Apogee Electronics

History

Apogee Electronics was founded in December 1985 by former Soundcraft USA president Betty Bennett, audio engineer Bruce Jackson, and digital electronics designer Christof Heidelberger, after the three set out to improve the sound quality associated with early digital audio devices.

Apogee initially made its name designing anti-aliasing filters that solved many of the early problems associated with digital audio.

In 1991, Apogee introduced its first outboard analog-to-digital (A-D) and digital-to-analog (D-A) converters, the AD-500 and AD-1000, each earning TEC Awards, as did the UV-1000 mastering processor and FC-8 digital format converter.

In 1998, the company continued to garner TEC awards with the AD8000, an 8-channel, 24-bit A-D converter with built-in low-jitter clock and UV22 encoder, and optional Apogee Multimedia Bus (AMBus) cards for interfacing with Pro Tools, or via ADAT or TDIF-equipped digital audio equipment. The Big Ben digital clock, Trak 2, AD16, and Mini-Me converter followed.

By 2005 the company had 25 employees,

In 2006, Apogee began introducing a series of audio interfaces for Mac, beginning with the Symphony and Ensemble multi-channel interfaces. The following year, a 2-channel desktop audio interface, Duet, was introduced, followed by the 4-channel Quartet in 2012.

In November 2025, Apogee Electronics was acquired by Rockforce Tech Holding Inc.

TEC awards

Apogee Electronics won NAMM Foundation and Technical Excellence & Creativity Awards (TEC Awards) in 2014, 2013, 2012, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1994, 1992 and 1988

Apogee Studio

Apogee Studio is a recording studio located within Apogee Electronics' Santa Monica headquarters. Mixing engineer Bob Clearmountain, husband of Apogee's CEO Betty Bennett and consultant to the company, collaborated with Apogee in 2005 to convert unused space into a recording studio and performance venue.

Episode 6 of the first season of From the Basement, Nigel Godrich's web television series, was filmed at Apogee Studio rather than the show's usual filming location of London's Maida Vale Studios.

Beginning in 2010, Santa Monica radio station KCRW began hosting live music performances in the venue, called KCRW Apogee Sessions and later KCRW Live from Apogee Studio, with Clearmountain handling the audio engineering. Artists for these KCRW sessions have included David Gray, Ryan Adams, Chrissie Hynde, Patti Smith, Vampire Weekend, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Regina Spektor, Glen Hansard, the Shins, k.d. lang, Shelby Lynne, Leon Bridges, Norah Jones, the Avett Brothers, Mayer Hawthorne, Alabama Shakes, Belle & Sebastian, John Legend, Beck, John Mayer, Common, and Queens of the Stone Age. In 2024, Cory Henry recorded his album Live at the Piano at the studio; the first recorded there to receive a Grammy Award nomination.

Philanthropy and environment

Apogee Electronics supports non-profit organizations, including Corazón de Vida, CARE, Amnesty International, Plastic Pollution Coalition, the ONE Campaign, Save the Children, AmeriCares, MusiCares, Doctors Without Borders, UNICEF and Conservation International.

Apogee Electronics is a corporate partner of UCLA Institute of Environment and Sustainability, and is recognized as a Santa Monica certified Green Business.

Apogee is certified as a Women’s Business Enterprise (WBE) through the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).

Apogee has a certificate of compliance from the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (WEEE Directive). The WEEE Directive addresses the end-of-life (EOL) phase of products and contributes to the reduction of wasteful consumption of natural resources. The company has been solar powered since 2020.

References

References

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2. (17 November 2025). "Apogee Electronics Acquired by Rockforce".
3. Kenny, Tom. (29 March 2024). "Making a Difference: Betty Bennett".
4. Peterson, George. (1 October 2005). "Apogee Electronics at 20". Mix Online.
5. Benzuly, Sarah. (1 May 2005). "Bruce Jackson: a Career of Live Sound Firsts".
6. (10 September 2015). "Heidelberger, Christof".
7. Robjohns, Hugh. (January 2002). "Apogee Trak 2".
8. (1992). "1992 TEC Awards Nominees and Winners".
9. (1996). "1996 TEC Awards Nominees and Winners".
10. (1994). "1994 TEC Awards Nominees and Winners".
11. (1997). "1997 TEC Awards Nominees and Winners".
12. (1998). "1998 TEC Awards Nominees and Winners".
13. Collins, Mike. (August 1998). "Apogee AD8000".
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15. (2001). "2001 TEC Awards Nominees and Winners".
16. (2002). "2002 TEC Awards Nominees and Winners".
17. (2003). "2003 Winners for Outstanding Technical Achievement".
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20. White, Paul. (November 2012). "Apogee Quartet".
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23. (2014-07-07). "Apogee Sessions".
24. Singh, Sonya. (2015-01-22). "Photos: Belle and Sebastian Kick Off KCRW's Apogee Sessions".
25. Hochman, David. (3 September 2018). "The 180-Seat Invite-Only Los Angeles Music Venue That's Attracting Arena Rockers".
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