Antelope Audio Zen Q Synergy Core – USB Audio Interface

The Antelope Zen Q Synergy Core is a desktop 14×10 USB Type-C audio interface that offers premium sound quality in a convenient bus-powered format that is affordable for home recording artists, musicians, mobile producers, and content creators. It allows you to take pro-grade conversion, clocking, and preamps with you wherever you go. Apart from its hardware, the Zen Q Synergy Core offers you 37 real-time effects that are analog-modeled and powered by FPGA and DSP chips onboard, which ensures ultralow latency and minimal CPU strain on your computer.

Each of the two Antelope Discrete mic / line / Hi-Z preamps has its own phantom power and up to 65 dB of gain, so the interface is primed and ready for recording all sorts of microphones, instruments, or even line-level signals from outboard gear. Two additional 1/4″ line / Hi-Z inputs are provided on the front panel. Equipped with two independently adjustable headphone outputs, two balanced monitor outs, and two balanced line outs, the Zen Q Synergy Core can act as your home studio’s hub for multiple sets of headphones, mixes, monitor feeds, and more. Its ADAT optical input and S/PDIF digital I/O ports are perfect for expanding your setup with digital gear such as external converters.

Rise Above the Sound You Know

The Zen Q Synergy Core shrinks the gap in sound quality between artists, with access to premium studios and home creators. The pristine sound is due to a combination of professional-grade AD/DA converters and Antelope Discrete ultralinear preamps that share circuits with legendary American and British consoles. The standout sonic quality of the device would not be possible without the main pillar of the Antelope Audio sound—the 64-bit AFC clocking technology from the company’s high-end master clocks. It is employed in prestigious studios around the world and has been trusted with the scoring of Hollywood blockbusters.

Full Production Pack, from the Get-Go

Zen Q Synergy Core comes with 37 premium analog-modeled effects that will help you create stunning, sonically rich productions. Aside from the exclusive compressors, EQs, and preamps, the interface comes with 22 guitar amps and cabs, a guitar tuner, and a signature reverb that are all ready to be applied in real time to your tracking and mixing session. The Synergy Core effects processing allows you to stack up your chain with many effect instances while monitoring through the interface without fear of overloading.

At any time, you can expand your effects collection by purchasing more classic go-to units, true rarities never before recreated in digital form, and 3rd party effects like Antares Auto-Tune Synergy.

Create from Anywhere, Anytime

The Zen Q interface is optimized for ultralow-latency recording, high-resolution playback, creative beatmaking, and podcasting from virtually anywhere. With just the included USB cable, you can power the Zen Q Synergy Core from your computer and use it to its full potential without having to carry a dedicated power supply with you.

Better Recording and Producing Workflow

Every feature available to you in the interface’s control panel has been added to improve the important aspects of your workflow. Since DAW monitoring inevitably adds latency, you can monitor directly through the interface to reduce delay to the absolute minimum. With the routing options, you can easily set up a near-zero latency mix and stack it with your favorite Synergy Core effects without fear of overloading the onboard platform. Dedicated signal metering is available for both input and output levels on the front-panel display and in the software control panel.

Smart Connectivity in a Small Package

The two XLR-1/4″ combo input jacks give you the flexibility to choose between Antelope’s Discrete mic preamps and line / Hi-Z inputs; they are easily configurable via the control panel. The front panel offers two 1/4″ inputs, which can be used to record line-level sources or Hi-Z instruments.

The four 1/4″ TRS DC-coupled balanced outputs (two monitor and two line) allow you to send the signal from the professional-grade D/A converter to separate destinations. Use one set for your main monitors and the other for a feed to analog outboard gear. Plus, there are two separate 1/4″ headphone outputs.

Loopback Function for Streaming

For a convenient online broadcasting setup, use loopback capabilities for streaming and recording OS/DAW playback and interface inputs simultaneously.

Conversion and Clocking

• Class-leading AD/DA conversion with up to 127 dB of headroom
• Recording, mixing, and playback at up to 24-bit / 192 kHz
• Proprietary 64-bit Acoustically Focused Clocking (AFC) technology and Jitter Management algorithm delivering increased width, separation, and detail in musical performances

Analog and Digital Connectivity

• Two Discrete ultralinear preamps with 65 dB of gain for studio-quality recordings; all work as microphone / line / Hi-Z inputs via XLR-1/4″ combo jacks
• USB Type-C port carrying up to 16 input and 16 output channels in any popular DAW with custom macOS and Windows drivers
• 8-channel ADAT optical input and stereo S/PDIF input and output for digital expansion
• Balanced 1/4″ TRS DC-coupled monitor outputs
• Balanced 1/4″ TRS DC-coupled line outputs
• Two stereo headphone outputs with separate gain control

Workflow-Enhancing Features

• Bus-powered design requires no dedicated power source
• Direct hardware monitoring with Synergy Core effects processed in real time with imperceptible latency
• Simplified I/O routing with preconfigured settings, allowing immediate recording and playback
• Color LCD screen with crisp I/O metering
• Front panel with dedicated volume knob and buttons for level adjustment and hands-on control of core parameters
• Customizable presets complete with signal routing, level adjustments, mixer settings, and submixes
• Easily adjust the monitor mixes for the monitor output and split headphone mixes into individual cue and submixes while applying pan, reverb, and other effects
• Modeling Engine allowing pairing with the Edge line of microphones for real-time use of vintage microphone emulations

Working:

• With a Synergy Core FX processing platform
• Compact desktop design
• AD/DA conversion: 24 bit / 192 kHz
• 2 x Discrete ultra-linear preamps with 65 dB gain and 48V phantom powering
• With 37 analogue modelled Synergy Core effects
• Proprietary 64 bit Acoustically Focused Clocking (AFC) technology
• Synergy Core onboard platform with 2 x DSP & 1 x FPGA chip
• Latency-free real-time monitoring with Synergy Core effects (< 1ms)
• With volume control and bSchnittstelleuttons to control the core parameters
• 2.8″ IPS screen
• Digitally expandable via S/PDIF and ADAT interfaces
• USB-C bus-powered
• 2 Combo inputs Mic/Line/Hi-Z: XLR / 6.3 mm jack
• 2 Switchable Line/Hi-Z inputs: 6.3 mm jack
• 1 Monitor output L/R: 6.3 mm jack, balanced
• Ultra-linear preamps and pristine AD/DA conversion give you professional quality in the studio
• Zen Q is designed to help you grow to a bigger setup without losing the desktop size format

37 Real-Time Effects

Collection of 37 Synergy Core effects modeled after classic and rare analog outboard gear, powered by the Synergy Core proprietary onboard platform, which uses two DSP chips and one FPGA chip for real-time effects processing with imperceptible latency.

• BA-31: Germanium Mic Preamp
• Gyraf Gyratec IX: Dual tube mic preamp with high-pass filter
• Clear Q: Parametric EQ
• VEQ-1A: 2-band tube EQ
• VMEQ-5: 3-band tube midrange EQ
• VEQ-HLF: Tube 2-band high- and low-pass filters
• VCA160: VCA compressor/limiter
• Stay-Levin: Vari-Mu tube compressor
• FET-A76: FET compressor/limiting amplifier
• X903: VCA compressor/limiter
• PowerFFC: Feed-forward compressor
• Power Gate: Noise Gate
• Power EX: Expander
• Auraverb: Reverb
• A-Tuner: Guitar tuner
• 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
• Bass Tube 1×15: Guitar cabinet