Quartet’s optical connections offer 8 additional ADAT/SMUX digital inputs. With Apogee’s Ensemble interface connected via optical, it’s possible to record up to 12 mics at a time with sample rates of 44.1/48 kHz (4 inputs on Quartet + 8 inputs on Ensemble). At sample rates of 88.2/96 kHz, you can record up to 8 mics at a time (4 inputs on Quartet + 4 inputs on Ensemble).
To setup Quartet and Ensemble (or any ADAT/SMUX equipped 8 channel interface) for this application:
1. Connect optical Toslink cables between the interface’s ADAT/SMUX outputs and Quartet’s Optical inputs.
- At sample rates of 44.1-48kHz, all eight channels are transmitted over one Toslink cable - one cable between the interface and the Optical IN 1 is sufficient.
- At sample rates of 88.2-96kHz, channels 1-4 are transmitted over one cable (connected to Optical IN 1) and channels 5-8 are transmitted over a second cable (connected to Optical IN 2).
- Please note that Ensemble only offers 1 Toslink connection for Optical OUT, so therefore you can only transmit a maximum of 4 inputs at 88.2-96kHz.
2. Connect a BNC cable between Quartet’s WC Out and the Ensemble’s word clock input.
3. Setup Ensemble in standalone mode:
- Connect Ensemble and to your Mac's Firewire ports. Once Ensemble's settings are made in Maestro, you'll remove the Ensemble firewire connection.
- Open Maestro 2 and make sure Ensemble is the selected device from the devices sidebar.
- In the System Setup tab window, set Clock Source to Word Clock
- In the Device Settings tab, ensure that Optical In and Optical Out are set to ADAT/SMUX
- In the Standalone Routing tab window, route analog inputs to ADAT outputs
- Make other desired Maestro settings, such as configuring inputs 1-4 as Mic inputs.
- Once Maestro settings are complete, remove Ensemble's Firewire connection. Ensemble's front panel Status LED will turn green to indicate that the unit is now in Standalone mode.
The gain of each mic pre may be controlled from the front panel by pressing the left hand encoder to select a pre and turning the encoder to the desired setting. The analog and headphone outputs may be controlled with the right hand encoder in a similar fashion.
4. To check input levels for Quartet, open Maestro, click the Input tab and check the ADAT (SMUX) meters.