Apogee Symphony I/O Mk 2 - 8X8MP Thunderbolt

Description

Flagship Audio Interface with Thunderbolt. 8 Analog I/O with integrated
mic preamps (2-DB25 connectors, AES, Optical, SPDIF)

True Thunderbolt Performance

Lowest Latency. Superior Sound Quality.

Symphony I/O Mk II Thunderbolt delivers the full potential of Thunderbolt 2 performance with the lowest latency, unmatched CPU efficiency and 2 ports for connecting additional peripherals.

Symphony I/O Mk II Thunderbolt relies on Apogee’s proprietary Thunderbolt driver, written from the ground up to offer unmatched performance and efficiency. When using Logic Pro X, latency has been reduced to an astounding 1.35 ms round-trip*, allowing you to monitor through your DAW, plug-ins included, simplifying your workflow and leveraging the power of your Mac. Even when your session’s DSP demands require a higher buffer setting, Symphony I/O’s ultra-low latency means no longer having to choose between power and speed.

To accommodate different workflow preferences, Symphony I/O Mk II Thunderbolt features optional direct hardware monitoring through Symphony Control Software with 0.6ms of latency.

* Logic Pro X at 96kHz / 32 buffer setting

Inputs

Analog IN: 8 balanced inputs on 1 DSUB 25-pin connector
8 microphone preamps with up to 72dB of gain
- Featuring Advanced Stepped Gain Architecture™
*AES-EBU IN: 8 inputs on 1 DSUB 25-pin connector
- (192k single wide compatible)
*Optical IN: Supports ADAT, SMUX & S/PDIF
- ADAT: 8 channels 44.1-48 kHz
- SMUX: 8 channels 88.2-96 kHz
- S/PDIF: 2 channels, up to 96 kHz
Coax IN: 2 channels of S/PDIF, up to 192 kHz

Outputs

Analog OUT: 8 balanced outputs on 1 DSUB 25-pin connector
*AES-EBU OUT: 8 outputs on 1 DSUB 25-pin connector
- (192k single wide compatible)
*Optical OUT: Supports ADAT, SMUX & S/PDIF
- ADAT: 8 channels 44.1-48 kHz
- SMUX: 8 channels 88.2-96 kHz
- S/PDIF: 2 channels, up to 96 kHz
Coax OUT: 2 channels of S/PDIF, up to 192 kHz

Connection: Thunderbolt

Performance: 44.1kHz – 192kHz

Compatibility: macOS

Control: Apogee Control 2 Software, Front panel touch screen, Apogee Control hardware remote (sold separately)

Symphony I/O Mk II

Multi-channel Audio Interface for Dolby Atmos and Immersive Audio.

Flagship Sound Quality, Modular I/O Configurations, Platform Flexibility

Meet Symphony I/O Mk II

Symphony I/O Mk II is a multi-channel audio interface featuring Apogee’s flagship AD/DA conversion, modular I/O (up to 32 inputs and outputs), intuitive touchscreen display and optional world-class microphone preamps. Designed to deliver professional sound quality for audio recording, mixing and mastering, Symphony I/O Mk II is the ultimate music production centerpiece for any modern studio. With its option card flexibility, Symphony I/O Mk II can provide direct connectivity to one of 4 different platforms – Thunderbolt™, Pro Tools® HD, Dante™+ Pro Tools® HD, or Waves SoundGrid network.

Highlights

Best AD/DA conversion of any Thunderbolt™ audio interface
Up to 32 channels of modular analog I/O with optional mic preamps
Best per-channel value of any interface in its category
Choice of Thunderbolt™ (Mac), Pro Tools® HD (Mac/PC), Dante™+ Pro Tools® HD (Mac/PC, or Waves SoundGrid (Mac/PC) connectivity.
Ultra-low latency performance – 1.35 ms with Thunderbolt and Logic Pro X
Advanced Monitor Workflows featuring plug and play Atmos configuration
All new, highly customizable Symphony Control software provides easy access to all I/O parameters
Intuitive touchscreen display and front panel control
Designed in California, Built in the U.S.A.

Legendary Sound Quality

Apogee engineers have made it their passion to improve every new flagship product by using the latest in electrical components and designing optimized circuitry that often exceeds the expectations of the component manufacturer. This is the Apogee Advantage. Symphony I/O Mk II is the culmination of this 30 year commitment and raises the bar on all Apogee products before it with even better audio clarity and sonic transparency. In fact, when equipped with either the 8×8 or 16×16 modules, Symphony I/O Mk II outperforms all other multi-channel audio interfaces available for Pro Tools HD, network or Thunderbolt based systems, making it the flagship audio interface for the entire professional audio industry and the obvious choice for countless GRAMMY winning artists, producers, songwriters and engineers.

Input and Output flexibility

There is a Symphony I/O Mk II solution for everyone; the home studio, project studio, commercial recording studio and scoring stage. Choose from four base I/O configurations, 2×6, 8×8, 16×16, or 8×8 with 8 mic preamps and easily expand as your studio grows. With two module slots and the capacity for up to 32 inputs and outputs of A/D & D/A conversion per unit, Symphony I/O Mk II offers the best per-channel value of any interface in its category.

Platform Options

Thunderbolt

Pro Tools

SoundGrid

Dante + Pro Tools

Standard Configurations

2×6 SE

8×8+8MP

16×16

32×32

The Magic is in the Modules

The I/O Modules are the sound and soul of Symphony I/O Mk II, and represent over 30 years of Apogee R&D and design excellence. These powerful Modules deliver Apogee’s core competency: superior sounding digital audio recording. With multiple I/O and Mic Preamp modules available, you can choose from base configurations or expand to grow your studio’s capabilities.

Front Panel Touchscreen

All of Symphony I/O Mk II’s essential input and output settings can be accessed from the front panel touchscreen. Change your input selection, monitoring levels, mic pre gain or calibrate your Symphony I/O Mk II to match the levels of the other analog gear in your system.

A high-resolution TFT display delivers all the visual feedback critical for recording and monitoring. Without looking at your computer, Symphony I/O Mk II lets you see metering for up to 64 channels of I/O, 32 IN x 32 OUT – signal levels, polarity, muting, phantom power and Soft Limit.

Stay Cool with Dynamic Temperature

Symphony I/O Mk II features advanced controls to keep the unit running at an ideal temperature, ensuring the highest level of performance and reliability. The new temperature controls can be accessed form the touch screen and control software and are complemented by an improved fan and chassis ventilation design, which allows adequate component cooling to occur quietly.

Symphony Control Software

Symphony Control software for macOS gives you comprehensive access to all features and functions of Symphony I/O Mk II Thunderbolt. Set gain levels (preamp modules only), manage routing, control output levels, set calibration, set-up multiple mixers and more.

And with Symphony I/O Mk II Thunderbolt’s new Monitor Workflows, you can effortlessly configure and operate your monitoring system for Dolby Atmos, Sony 360 Reality Audio and other immersive audio systems with control of up to 32 Speaker outputs.

Symphony Control also features compatibility with the new Apogee Control hardware remote.

Control Hardware Remote

Symphony Control also provides compatibility between Symphony I/O Mk II audio interfaces and the Apogee Control hardware remote accessory. Apogee Control gives you instant access to input and output levels using the large Symphony-inspired Control knob and 3 control knob focus buttons, plus direct access to a wide range of software functions using the 8 user-configurable hardware buttons. Apogee Control hardware remote connects directly to your Mac using the included USB cable. Apogee Control is is sold as a separate accessory by authorized Apogee dealers worldwide. US customers can purchase Apogee Control in the Apogee web store

Multi-unit support for up to 64 channels of I/O

With the introduction of Symphony Control, customers can now use 2 Symphony I/O Mk IIs simultaneously for up to 64 channels of I/O over a Thunderbolt connection to their Mac. Symphony I/O Mk II combined with Logic Pro on a Mac delivers the most advanced native workstation available with superior quality high-channel count recording at incredibly low latency.

Stay Cool with Dynamic Temperature

Standalone Mode

Standalone Routing lets you setup and use Symphony I/O Mk II without a computer. From the front panel touch screen you can set up Symphony I/O Mk II for use in these situations and more:

Hi-Fi Systems

Connect Symphony I/O MkII to a Blu/Ray, CD Player or Power Amp for high end speakers. Symphony I/O Mk II is also an ideal high-end headphone amp.

Standalone/Expander Converter and preamps

Standalone AD/DA converters and preamps can be used alongside other digital gear: To expand other interfaces, to connect to live or studio digital consoles, to connect to broadcast equipment. With Standalone mode you can also bypass the converters of your existing gear.

The Ins and Outs of Superior Sound

Like every flagship product we’ve introduced, Symphony I/O Mk II benefits from on-going expertise that constitutes the Apogee Engineering Advantage, once again pushing forward the state-of-the-art.

Symphony I/O Mk II includes the most refined analog-to-digital converter we’ve ever designed. The analog stage uses the same fully differential op-amps as found in the original Symphony I/O, but now in a circuit precisely streamlined to provide the most transparent path to the A/D stage possible. A Dual Sum A/D stage – where two conversion stages are summed for each analog channel – offers the lowest distortion and greatest dynamic range of any A/D converter we’ve ever designed – you get digital recordings that are true to your analog inspiration.

Symphony I/O MK II’s D/A section has been optimized with a more powerful, robust analog output driver. This newly designed high current, low impedance circuit is capable of driving virtually any input with absolutely no decrease in performance, regardless of the load presented by the connected gear. This becomes especially important when connecting vintage gear with difficult load impedances and elevated operating levels, sometime over long cables – Symphony I/O MK II maintains fidelity and punch.

Make a Difference you will Hear

Apogee is an award-winning industry leader in digital recording technology with over 30 years of experience. Preferred by recording pros around the world, Apogee products like Duet, Quartet, Ensemble and Symphony I/O have been instrumental in creating countless GRAMMY® and OSCAR® winning recordings and have set the industry standard in professional recording for over two decades. Symphony I/O Mk II is built solidly on this reputation.

Includes ESS Saber32 DAC Technology

ESS Sabre32 32-bit Hyperstream DAC with Time Domain Jitter Eliminator offers unequalled dynamic range, ultra low distortion, and unmatched audio clarity free from input jitter. Symphony I/O MK II’s D/A section has been optimized with a more powerful, robust analog output driver. This newly designed high current, low impedance circuit is capable of driving virtually any input with absolutely no decrease in performance, regardless of the load presented by the connected gear. This becomes especially important when connecting vintage gear with difficult load impedances and elevated operating levels, sometime over long cables – Symphony I/O MK II maintains fidelity and punch.

Audiophile-Grade Headphone Monitoring with Constant Current Drive

Symphony I/O Mk II features a single ultra high-fidelity DAC and headphone amplifier featuring Apogee’s Constant Current Drive technology, first introduced in the Apogee Groove. This unique approach to headphone amplification dynamically compensates for the nonlinearities of any connected headphones, providing massive power while maintaining extremely low distortion and linear frequency response.

Configurations

Thunderbolt Systems

2×6 SE - Thunderbolt

8×8+8MP - Thunderbolt

16×16 SE - Thunderbolt

32×32 SE - Thunderbolt

Pro Tools HD Systems

2×6 SE - Pro Tools HD

8×8+8MP - Pro Tools HD

16×16 SE - Pro Tools HD

32×32 SE - Pro Tools HD

Dante + Pro Tools HD Systems

2×6 SE - Dante + Pro Tools HD

8×8+8MP - Dante + Pro Tools HD

16×16 SE - Dante + Pro Tools HD

32×32 SE - Dante + Pro Tools HD

I/O Modules

2x6 SE Module

2×6 Analog I/O + 8×8 Optical + AES I/O
8 Channels of I/O simultaneously

Apogee Symphony I/O Mk II 2×6 Special Edition offers the highest quality AD/DA conversion of the Symphony series. Designed specifically for mastering engineers whose critical work demands ultimate sonic performance, 2×6 SE takes advantage of the latest advancements in digital and analog audio technology to offer inputs with 124 dB (A) of dynamic range, THD+N of -116dB and outputs with 131dB (A) dynamic range and an astonishingly low THD+N of -118dB

INPUTS

Analog IN: 2 balanced inputs on 2 female XLR connectors
AES IN: Stereo input on 1 female XLR connector
*Optical IN: Supports ADAT, SMUX & S/PDIF
- ADAT: 8 channels 44.1-48 kHz
- SMUX: 8 channels 88.2-96 kHz
- S/PDIF: 2 channels, up to 96 kHz
Coax IN: 2 channels of S/PDIF, up to 192 kHz

*Dig I/O hardware switch selects AES or Optical digital I/O format

OUTPUTS

Analog OUT: 6 balanced outputs on 1 DSUB 25-pin connector
AES OUT: Stereo output on 1 male XLR connector
*Optical OUT: Supports ADAT, SMUX & S/PDIF
- ADAT: 8 channels 44.1-48 kHz
- SMUX: 8 channels 88.2-96 kHz
- S/PDIF: 2 channels, up to 96 kHz
Coax OUT: 2 channels of S/PDIF, up to 192 kHz

8x8+8MP Connect Series Module

8×8 Analog I/O + 8×8 AES/Optical I/O + 8 Mic preamps
16 Channels of I/O simultaneously

INPUTS

Analog IN: 8 balanced inputs on 1 DSUB 25-pin connector
8 microphone preamps with up to 72dB of gain
- Featuring Advanced Stepped Gain Architecture™
*AES-EBU IN: 8 inputs on 1 DSUB 25-pin connector
- (192k single wide compatible)
*Optical IN: Supports ADAT, SMUX & S/PDIF
- ADAT: 8 channels 44.1-48 kHz
- SMUX: 8 channels 88.2-96 kHz
- S/PDIF: 2 channels, up to 96 kHz
Coax IN: 2 channels of S/PDIF, up to 192 kHz

OUTPUTS

Analog OUT: 8 balanced outputs on 1 DSUB 25-pin connector
*AES-EBU OUT: 8 outputs on 1 DSUB 25-pin connector
- (192k single wide compatible)
*Optical OUT: Supports ADAT, SMUX & S/PDIF
- ADAT: 8 channels 44.1-48 kHz
- SMUX: 8 channels 88.2-96 kHz
- S/PDIF: 2 channels, up to 96 kHz
Coax OUT: 2 channels of S/PDIF, up to 192 kHz

* Hardware switch selects AES or Optical digital input format

New 16x16 SE Analog Module

Apogee Symphony I/O Mk II 16×16 Special Edition offers the highest quality AD/DA conversion of the Symphony series. Offering the ultimate sonic performance for Dolby Atmos and other Immersive audio applications , 16×16 SE takes advantage of the latest advancements in digital and analog audio technology to offer A/D inputs with 124 dB (A) of dynamic range and a THD+N of -115dB, plus D/A outputs with 128dB (A) of dynamic range and an astonishingly low THD+N of -119dB.

16 Analog IN x 16 Analog OUT
16 Channels of I/O simultaneously

INPUTS

Analog IN: 16 balanced inputs on 2 DSUB 25-pin connectors
Coax IN: S/PDIF on 1 RCA connector

OUTPUTS

Analog OUT: 16 balanced outputs on 2 DSUB 25-pin connectors
Coax OUT: Supports SPDIF on 1 RCA connector

Symphony I/O Mk II Chassis - No Modules

Thunderbolt Chassis – No Modules

HD Chassis – No Modules

SoundGrid Chassis – No Modules

Dante + HD Chassis – No Modules

Symphony I/O Mk II Option Cards

HD Option Card

Dante + HD Option Card

Thunderbolt Option Card