Dangerous Music D-Box with Apogee Ensemble - Manual

Setting Up a Dangerous Music D-Box with an Apogee
Ensemble
Physical Connections:
1. Plug the 8 analog outputs of the Ensemble into the Sum Input of the D-Box
• For this you will need a Male DB25 to TRS snake. Buy a good quality snake (from a place like
www.redco.com or www.mogamicable.com )
2. Plug the Sum Output of the D-Box into any 2 line inputs of the Ensemble. Be sure not to use the mic
inputs, or you will clip. We usually suggest to use inputs 7 and 8 because they are generally used the
least, allowing you to keep those lines plugged in most of the time, but you can use any line inputs
that work for you.
• For this you will use 2 Female XLR to TRS audio cables.
3. Plug the SPDIF out of the Ensemble into the DAW input of the D-Box.
• For this you will need a digital audio cable with RCA on one end and Male XLR on the other end.
Please double check that it is a 75 ohm digital audio cable. In order to maintain signal integrity, it
should be kept under 10 feet.
• You can purchase this cable from places like Redco (Part # NC3MX/RCA-6D)
Connections between the Ensemble and the D-Box are now complete. The other D-Box connections are:
• Speaker Outputs/Alt Speaker Outputs – This is where you connect your studio monitors, which are
Male XLR outputs on the back of the D-Box.
• Analog Input – This is a stereo analog audio input that can be used for any analog source you
choose to audition via the D-Box. (i.e. iPods, CD Players, Sample Libraries, Computer Audio
Output, etc...)
• NOTE: If you plan on hooking up an iPod, iPhone, MP3 player, etc, please first read this document:
“Read This First” Document
• CD Input – This is a stereo digital input that can be used for any digital source you choose to
monitor via the D-Box. (i.e. digital iPod docks, Digital CD Players, Digital Audio Feeds from the
Computer, etc...)
Other Settings/Routing:
1. This is very important- in your Maestro software, you must bypass the volume encoder on the front of
the interface. Here is how to do it:
• Open Maestro, and click the output button near the top left of the screen. Locate the main volume
dial near the right side of the screen. Click the button below the dial and change it from “Stereo
Out 1-2” to “Line.”
2. Set up your i/o in your DAW. Go into your i/o setup window in your DAW of choice and make sure
that there are paths set up for the 8 analog outputs of the Ensemble, and the SPDIF digital output
of the Ensemble. Make sure the analog inputs all have paths set up as well (this is all most likely
already there in your default, but it’s good to check).