Thanks to our love for both analog detail and digital perfection, Orion Studio Rev. 2017 users can now access not only legendary guitar amps and cabs, but a plethora of classic studio gear as well — including the Reel to Reel tape machine developed by Igor Levin himself; an array of equalizers and compressors; but also a slew of cutting edge microphone emulations to be used by owners of the Antelope Audio Edge and/or Verge modeling mics.
Orion Studio
Thunderbolt ™ and USB Studio Interface
NOW WITH ULTRA-FAST WINDOWS THUNDERBOLT™ DRIVER
FOR SUB-MILLISECOND ROUND-TRIP LATENCY!
Orion Studio offers an array of FPGA FX: Edge + Verge mic emulations, tape machine, preamps, eqs and compressors.
All you need in just 1U
Orion Studio fits Thunderbolt™ and USB connectivity, 12 mic pres and our renowned clocking in just 1U rack space.
Since its release in 2015 Orion Studio has become one of the biggest stars in the Antelope Audio line of Thunderbolt™ & USB audio interfaces. And now we made it even better. With 12 Class-A Mic Pres make it’s one and only piece of gear you’ll need to record a full band and do it like a pro. For 2017 Orion Studio got brand new AD converters, raising its dynamic range to an industry best 124 dB and features superior low latency performance. Now coming in a gorgeous carbon grey faceplate, Orion Studio has a ton of new features inside its powerful Control panel and FPGA engine.
Just like Zen Tour and Goliath, Orion Studio features the full array of real-time FPGA powered vintage FX. This best-selling interface also includes Antelope’s traditionally stunning AD/DA conversion, powered by our very own, world-renowned 64-bit Acoustically Focused Clocking (AFC) technology for jitter management.
features
12 CLASS-A MIC PRES
Hi-Z, mic & line compatible preamps with phantom power
VINTAGE GUITAR FX
Hardware-based, FPGA powered effects for guitar amp modeling
THUNDERBOLT™ & USB
32 channels via Thunderbolt™ and 24 on USB for zero-latency audio streaming
64-BIT ACOUSTICALLY FOCUSED CLOCKING
AD/DA enhanced by our world-renowned jitter management algorithm
STUNNING AD/DA
24-bit, 192 kHz audio and Antelope’s signature flawless conversion
ADVANCED CONTROL
Control Orion Studio via user-friendly desktop and mobile apps
DESCRIPTION
Orion Studio’s secret weapon
Orion Studio fits Thunderbolt™ and USB connectivity, 12 mic pres and our renowned clocking in just 1U rack space.
Orion Studio’s secret weapon is the extremely powerful Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) device. Its massive parallel processing capabilities are far ahead of DSP chips used in similar devices. Through smart algorithms, oversampling and custom-tweaked models, the FPGA provides the lowest latency possible, allowing you to create up to four independent, zero latency mixes. Those can be easily assigned to any output including the two separate headphone outs.
“…it looks great, sounds fantastic, feels reliable and solid — everything a high end piece of studio gear should be”
Matt Vanacoro, one of New York’s premier musicians, he has collaborated as a keyboardist in studio and on stage with artists such as Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater), Mark Wood (Trans-Siberian Orchestra), Mark Rivera (Billy Joel Band), Aaron Carter and many more.
All the effects you need
Enjoy the true sound of classic studio gear with Orion Studio’s real-time FPGA vintage FX.
Orion Studio comes with full yet ever expanding list of Antelope Vintage FX models. With 5 new compressor models you can now open up to 32 compressors at once, without losing any of your 40 EQ instances. This is a major advantage over DSP processing. All Antelope Audio FX can be used for real-time tracking, monitoring and are easily routed to work on a mix inside the DAW.
Antelope Audio’s custom FPGA makes Orion Studio the #1 audio interface for professional guitarists by being the perfect platform for our integrated vintage and contemporary guitar amp & cab simulations. Developed in collaboration with Overloud they bring precision and audio realism to a whole new level, allowing artists to experiment with multiple speaker configurations, mic placement and EQ settings. Our innovative RealModel technology allows us to vividly rebuild the true sound and behavior of classic analog gear. Playing and recording guitars has never felt so real!
Advanced remote apps
Device control as flexible as you can imagine
Orion Studio features an exciting new approach to control, including the game-changing Full Session Saving functionality. You’re now allowed to quickly save, load and share any routing, monitoring, and FX settings. These can be easily exchanged between studio facilities with Antelope Audio gear and will drastically enhance the studio workflow of any engineer, recordist or musician. A recently added Alternative Matrix View offers a detailed alternative to classic Antelope drag and drop Routing.
You can control and use as many Orions as you can connect with our new S/N selector inside the panel and even open multiple panels on the same computer. Orion Studio offers dynamic device management from various access points, including multiple computers in the same network.
An intuitive iOS / Android mobile app gives you even greater freedom by granting full mic pres control from a smartphone or tablet.
Connectivity gone wild
Orion Studio can work with any DAW on the market via Thunderbolt™ or USB.
Orion Studio’s FPGA powered ThunderboltTM and custom USB guarantee the lowest sound latency on the market. The device’s massive parallel processing capabilities allow fast, simultaneous streaming of multiple audio channels and instant effects processing. Thanks to the variety of digital and analog I/O, combined with the flexible routing matrix the device is easily connectable to various outboard gear.
Orion Studio offers: two pairs of monitoring outputs, 16 analog outs, 2 reamp outputs, plus 16 channels I/O via ADAT and 2 channels I/O on S/PDIF.
CONNECTIVITY
Power button
Toggles standby/operation state
4 Instrument/Mic Preamp/Line Inputs
4 Class A mic preamps, with phantom power over Combo input with switchable line/HiZ input.
TalkBack Button
Press the Talkback button to activate the talkback microphone
Rotary control
Large stepped attenuator for the volume of Monitor, Headphone, Line and Reamp outputs. Clicking-in the large volume control allows you to scroll between the different options.
Gain, HP & A/B
By clicking on one of these 3 buttons you can control Orion Studio’s Gain, HP (the two Headphone outputs) and A/B (the 2 monitor outputs)
Display
Multi-function display that shows various information.
Functional buttons
Cycle thru various information, access the System Menu or the Control Menu
Headphone outputs
Two independently assignable headphone outputs, selectable and controllable via the main volume control knob.
The lights next to the outputs are illuminated to indicate which headphone output is currently controlled.
Re-amp outputs
These outputs are direct and should be used with guitar amplifiers for re-amping.
USB High-Speed
Orion Studio uses USB connector Type B and operates up to 192kHz sample rate with Antelope ASIO on Windows & Mac OS X
DC Power Connection
Only use Antelope’s DC power supply!
ThunderboltTM port
Enables you to connect your Orion Studio to a Thunderbolt™ port on a Mac computer using a Thunderbolt™ cable (not included)
ADAT Connectors
2 Inputs & 2 Outputs (up to 8 channels per line)
D-SUB 25pin TASCAM Analog Outputs
A connector enables you to attach breakout cables, each with 8 lines
Two Stereo Monitor Outputs (Monitor A and Monitor B)
Assignable balanced stereo output (left channel at the top and right channel below)
S/PDIF Input/Output
75 Ω S/PDIF inputs for use with compatible equipment
Word Clock I/O
BNC connectors used to accept Word Clock reference
8 Line and Mic Preamp Inputs
8 Class A mic preamps, with phantom power over combo XLR
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
Specifications
ANALOG
Analog Inputs
4 x Mic / Line Instrument on XLR combos on the front
8 x Mic / Line on XLR combos on the rear
Mic Input Max: 8.2 dBu
Line Input Max: 20 dBu
Hi-Z Input Max: 12 dBu
Analog Inserts
2 x Inserts on TRS (inputs 1,2)
4 x Mic / Line Instrument on XLR combos on the front
8 x Mic / Line on XLR combos on the rear
Mic Input Max: 8.2 dBu
Line Input Max: 20 dBu
Hi-Z Input Max: 12 dBu
Analog Inserts
2 x Inserts on TRS (inputs 1,2)
Analog Outputs
16 x Lines on 2 x DB25 (16 channels Line Out)
2 x Stereo Monitor out on TRS (4 channels, only 1 active pair at a time)
2 x Stereo Headphone outs on TRS (4 channels)
2 x ReAmp outs on TRS (2 channels)
Monitor Output Max: 20 dBu
Line Output Max: 20 dBu
16 x Lines on 2 x DB25 (16 channels Line Out)
2 x Stereo Monitor out on TRS (4 channels, only 1 active pair at a time)
2 x Stereo Headphone outs on TRS (4 channels)
2 x ReAmp outs on TRS (2 channels)
Monitor Output Max: 20 dBu
Line Output Max: 20 dBu
D/A Monitor Converter
Dynamic Range: 129 dB
THD + N: -108 dB
D/A Converter
Dynamic Range: 120 dB
THD + N: -107 dB
A/D Converter
Dynamic Range: 124 dB
THD + N: -112 dB
Dynamic Range: 129 dB
THD + N: -108 dB
D/A Converter
Dynamic Range: 120 dB
THD + N: -107 dB
A/D Converter
Dynamic Range: 124 dB
THD + N: -112 dB
Mic Preamp
Gain: 0,10 – 65 dB
THD + N: -108 dB
Gain: 0,10 – 65 dB
THD + N: -108 dB
DIGITAL
Digital Inputs
2 x ADAT (up to 16 depending on the sample rate)
1 x S/PDIF
2 x ADAT (up to 16 depending on the sample rate)
1 x S/PDIF
Digital Outputs
2 x ADAT
1 x S/PDIF
2 x ADAT
1 x S/PDIF
USB I/O
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed;
Data stream up to 480 Mbits/192kHz, 24 channels I/O, Type B
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed;
Data stream up to 480 Mbits/192kHz, 24 channels I/O, Type B
Thunderbolt™ I/O
1 x Thunderbolt, 32 channels I/O
1 x Thunderbolt, 32 channels I/O
CLOCKING
Word Clock Input
1 x Input @ 75 Ohms 3Vpp on BNC 32 – 192kHz
Word Clock Outputs
1 x Outputs @ 75 Ohms 3Vpp on BNC 32 – 192kHz
1 x Input @ 75 Ohms 3Vpp on BNC 32 – 192kHz
Word Clock Outputs
1 x Outputs @ 75 Ohms 3Vpp on BNC 32 – 192kHz
Clocking System
4th Generation Acoustically Focused Clocking
64-bit DDS
Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillator
4th Generation Acoustically Focused Clocking
64-bit DDS
Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillator
Clocking Stability
<+/-0.02 ppm, oven controlled at 64.5ºC/ 148.1ºF
Clock Aging
< 1 ppm per year
<+/-0.02 ppm, oven controlled at 64.5ºC/ 148.1ºF
Clock Aging
< 1 ppm per year
Clock Calibration
<+/-0.001 ppm
Sample Rates
32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 (kHz)
<+/-0.001 ppm
Sample Rates
32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 (kHz)
OTHER
Operating Temperature
0-50°C, 32-122°F
Weight
3.1 kg/ 6.83 lbs ( approx )
0-50°C, 32-122°F
Weight
3.1 kg/ 6.83 lbs ( approx )
Dimensions (Approx)
Width: 483 mm / 19”
Height: 44 mm / 1.7”
Depth: 220 mm /8.6”
Width: 483 mm / 19”
Height: 44 mm / 1.7”
Depth: 220 mm /8.6”
USB I/O
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed;
Data stream up to 480 Mbits/192kHz, 24 channels I/O, Type B
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed;
Data stream up to 480 Mbits/192kHz, 24 channels I/O, Type B
Thunderbolt™ I/O
1 x Thunderbolt, 32 channels I/O
1 x Thunderbolt, 32 channels I/O
System requirements
WINDOWS
OS: Windows 7/8/8.1/10
Disk Space: Minimum 512 MB available disk space
USB: 1x USB 2.0 Port
Required USB bandwidth: 80%-90%
Thunderbolt (Beta): 1x Thunderbolt port. See our Thunderbolt FAQ section.
CPU: Intel or AMD equivalent CPU with at least 2GHz operating frequency
Memory (RAM): 4GB Minimum (8GB or more Recommended)
MAC
OS X: 10.9/10.10/10.11/10.12 (Sierra Recommended)
Disk Space: Minimum 512 MB available disk space
USB: 1x USB 2.0/3.0 Port
Thunderbolt: 1x Thunderbolt/USB-C Port
Required USB bandwidth: 80%-90%
Memory(RAM): 4GB Minimum (8GB or more recommended)
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo (Minimum) Intel Core i3 ™ or higher (Recommended)
Additional Info: Internet connection required for product activation.
FEATURED REVIEWS
Downloads
IMPORTANT:
Firmware Update Procedure for the new launcher, v1.3.6. for Orion studio 2017 and Orion Studio 2015
Drivers
Windows 7/8.1
Orion Studio USB Audio Driver Setup (3.40, Nov 15, 2016)
Windows 10
Orion Studio USB Audio Driver Setup ( 3.40, Mar 22, 2017)
MAC OS X 10.9/10/11/12/13
Unified Driver Installer for Mac (3.23, May, 2018)
Thunderbolt for Windows
Launchers
Please watch the videos BEFORE installing
