Incorporating the key features that made the original Zen Studio a force to be
reckoned with — as a portable professional audio interface with the most
competitive analogue and digital connectivity, including 12 inbuilt studio-quality
microphone preamps and extensive I/O (seen and heard for the first time at
Musikmesse 2014 in Frankfurt, Germany), Zen Studio+ steps up the technological
pace by bringing additional Thunderbolt™ connectivity and a powerful range of
hardware-based Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) effects to bear upon the
still-sleek, easy-to-carry box bearing a striking resemblance to its peerless
predecessor.
Zen Buddhism — emphasising the value of meditation and intuition, rather than
ritual worship or study of scriptures — was introduced to Japan from China, so,
product nomenclature notwithstanding, it is arguably all the more appropriate that
Antelope Audio has chosen to debut the result of what could conceivably considered
its latest quest for audio enlightenment at Prolight + Sound Guangzhou 2017. After
all, there is more to Zen Studio+ than might first meet the eye as a portable
professional audio interface; indeed, thanks to those fantastic FPGA-based effects, it
is surely the ultimate portable workstation for on-the-go engineers and musicians
needing access to all the tools of their (studio) trade. The hardware itself includes
invaluable I/O options, such as a pair of dedicated re-amp outputs, headphone
outputs, and mastering-quality monitor outputs, while with its 12 preamps —
including hi-Z and line inputs — plus an additional eight inputs and outputs on
standard 25-pin D-SUB connectors, Zen Studio+ is well equipped for multi-mic
recording setups anywhere at any time, as well as being further extendable via
ADAT or S/PDIF. Still further, a completely customisable routing matrix makes
establishing exactly the right signal flow for the way that the user works simplicity
itself, incorporating outboard hardware and FPGA effects easily. Enabling full control
room capability at home or in the studio comes courtesy of built-in talkback.
That said, Zen Studio+ packs a veritable treasure trove of vintage outboard tone-
shaping into its road-ready, yet travel-friendly “carry-on’ chassis, thanks to Antelope
Audio’s cutting-edge FPGA technology. These hardware-based effects allow for near-
zero-latency audio processing using detailed emulations of classic EQs,
compressors, guitar amplifiers, and more — and all without taxing the connected
computer’s CPU resources. Rallying onwards and upwards, Antelope Audio continues
to expand its hardware downloads, now boasting a library of over 30 unique effects
— each carefully modelled from the most coveted pieces of studio gear in recording
history.
Meet Antelope Audio’s Zen Studio+ in Hall 5.2, Booth #A66 at Prolight + Sound
Guangzhou 2017, February 22-25, Guangzhou (Canton), People’s Republic of China,
where it will be being demoed and displayed for the first time.
