Why did you choose Zen Tour from Antelope Audio over any other device?
When I initially reviewed the Zen Tour, I didn’t know exactly what to expect, as this was my first encounter with Antelope Audio. Honestly, I was very reluctant to switch my I/O at the time, and so I only used it as an external ADAT device to sort of “test the waters.”. But my eureka moment was just that! Using the Antelope as the master clock with my UA interface. I couldn’t believe how clear the low-end sounded. This caused me to redo my entire mixing rig! haha.
Since then, the Zen Tour has become my master clock, converter, and monitor control. Really, it’s a no brainer…
When I travel, as I often do, I take my Zen Tour along with my compact iLouds so I can mix anywhere in the world. The portability of the Zen Tour allows me to work on music projects while away from my studio and still deliver amazing results.
What has become your absolute favorite thing about Zen Tour since you’ve started using it?
Apart from the sound quality, I really enjoy the flexibility of the Control Panel. I can easily route iTunes into Pro Tools for capturing reference tracks when I’m mixing. The size and portability is good for traveling. Lastly, the AFX plugins are more used these days than my analog hardware.
Why would you recommend Zen Tour to other users?
When you compare the specs between the Zen Tour and other Antelope Interfaces, they’re on the same caliber! The main difference is that the Zen Tour is more of a desktop design than a rackmount I/O. Most people perceive that if an interface costs less than $5,000, then it’s inferior. But this is not the case with Antelope Audio.
What do you think about the real-time FPGA AFX? Which are your Top 5 FX from Antelope?
Watch my videos 😉
My favorite plug-in chain for vocals is the BAE1073 through the TUBE76. It’s fantastic sounding! The Pultec models are very musical sounding and work great on drums. Probably the most under-rated is the STU 169. It’s so smooth sounding and works great even for mastering.
Can you share one of your life experiences?
In 2017, I was invited to host a Mixing and Mastering workshop in Chennai, India. This was a life changing experience for me that broadened my world view. Apart from the travel time (20hrs+ flight and 14hr time difference), it gave me a first look into a whole different culture. India is so filled with color, flavor, and musical diversity. There is a vast pool of talented composers and musicians whom I had the privilege to learn from and continue to work with. As expected, I brought my Zen Tour and iLouds, bypassing their mixing setup. Everyone was blown away at the sound quality of the AFX plugins.
Have you already used the AFX in any of your projects? Please share which AFX and for which projects?
Absolutely! I started using AFX during the album mix for B-L’Attitude (a dynamic hip hop duo)
The Nisabdham album, that I mixed and mastered.
As well as new movie releases Kapata Nataka Pathradhaari
Watch Alex Solano’s Mix Breakdown videos
