ - For audio signal being played from an audio application on your Mac. 

●

No Mixer Section

​ - Mixers are hidden in this Snapshot. Use of the Mixers will be explained later in this guide. 

●

Monitor Section

​ - Provides settings & controls for headphones and speaker outputs. You can choose the sound 

source for each output allowing some sounds to come through some outputs and other sounds to come out of other 

outputs. 

 

Essentials Window

​ - Provides the same settings and controls as the Analog Input Channels and Monitor Section. 

Hover Help

​ - Hover your Mac’s pointer above each setting of Element Control software to see a helpful summary. 

 

Each of these sections dictate how and where audio signal flows between the Element Thunderbolt Interface’s hardware 

connections and the recording software (DAW) tracks and channels on your computer.  Lets analyze that signal flow: 

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