Apogee One vs Audient ID14 mkII - why do I like the Apogee better on my HD58X? *noob here*

[Tito83]

Hey everyone, I've been peaking the forum for a while, got some great tips, and now I need some help.

I'm mainly a guitar player, I was using the apogee just for my ipad, but recently got a m1 mac mini and decided to compare it to the Audient I was using with my now dead Windows machine... And I think the Apogee just sounds better. The Soundstage, realism and detail on the Apogee IMO are just better. Listening to a few albums I have on FLAC and high quality Spotify btw. I've read some great reviews of the ID14 mkii and that made me buy it. I honestly was perfectly happy with it, but now that I heard the difference, I know it will bug me to no end...

Thing is I need an interface with similar features to the Audient, Duet 3 seems to be it, ok... But I'd like to understand...

Is there any spec(s) that might help me understand my preference? I want to understand what makes me like it better so I can look for more of it if that makes sense.

Anyone, reading it now the questions seems even weirder than what I imagined it would be, but I don't know how to phrase it better.

Thanks!

 

[HarmonicTHD]

Hey everyone, I've been peaking the forum for a while, got some great tips, and now I need some help.

I'm mainly a guitar player, I was using the apogee just for my ipad, but recently got a m1 mac mini and decided to compare it to the Audient I was using with my now dead Windows machine... And I think the Apogee just sounds better. The Soundstage, realism and detail on the Apogee IMO are just better. Listening to a few albums I have on FLAC and high quality Spotify btw. I've read some great reviews of the ID14 mkii and that made me buy it. I honestly was perfectly happy with it, but now that I heard the difference, I know it will bug me to no end...

Thing is I need an interface with similar features to the Audient, Duet 3 seems to be it, ok... But I'd like to understand...

Is there any spec(s) that might help me understand my preference? I want to understand what makes me like it better so I can look for more of it if that makes sense.

Anyone, reading it now the questions seems even weirder than what I imagined it would be, but I don't know how to phrase it better.

Thanks!

The specs are most likely not explaining any difference in perception. This might though.

Level matched is most important and (at least somewhat) blind (eg by asking a friend to switch it or not without you knowing) and you getting it right at least 8 out of 10 times.

Audio Blind Testing - You Are Doing It Wrong! (Video)

Just uploaded a video on the basics of performing controlled tests in audio. It was motivated by saving myself text in having to write all of this down when telling someone who to do these tests right. And as a counter to a few online personalities to keep saying they do "blind" tests yet when...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Tito83]

The specs are most likely not explaining any difference in perception. This might though.

Level matched is most important and (at least somewhat) blind (eg by asking a friend to switch it or not without you knowing) and you getting it right at least 8 out of 10 times.

Audio Blind Testing - You Are Doing It Wrong! (Video)

Just uploaded a video on the basics of performing controlled tests in audio. It was motivated by saving myself text in having to write all of this down when telling someone who to do these tests right. And as a counter to a few online personalities to keep saying they do "blind" tests yet when...

www.audiosciencereview.com

I did that, my wife helped me. Even before doing the blind test I knew I was going to get it right, it isn't night and day, but it's different enough that I didn't really get them confused. I'll grant that if 24h past and I listened to just one of them it would be hard to tell if I would get it right, but A/B'ing one right after the other it was fairly easy to know which was which.

 

[MarkS]

Slight volume difference is the most likely explanation. An alternative to level matching is to start each test with the volume at zero, and turn it up by ear only (best if your wife does the adjustment so you have no tactile feedback as to the setting, and of course don't look at a visual indicator of volume level).

 

[Tito83]

Slight volume difference is the most likely explanation. An alternative to level matching is to start each test with the volume at zero, and turn it up by ear only (best if your wife does the adjustment so you have no tactile feedback as to the setting, and of course don't look at a visual indicator of volume level).

I can't affirm volumes were matched perfectly, but I did my best. I'm well aware volume differences can account for differences in perception. Admittedly I set the volumes myself, but the volume on both is set by an infinite encoder and I did not pay attention to any meter, also I also asked my wife if they were the same to double check.

 

[AnalogSteph]

What I could find on the Apogee One headphone out:
Max output 3.9 Vrms (+14 dBu)
Output impedance 30 ohms

vs. iD14 MkII
Max output +18 dBu (not sure why Julian Krause only got about +14, the iD4 MkII performed as intended)
Output impedance 22 ohms measured

I imagine both should drive the 150 ohm Sennheisers with aplomb, and if anything, the Audient better than the Apogee. (Some people are explicitly buying iD4 MkIIs as an inexpensive audio interface to drive their headphones, especially ones mid/high impedance.) Not sure whether the small difference in output impedance would even be audible, we're talking a tiny 0.17 dB of difference in FR deviation or so.

Maybe the cause for the difference is something dumb like the 3.5 mm plug and jack not agreeing with each other (shorting together the channels or losing ground return). Try the 1/4" output on the Audient with a corresponding adapter and see whether that makes any difference.

 

[Blumlein 88]

I can't affirm volumes were matched perfectly, but I did my best. I'm well aware volume differences can account for differences in perception. Admittedly I set the volumes myself, but the volume on both is set by an infinite encoder and I did not pay attention to any meter, also I also asked my wife if they were the same to double check.

Matching levels is job #1 in listening comparisons. Matched by ear can be .5 db off. The result is the louder one sounds of slightly better quality, but not louder. Match using a test signal and voltmeter at the speakers or at jack to headphones. Match to within .1 db or voltages within 1% of each other.

 

[Tito83]

Matching levels is job #1 in listening comparisons. Matched by ear can be .5 db off. The result is the louder one sounds of slightly better quality, but not louder. Match using a test signal and voltmeter at the speakers or at jack to headphones. Match to within .1 db or voltages within 1% of each other.

Don't really know how to do that.

What I could find on the Apogee One headphone out:
Max output 3.9 Vrms (+14 dBu)
Output impedance 30 ohms

vs. iD14 MkII
Max output +18 dBu (not sure why Julian Krause only got about +14, the iD4 MkII performed as intended)
Output impedance 22 ohms measured

I imagine both should drive the 150 ohm Sennheisers with aplomb, and if anything, the Audient better than the Apogee. (Some people are explicitly buying iD4 MkIIs as an inexpensive audio interface to drive their headphones, especially ones mid/high impedance.) Not sure whether the small difference in output impedance would even be audible, we're talking a tiny 0.17 dB of difference in FR deviation or so.

Maybe the cause for the difference is something dumb like the 3.5 mm plug and jack not agreeing with each other (shorting together the channels or losing ground return). Try the 1/4" output on the Audient with a corresponding adapter and see whether that makes any difference.

I tried the 1/4'' adapter. Nothing really change as far as I can tell.

I'm comparing both right now again. No blind test this time, just me switching both, at a point even making sure the Audient was actually a little louder. My impressions from the last time might be biasing the way I'm hearing it right now, sure... But going back and forth so many times, the Apogee just sounds consistently clearer in the midrange, better soundstage and the high end is the most obvious give away. There's extra air, I can hear reverb clearer.