Pro Tools | Duet User Guide ®
Legal Notices © 2014 Avid Technology, Inc., (“Avid”), all rights reserved. This guide may not be duplicated in whole or in part without the written consent of Avid.
Contents Chapter 1. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Package Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 System Requirements and Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 1: Introduction Thank you for purchasing Pro Tools® | Duet, a professional audio interface with studio control center for Mac OS X and Windows. Pro Tools | Duet I/O features Apogee’s industry-leading AD/DA conversion technology and world-class mic preamps. Pro Tools | Duet lets you perform the following audio functions: • Record two analog inputs simultaneously (microphone, line-level or instrument). • Connect and power any compatible MIDI USB device. • Connect to powered monitors.
System Requirements and Compatibility Avid can only assure compatibility and provide support for hardware and software it has tested and approved. The following are required to connect Pro Tools | Duet to a computer: • Connection: An available USB port on the computer • Power: DC power supply included Mac • Computer: Avid-qualified Apple computers running OS 10.8.5 or 10.
About www.avid.com The Avid website is your best online source for information to help you get the most out of your system. The following are just a few of the services and features available. Product Registration Register your purchase online. Support and Downloads Contact Avid Customer Success (http://www.avid.com/US/support); download software updates and the latest online manuals (http://www.avid.com/US/duethelp); browse the Compatibility documents for system requirements (http://avid.
Chapter 2: Pro Tools | Duet Tour Controls and Connectors Assignable Touchpads Output Display Full color Interactive Display MIDI (USB) Analog I/O DC USB 2.
Full Color interactive OLED Display Pro Tools | Duet’s OLED display provides full color visual feedback and metering. Multi-function Controller Knob Pro Tools | Duet’s multi-function Controller Knob allows you to easily switch between Inputs and Outputs as well as adjust their levels. User Assignable Touchpads Pro Tools | Duet's two assignable Touchpads can be assigned to control many of Pro Tools | Duet's settings and parameters.
Displays and Touchpads The Input and Output each have displays and Touchpads to monitor and control their functions.
Chapter 3: Installation and Initial Setup Installation To install Pro Tools | Duet Software: 1 Connect Pro Tools | Duet’s Power Supply to the DC power input on its rear panel and the appropriate IEC cable to a wall outlet. 2 Connect Pro Tools | Duet’s USB port to a USB port on your Mac using the supplied USB 2.0 cable. 3 Download the latest Pro Tools | Duet software installer from: http://www.avid.com/US/duethelp.
MIDI Pro Tools | Duet’s USB MIDI I/O provides a MIDI connection between class-compliant Core MIDI devices (i.e., keyboards and other controllers) and Mac OS X. A class-compliant MIDI device works with Core MIDI without needing to install drivers or additional software. To confirm that your MIDI device is class-compliant: 1 Connect the device directly to a Mac with a standard USB cable. 2 On the Mac, open Audio MIDI Setup from Applications > Utilities.
Chapter 4: Pro Tools IO Control Software Pro Tools IO Control is an interface control application made for Mac and Windows. It uses a single window with multiple tabs to make access all device and system settings quick and easy. Pro Tools IO Control works the same on Mac and Windows; this section shows Mac screens. Input Tab Input Tab • Device Icon & ID Button - A device icon and ID button is placed adjacent to each row of parameters to identify the hardware unit to which the row belongs.
Output Tab Output Tab • Device Icon & ID Button - See the description in “Input Tab” on page 12. • Analog Output Meter - This meter displays the level of the analog output before D/A conversion, in the range -48 to 0 dBFS. • Analog Out Format - This menu sets the format of the analog outputs: Line: All four analog outputs are configured as line outputs; monitor functions such as level control, Mute, Dim, and Sum to Mono are disengaged.
Mixer Tab Mixer Tab • Device Icon & ID Button - See the description in “Input Tab” on page 12. • Pan - This rotary knob pans the input signal between the left and right sides of the Pro Tools IO Control mixer’s stereo output. • Input Level Fader - This slider sets the level of the input signal in the Pro Tools IO Control mixer’s stereo output. • Meter - This bar graph style meter displays the pre-fader input level. • Input Level Value Window - The Input Level fader value is displayed in this window.
Device Settings Device Settings • Device Icon & ID Button - See the description in “Input Tab” on page 12. • Peripheral Prefix - Use this menu to assign a letter prefix (A-Z) to each peripheral device displayed in the Devices Sidebar. The letter prefix is included in all graphic representations of the peripheral as well as I/O labels in Pro Tools IO Control and Core Audio compatible applications. • Touchpad Assignment - Use these menus to select the parameter controlled by the user assignable Touchpads.
System Setup System setup • Device Icon & ID Button - See the description in “Input Tab” on page 12. • Sample Rate - This menu selects the sample rate. Under certain circumstances, (i.e., when a DAW session is open) this setting will be overridden by software sample rate settings. • Peak Hold - This menu sets the time that peak indications are held on software and front panel meters. • Over Hold - This menu sets the time that over indications are held on software and front panel meters.
Window Menu Pro Tools IO Control Window Menu • Window>Minimize - Choose this menu item to minimize the Pro Tools IO Control window to the OS X Dock. • Window>Zoom - Choose this menu item to maximize the size of the Pro Tools IO Control window. • Open any currently active tab by typing Command + number. Help Menu • Help - Choose a Help menu item to get information on Pro Tools | Duet or Pro Tools IO Control.
Chapter 5: Using Pro Tools | Duet Controller Knob Pro Tools | Duet’s Controller Knob allows you to easily adjust the levels of all inputs and outputs and also provides a quick and easy way to mute the outputs. By default, the Controller Knob’s push button function is assigned to mute all outputs. In the Avid Pro Tools IO Control software, you can assign it to mute either the speaker or the headphone output.
Input Configuration 1 Connect a microphone or instrument to one of the combination balanced input jacks on Pro Tools | Duet’s breakout connector. Pro Tools | Duet breakout cable 2 Open Pro Tools IO Control software (found in your Mac’s Applications folder), and select the Input tab. 3 Select the Analog Level setting that corresponds to the device you have connected to Pro Tools | Duet’s input(s).
To change Pro Tools | Duet’s speaker output level: 1 Press the speaker output Touchpad. The ring around the selected icon will be brighter than the others after you select it. Selecting the Speaker Output Touchpad (left); setting the Speaker Output Level (right) 2 Turn the Controller Knob to the desired listening level. The Controller Knob operates in parallel with any software output controls on the computer. To change Pro Tools | Duet’s headphone output level: 1 Press the headphone output Touchpad.
Pro Tools | Duet Touchpads Pro Tools | Duet has two assignable Touchpads for quick access to Output functions. Use them to mute or dim the outputs, sum to mono, or clear meters with a single touch. Pro Tools | Duet Assignable Touchpads Assigning Touchpad Functions Assigning functions to the Touchpads is easily done in the Device Settings tab of Pro Tools IO Control. Touchpad function assignment To assign Touchpad functions: 1 Connect Pro Tools | Duet to the computer.
Mute Outputs You can assign one of the Touchpads to mute the Speaker, Headphone, or All Outputs. Mute outputs Dim Outputs The Dim function lowers the output volume by 15 dB. This function is convenient when you want to briefly lower the playback volume without completely muting the output. Dim outputs Sum to Mono The Sum to Mono function is used to examine phase relationships on stereo tracks.
Clear Meters The Clear Meters function will remove any peak and over indicators in Pro Tools IO Control and OLED meters on Pro Tools | Duet’s front panel. If Peak Hold or Over Hold (in the System Setup tab) is set to Infinite, all indicators will remain illuminated until Clear Meters is engaged. Clear Meters MIDI Input/Output Mac Pro Tools | Duet’s USB MIDI input/output provides a MIDI connection between class compliant Core MIDI devices such as keyboards and other controllers and Apple’s Mac OS X.
Pro Tools IO Control Mixer Settings 1 Select the desired input (Line, Mic or Instrument) and set the Input Level on the Input tab. The signal should be displayed on both the Mixer Input and Mixer Master meters. 2 If the Mixer Input’s Over LED lights, reduce the input gain in Pro Tools IO Control Input tab. 3 If the Mixer Master’s Over LEDs light, reduce the Input fader. Pro Tools IO Control Mixer tab 4 Now start playback in your recording software.
Do I need the Pro Tools IO Control Mixer? The Pro Tools IO Control mixer serves to provide a low latency monitoring mix while recording. Therefore if you’re using Pro Tools | Duet to listen to iTunes or audio from another program, there’s no need to use the mixer. It’s possible that the latency of your particular recording system is low enough to be unnoticed.
Lowering the Latency While recording, if you notice a delay between the moment you play or sing a note and when you hear it in your headphones you are experiencing latency. To configure the Low Latency Mixer: 1 Once all inputs are set up, disable software monitoring in DAW. 2 Go to Output Tab in Pro Tools IO Control and choose Mixer under Speaker or Headphone Out selection. Input signal should be heard in Speakers or Headphones. 3 Go to Mixer Tab to control volume, mute and solo of input.
FAQs Q: When I press the Speaker Touchpad, nothing happens. Why? A: When the Analog Out Format is set to Line, the Speaker Touchpad is disabled. Q: I’ve connected my guitar, but I’m not getting any input. What should I check? A: On the Input tab of Pro Tools IO Control, be sure to set Analog Level to Instrument (Inst). Q: I’m not getting any output from audio software applications.
Symptom: Pro Tools | Duet isn’t recognized in System Preferences, Pro Tools IO Control or my DAW application. Solution: Here are the steps to check if Pro Tools | Duet isn’t recognized on a Mac: 1 Open System Profiler by choosing About This Mac from the Apple menu and clicking More Info... 2 In the System Profilers Contents column, open the Hardware disclosure triangle and click USB. 3 Find Pro Tools | Duet USB in the USB Device Tree and click on it to display the device’s properties.
Avid Technical Support (USA) Product Information 280 N Bernardo Avenue Mountain View, CA 94043 USA Visit the Online Support Center at www.avid.com/support For company and product information, visit us on the web at www.avid.
