Owner’s Manual ™ Portable Thunderbolt / USB Audio Interface 1
Contents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Safety Notes Introduction Features Quick Start Installation Guide Front, Rear and Side Panels Explained 6.1. Front Panel Explained 6.2. Rear Panel Explained 6.3. Side Panel Explained 7. Software Control Panel 8. Advanced User Tips 9. In the box 10. Troubleshooting 11. Technical Specifications 12.
1. Safety Notes • To reduce the risk of electrical shocks, fire, and related hazards: • Do not remove screws, cover, or cabinet. There are no user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to qualified service personnel. • Do not expose this device to rain, moisture or spillover of liquid of any kind. • Should any form of liquid or a foreign object enter the device, do not use it. Switch off the device and then unplug it from the power source.
2. Introduction Thank you for purchasing the Zen Studio+ from Antelope Audio. The interface features an integrated Talkback function, allowing easy and fast communication between recordings artists, the engineer and the producer. Zen Studio+ offers dedicated Reamp outs, making it a preferred choice not only for mobile recordists and traveling artists, but for pro guitarists as well.
3. Features • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Hardware-based vintage effects: EQs, compressors, guitar amps & cabinets Proprietary FPGA with massive modeling capabilities Thunderbolt™ Custom USB 2.
4. Quick Start Connect the DC power source on the rear panel. Windows 1. Connect the USB cable to the USB port on your computer. 2. Download the Zen Studio+ launcher from http://en.antelopeaudio.com/products/zen-studio-plus/. 3. Start the application, the launcher will automatically download the Software Control Panel. 4. Open your Control Panel by double clicking and follow the device activation procedure. 5. Connect your inputs and outputs of choice to Zen Studio+. 6.
5. Activation Guide It is essential to activate Zen Studio+ before using it. Once the DC power source is plugged and the device is connected to your computer via USB or Thunderbolt™ follow the steps below: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Navigate to www.antelopeaudio.com/products/zen-tour/. Download the Zen Studio+ Launcher. Start the application (If you are on a PC install the launcher). The launcher will automatically download the Software Control Panel. You will be greeted by an Activation Screen.
6. Front, Rear and Side Panels Explained 6.1. Front Panel Explained 1 2 3 4 10 5 6 7 8 9 1. 2 Reamp outs These outputs are direct outputs that should be used with guitar amplifiers for reamping. 2. 4 Instrument/ Mic Preamp/ Line Inputs 4 Class A mic preamps, with phantom power over Combo input with switchable line/ Hi-Z input. 3. Talkback Button Press the talkback button to activate the talkback microphone.
6. Display Multi-function display that can scroll (using the 2 option buttons (6) to the right) through five different option screens: • Peak Meter displaying up to 32 channels at a time that are adjustable from the software control panel.
6.2. Rear Panel Explained 11 13 14 16 17 18 10 15 19 20 21 11. USB High-Speed Zen Studio+ uses USB connector Type B and operates up to 192kHz sample rate with Antelope ASIO on Windows & Mac OS X. 12. DC Power Connection For use with Antelope’s DC power supply only. 13. Thunderbolt™ Port Enables you to connect your Zen Studio+ to a Thunderbolt™ port on a Mac computer using a Thunderbolt™ cable (not included). 14.
20. 8 Line and Mic Preamp Inputs 8 Class A mic preamps, with phantom power over combo XLR. 21. AD Inserts Two ¼” TRS insert points (L & R) for connecting analog gear such as dynamics processors or EQ’s, just before the A/D conversion. 6.3. Side Panel Explained 22 22. ADAT Inputs and Outputs 2 Inputs & 2 Outputs (up to 8 channels per line).
7. Software Control Panel 7.1. Routing Tab and Main View 1 26 2 3 4 12 5 13 6 7 8 9 10 14 11 22 25 24 20 15 23 21 18 16 18 29 19 17 28 The universal panel view sits constantly on the upper half of the control panel, allowing for quick access to the most important features. This panel enables you to select inputs and route them to your chosen outputs by simply dragging and dropping channels. Each input has its own unique color.
5. Sample Rate select Once you select the Clock Source and Sample Rate, this will automatically determine the number of channels available to you in the Inputs & Outputs Router. 6. Lock light When your Zen Studio+ is slaved to another clock source i.e. Thudnerbolt/USB, the panel will lock, displaying a “Pad Lock” symbol to the clock source and you also won’t be able to change the presets. Presets do not store clock source info or sample rate.
21. Mic and Line (inputs on TRS / XLR combo) modes selectable via dropdown menu (please ensure your selection from the dropdown menu matches the type of signal being inputted) 22. Peak Meter 23. Phase Inverse button 24. Stereo Link 25. 48V Phantom Power 26. Gain 27. Signal Indicator 28. “How To...” Video Tutorials 29.
7.2. Mixer Tab 9 7 9 6 2 8 1 3 4 5 10 Zen Studio+ offers four software low latency mixers which provide zero latency mixing and monitoring that can be distributed to any output from the control panel. The low latency mixers provide all basic functions of a real mixer such as: Solo, Mute, Pan, Stereo Link, Volume Level fader control and a Master Fader, so you can easily make a stereo mix plus an Auxiliary send in order to use AuraVerb. 1. Fader (double-click to reset to zero) 2.
AuraVerb is a powerful and flexible algorithmic reverb effect powered by the Zen Studio+ Custom FPGA-based DSP. It provides near zero-latency effect monitoring without taxing your CPU. AuraVerb can also be used as a hardware effect from your DAW. That way you can take advantage of its rich and unique sound while mixing or mastering. By default the effect is switched off. Quick Start AuraVerb appears as a pre-fader send effect on the Zen Studio+’s Mixer 1.
later in time with respect to the unprocessed signal. Natural settings for this are based on the size of the environment and range from 0 to 32 milliseconds. Fine adjustment of this parameter with respect to the tempo of the song or dramatic timing of the piece can help set the feel of the reverb within the mix. • Early Reflection Gain This is the linear gain value for all early reflections.
7.3. Effects Tab Click on the Effects Tab to reveal the 16 AFX Channel strips. Zen Studio+ Effects tab allows you to stack up to 8 effects (viewable in pairs) on each channel strip. You can choose between EQs, Compressors, Vintage Guitar Amps and Cabinets. ZenStudio+ comes with the growing Antelope Audio library of hardware-based vintage FX modeling legendary studio gear.
7.4. Meter Tab 1 2 Clicking the Meter Tab reveals the 32 Channel Metering tab. It visualizes sources using peak meters. Precise 32-track peak meters, with a dropdown menu from which you can select the source that you wish to be represented on the displays. 1.
7.5 Settings Tab Clicking the Settings Tab reveals the Settings panel. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 8 10 12 11 13 14 15 16 1. Monitor Out Trim 2. Line Out Trim 3. ADC Trim 4. SPDIF SRC 5. Talkback Headphones Out 1 Indicator Light 6. Talkback Headphones Out 2 Indicator Light 7. Talkback Monitor Outs 8. Oscillator 1 & Mute 9. Oscillator Level 10. Oscillator 2 & Mute 11. Volume Knob Mode 12. Reamp Volume 13. Line Out Volume 14. Windows only: ASIO Control – Buffer Size & USB Streaming Mode 15.
With the Zen Studio+ in operating mode, press and hold the standby button to bring up Device INFO and Factory Reset options in the front panel display. You can scroll between these, using the Settings buttons. To initiate either of these desired options, press and hold the bottom options button.
10. Troubleshooting Start up and Sound • Are you running the latest control panel and firmware? If not, please update your control panel and firmware. • Are you correctly routing the audio signal via the routing panel? For USB/Thunderbolt™ playback, route the USB/Thunderbolt™ play channels to the DAC channel by dragging and dropping from the top section to the bottom. For more info on routing see the “Orion32 – Routing with ease” video from the Antelope Audio You Tube page.
DAW • What buffer size is your DAW set to? If it is significantly low i.e. lower than 128 samples in your buffer size, try increasing it.
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12. Antelope Audio Support Resources Antelope Audio offers a range of services and support resources for your Antelope hardware, firmware and software control panels. FAQ Several categories of frequently asked questions are available on the website: http://www.antelopeaudio.com/en/support Telephone Support Phone line is for general inquiries and technical support: +1 734 418 8661 Hours of Operation: 7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (EST) Help Desk A ticketing system ensures a 24-hour response time: www.antelopeaudio.
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Owner’s Manual ™ Portable Thunderbolt / USB Audio Interface www.AntelopeAudio.
