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Antelope Audio Zen Go - Why I returned it! (but...)
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- Опубліковано 13 лис 2021
- #audiointerface #antelopeaudio #musicproduction #recording
Comparing with Universal Audio X4 UAD, SSL2+, Motu Ultralite MK5 and my thoughts. Taking a look at AA's Zen Go Synergy Core audio interface. Checking amps and workflow. Latency. How does it stack up? What is good?
On sale here on Amazon: amzn.to/3CexPDy
Julian Krause channel: / @juliankrause
Zen Go Website: en.antelopeaud...
©Massivebeatzz 11/2021
I've had an Antelope Audio Orion Studio since 2017 and it's still being updated by Antelope and running smoothly on the latest Mac OS in 2022. It also came with all of the AFX plugins for free that you now have to pay with later interfaces (Excluding synergy core plugs). When I had a problem with the first unit I purchase, Antelope replaced the unit for me without question or hesitation. I have nothing but great things to say about them, exceptional customer service and products
it's great to hear positive feedback on AA as well!
I have used a Zen Go for about a year now. I like everything about it, built quality, excellent sound, ease of use and the number of plugins FX you get when you buy the unit. I even bought additional plugins and they all work great. I once had a problem downloading and installing a pluging FX I bought and can testify that their customer service is excellent. For these reasons I do not really understand what this video is really trying to say because any company will eventually come out with new models as technology improves. I have had a totally different experience with this product and Antelope's customer service and would recommend it anytime.
Yes some people have a good experience with AA, others hate it. Too soon to say. I guess what I tried to say is this - good product overall. The only reason I returned is, that I didn't want to be in bed with another company that throws a control panel on your system, and sells you plugins etc. Like Universal Audio.The plugins didn't convince me (compared to the others I use) completely, but they are not bad at all, just decided not to buy into this ecosystem, but that is just my personal choice. I'd still give it a 7 or 8 out of 10. So the point of the video is to explain to my followers what I did, rather then giving an unbiased review.
There are many companies using their own closed ecosystem. A good example would be Apple but interestingly enough their computers seems to be what most studio recording enthusiasts use. Some people like Apple some people hate them. I guess your comment could apply to anything. Now, coming back to your review I was happy to discover the Motu, I know nothing about it so after watching your video I decided to go to their website. It appears to me that they do not have an ecosystem. In fact they do not have a lot to offer except that when I took a look at what they offer for audio I could only see an unattractive package sold for 499$! However when I saw the Antelope Audio FX plugins offer on their website I decided to buy the Zen Go! If, a year ago I would have visited the Motu website I would not have bought from them based on their software offer. I am not at the level yet where I can feel comfortable browsing the entire web trying to find plugins I might like. With Antelope Audio (Zen Go) everything is easy, plug and play! Without ever trying a Motu I can already tell you some people might like it for its total freedom from ecosystems and endless possibilities if you search for software all over the net and some people like me might not like it for what seems to be an orphan device witout FX software to support it. (Too soon to say?) Since I am not an expert yet I like the idea of a turnkey device, simple and straightforward. The Zen Go is in the same league as the UAD Apollo and the RME Babyface that I also considered buying a year ago. This is good enough for me and like I said I would recommend the Zen Go anytime. I think an ecosystem is neither good or bad. It depends on your needs and expectations.
@@gillesgagnon9585 Glad you didn't buy from them. On Windows, MOTU has been a nightmare to say the least. Their software interacts very poorly for the Windows system. So much crackling and pops until you change the sample buffer size and then back again. Sound drops in and out. Sometimes sound doesn't play at all after you pause playback of sound for even a second until you change the sample buffer size again
Honestly, I have a UAD twin X and the Zen Go. I’m selling the Apollo, because the audio quality isn’t even close the antelope. I never used antelope up until last year after purchasing the twin. I could instantly hear the difference. Not to mention, UAD is a money pit. The sound quality is noticeable. My opinion, antelope all the way.
OK, for me the Antelope outputs sounded different - definitely not better. Just a tad brighter, and mainly their output/headphones. When comparing the pre-amps for me the X4 is ahead., just sounds more musical. Youc an record an album with that thing (and they do). I liked AA's headphone amp but it is limited in power and output impedance. But dang - it sounds fresh. Now the plugins also aren't close to UAD. No floating point processing, and just less ..well good. That being said, I sold both by the way and went for a Motu Ultralite MK5 (over a BabyFace Pro FS). All the above being said, I'd rather buy a 500 or 900 bucks AA Zen Go / Q over an 1800 dollar X4, since the difference isn't that great. I'd make it work. It's really good - don't get me wrong.
@Wayne Brown They (Go and Q) are the same quality wise- same converters, same plugins. Just a more old school form factor from 2017 for the Discretes. The headphone amp on the GO is actually better than the Discrete, according to the Antelope Audio rep I chatted on the phone with. He says they are all in the ballpark - to step up you need to get to their more expensive line, which is similarly priced as Universal Audio's rack formats. But at any rate - in terms of bang for your buck, AA Zen Go already wins, and so does the D4 - but I wasn't making my comparison (and return of product) focused around that. I definitely think AA is onto something.
@Wayne Brown substantially? That would be surprising for an older device in the same ballpark. Do you have measurements you can share? AA says no - same.
@Wayne Brown all the same garbage.... Zen Go is newer so should be better. It' s as good as Audient and a bit better than SSL2+... But like he said - Ultralite MK5 smokes it on converters, latency and user experience, plus professional connections.
Zen go is the entry level device. You cant really expect too much from it . For a pro Get zen tour, discreet, orion absolutely bang for the buck. Check n compare i/o and features with other card... U will know it. This is unnecessary review
I Love my Zen Q. Cheers.
They are great indeed. I liked a lot about it.
Thanks for the review. I'm thinking of getting the Antelope Audio Zen Q because it currently includes a $650 mic and ALL of their plugins ($6K!) for $899 for the USB!
Ok, that is a great offer - but make sure to check if it is really ALL their plugins. I had trouble finding that on the website recently - it' some bundle but not all? Also I would not value that mic at $650, but more like 150-200, which is close to what the price is . You get it for $100 more. Still, either way a great deal. The USB version should be fine, although I'd go with the TB version for 100 more.
@@massivebeatzz Also, the Bitwig it comes with is the Studio edition not the Studio Track 16, which is pretty phenomenal.
@@danieljung2810 I checked it out - yes this all seems indeed true - ALL effects + a Zen Q + a Mic + Bitwig... I am tempted for a backup unit :)
@@massivebeatzz It's a tough decision. I have a MOTU Track 16 right now, but so tempted because of this offer. Also very tempted with the MOTU Ultralight mk 5 given it's amazing performance for the price. Also the MOTU has midi. I'm wondering if Antelope Zen Q is dc coupled for Eurorack CV modulation.
Universal Audio can take a flying frienza based on my absolutely horrible experience dealing with the constantly glitchy Apollo Twin USB. It finally died after 8 years of technical issue hell and the consumer can expect to have to buy a new one every so often. These are not long term investments. I've got my own native plugins and could care less about Antelope's or UA's library of external plugins. I just want something that works and Antelope seems to fit that bill.
at least 5 years per interface, ideally 7or more is the norm. Once can upgrade if they wish, but there's no reason they should break before that time.
@@massivebeatzz I just completed a project with the Zen Go T3. I absolutely love this thing. Pro Tools crashed once during the entire project, which used to be a frequent occurrence. Solid construction. Almost cool to the touch. I used to keep papers away from the disturbingly hot Apollo. The only issue I had was figuring out I absolutely needed the free (I tipped) Voice Meeter app to get the computer and the interface talking to each other. Should have gotten the Zen Q for the additional outputs, but I'm selling my Behringer Behritone anyway because I never use it. I may never know how good the preamps are because I have my own external Earthworks 521 ZDT, but for mixing/mastering and in the box song production a clean, flawless, uninteupted signal is what I needed, and what I got with the Zen Go.
J'ai acheté un bundle discrète 4 + micro
Antelope edge Duo. L'expérience sembla pas mal, mais à chaque session l'interface se m'étais en sécurité. Je l'ai envoyée en Réparation depuis la France. Aujourd'hui, elle continue à s'arrêter de manière soudaine. C'est énervant. Je suis obligé de travailler avec une autre interface lorsque je fais des sessions avec des artistes. Je suis plus serein avec ma deuxième interface de chez UAD. À ce jour, mon seul regret est de ne pas mettre rapidement fait rembourser. C'est embêtant vu le prix.
Je respond de la meme maniere- puisque la question posee / votre message sont identiques. Donc: eh bien oui! C'est ca le probleme avec les Antelopes. En theorie - des outils super, mais en pratique Il n'y a pas de stabilite , ed de support de consommateur. (J'ecris sur un clavier Qwerty, mes excuses, ca fait chier avec les accents....donc je m'en fous!
Good audio interface. Does it have UAD 1176 LN compressor.
they have their own version which is called FET-A76 - you can find it in the Antelope Software store.
to be honost, i still can use my Antelope Zen Studio from 2014 (officially it does not work on MacOS Monterey but it still works). By the way you only need internet server check when activating your device and plugins. But after that 1 time it does not need internet anymore, the server in the launcher is for networking you can controll your Antelope interface from another computer in your network or from your phone or ipad. But i can imagine if you already invested in UA why would you invest in a new ecosystem?
l already left UAD. Too much money, and not future proof. Sell it while you can get your money back is my motto, hehe! God knows what they will do. Nothing gets updated. Tale you money and buy MOTU Ultralite MK5 is my advice. Antelope is cool and really a great price ! But another rabbit hole like UAD.
I have the UAD Twin X Duo and Antelope Zen Tour Synergy Core. I really like Zen Tour, better hardware, sound quality, customer support....
My Zen Tour was come with: Edge Solo Modelling Mic, Bitwig Studio Fully Licensed DAW, Additional Big 15 FX Bundle (37 plugins in total) and AFX2DAW Bridge Plugin for 1620 GBP. If I remove the price for the microphone €579 and the DAW €399, I pay for the interface 650 and that’s a good deal.
What I really hate on UAD is the price for plugins! I spent a lot of money for Avalon VT-737, Capitol Chambers, Ampex ATR-102, Neve 1073 Preamp and EQ, Ocean Way Studios, Studer A800 Multichannel Tape Recorder and Teletronix LA-2A, but I can’t use it when I’m travel with my Fosusrite 2i2. That’s makes me to swap to Antelope and was a good choice.
That's not how it works. The Zen Tour costs $2150 list price right now (up from $1990). Every manufacturer includes some gimmicks (teh Mic is OK, but even the Zen Go includes it for 100 bucks more), so you can't deduct the imaginary value of these gimmicks to calculate a price for the "interface". As much as manufacturers want to say $3000 in free plugins included, therefore it's the deal of teh century that is not the case...All that stuff is already overpriced. I agree on the price of UAD, they are insane, and it's disgusting . Of course UAD plugins are much better than the NON floating 24 bit only AA plugins. Gain staging , be careful. UAD is 32 bit float. As for Zen Go and Q , and even D4 , these are fine. Great price. But that Zen Tour is overpriced and many features are missing. They cheated customers on the old Zen tour Synergy Core and then bailed. Completely abandoned it. Google it. That's why people hate AA and love RME. Long term support. Here's the $2150 AA Zen tour at Guitar Center. www.guitarcenter.com/Antelope-Audio/Zen-Tour-Synergy-Core-Audio-Interface-1500000322803.gc?cntry=us&source=4WWRWXGP&gclid=Cj0KCQiA_8OPBhDtARIsAKQu0gZBwsHSMElBM2oybl8RNktSxWF_si5EXeq9GB1ypD8YtuDu3mhFdf0aAkpREALw_wcB
@@massivebeatzz antelopes mics sound great, the modeling isn’t a 1:1 with the real counterparts obviously. But they add flavor, and you can sculpt a good sound.
@@_20nine_ nice. I got one on the way!
I’ve had excellent customer service with antelope audio. Antelope has top of the line clocks and converters. One of the best companies on the market in lynx uses the same tech as antelope audio(fpga)
Yes, very good. Especially their higher end devices. As for their regular audio interfaces, the Motu has even better sound (converters, headphone outs), and has more features in terms of inputs and outputs. Above specs have been Measured by Audioscienreview and Julian Krause. MK5 Motu even beat RME Babyface Pro FS - and that is not easy. But I agree, AA is already very good. Wasn't completely ideal for me, but I would otherwise keep it if there wasn't a Motu MK5. Bang for the buck is incredible.
The Zen Go is excellent in terms of specifications, but the experience is a bit different in practice. I bought one for Christmas. I'm experiencing a constant electrical buzz and interference. I've tried connecting it to my MacBook Pro M1, directly to a socket, to an external battery, and I even took it to work to try it in a different environment, but I still get this buzz. It's unusable for daily use. I think I'm going to return it.
Thanks for sharing! I also experienced something similar to you.
Just Got my Zen Go yesterday to pair with my UA Apollo X6 Rack 😎❤️ I Feed the SPDIF out of my Apollo X6 in the Zen Go I send outs from my X6 to my Neve WA73Eq Rack to reprocess stems in my Daw essentially I use it as a summoning device also a re-processor this thing is Solid I didn’t need to get the Q or Tour against I own the Apollo X6 which is loaded!! I do think having a Adat in would be nice but the Zen Go was just right. UA Apollo X6 plus Zen Go = All you will ever Need.😎❤️
That is quite a combo there! Unusual - thinking outside of the box, pun intended!
Hey Massive, do you recommend this interface with the ALL IN promotion that they are offer if you buy one interface they offer you 90+ Synergy Core FX ?? Thanks!
I do not - in my honest opinion. It's a great deal but in my personal opinion I would go for other choices - there is something not quite right from the setup of this ecosystem. But again, that is just my personal experience. There are some people who are really happy with it.
@@massivebeatzz Thanks Massive, i will give a chance to Antelope bro! i think is the best i can get for the price. Thanks bro!
@@ibsenproducer how is your experience so far?
I am quite surprised that you are returning the Zen Go! All its features in its bundle beats the competition!
Features aer great. And it is a great device. The Motu has even better sound, and has more inputs and outputs. Measured by Audioscienreview and Julian Krause. But I agree, AA is already very good. Wasn't completely ideal for me, but I would otherwise keep it if there wasn't a Motu MK5.
@@massivebeatzz I'm curious, why do you think the Motu has better sound? I own a Motu 8Pre-es and while it's very good, I have heard better. After some reading about Zen's converters, I was under the impression that it should be a step-up. Can you explain?
@@imdurcMotu M4 vs Zen GO vs Apogee Duet 3?
@@massivebeatzzMotu's frequency response is the same 20hz - 20khz not good for true sound reproduction or for film/game industry to stretch out audio for ambience or fx.
I really regret that i did not purchase a ultralite mk5 when it was available. I believe it is now out of stock worldwide. I will have to stick to Motu M4 with an external preamp from line-in, which is still not too bad I guess.
Looks like you are using S/pdif feature. I still dont get it what and when S/pdif used for my production workflow? Can you explain, pelase. Thanks.
I use it to connect an external Headphone Amp / DAC. You don't have to do that, but I wanted to test how the headphone outputs of the Zen Go compare to a professional grade Headphone amp. I must say, they did very well. Of course the power output for high-impedance headphones of the DAC Amp is much higher. You can also use the Digital connection for INPUTS - so you have more simultaneous input connections to the Zen Go.
@@massivebeatzz external headphone, great, I didn't even think that way. But, I'm curious to use it to connect 2 channel mic pres. is it possible?
@@MekaTM You could, if that channel Mic Pre has a digital connection. My JoeMeek Channel Strip/Mic Pre-Amp used to have it, and that is how I connected into my old Apollo.
Question for you. How about if you only used it to make beats and mix and master meaning I won’t use the antelope plug-ins I would be using all 3rd plug ins. I’m looking for high end conversion. What u recommend?
1. RME any recent hardware 2. ANTELOPE Discrete 4 Pro or above (so the more expensive stuff) - they do have excellent converters. 3 Motu Ultralike MK5
@@massivebeatzz ur awesome thanks a bunch
Hey bro how good is the ssl2 to record vocals and mix on monitors? My audio interface is faulty is being repaired I need a temporary substitute
I would say a 6 or 7 out of 10! Not bad.
@@massivebeatzzso for mixing what would you recommend
Personally I agree with both sides.The antelopue has great sound and stereo image!BUT im also experiencing noises quite often and also im experiencing feedback in the audio signal.When im playing hardware synths and when im playing records.And its quite annoying in the point that im thinking of selling it and getting a motu m2 one.Also the mixer interface is quite big and difficult for me im more a musician and not an audio engineer.
Thanks for sharing
@@massivebeatzz No problem have you also experience the above and couldn't fix it?
I have two questions, first how easy is the audio interface to use with regards to it's routing and control panel if you don't intend to use any of the DSP plugins? If I get the Zen go I won't be using the DSP plugins at all i'll only be using the audio interface to record audio into it and using NCH Wavepad to record the audio I won't be using any DAW. Secondly do you need a constant internet connection for the device to work? I've heard many problems with the unit not working and people having to re-activate it and restart the unit and try again. Reliability seems to be poor.
The A/D converters (and D/A) from AA are fantastic. Preamps quite good too. So all of that will work. But yes, reliability with the software, and that internet connection makes it too much of a "big controlled" system for me.
@@massivebeatzz So you do need an internet connection for thething to work? Why would Antelope do something dumb like that?
So... whats a good replacement for the zen go at that price point (spdif is a must)?
the SPDIF requirement makes this a bit harder - since most have ADAT and Optical connections... But the Motu Ultralite MK5 has that, and SPDIF as well. Also has some built in DSP, better converters and Headphone amp, and way more I/Os. Review is on my channel
@@massivebeatzz sorry! i meant to say optical adat. I think optical adat is more reliable.
'I'm turning into White Sea' 😂 Hey great review and extremely valid points. I had the Antelope Audio Discrete 8 which instantly became a legacy product after I bought it. Regardless, the converters and preamps sounded excellent, definitely better than my Apogee Element 88 which I did side by side by comparisons. I had it for about a year and ended up selling it and similar to what you spoke of, I was not a fan of the ecosystem, I hated that you had a launcher on top of the control panel. Also, the drivers at that time were fairly unstable and would drop out about 1 out of every four or five sessions and I would usually reboot to have the interface recognized again. I had a couple interactions with customer service and they were generally very helpful but as you described unapologetic about what I felt was not a very intuitive control panel. I did think most of the plugins were pretty good, the Impresser, Stay Levin, and Pultec were particularly good, but AFX to DAW was not ready for prime time when I was using it. If I used the plugins in the control panel and printed with those FX everything was great, but using AFX to DAW in Logic Pro was pop and click city at 96 Khz at best, sometimes just pure digital distortion. There are plenty of options in 2022 for stable audio interfaces with excellent conversion. Subscribed!
Thanks for this in depth comment and your experience and of course the sub. It's one of these things that could be great , and be best of all worlds, but something stands in the way.
I had the same experience and problems it also
hello I have a behringer 2 channel mixer/interface, it still works well but I need more quality in the converters and I want to make a purchase that is worthwhile and has features that will serve me in the future, I plan to see the prices for December of this year of the motu ultralite mk 5 my budget is about 600 usd do you think it's the best option?... or would you recommend others? or, for example, wait to see what they announce next year for universal audio?... I like the motu converters but I like the antelope company a little more, however the antelope is very limited in terms of inputs and outputs; It is a difficult decision, for now my best option is still the motu but I want to be very sure of the purchase
i'd say, the antelope converters are also very good. but the motu 5 preamps are better, quieter and more gain. there are some new interfaces that recently came out , such as the audient evo series etc that might be worth checking out. also the clarett + (plus) series with new converters is quite good. i think we will see a few good ones in 2023, if you can wait. there was a chip shortage, and manufacturers are finally catching up making new product.
So UAD is Apple & Antelope Is Samsung😯 I was thinking about buying A Zen Go but when I saw the plugin interface I changed my mind
woa..hard to tell..UAD is Microsoft, RME is Apple, and Antelope is Lenovo maybe
@@massivebeatzz RME Isn't Apple...Apple its UAD...RME its like One Plus very good even better not enough recognition.
Hi, what your opinion about apogee symphony desktop? Compare to apollo twin x
I looked heavily into it and wanted to like it. On paper this would be perfect. I was a bit confused with their DSP ecosystem - what is free, what is not, There isn't a ton of stuff , and aside from that, the latency when running regular plugins is not like an Apogee Element (Thunderbolt). It's quite average. Nothing like the all new Motu Ultralite Mk5 for example. Also, not a lot of output and inputs - it appears like a big boy, but it isn't. I would prefer the Apollo X4, in terms of usability, but can't recommend buying that anymore, since UAD raised the price from 1799, to 2300. Like wtf. I'm still curious about the Apogees, but it seems some corners were cut, and they changed strategy. I think they will raise prices on plugins or do some kind of shenanigans., and milk that Clairmountain name.
Does the Motu Ultralite MK5 have DSP for latency? and how is it compare to UAD Apollo? Better than Apollo?
Yes, the MK5 has DSP built in for it's own effects. But on a modern MAc, even for normal plugins, there is almost no latency, even without DSP. We're talking less than 5 ms with plugins at 64 or 128 buffer. That being said, the best recording experience will always be Apollo.
@@massivebeatzz You can also use normal plugins with the Apollo Twin X right and still get low latency with modern MAC / PC? And how is that compare to the MK5 when using normal plugins
I emailed and put in a ticket with Antelope audio, and although no one was available at the time, the guy called me back witihin 14 minutes. I had a totally different experience with them,
good to hear! Yes I think it depends who you get.
Thinking of returning mine, the interface is amazing but I cannot get afx2daw to work. Support hasn’t even been able to fix it.
wow..what is not working? Will not start or crashes?
@@massivebeatzz opens normally, no signal goes through afx2daw 🤷🏽♂️
Jesus. I wish I would have seen your review before I bought my zen go. I made a huge mistake with this box. I already own the ua Apollo. But I need to do a lot of commentary recording thst required two mics and two headphone inputs. On paper, this seemed like a good solution. Truth be told, even though I track in logic, I had been using an old usb steinberg ur44. The thing has been shipped around the country dropped down the stairs had drinks spilled on it… and it always works. But it was time for an upgrade. Even though I could have tracked my commentary with the steinberg, I was relying on 3rd party plug ins to beef them up and that really happens best in post when dealing with an older usb 2 unit and todays powerful plug ins. Even the Logic Pro x vintage tube plug ins made the latency an issue for tracking. I hook up the zen and first off the getting started page went to a 404 page not found error. I said fuck it… how difficult could it possibly be to set up and have running smoothly with logic right? Long story short I give up. I’m now back to using the old steinberg to track my duel commentary sessions and can’t even return the zen go Becasue Sam ash has a no return policy on all of their boxes. Should’ve gone thru B&H or sweetwater. Fuck. Anyone wanna trade me the newer version of the steinberg ur44 usb 3??? I’ll make an even trade! Hit me back.
dude - sorry to hear that - and appreciate sharing this experience. Have you tried contacting Antelope Support. It's not perfect, but they might help. I know it should work out of the box - I would let these guys take a crack at it.
@@massivebeatzz I opened a ticket with them. But ultimately I just knew it wasn't gonna work for me. I took it back to Sam Ash and they let me swap it out for a new Steinberg UR44C which works perfectly for tracking duel commentary. If I need the fancy plug ins I can always use my AU Apollo twin. Thanks for getting back to me!
Very good and interesting review. What I need: an interface without plugins, as I have more of them than I need. I don’t want to spend more money on plugins anymore. But I want an AI with the best preamplifiers for microphones. Would the Focusrite Clarett meet that need? 2 inputs would be enough. I don‘t need guitar amplifiers as plugins. Nothing of this kind, just a very good hardware AI that works best with Logic Pro! Thanx for a good tip. 👍🏻👏🏻🙏🏻
Thanks for that comment. I think the new Clarett+ (plus) series is a serious pro contender, and a few steps above the already quite good Focusrite Scarlett series. Reviews are good, and quality, sound is all fantastic. Also Motu Ultralite MK5, tons of features, and more connections than the Antelopes. Better sound as well.
🤔15:00 this is why I don’t recommend the UAD platform when I’m asked my opinion on what musicians should buy.
UAD is scamming people and lining their pockets...you need processing power?you need great conversion, mic pres, you need a DAW and plugins??
Buy an Apple M1 Mac mini and a BLA Revolution 2x2 it comes with a DAW, free plugins, superior conversion superior mic pres and superior hp amp...all of that is less than a thousand dollars and you can buy a mic or a decent pair of monitors on sale for right at or around a thousand dollars...it is insane to that people are mindlessly forking over thousands of dollars for an inferior UAD deadlock plugin platform.
Deadlock is the right word. In fact buy any Multi-Core Mac 2018 and up - and a good low latency audio interface - and you can run tons of plugins...
Processing power on modern machines is undoubtedly much better, but if you are multi tracking larger setups or a band, having the super low latency DSP and the ability to even load a session Template in console is a must. Plus the extensive routing features.
Now I think the BLA stuff is great, really good value for price, but when you put this up against the UA Apollo X series, they are certainly not superior, still good but not really in the same league unless you’re buying the older silverface Twins or the Solo.
Now on included software. The UAD plugins are hands down the best I’ve used as far as emulations go, and there still Isn’t anything close when it comes to their unison pre-amps. I will pay $300 any day for their 1073, API, SSL, etc… unison Pres and channel strips.
But here’s the thing, you should never buy any of the plugins full price. UA includes a good bundle with the interfaces, and they also give you plenty of discounts after buying one. Then, you wait for a sale like every other plug-in company and get the plug-in for half the price or less.
Second thing is, if you want more then 2 plugins, either buy a bundle and get each one at a much more discounted rate or you upgrade/add on to your hardware and get the plugins included.
Either way, you should never buy full price plugins. Waves plugins are normally $200-$300 but they are always having sales. Just shop smarter.
@@magicmark3309 Emulations dumb down the possibility to create something greater. That’s why I’m a Melda fan, Melda sounds amazing and doesn’t emulate anything, it’s a totally new workflow, it’s genius....and the functionality of the Melda plugs are simply unmatched. The Essentials Bundle is around $120 and may be the most capable suite of plugins ever made...it does EVERYTHING.
The MCompressor is free and UAD doesn’t make a single plug-in that can match it.
I’ve owned some of the best converters: a couple Prism Sound interfaces including the Atlas, mind blowing resolution.
RME’s UFX the workhorse of all workhorses with great sound quality,
Apogee Quartet and Element superior digital pres and good conversion.
Audient: an absolute shocker in function and sound quality, the pres are beautiful.
Antelope Zen Go, sounds great not in the elite category but better than most including Apogee non-symphony line and even UAD.
Focusrite, MAudio, and others I’ve owned also.
The Apollo does not have elite sound quality and will get bested by Prism, Audient, Antelope, RME, Apogee, and even the BLA.
The UAD simply is just not worth it. It’s a deadlock system with nothing special or unique to offer.
An M1 Mac can run like a workhorse at 32 samples...it’s $550. UAD is done.
At the price point they all are the same…..they all have their quirks…just get through the learning curve and you’ll be good….. Antelope tech help will also help..
As a pro I had many of them, and I easily figure out the issues. But I am picky. For beginners , it will depend what they are looking for and how much time they are willing to invest.
Everyone needs to put a solid PAUSE on buying anything Antelope right now. Marcel James (former 14 year engineer from Antelope Audio) is laying down the ugly hammer on all of the hidden software and hardware problems Antelope has been having over the years AND all of the negative social media comments they have been deleting. Marcel has one video out on UA-cam already. I have the Discrete 8 Synergy Core and for the last two years had multiple software issues and the LED panel text is now pixelated with dark orange and white text.
I looked on his channel and couldn't find the video. Do you have it?
@@imdurc Nope. I should have downloaded a copy. He recently took down the video and backed out of going after Antelope. I assume they threatened him with legal action.
Why is every one selling the Apollo to buy this ?
I think they're selling the Apollo because the platform is too old, and prices didnt come down. Antelope seems on the surface like the modern replacement we need. But it isn't.
Thanks for speaking the truth
Would be sweet if you could check out the new apogee duet 3
I have looked at in depth also, before narrowing it down to Babyface Pro FS and Motu ULmk5. So I don't have any hands on experience. I think it's an interesting device, but for me it was too limited in terms of ins/out, lack of good latency (decent but not great), a confusing, overpriced plugin system . Other than that I would have thought the Apogee Headphone Amp and Converter quality would make up for it. But then I saw Jacob Dark's "The Apogee Duet 3 is PLAGUED WITH PROBLEMS | Unboxing & Review" review and that made me pause. I think it's been out for a while now, so worth to check if it all works now, but it is not the same as the beloved Element interfaces on Thunderbolt. Maybe they had to use cheaper chipsets because of teh shortage. But Element is no longer available and these new interfaces seem to have cut quality.
@@massivebeatzz yeah I seen that guys video aswel, I had messaged apogee about it and they replied “Thanks for your question. It's a very reasonable concern when you're spending your hard earned money. We made many of the decisions on connectivity for Duet 3 to optimize performance for PC and our support team takes user feedback very seriously. We did originally find issues related to discrete graphics cards and their effect on interface performance. This has since been fixed via firmware but it is essential that you update the firmware on your unit.”
I know it uses the same converter chip as the ultralite mk5 the sabre 32 I think it is , the preamp is supposedly high class , I was thinking of picking one up today to try , but yeah the plugin is os expensive… like you’d think they’d have more for that price but they don’t.
I received the Zen-Go yesterday and was very disappointed in the display's lack of brightness. Even when I set the brightness level to 100 % it was still difficult to read and still seemed dim.
Yes, it is very very DIm!
@@massivebeatzz : It's terrible, and was sent back for a refund.
I guess this isn’t even a thing to compare a 500$ vs 1200$ product , I guess UAD might be in top , but antelope is still flagship for that price range and also it’s portable , I can still connect it to a laptop without external power which is handy and also plug-in and software isn’t that well with antelope than uad but as of plug-ins quality I guess both are in same page , even uad is making some pretty plugin collections like api,Manley etc but I guess that we should not compare antelope zen go with Apollo x4 , u might compare it with Apollo solo , or twin duo .
I can compare it - because I owned them all - the arrow, the twin Solo, Duo, Mk2 and then X4 and X6. The X4 is 1800 not 1200, but we are not comparing the number of outputs. Like Antelope Go is 500, the Zen Q is 900 and the Discrete 4 is 1100 I believe... But all these products are similar. The Antelope converters are great. But the UAD software is better, and their plugins are a lot better! But they are expensive. Antelope offers many free ones, UAD only offers the cheap ones for free. That being Said -Motu Ultralite MK5 won for a few reasons, best latency, better converters, best headphone amp (ESS chip) and more ins and outs.
@@massivebeatzz I was surprised that you and a lot of other people said that GO's HW better than Apollo's. I didn't have any of them. But when you said that "UAD PLUGGINS BETTER" in every comment... I have listened to several comparisons of UAD and Antelope, and i can't say that UAD is better. I choose impresser over distressor tho.
I know a few good engineers that choose AA over UAD. But in fact... When you take an antelope, you don't have that choice of plug-in... Cool reverbs. Echo. Are you talking about it? Less choice. UAD gives such a choice. For X2-X3 price list, but they give.
I wanna buy Zen Tour because I know that I'm can't afford all of these UAD Plugins. And I need good converters and more DSP's.
@@massivebeatzz in software part UAD is better and easier , antelope must develop its software in future … I hope for the best
@@takeiteasy2476 AA hardware not always better - just their converter and mic pre-amps a little bit more transparent (linear). UAD a bit warmer. UAD much better plugins, yes, better build quality, better support - and better DAW integration. Just too expensive!
so you replaced antelope interface with MOTU? sound quality must not be important then... what a troll video
Excuse me? The Motu is leagues above the Antelope. The video is no joke. It' s meant as is. Check the specs. Julian Krause and Audiosciencereview spent some time on it. The Motu UL5 beats even the RME Babyface Pro FS. Sound quality and Headphone quality is what I am all about.
I think the only troll is you! Antelope Zen Go is good, but not great.
The Motu mk5 is my backup interface while my apogee symphony mk2 is on repair at apogee. The apogee is the best obviously, but costs like 4x. also this guy is not trolling. The motu is as good as the previous flagship from apogee the symphony mk1, and has noticeably superior conversion to the antelope. The antelope is better feature wise but Motu has always had a reputation of excellent sound quality.
UA is ridiculously cheap these days. The Signature Bundle has 44 plugins for £299 if you own a single UA plugin. Gives you Native and dsp plugs.
Very helpful!
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching.
mine wont even read my mic
no Mic gain?
@@massivebeatzz no nothing everything enabled 48 v active and it won't pick up anything
SSL12 just released. Wanted to return my Zen Q but too late to return now. 😭
Do you need so many inputs?
@@massivebeatzz not all the time
such a bad take. sounds like you just got it so that you could say you returned it
Sorry that that was your take away. I liked a lot about it - their ecosystem just isn't for me. I wanted to like it. That being said, I only returned it because there are other options out there. If I would have had to keep it, or there aren't any others out there I would have been fine. Also keep in mind, I came from an Apollo X4. As mighty as they are - I ultimately decided against another DSP pay to play ecosystem.
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.
What happened to the DISLIKE Counter? C'mon,man!
what are YOU talking about?
@@massivebeatzz Dude, the Dislike counter is disabled! You can tell me you don't know what I'm talking about? really? Okay, never mind than. Go back to sleep.
@@gRosh08 You Tube eliminated the Dislike counter in order to preserve the mental health of many users. Seriously ! I also thought this review it's poor and NOT fair with the Antelope Audio efforts to provide a good quality product for a reasonable price. This guy try to be funny but is only phony. Absolutely unnecessary review.
@@gRosh08 are you talking about the dislike counter that they disabled? Not under my control at all.
@@serbastos62 that is my opinion. Not trying to be funny. I mix a lot and perform a lot. Coming from UAD X4, Twin X etc I tried AA. Sent it back. It's good, but falls short just in terms of ecosystem and how teh whole thing is set up. Also 32 bit float point isn't implemented so good luck gain staging. I upgraded to the Motu Ultra Lite MK5, which is till a down grade from my UAD X4 (and X6) - but it's the best in its class right now. And that's not just my opinion. Check Julian Krause's measurements.
Rme is the best.
very good. Only Motu UL MK5 had slightly better measurements (Audiosciencereview)
I don't want antelope running their console 24/7 also says uad is better while also having to run the console 24/7, yea this video seems like you are just a uad fan bruh.
I'm not. I got out of UAD to be honest. I think they are great, but it annoyed me also. I am with RME these days.
@@massivebeatzz Well in that case I apologize I will have to eat my words my bad. Thought you where a uad fan sorry about that.
No compren nada de antelope si no quieren perder su dinero
haha, la veridad.
The most bugged, unstable and killing your love for music production inferface ever created. Stay away from that crap. I was better off with Scarletface solo lol. At least it worked.
keeping it real!
A troll for universal audio .. I personally tried the Zen Go and with the price it has u can not think about something else... try to be a man please
try to be a man? Dude! I used UAD, AA and everything in between. I'm not trolling anyone. My opinion.
@@massivebeatzz Happy New Year to you first ..sorry i meant to say the truth -- at the end of the day it is your decision.. it is very respected.... but to involve UAD in the same place, to me something is wrong.. Antelope was clever enough than UAD, when COVID started, AA studied it well, Marketing wise ... you can see Amazon rating and compare... My Zen Go is just an interface caused all the other interface to GO
@@istylebuy4958 Happy New Year!
@@istylebuy4958 I agreed. He is just sharing his opinion, but... UAD and AA Zen GO just are not comparable cuz of prices.
Garbage. The only thing great with the Zen Go is the conversion (more stable clock) is/was better than Universal. I'm selling my Zen Go. The mac driver and mixer is just too buggy.
Thanks for sharing that - unfiltered :)!
first learn to speak correctly punctually and then make reviews, are you some kind of danish comedian trying to be funny here ? Regarding the floating point you don't know what you are talking about dude, these plugins are processed internally and in fact they are 32 bit and in fact they oversample the signal x8 with 8 latency because this is handled internally :D So you don't have to gain stage properly in DAW in order to avoid clipping..... ahahahahah so funny. If you don't want to be part of their ecosystem, then just go with another brand. Making a review that you will return their interface, because you don't want to be part of some ecosystem is funny :D
my voice and english are better than anything you'll ever come up , and I get paid for having it with you racist clown. Second, and again, - they work at 24 bit internally - this Bulgarian company said so themselves., and that is why they clip. Google what that means. Their plugins don't oversample from plugin to plugin., in their chain, that is what we are talking about here. You might be new to audio.
Never seen such a bias review. How much you did you get to sabotage an innovative company?
It is in the title- literally - why I (me personally ) returned it. Your mileage may vary. I did bring forth some positive points as well.
You must be an Apple user. UA Hardware is garbage for Windows. Just a nightmare.
Yep, Apple user indeed !
Great review - the AA's a re pretty darn good - but not top notch...The plugins are wonky, and their software is a bit --- IDK..shady?