Apogee Element Series User’s Guide 1, December 2016

 

Apogee Element Series

​ User’s Guide

 

Direct Monitoring Snapshot Template 

This Snapshot Template is perfect for users who do not want to open a DAW in order to listen to their inputs. It does this by 

setting the headphones and speaker outputs to “Mix 1”. In this way, any channel that has the Mixer 1 fader raised will be 

heard. This snapshot is also for users who want the lowest latency monitoring possible, and can’t achieve a low enough buffer 

in their DAW for software monitoring to be acceptable. 

 

 

This template provides: 

●

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. 

●

Mixer 1 Showing

​ - Mixer 1 is the key to direct monitoring and is used to send signal from the various input channels 

directly to the Monitor Section. 

●

Monitor Section

​ - All the main and headphone outputs are set to Mix 1. 

 

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Apogee Element Series

​ User’s Guide

 

 

 

Let’s analyze the signal flow: 

 

 

 

Any signal from the Input Channel Section must go through the Mixer 1 fader before it will be heard in the outputs that are set 

to “Mix 1”. This has a few benefits: 

●

An analog or digital input can be heard directly through the interface rather than having to setup an audio track with 

software monitoring in a recording program first. 

●

Provides a very low-latency monitoring path. 

●

Direct input signals can be mixed with audio from Playback channels such as your recording program or iTunes or 

YouTube, etc. 

 

Note that signal from the Input Channels go to your recording software (DAW) at the same time they are being sent to the 

Mixer 1. In this way, this Direct Monitoring Snapshot can be used with a DAW that is unable to achieve a low enough buffer 

size to get the latency delay to be acceptable. Here’s how you would set up this Snapshot Template with a recording program 

like Logic: 

 

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Apogee Element Series

​ User’s Guide

 

Using the Direct Monitor Snapshot Template with your Recording Program 

1.

Setup an audio track in Logic. 

-

Make sure input monitoring on that track is turned off because you are direct monitoring through Element 

Control instead. 

2.

Record to that track. 

3.

Setup a second audio track in Logic that also has input monitoring turned off. 

4.

Record the second track. You will be able to hear the first track as you record. 

5.

Adjust the Mixer 1 channel faders to control the volume of direct input you are recording vs playback of already 

existing recording playing back from Logic. 

 

The signal flow would look like this: 

 

 

1.

Input signal from Analog 1 is sent to both Logic and the Mixer 1 

2.

In Logic, the signal is routed to an Audio track for recording. Input Monitoring on this track is off. 

3.

Playback from Logic is sent to Element Control’s Playback 1-2 Input Channel. 

4.

Both the direct signal from Analog 1 Input channel, and Playback 1-2 Input Channel are mixed together to the Mixer 1 

Master. 

5.

Mixer 1 feeds the Main and Headphones outputs. 

 

This same Snapshot Template can be used in other recording programs like Pro Tools, Cubase, Ableton Live, etc. by using 

the same principles shown in this example. 

 

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Apogee Element Series

​ User’s Guide

 

Full Functionality Snapshot Template 

For the user that wants a “god-view”, this Snapshot Template has all side-panels, mixers, and channels visible. 

Note: All outputs are set to “Mix 1” in this Snapshot like the Direct Monitoring Snapshot Template. Therefore you must raise 

the Mixer 1 channel faders to hear anything in the outputs. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Apogee Element Series

​ User’s Guide

 

Vocal Overdub Snapshot Template 

This Snapshot Template is conceived for an overdubbing recording session. At this stage in the recording process, a recording 

project is typically full of tracks and plugins which may require your I/O Buffer to be set to a large size. Because software input 

monitoring with such a large buffer would result in too much latency, this snapshot is designed for Direct Monitoring a single 

input, but using Element Control’s FX Send to apply your DAW’s reverb to the Low Latency (Direct Monitoring) mixer inputs. 

 

 

Notice that in this Snapshot Template: 

-

The Mixer 1 and FX Send are both displayed 

-

The Outputs are set to “Mix 1” for direct monitoring 

-

There is a single analog input channel active, and two playback 

input channels active. 

 

 

Here’s how this is set up using Logic Pro X: 

1.

In Logic Pro X > Preferences > Audio > General, uncheck the 

boxes for “Software Monitoring” and “Input monitoring only for 

focused track, and record-enabled tracks” 

 

 

2.

Create an Audio track. Set the input to Analog 1. 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: For the purposes of this guide, having the 

Mixer visible will make things easier. To do this: 

●

Go to the View Menu > Show Mixer. 

 

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