SANTA MONICA, CA, USA: trailblazing pro audio manufacturer Antelope Audio is proud to announce it is taking preorders on Orion Studio Synergy Core — advancing its acclaimed audio interface series’ workhorse with ‘hot-rodded’ hardware from the ground up to include six ARM-based DSP (Digital Signal Processing) processors paired with two proprietary FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) chips, creating Antelope Audio’s state-of-the-art Synergy Core effects processing platform (producing phenomenal onboard computing power to free up host computers from running the cutting-edge company’s effects); upgraded D/A (digital-to-analogue) converters (capable of delivering 130dB dynamic range on both pairs of monitor outs) and discrete transistor mic preamps (perfectly matched to bring out the best in Antelope Audio’s acclaimed Edge and Verge modelling condenser microphones); and access to today’s fastest, most versatile data connection, ThunderboltTM 3 (with custom high-performance, low-latency drivers for Mac and Windows) — as of August 13…
As implied by the Synergy Core wording boldly blazoned across its finely refreshed, familiar front panel, Orion Studio Synergy Core cleverly lets users offload Antelope Audio effects to the audio interface itself; in turn, this frees up the host Mac or PC to record and play back more tracks, and run CPU-hungry virtual instruments and native time-based effects. Ultimately, users of Orion Studio Synergy Core can take on big projects, build intricate mixes, reduce latency, and keep their system stable — all thanks to that perfect pairing of six ARM-based DSP processors and two proprietary FPGA chips creating Antelope Audio’s state- of-the-art Synergy Core effects processing platform. Put it this way: with such staggering processing potential onboard, Orion Studio Synergy Core can comfortably accommodate any growing studio setup; after all, its effects processing capabilities have been doubled to 32 channels strips, each of which are able to host up to eight effects slots, potentially allowing for 256 effects instances in any given session!
Speaking of processing potential, Orion Studio Synergy Core comes complete with 50 of Antelope Audio’s acclaimed real-time effects on tap (https:// en.antelopeaudio.com/products/orion-studio-sc-real-time-fx/) — namely, ALT-436C (compressor); FET-A78 (FET compressor); SMT-100A (compressor); VCA-160 (compressor); Stay-Levin (compressor); FET-A76 (FET compressor); x903 (compressor/limiter); PowerFFC (compressor); BAE-1023 (EQ); NEU-PEV (passive EQ); NEU- W492 (EQ); NEU-W495 (EQ); VEQ-4K BROWN (EQ); VEQ-4K ORANGE (EQ); VEQ-4K PINK (EQ); VEQ-STU 089 (semi-parametric EQ); VEQ-STU 169 (inductor EQ); VEQ-STU 900 (semi-parametric EQ); VEQ-1A (tube EQ); VMEQ-5 (tube EQ); ClearQ (parametric EQ); VEQ-HLF (passive high/low filter); Gyraf Gyratec IX (tube mic preamp); BA-31 (mic preamp); AuraVerb (reverb); Master De Esser (de-esser); PowerEx (expander); PowerGate (gate); Plexi 59 (UK) (tube guitar amp); Bass SuperTube VR (tube guitar amp); DarkFace 65 (US) (tube guitar amp); Top30 (UK) Bright (tube guitar amp); Tweed Deluxe (US) (tube guitar amp); Overange 120 (UK) (tube guitar amp); Burnsphere (DE) Lead (tube guitar amp); Marcus II (US) Lead (tube guitar amp); Modern (US) CH3 (tube guitar amp); Rock 75 (UK) (tube guitar amp); Rock 22.10 (UK) (tube guitar amp); Darkface 65 2×12 (guitar cabinet); Top30 2×12 (guitar cabinet); Modern 4×12 (guitar cabinet); Green 2×12 (guitar cabinet); Vintage 4×12 (guitar cabinet); Green 4×12 (guitar cabinet); Caliper 50 1×10 (guitar cabinet); Bluelux 1×12 (guitar cabinet); Clst 1×12 (guitar cabinet); England 4×12 (guitar cabinet); and Bass Tube 1×15 (guitar cabinet). All told, that is a sizeable collection of top-tier compressors, EQs, and mic preamp emulations, plus guitar amp and cabinet models, and more with which to bring tracks to life! Let it be said: since Synergy Core architecture allows access to the processing muscle power users could conceivably want to simultaneously run as many of those acclaimed real-time effects that their sessions could conceivably need, heavy lifting clearly comes naturally to Orion Studio Synergy Core!
But back, briefly, to that finely refreshed, familiar front panel; there the ThunderboltTM and USB interface with 12 Mic Preamps wording makes Orion Studio Synergy Core’s raison d’être perfectly plain for all to see. Perfectly positioned as a cross-platform audio interface, Orion Studio Synergy Core offers both ThunderboltTM 3 and USB (Universal Serial Bus) 2.0 connections to the DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) host computer — complete with custom high-performance, low-latency drivers for both Mac and Windows. With ThunderboltTM 3, it is even possible to power/charge an Apple MacBook directly from the audio interface itself!
When it comes to working with Orion Studio Synergy Core, however, hearing is believing. After all, those 12 mic preamps are based on Antelope Audio’s Discrete MP (https://en.antelopeaudio.com/products/edge-strip/), a Discrete Dual Ultra-Linear Microphone Preamp, while Orion Studio Synergy Core’s Accusonic 3D modelling engine lets users transform Antelope Audio’s acclaimed Edge (https://en.antelopeaudio.com/edge-family/) and Verge (https:// en.antelopeaudio.com/products/verge/) modelling condenser microphones into expensive-sounding replicas. And anyone recording line-level signals need not fret for Orion Studio Synergy Core’s Direct In function hard-bypasses the mic preamps themselves, so signals sail straight into the A/D converters with 124dB DNR. Do not fear, for Orion Studio Synergy Core far from disappoints in the D/A department, delivering 130dB DNR on both pairs of monitor outs (MONITOR A and MONITOR B), which can run simultaneously or in A/B mode. Whatever way Orion Studio Synergy Core users choose to record, though, the truth is in there!
That’s not all. As the soon-to-be ‘brain’ behind professional studio setups the world over, Orion Studio Synergy Core provides robust, flexible tools for routing and monitoring, so sending audio anywhere with the digital patch bay and latency-free mixer made easily accessible via its software control panel is a given. Globally, top-tier recording and broadcast facilities rely on Antelope Audio’s renowned rock-solid audio clocks; with its world-class WC (Word Clock) IN and OUT, Orion Studio Synergy Core similarly syncs studio setups with the cutting-edge company’s 4th Generation Acoustically Focused Clocking technology, employing 64-bit DDS (Direct Digital Synthesis) to keep audio in lockstep at up to 192 kHz!
Clearly, then, those ThunderboltTM and USB connections combined with 12 of Antelope Audio’s discrete mic preamps, extensive analogue and digital I/O totalling 30 simultaneous inputs and 22 simultaneous outputs (including DC-coupled I/O for CV control of analogue modular synths), upgraded D/A conversion, and unprecedented onboard processing power with access to those 50 included real-time effects make for a well-oiled machine like no other audio interface in its class. To power up Orion Studio Synergy Core is to see and hear this ‘hot-rodded’ workhorse make light work of any recording or mixing project put in its (superior signal) path!
Orion Studio Synergy Core is available for preorder — priced at an RRP of $2,795.00 USD — through Antelope Audio’s growing global network of authorised dealers (https://en.antelopeaudio.com/dealers/). Or order online directly from Antelope Audio via the dedicated Orion Studio Synergy Core webpage (https://en.antelopeaudio.com/products/orion-studio-sc/), which also includes more in-depth information.
Explore Orion Studio Synergy Core’s included real-time effects here: https://en.antelopeaudio.com/products/orion-studio-sc-real-time-fx/