Antelope Audio Discrete 8 Pro Synergy

Core Rackmount 26×32 Audio Interface

Bring pro-grade conversion, clocking, and preamps to your studio with the Antelope Discrete 8 Pro Synergy Core, a 26×32 Thunderbolt 3 and USB 2.0 audio interface offering premium sound quality and plentiful connectivity in a rackmount format that’s ideal for recording engineers, bands, and studio owners. In addition to the revealing quality of its hardware, the Discrete 8 Pro Synergy Core empowers you with 37 analog-modeled real-time effects, which are powered by the onboard DSP and FPGA chips to ensure ultralow latency and no burden on your computer’s CPU.

Each of the eight Antelope Discrete mic preamps has its own phantom power and up to 65 dB of gain, so the interface is primed and ready for recording all sorts of microphones, instruments, or even line-level signals from outboard gear. Equipped with two independently adjustable headphone outputs, balanced monitor outs, eight line outputs, and two reamp sends, the Discrete 8 Pro Synergy Core can act as your studio’s hub for multiple sets of headphones, mixes, monitor feeds, and more. Its ADAT and S/PDIF digital I/O ports are perfect for expanding your setup with digital gear such as external converters, and the wordclock input and outputs ensure professional synchronization with other interfaces and clocks.

Updates to the Pro Model

Compared to the Discrete 8 Synergy Core, the Discrete 8 Pro Synergy Core delivers improved performance with greater dynamic range, less total harmonic distortion and noise, and double the available channel strips for effects processing. Also, it replaces Thunderbolt 2 connectivity with Thunderbolt 3 (in addition to USB 2.0).

High-Fidelity Conversion and Clocking

The Discrete 8 Pro has been upgraded with studio-ready 192 kHz converters (up to 130 dB of headroom) and Antelope Audio’s proprietary 64-bit AFC clocking. With the interface in your rack, you can experience a new level of detail in your recordings and enjoy a wider soundstage for an exceptional stereo image in audio playback.

Transparent Preamps

Antelope Audio’s discrete preamp topology is a descendant of the great console preamps of the time. Designed using a combination of transistors, the Discrete preamps result in high gain (up to 65 dB), minimal noise, and precise sound capture for pristine, transparent recordings.

Extensive Connectivity

The Discrete 8 Pro Synergy Core offers impressive analog and digital I/O in one rack space. Eight mic/line inputs, two instrument inputs, eight DC-coupled line outputs on a DB25 connector, two reamp outputs, a pair of monitor outputs, two headphone outputs, plus 16-channel ADAT and stereo S/PDIF I/O are at your disposal. For your computer connection, you have USB 2.0 and Thunderbolt 3 ports. All I/O is available at any time and can be used simultaneously without the need to change setups, making it easy to work on multiple sessions.

Tools for Guitarists

Plug in your guitar directly to one of the two Hi-Z enabled inputs and instantly sculpt your tone with guitar amps and cabinet models. Add compression, EQ, and AuraVerb while playing through your preferred amp, cabinet, and microphone combination. The Discrete 8 Pro’s two reamp outputs allow you to connect any of your effect pedals or outboard gear, and record that sound back into your preferred DAW.

Word Clock for Pro Sync

Three wordclock outputs let you distribute the interface’s highly stable clock signal across your studio while the wordclock input allows you to sync the Discrete 8 Pro Synergy Core with other gear.

Versatile Control Panel

A virtual routing patch-bay on the Discrete 8 Pro Synergy Core streamlines the routing process and even adds creative possibilities. Apart from the intuitive routing, the software control panel allows you to create presets, quickly configure mixes, and more. With the enhanced processing, you can add effects on every input source.

Pushing the FX Further

The 37 effects included with Discrete 8 Pro are modeled after iconic studio equipment and can be applied in real time during monitoring, postproduction, and live recording. Aside from the exclusive compressors, EQs, and preamps, the interface comes with 22 guitar amps and cabs, a guitar tuner, and a signature reverb that are processed with near-zero latency entirely inside the interface, putting zero load on your host CPU.

The onboard Synergy Core contains the processing power of a complex multi-rack setup which enables you to load effects on up to 16 channel strips (double the available channel strips compared to the original Discrete 8 Synergy Core). At any time, you can expand your effects collection by purchasing more classic go-to units, true rarities never before recreated in digital form, and 3rd party effects like Antares Auto-Tune Synergy.

Session Recall

For every individual recording scenario, you can save session files and create exact snapshots of your effects chains, so you can load them later without losing your progress.

Ready for Mic Modeling

The interface’s Modeling Engine is ready to be paired with the Edge line of microphones (available separately) for real-time use of vintage microphone emulations.

Workflow-Enhancing Features

• Direct hardware monitoring with Synergy Core effects processed in real time with imperceptible latency
• Expanded routing capabilities—switch audio sources per channel based on a drop-down menu sequence or make use of a virtual routing matrix
• Customizable presets complete with signal routing, level adjustments, mixer settings, and submixes
• Front panel with independent headphone and monitor volume knobs and buttons for sample rate configuration, and hands-on control of core parameters
• Hardware relay-based gain knobs for each preamp plus mode control (mic / line / Hi-Z) via push sequence
• Supports standalone operation
• Wireless control of software features from a separate computer connected to the same network
• Footswitch input supports functionality as a single footswitch to control the dim function and as a dual footswitch to control both the talkback and dim functions

37 Real-Time Effects

The collection of 37 Synergy Core effects is powered by the Synergy Core proprietary onboard platform, which uses two DSP chips and one FPGA chip for real-time effects processing with imperceptible latency.

FEATURES

• BA-31: Germanium mic preamp
• Gyraf Gyratec IX: Dual tube mic preamp with high-pass filter
• Clear Q: Parametric EQ
• VEQ-1A: 2-band tube EQ
• VMEQ-5: 3-band tube midrange EQ
• VEQ-HLF: Tube 2-band high- and low-pass filters
• VCA160: VCA compressor/limiter
• Stay-Levin: Vari-Mu tube compressor
• FET-A76: FET compressor/limiting amplifier
• X903: VCA compressor/limiter
• PowerFFC: Feed-forward compressor
• Power Gate: Noise gate
• Power EX: Expander
• Auraverb: Reverb
• A-Tuner: Guitar tuner
• Plexi 59 (UK): Tube guitar amp
• Bass SuperTube VR: Tube guitar amp
• Darkface 65 (US): Tube guitar amp
• Top30 (UK) Bright: Tube guitar amp
• Tweed Deluxe (US): Tube guitar amp
• Overange 120 (UK): Tube guitar amp
• BurnSphere (DE) Lead: Tube guitar amp
• Marcus II (US) Lead: Tube guitar amp
• Modern (US) CH3: Tube guitar amp
• Rock 75 (UK): Tube guitar amp
• Rock 22.10 (UK): Tube guitar amp
• Darkface 65 2×12: Guitar cabinet
• Top30 2×12: Guitar cabinet
• Modern 4×12: Guitar cabinet
• Green 2×12: Guitar cabinet
• Vintage 4×12: Guitar cabinet
• Green 4×12: Guitar cabinet
• Caliper 50 1×10: Guitar cabinet
• Bluelux 1×12: Guitar cabinet
• Clst 1×12: Guitar cabinet
• England 4×12: Guitar cabinet
• Bass Tube 1×15: Guitar cabinet
• Engineers, Bands, and Studio Owners
• Thunderbolt 3 and USB 2.0 Connectivity
• 8 Mic/Line Preamps, 2 with Hi-Z Option
• Outs: 2 Headphone, 2 Monitor, 8 Line
• Up to 24-Bit / 192 kHz Resolution
• External Power Supply / Mac and Windows
• ADAT & S/PDIF I/O for Digital Expansion
• 2 Reamp Outputs, Onboard DSP/FPGA Chips
• 64-Bit AFC Wordclock I/O
• Includes 37 Real-Time Effects