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The tried-and-true eight-preamp rackmount interface is a format that has been done by nearly every brand in the space. Preamp and converter quality is uniformly amazing these days, DSP mixing and effects are now standard features, and almost every model features enough I/O for a medium-sized studio.
So what makes an interface stand out in today's crowded market? In the case of the Antelope Audio Discrete 8 Oryx, it’s not just the eye-catching new color scheme of olive drab and champagne gold or the crisp and colorful IPS display.
What really sets the Oryx apart are thoughtful design choices like including four discrete headphone outputs on the front panel, useful features like guitar-level re-amp outputs that can double as line-level monitor outs, and, in signature Antelope fashion, state-of-the-art clocking with three Word Clock outputs for keeping your gear in perfect sync.
For many consumers, price can be just as important as features, and Antelope didn’t neglect that factor. The Oryx retails for nearly 10% less than its predecessor, the Discrete 8 Pro, while seemingly offering more of everything. So how did they manage to create an interface that brings something new and different to the table while also reducing the cost? We spoke with Antelope Audio’s Nik Georgiev to find out.
The Discrete 8 Oryx incorporates elements of the Discrete 4 Pro and Discrete 8 Pro plus next-gen upgrades and design tweaks on both the hardware and software sides, making it a versatile all-in-one interface that can easily scale as your studio grows. “The idea here was not simply to replace the Discrete 8 Pro, but to merge some of the features of the 4 and the 8,” says Georgiev. “All you really need is the interface and a bunch of mics, and you can record a band. Yes, it's just eight channels, but you can connect a second or third unit over ADAT and now you've got 16 to 24. It's very configurable and expandable.”
Most interfaces of this size have one or two headphone outputs, and if you need more, you have to use precious line outs to connect to an external headphone amp. But with four discrete headphone amps all easily accessible from the front panel, the whole band can plug into their own dedicated headphone mix. “One of the key advantages of the Discrete 4 Pro was that it had four headphone outs, whereas the Discrete 8 only had two,” says Georgiev. “Now, we have four very good headphone outs that can power high-impedance headphones, and we’ve added features like headphone calibration and crossfeed.”
Eight enhanced mic preamps give you 75 dB of clean gain, while next-generation converters backed by Antelope’s renowned clocking technology ensure every sample is captured as accurately as possible. “The reason the interface is called ‘Discrete’ is because we don't buy just a chip off the shelf from a company; we actually build the mic pres ourselves with discrete components, and in this way we can deliver a higher-quality mic pre,” Georgiev explains. “These now have 75 dB of gain, and the conversion is also of a newer generation.”
On the software side, the Oryx features a revamped control panel with a cleaner and more intuitive user interface similar to that of the Orion Series. The virtual patch bay-style routing matrix layout now allows quick drag-and-drop routing to four separate mixers, which you can use to create custom monitor mixes. “You've got four stereo mixes, which you can think of as mini-consoles with panning, levels, and effects,” says Georgiev. “Through the routing matrix, each mixer can be configured to have different inputs, meaning you can create completely different mixes and then route each one to different headphones. With the DSP, you can add real-time effects such as compression, EQ, and reverb, and you've got built-in talkback available by pressing a button on the front panel or via footswitch.”
With 26 total inputs and 38 outputs, including analog and digital sources, the Discrete 8 Oryx can adapt to pretty much any setup. One unique feature is the ability to switch the rear-mounted reamp outputs from instrument level to line level depending on your needs. “Inside the control panel, there is an option to switch the reamp outputs to be regular line outs,” says Georgiev. “If you wanted to have a second set of speakers, you could connect them there; or if you’re a guitarist who cares more about reamping, you can use them for that.
Eight additional line outs on a D-Sub connector allow you to connect up to 12 monitors or a decent rack of outboard gear, while two banks of ADAT plus S/PDIF I/O give you 18 additional channels of throughput. And because Antelope Audio has always been a leader in clocking, they’ve included three (yes, three) coaxial Word Clock outputs and one input so you can keep all your gear in perfect sync. The footswitch input is just icing on the cake.
The Discrete 8 Oryx is the first product to include X-Feed, Antelope Audio’s new headphone optimization technology. X-Feed allows you to apply corrective EQ profiles for popular headphone models to each of the four headphone outputs, so everyone can use their favorite headphones and hear accurate sound. “You can choose a headphone model per headphone out, so each one can have a different profile,” says Georgiev. “We also added a low and high shelf EQ because on headphones, you don't feel the bass the way you feel it on speakers. I'd much rather have a little bass boost slightly exaggerating what I do so that my mix translates better.”
X-Feed can also simulate the stereo image of studio monitors for more accurate panning. “When you listen on headphones, you're only hearing the left channel in your left ear and the right in your right,” Georgiev explains. “But if you listen on loudspeakers, what plays in the left speaker will also be heard in your right ear with a bit of delay, attenuation, and a frequency response change. Essentially, what the crossfeed does is emulate that experience. It’s quite useful for mixing because when you're panning your sources, it doesn't feel like some of them are inside your head.”
All Synergy Core interfaces pack powerful DSP and FPGA chips that enable you to record and monitor with real-time Synergy Core effects, including analog-modeled compressors, EQs, preamps, channel strips, guitar amps, and more. The Oryx includes 37 real-time effects to immediately elevate your tracking and mixing without using up any of your CPU, and you can always get more from the Antelope Software Store.
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