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Karno's SEPIA is a new audio platform that combines the best aspects of analog processing and digital control. At launch, the SEPIA system consists of the L6 rackmount host unit (available with analog or digital I/O) and 22 SEPIA modules from 15 brands. The L6 fits up to six SEPIA modules and provides comprehensive digital control over the fully analog signal path, allowing you to use real analog hardware with the ease and flexibility of plugins.
SEPIA modules range from preamps, EQs, and compressors to saturation boxes, choruses, and more. Modules like the API 312 and Universal Audio 1176 contain the exact same analog circuitry as their large-format counterparts, but instead of interfacing with physical knobs and buttons, everything is controlled digitally. That means you can populate your L6 with any modules you like, save and recall parameters, and even configure preset signal chains for various recording and mixing situations.
It’s not often that a completely new platform like this comes around, so we spoke with Karno founder Adam Pierce to learn more about the development of SEPIA, how it works, and Karno’s plans for expanding their line of SEPIA hosts and modules.
Before starting Karno, Pierce worked for microphone manufacturer DPA, where he spent a lot of time talking with customers about their needs and pain points. “I realized that if you look at the audio chain, microphones and speakers had really been moving forward, but I found huge amounts of frustration with the middle bit: the processing side,” says Pierce. “I think I shared the frustrations, and when I was speaking to customers, it really resonated with me that this is something that we need to address.”
As an audio engineer himself, Pierce experienced these frustrations first-hand, as well. “Before my time with DPA, I was doing orchestral recording, and I was really frustrated with not being able to record with a portable rig,” he says. “And also for mixing—I was in a tiny space in London and I was quite frustrated with the solutions out there: the size and also the workflow of them.”
Pierce first started exploring the concept of a digitally controlled analog processing platform back in 2015. After parting with DPA and starting Karno in 2019, Pierce assembled a team and built the first prototype of what would eventually become SEPIA. By 2023, Karno was getting brands on board to develop modules for SEPIA. After two more years of parallel development, spreading the word at trade shows, and putting the system in the hands of real engineers for extensive field testing, Karno decided SEPIA was finally ready for the market.
The SEPIA platform consists of three components: the rackmount host unit, the modules that slot into it, and the software interface that controls it all. Each part of the system, from the physical dimensions and power requirements of the hardware to the digital backend and the intuitive GUI, has been engineered to deliver the ultimate combination of analog sound and digital precision.
The Karno L6 is the first of many planned SEPIA host units. Compatible with any full-depth 19” rack, the L6 features six slots divided into pairs to accommodate single or double-wide SEPIA modules. Under the hood, the L6 routes signals to and from the modules via a 100% analog signal path, effectively acting as a digitally controlled patch bay that allows you to configure signal chains and program settings on the fly.
The L6 host comes in three versions with different I/O. Each model features six XLR/TRS input jacks on the rear panel, plus your choice of analog or digital connectivity:
A robust power supply with built-in redundancy delivers discrete power to each slot, ensuring every module gets as much power as it needs (including power-hungry tube modules). “We wanted to make sure that we could deliver uncompromised, bespoke power to each module,” says Pierce. “That was something that was really, really important to us. Getting that variable power supply was very challenging because it switches at 400 kHz, and it has to be consistent.”
But all that power inevitably generates heat, and managing the L6’s thermals represented another major engineering challenge. To achieve a small form factor, the L6 relies on conductive cooling to transfer heat from the modules to the lid of the chassis, which is then cooled by 12 temperature-sensing fans (check out Karno’s tech deep dive to learn more). Abundant ventilation ports keep air moving, and the tapered rear of the unit allows unrestricted airflow even when multiple units are racked up together.
If that sounds like overkill, there’s a reason for it. The L6 is a heavy-duty unit designed to perform under the most extreme conditions. In fact, to put the system through its paces, Karno sent 14 racks of SEPIA out on the road with the Mary Poppins International Tour. “We wanted the product on a tour in a harsh environment for a long time,” says Pierce. “We wanted to know what happens after it's been on tour for nine months, where it's been kicked around and subject to vibration. These are all the things that we wanted to know, because we really want it to arrive and meet people's expectations.”
While the L6 host is the heart of the system, the modules are where the magic happens. Currently, Karno offers 22 SEPIA modules from 15 manufacturers, with more under development. Many of these are well-known circuits that already existed as rackmount units or console channel strips, but some are bespoke processors created specifically for the SEPIA platform. Here’s the full list of SEPIA modules available at launch (subject to availability):
Creating a SEPIA module is a collaborative effort between Karno and the original manufacturer. Karno provides the hardware specifications and assists with implementing the digital control aspects, while the manufacturer is responsible for building the actual module. This means that when you buy the SEPIA version of a product like the Universal Audio 1176, you’re getting the exact same transformers, transistors, and signal path as the original unit, just without the physical controls.
SEPIA modules interface with the L6 via a digital interface built on open standards and established audio protocols, allowing the user to control various hardware parameters like gain, compression, and saturation via a browser-based GUI that talks to the host’s firmware. “We have something we call AEQUOREA, which is an engine that takes in multiple protocols from one side—AES70, OSC, HUI, MIDI, EUCON, and some advanced integration with consoles like the S6L—and spits it into different digital control protocols internally inside the modules, so the module manufacturers can build whatever works best for them,” Pierce explains.
Because all of the routing and processing happens inside the host unit, every aspect of a SEPIA system can be controlled from any computer, tablet, or smartphone connected to the local network. The sleek and well-designed user interface makes it easy to drag and drop modules into Paths: custom signal chains that you can populate and rearrange just like loading plugins in a DAW (and yes, there’s a SEPIA plug-in as well).
SEPIA allows you to freely route any input to any output (including internal insert points on select modules), and you can even connect multiple hosts via Ethernet to create a fully interconnected system. Once you’ve configured your Paths, you can switch between them on the fly, and SEPIA automatically recalls all of your routing and settings.
For example, with two L6 hosts fully loaded with a variety of mono and stereo modules, you could have one preset for recording eight channels of drums (including a couple of EQs and compressors) and quickly switch to an all-analog vocal chain at the press of a button. When it’s time to mix, you can freely use all of your modules in your DAW mix, and even configure a stereo master bus chain for that final bit of polish. With all of your settings saved, you can easily recall any of those presets at any time, without fiddling with any knobs or buttons.
The L6 and its 22 modules are just the beginning, and Karno is already looking at ways to expand the SEPIA platform. “We want to expand the hosts to make sure that we appeal to as many people as possible, whether that be through price point or different form factors,” says Pierce.
Alongside SEPIA, Karno is also launching the Karno Beach Club, an online platform that tracks SEPIA statistics and rewards users with achievements and other bonuses. But it’s not just for fun—the aggregated telemetry data that Karno collects from the hardware will also provide valuable insight that will allow them to improve the platform, refine the user experience, and troubleshoot any recurring issues.
SEPIA hosts and modules are available now on Vintage King. To start building your SEPIA system or learn more about the platform, get in touch with a VK Audio Consultant today!
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