We catch up with Marcel from Antelope Audio and find out what new additions they've made to the hardware-based effects on their Thunderbolt interfaces — Goliath, Orion 32 and Zen Tour.
Here's the Antelope Audio press release if you want more information.
Press Release:
Antelope Audio [AES booth 321] a leading interface company specializing in FPGA-based vintage FX modeling, announces several new hardware-based models to its growing family of FPGA-based FX. The new equalizers — which will be included as a free update with its the best-in-class Goliath, Zen Tour, Orion Studio and Orion32+ Thunderbolt™ interface platforms, join the growing range of vintage FPGA-based FX offered by Antelope Audio that feature near-zero latency performance and the authentic sound character of the original gear.
The new FX models include the classic NEU-W492 and NEU-W495 equalizers, as well as four new 4K series models including VEQ-4K Orange, VEQ-4K Pink, VEQ-4K Black and VEQ-4K Brown. Each of the new FPGA-based FX are expected to be available by the end of October, 2016 and join other significant vintage FX that are already available, including the FET-A76, Helios 69, Lang PEQ2 and others.
"Antelope Audio continues its successful foray into vintage FX modeling with a new classic lineup of EQs, each with their own unique sound character," commented Marcel James, Director of U.S. Sales for Antelope Audio. "In the past, EQs with this kind of quality and heritage were only attainable by a very small cross-section of the industry elite. Now, as we extend the vast functionality within our interface platforms, our customers are able to realize unprecedented value and audio quality."
Blast from the Past: NEU-W492, NEU-W495 and NEU-PEV
The NEU-W492 is based on the inimitable circuitry design of the original, carrying its classic, signature sound. As a favorite mastering tool of generations of record producers and sound engineers, the unit features a 4-band EQ with bypass available for each band or the entire unit. Versatile and simple to use, the NEU-W492 is particularly powerful in the midrange, delivering a warm analog sound character.
The NEU-W495 meantime, is based on the original mixer strip designed for mastering consoles. This mixer module features a 3-band EQ, which allows bypassing of each band or the entire unit. From a sonic perspective, the NEU-W495 is able to fatten bass much like an analog EQ, and in ways that are not possible with typical software plug-ins. The NEU-W495 is also highly effective in smoothing out mid and high frequencies.
Modeled after another 60's legend, the NEU-PEV is able to bring more presence to your mix with deep bass, spacey mids and convincing, spatial highs. The unit features just four knobs – a bass low shelf at 60 Hz, a mid knob with seven frequencies and a high shelf knob for the highs at 10kHz. A very musical EQ, the NEU-PEV is able to color mixes and instruments with a fabulous analog touch — in a way that only real hardware can do.
VEQ-4K Series
Having imparted its sound signature on generations of artists and hit recordings for more than 50 years, these EQ classic modules are based on a rock-solid analog design — now coming to life in Antelope's FPGA FX modules. Antelope's VEQ-4K is complete with four different colored hardware-original revisions, each delivering its own unique, low frequency sound shaping characteristics.
- VEQ-4k Brown: The first model in this legendary line of EQ modules, it remains a classic and still in use by many engineers.
- VEQ-4K Orange: A variation on the VEQ-4k Brown, but with controls simulating valve EQ curves. The VEQ-4K Orange is a hardware rarity with a sound all its own.
- VEQ-4K Black: Likely the most popular revision of the EQ module, this unit was designed following the recommendations of many of the world's top engineers.
- VEQ-4K Pink: Originally appearing in the late 80s with proportional gain settings, the VEQ-4K introduced a pair of switches for the HMF & LFM bands.
Orion32+ packs 64 channels, Zen Tour gets update
In addition to Antelope's significant FPGA-based FX announcements, the company also announced that its best-in-class Orion32+ interface platform will soon be capable of handling 64 channels of recording and playback over Thunderbolt™, thanks to a firmware update Antelope will be making available to all customers. The update is expected to be completed by the end of October and, similar to the FPGA-based FX updates, will also be free of charge. Following this update, Orion32+ users will soon be able to access the new FET-A76 compressor on the device, which was launched a month ago and which is the first of several planned compressors for the Antelope interface platforms.
Further, Zen Tour, Antelope's new compact recording interface, will also receive an important update that includes all the recently introduced EQs that were not available on the unit until now - including the FET-A76. This update is also scheduled to occur in the next month.
