Symphony Desktop v1.19 Release: Update Announcement and Notes

• Apogee Control 2 software in non-beta form with its full functionality on Macs (including M1 Apple Silicon) & Windows 10 PCs
• Symphony ECS Channel Strip plugin running in the Apogee Channel FX (ACFX) plugin wrapper, and fully controllable from:
  • • Touch-screen display on Symphony Desktop
    • Within the Apogee Control 2 software
    • From your DAW
• All 3 workflows fully functional in the ACFX plugin wrapper: Print, Monitor, and DualPath Link
• Various bug fixes, layout tweaks, and general improvements

DSP Plugin Count

Based on our implementation of the Symphony ECS Channel Strip running on the Symphony Desktop hardware DSP, we have made some plugin instance estimates. These numbers may change a bit once we have completed Release 1.2. We will have an update at that time.

Note: the Alloy Preamp emulations are not counted as plugins, so they do not count against your DSP usage.

The maximum amount of individual plugins that can run on the DSP depends on which plugins you're using and the sample-rate:

• The Symphony ECS Channel Strip uses close to the same DSP or slightly less than the Opto-3A, which is the most DSP-intensive plugin. Below are the numbers for Symphony ECS Channel Strip:
  • • At the moment, Symphony Desktop will run 14 instances of Symphony ECS Channel Strip in mono at 44.1/48k
    • 6 instances at 88.2/96k
    • 2 instances at 176.4/192k

Using the numbers above, here is a estimation of what to expect from the other plugins:

• ModEQ should be able to do roughly 4 times as many instances as ECS
• The Pultec EQP-1A and MEQ-5 should each be able to do roughly 3 times as many instances as ECS
• ModComp should be able to do roughly 2 times as many instances as ECS

Again, these aren't the final numbers, but this is where it's at currently. As mentioned above, the Alloy preamps can always be used on Analog inputs, regardless if DSP has been maxed out from other plugins.

F.A.Q.

When will v1.19 come out?

• We expect to make it available in May 2021.

What features/functionality will Release 1.2 add?

• Device Control integration (this includes the Direct button) in Logic Pro X
• Additional Apogee plugins running in the Apogee Channel FX plugin wrapper with full functionality and all 3 workflows:
  • ModEQ 6
  • ModComp
  • Opto-3A
  • Pultec EQP-1A
  • Pultec MEQ-5
• Apogee Channel FX plugin wrapper available on every Optical Input with full functionality and all 3 workflows.
• Complete control for Optical Inputs on the Touchscreen Display.

When will v1.2 come out?

• An availability date for Release 1.2 will be announced after 1.19 is released. Please watch the Apogee Website for more details.

What is the Apogee Channel FX (ACFX) plugin wrapper?

The ACFX wrapper is what enables the Print & Monitoring Dual-Path workflow and control of Apogee plugins from your computer’s DAW and inside the Apogee Control 2 software. You can run an Apogee plugin in your DAW "natively" outside the wrapper just like any other plugin, but in order for it to synchronize with the plugin running on Symphony Desktop's DSP and Control 2 software, it must be loaded within ACFX (similar to Element/Ensemble Thunderbolt Dual-Path FX Rack).

• Each hardware input on Symphony Desktop includes the Apogee Channel FX wrapper, which contains:
  • a Print FX Rack
  • a Monitor FX Rack
• Each Rack contains 4 slots for loading individual plugins, providing up to 8 slots per input