Audio Interface vs MacBook Pro built-in sound on Headphones

Hello All,

In the past two weeks, my trusty Apogee Duet (firewire) audio interface stopped working, and I bought a new Apogee Duet 2 USB interface to replace it.  As such, I had to make a decision:  Do I (1) simply use the line out 3.5 mm headphone on my MacPro tower, or (2) do I replace the audio interface with a new one?

To be totally frank, I could not swear I heard a difference when running Pianoteq through headphones running straight out of my MacPro.  However, when I ran the computer's line output into my stereo system, there was a noticeable loss in ambience of other types of recordings.  The difference was enough that, after a week of playing without my original Apogee Duet, I sprang the $595USD for a new Apogee Duet 2 USB audio interface. 

The new unit arrived two days ago, and I couldn't be happier!  True, Pianoteq sounds about the same as it did with the old Duet and with the MacPro's line out audio fed into my AKG 702 headphones.  However, I do NOT regret paying the high price for the new Duet 2 in terms of sound for my overall audio needs.

* * * * * *

So, the short answer is this:  If you are not terribly particular about the sound and/or do not have the high-end studio-grade electronics and monitors to hear the difference, you will most likely NOT hear a difference taking the audio line-out signal from your computer.  The converse is also true, but only if you have a system whose resolution is high enough to make use of the audio interface.

Hope this helps.  (Don't sweat the small details.)

Cheers,

Joe

EDIT:  Could I have gotten away with a less costly audio interface?  Probably yes.  But the Duet 2 also contains a pair of microphone pre's with 48V phantom power, with +75dB worth of gain and very, very low noise.  In reality, it's the latter that made me spring for the extra money, because there is more to the world than just Pianoteq!
End Edit.

Well I actually have a pair of JBL LSR 308 but even with those Pianoteq played through the Presonus Box vs studio monitors directly plugged into my Macbook with a Stereo breakout cable sounds the same... I cannot hear a real difference (except the one I want to believe is cleaner with the box :-O)
I assume those monitors are just entry level and not made to hear a difference between Macbook built-in vs audio interface ....

Hello to Messrs. PianoteqEnthusiast and lovelovemale,

It's so refreshing to read honest discussions in this forum instead of some of the garbage (overstated claims and horrible name calling) that one might read in other forums.  Glad to keep the subject matter and our listening experiences "real" instead of flaming remarks.

My two cents' worth.

Cheers,

Joe

@jcfelice88keys  ”It's so refreshing to read honest discussions in this forum…..” 

Thank you so much for your kind words, and all your inspiring forum comments and included great details.

Hi, impedance of headphones should be at least 8 times of the output impedance of the audio interface. So 38 ohms is suboptimal.