Antelope Audio Orion Studio Synergy Core Thunderbolt/USB Audio Interface

I recently purchased the Antelope Audio Orion Studio Synergy Core interface along with the MRC remote unit as I’m looking to expand into surround and Atmos platforms. however, I’m currently under construction of my new studio because of a recent move to Tennessee from PA, so I haven’t been able to run it through the paces fully yet
I couldn’t wait obviously, so I have set up a make shift area for stereo playback and some tracking. So far I’m impressed with the quality of the conversion and the flexibility in the routing, as well as all the other features the unit offers (AFX plugins, presets etc.).I haven’t had the chance until I’m finished with the studio and Atmos rig to fully test the MRC remote yet, but that leads to my only complaint so far, which is the AB switching for my stereo monitors. It seems the only way is to set up presets for the switching and there is quite a time lag involved. To remedy this I plan on purchasing a Drawmer stereo monitor controller for when I’m working in just stereo as the Atmos monitors will be running out the DB25 connections from the interface. Other than the AB switching issue with the MRC I’m very happy with the purchase. The preamps sound great, the conversion is top notch and I can’t wait to delve into all of the fine tooth control I’ll have regarding setup for the Atmos rig when ready (individual eq, delay, level etc.).

I recently purchased the Antelope Audio Orion Studio Synergy Core interface along with the MRC remote unit as I’m looking to expand into surround and Atmos platforms. however, I’m currently under construction of my new studio because of a recent move to Tennessee from PA, so I haven’t been able to run it through the paces fully yet
I couldn’t wait obviously, so I have set up a make shift area for stereo playback and some tracking. So far I’m impressed with the quality of the conversion and the flexibility in the routing, as well as all the other features the unit offers (AFX plugins, presets etc.).I haven’t had the chance until I’m finished with the studio and Atmos rig to fully test the MRC remote yet, but that leads to my only complaint so far, which is the AB switching for my stereo monitors. It seems the only way is to set up presets for the switching and there is quite a time lag involved. To remedy this I plan on purchasing a Drawmer stereo monitor controller for when I’m working in just stereo as the Atmos monitors will be running out the DB25 connections from the interface. Other than the AB switching issue with the MRC I’m very happy with the purchase. The preamps sound great, the conversion is top notch and I can’t wait to delve into all of the fine tooth control I’ll have regarding setup for the Atmos rig when ready (individual eq, delay, level etc.).

Excellent equipment, Alien technology, thank you very much

My first pro quality interface and you can immediately tell the difference. Had a focusrite scarlett recently and I was able to get descent sounding recordings with it, but the orion is night and day cleaner audio. I don't get ear fatigue with headphones on like I did with the scarlett. The routing matrix was a challenge with studio one, but antelope's tech support was able to help me almost immediately. The effects are nice too and with the onboard dsp, it really saves on your computer's cpu. If you're serious about your music or even want to engineer other people's stuff amlnd make some money, this is an outstanding addition to your studio.

I have used the UAD2 interfaces and plugins, and they work great! I was sure the UAD was the way to go. I heard the conversion of the Antelope at another studio and was shocked: they were using a UAD Apollo 16 and swapped it for a Galaxy 64. So much changed! I acquired a second hand Orion Studio (original). Once I was offered an upgrade, biting the bullet was nearly an instinct.

The sound quality is hard to match: I am using Apogee AD16X and DA16x from the Orion SC for expansion, and really favor the clarity of the Antelope. Only if I need high channel counts will the Apogee's be used, with 90% of all vocals using the Antelope conversion.

The plugins sound very good as well! While you will have to determine a workflow (using AFX2DAW in the DAW requires realtime bounce!!), but once you get familiar with the routing, setting up multiple configs are very easy. My Orion is used in hybrid, so switching between "record" and "mix" setups is a breeze (though not instantaneous like the good old console "flip" button, but I'll take it!). Routing also allows for very complex setups, allowing to achieve things other interfaces need middleware to accomplish.

Very happy!

Nice upgrade from the Orion Studio Rev. 2017. The synergy core is more stable and easier to use, support from Antelope over the past few years has also improved.

This is my first experience with Antelope products, I’ve decided to upgrade to a higher level interface featuring a specific list of functionality to cover all my current and future needs. All I have to say is WOW! Absolute flexibility of routing (though it was quite complex at first, but didn’t take much time to figure it out), fantastic plugins (which you also can commit to the recording, if you want), versatility of connection options and finally… The Sound. I’ve never heard so pristinely clear high frequencies in my recordings before, this is the first time I’ve realized how AD/DA conversion really affects the sound. So overall highly-highly recommend this interface!

I'm using this interface through Thunderbolt connection with a 2018 MacMini. So far I've had zero issues. I've seen many complaints about Antelope Audio on platforms like Youtube and Gearspace regarding driver issues and customer support. I've submitted multiple tickets with Antelope regarding the Routing Matrix and they've always responded in a timely manner - no complaints there. As far as build quality the interface is built well and feels how you'd want it to feel with a nice weight. Regarding sound and conversion quality the interface is awesome. Just listening to music with lossless streaming through this thing is a treat. While mixing I've noticed I can pick up on details more easily which seems to be due to better imaging and spread between sounds. The clarity is there 100%. Great interface, I probably won't ever need to replace this thing for my small home studio.

This is for anyone looking to buy the latest version of the synergy core with thunderbolt 3.
Not all of the drivers work with the new apple M1 chips yet and as a result, some features are missing from my interface. My first two preamps do not work at all and some of the features are very laggy, which I don’t know if that’s a result from the type of processing or from the software not being updated yet.
Overall I give it 3 stars because to be honest, the preamps, plugins, and converters sound awesome. The preamps are very transparent, the plugins have lots of fun color to them, and the converters are everything I wanted.
However, I’d advise you to wait a couple months before buying due to their latest version of the synergy core not being fully useable on some devices like mine, atleast that’s what antelope audio and vintage king told me over the phone… i run a MacBook Air with the new M1 chip.
Best of luck!

The audio quality is second to none. I'm also very impressed with the quality of the AFX plug-ins. However, the Orion's drivers and operating software have room for improvement. The USB stability seems great, but the Thunderbolt interface took almost a week of troubleshooting and two fresh installs of Windows 10 before it was working reliably. As of writing this (April 2022), Antelope still does not support Windows 11 at all. There's not even a beta driver available, and the support team will just say Windows 11 is not supported and close your help ticket. The highly touted AFX2DAW that allegedly lets you use Antelope's AFX system real-time while editing recorded tracks is EXTREMELY buggy. It is only officially supported in AVID Pro Tools 12 / Ultimate, Apple Logic Pro X and up, Image-Line FL Studio 20, Bitwig Studio, Cockos Reaper, Steinberg Cubase, and Presonus Studio One. That doesn't mean it always works in those DAWs, it only means Antelope will offer troubleshooting. There is no support and it does not work in Adobe Audition.

I gave the unit four stars because I'm very happy with the quality of recordings I have been creating with it. However, you should be aware that there is quite a bit of false hype around the bells and whistles such as the AFX2DAW. If you're buying for that specific feature, you will be disappointed.