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Zen Q
User`s manual
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Antelope Audio Zen Q User`s manual

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CONTENTS
BEFORE YOU BEGIN ........................................................................................................................................ 4
System Requirements ................................................................................................................................. 6
ONLINE ACTIVATION INSTRUCTIONS ........................................................................................................ 7
SETTING UP .................................................................................................................................................... 10
Configuring for Windows 10 .................................................................................................................... 10
Configuring for macOS (10.14 and later) ............................................................................................... 11
Daisy Chaining ............................................................................................................................................. 14
Bus power ..................................................................................................................................................... 14
‘Devices’ tab ................................................................................................................................................. 15
'Plug-ins’ tab ................................................................................................................................................ 18
'System’ tab ................................................................................................................................................. 19
HARDWARE PANELS EXPLAINED.............................................................................................................. 22
Top Panel ...................................................................................................................................................... 22
Control Menu ........................................................................................................................................... 23
System Menu .......................................................................................................................................... 24
Fron t Pa n el ...................................................................................................................................................25
Rear Panel .................................................................................................................................................... 26
CONTROL PANEL APPLICATION .............................................................................................................. 30
Quick Start .................................................................................................................................................. 30
Mouse & Keyboard Shortcuts ................................................................................................................ 33
Main View ..................................................................................................................................................... 33
Settings Window ....................................................................................................................................... 34
Monitors & Headphones view ................................................................................................................. 43
Synergy Core FX Rack ......................................................................................................................... 45
Digital Outs view ........................................................................................................................................ 48
DAW I/O view ............................................................................................................................................. 49
AuraVerb ....................................................................................................................................................... 51
ED
GE & VERGE MIC EMULATIONS........................................................................................................... 56
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Getting Started ...................................................................................................................................... 56
Edge Solo .................................................................................................................................................... 58
Edge Duo ..................................................................................................................................................... 59
Verge .............................................................................................................................................................. 61
CUSTOMER SUPPORT INFORMATION ..................................................................................................... 63
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................................................... 75
Antelope Audio Zen Q Synergy Core User Manual
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BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Congratulations on your purchase! We would like to turn your attention to the following:
Z
en Q Synergy Core unites next-gen technology with traditional console-grade circuitry.
Antelope Audio’s signature sound quality comes from professional AD/DA conversion,
Discrete ultra-linear preamps, and 64-bit AFC™ clocking. Empowered with the same core
technologies driving high-end interfaces like the Orion Studio and the Galaxy 64 Synergy
Core, home engineers and artists can raise their productions to a new level without getting up
from their desk.
The interface is bundled with 37 analog-modeled effects to emulate a studio stocked with the
rarest analog gear. The Synergy Core platform grants immersive control of iconic equalizers,
dynamic processors, guitar amps, reverb, and more. In addition, over 50 optional expansions
are available through Antelope Audio’s Software Store.
The PC/Mac Control Panel application is the ultimate “mediator” between the Zen Q Synergy
Core and your preferred DAW. To take complete advantage of the unit’s capabilities, you are
meant to handle tasks like gain adjustments, signal routing, effects processing, basic mixing
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and metering from its intuitive, single-window environment. The resulting audio is routed into
your DAW for recording in any format of your choice.
Thus, we encourage you to familiarize yourself with the
before you begin working. Several 'Quick Start' examples are provided as well. This way, you
can overcome common stumbling blocks for users new to Antelope Audio products.
Should you ever find yourself struggling, do not hesitate to contact our
team over phone, live chat and our ticket system. You can also visit
Yo uTu b e and explore our video tutorials or join the Antelope Audio Users Facebook group and
ask for advice. The
We hope you will enjoy working with the Zen Q Synergy Core.
Knowledge Base is also a valuable source of information.
'Control Panel Application' chapter
Customer Support
Antelope Audio on
Best wishes,
Team Antelope
Antelope Audio Zen Q Synergy Core User Manual
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System Requirements

Mac
• Apple Mac 2016 or newer with Thunderbolt 3 (Ty pe -C) port.
• Minimum: Mac OS X 10.13 High Sierra. Recommended: Mac OS X 11.02
Big Sur
• Available storage space (Minimum 4 GB)
• Memory (RAM): 4 GB minimum (8 GB or more recommended)
Windows:
• PC computer with Thunderbolt 3 (Type-C) port.
• Windows 10 (64-bit) with latest Microsoft Updates
• Available storage space (Minimum 4 GB)
• Memory (RAM): 4 GB minimum (8 GB or more recommended)
• CPU: Intel Core i3™ or AMD Ryzen (Higher recommended)
Additional Information:
• Stable Internet connection is required to download and update your
Antelope Audio Software
Antelope Audio Zen Q Synergy Core User Manual
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ONLINE ACTIVATION INSTRUCTIONS

Please note that the mandatory device activation procedure requires an active Internet
connection on your computer. Activating an Antelope Audio device offline is not possible.
Your Zen Q Synergy Core must be activated online to work. This chapter contains the
necessary instructions:
1. Connect the Zen Q Synergy Core to a Windows or macOS computer using a Thunderbolt™
3 cable.
Important:
The Zen Q Synergy Core is bus-p no external power is necessary. Note that legacy Thunderbolt™ 2 and 1 connections via external adapters are incompatible due to insufficient power delivery. The Zen Q Synergy Core is compatible only with Thunderbolt™ 3.
Read how to identify the ports on your Mac
2.O
pen your internet browser and navigate to
3. L
ogin to the Antelope Audio user area with your e-mail and password. If you don't have a
ccount, visit
a
4. Click on the 'Activate New Device' button.
https://en.antelopeaudio.com/sign-up/ to create one.
owered from your computer's Thunderbolt™ port and
https://en.antelopeaudio.com/login/
n
ick on 'Zen Q Synergy Core' from the device list.
5.Cl
6
wnload and install the Antelope Launcher application for Windows or macOS.
. Do
7.Open the Antelope Launcher application and click on the 'Login' button. Enter the e-
mail and password you used to login into the Antelope Audio user area and click 'Login'.
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8. Go
to the "System" menu. Select the latest Bundle Version in the Antelope Unified Driver
field. Place a checkmark in the empty box and click on update. Wait until the installation is
complete.
9. Click on 'Activate device'.
Note: If the Zen Q Synergy Core does not appear in the 'Devices' tab, click on 'Not seeing your
device?' and follow the on-screen instructions.
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10. In the Antelope Management Wizard window, choose 'Activate device or assign features'
and click 'Continue'.
11.In the subsequent window, place a checkmark next to 'Register device' and click 'Continue'.
12.Upon successful activation, the final window will read 'Congratulations! You have
successfully activated your device.' Click 'Done' and the activation is finished.
Please proceed with the 'Setting up' chapter below to configure the Zen Q Synergy Core for
use with your Windows or macOS computer.
Note: The Zen Q Synergy Core will be listed in the 'My Hardware' page of the Antelope Audio
user area with its serial number and activation date.
If you encounter difficulties during the driver installation process, download the Windows or
macOS driver and complete the installation process manually.
Windows Users Only
If you are a Windows user, please download and install the Voicemeeter application to enable
Windows audio with your unified Thunderbolt driver. You can find the application here:
https://vb-audio.com/Voicemeeter/
If you are experiencing Device Time Out Error, problems with your device update on Windows,
please update via Golden Boot. We have identified that due to Windows configuration issues,
the operating system does not auto refresh the device status when update is attempted over
Thunderbolt on Windows. Due to this reason the device does time out, and it’s needed to be
updated via Golden Boot. To perform Golden Boot:
1.Unplug your Thunderbolt cable from your device Thunderbolt port
2.Hold-down Gain + HP Buttons on your interface
3.
g the Thunderbolt cable back to your port and release the buttons.
Plu
4. Device will display Loader Golden Boot. Open the Launcher and proceed with your update.
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SETTING UP

After online activation is complete, please update the Zen Q Synergy Core to the latest
software and firmware versions available. To do this, simply open Antelope Launcher and click
the 'Update' button below the 'Bundle Version' drop-down menu.
A
fter the update is complete, you can proceed with the instructions for your operating system.

Configuring for Windows 10

Windows 10 needs a few tweaks to get the Zen Q Synergy Core up and running:
1. Enter the ‘Sounds’ options window from the Control Panel; or right-click the speaker icon in
the system tray and choose ‘Open Sound settings’.
2. Make sure the Zen Q Synergy Core is chosen under 'Output' and 'Input':
● Under 'Output', the interface should be listed as 'ZenQ SC TB Audio Driver Playback
1/2'.
● Under 'Input', the device should be listed as 'ZenQ SC TB Audio Driver Recording 1/2'.
. Clic
3
4. Enter the ‘Supported Formats’ tab and place checkmarks next to all the available sample
rates.
k 'Device Properties' under 'Output'. Then, click 'Additional Device Properties'.
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5. Enter the ‘Enhancements’ tab and disable all enhancements.
6. Enter the ‘Advanced’ tab and choose any of the available “2 channel, 24-bit” modes from
the drop-down menu. Click ‘OK’ to close the window.
7. Back in Sound settings, click 'Device Properties' under 'Input'. Then, click 'Additional Device
Properties'. Enter the 'Enhancements' tab and disable all enhancements. Click 'OK' to close
the window.
Tips
● If you are experiencing interruptions or failure when using your DAW and trying to
playback audio from your OS at the same time, make sure that the device sample rate
matches the one of your DAW session.
● In some cases, disabling the ‘Exclusive mode’ functionality from the ‘Advanced’ tabs
might help when running multiple playback applications at the same time.
● Disabling the 32kHz sample rate isn’t mandatory, but it might help in general.
Further Reading
●
Antelope Audio Knowledge Base - Windows 10 Optimization

Configuring for macOS (10.14 and later)

The security settings in macOS (10.14 and later) may result in no input signal reaching your
DAW, despite having everything set up correctly.
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These steps apply when you are using the Zen Q Synergy Core in a DAW for the first time:
1. Launch your DAW and choose Zen Q Synergy Core as the input device. The following dialog
box will appear (if using Ableton Live 10 Suite, for example):
2. C
lick 'OK' and your DAW should function normally.
However, if the events above did not occur for some reason, or you are using multiple DAWs,
you must do a manual tweak for each
1. Click the 'Apple' symbol and choose 'System Preferences'. Head to the 'Security & Privacy'
ttings menu.
se
2. Click the 'Privacy' tab. In the column on the left, choose ‘Microphone’. Make sure there's a
checkmark next to any DAW you want to use.
in 'Security & Privacy' settings:
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Note: You may have to click the padlock symbol in the bottom left corner and enter your
password to make changes.
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THUNDERBOLT™ 3 FUNCTIONALITY

The Zen Q Synergy Core's Thunderbolt™ 3 connection enables the following functionality:
Daisy Chaining Thunderbolt™ 3 can “daisy chain” devices. Daisy chaining means that one device can plug into
the end of a chain of devices, one after the other. A basic example would be connecting the
Zen Q Synergy Core to an external hard drive with two Thunderbolt™ 3 ports. One port is
occupied by the unit while the other connects to a computer or another Thunderbolt™ 3
device in the chain.
The following rules are in place:
1. The Thunderbolt™ 3 specification places a limit of up to 6 devices per chain. However, the 6-
device limit does not apply to the following Apple computers:
• 2018 MacBook Pro or later
• 2018 Mac mini or later
• 2017 iMac Pro or later
These machines have dual Thunderbolt™ 3 busses and support up to 12 devices per chain.
2. Each device must be powered on for subsequent devices to operate.
3. The device powering the Zen Q Synergy Core must output a minimum of 5V (3A) electrical
current through Thunderbolt™.
4. If a USB or DisplayPort device is plugged directly into the Typ e-C connector downstream
from any device, the Thunderbolt™ daisy chain is terminated at that point.
5. As Thunderbolt™ bandwidth is shared between daisy chained devices, the available
bandwidth for each device inevitably decreases. Therefore, Antelope Audio cannot guarantee
optimal performance in each and every daisy chain configuration possible.
Bus power The Zen Q Synergy Core is bus-powered from your computer's Thunderbolt™ port. No
external power is necessary.
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ANTELOPE LAUNCHER

The Antelope Launcher is a streamlined hub for managing and troubleshooting your Antelope
Audio products. The application is organized into the following tabs:

‘Devices’ tab

All Antelope Audio devices currently connected to your computer are listed in this section. The
application functionality is identical for each Antelope device.
The following functionality is available in the 'Devices' tab:
Device
Click the black field to enter a name for your device. The device serial number is used by
default. Erasing the name and clicking outside the field reverts to the serial number.
Bundle Version
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By default, this drop-down menu shows the most recent software bundle available for your
device. To update the software or roll-back to an older build, choose the desired Bundle
Version from the drop-down menu and click the ‘Update’ button.
The bundle version includes the following software packages:
Device Firmware
Device Software Control Panel
Device Drivers
Start Control Panel
Click to start the device’s Control Panel application. You can also click the device’s picture.
Place a check mark next to ‘Autorun Control Panel’ to have the Control Panel for a specific
device launch automatically when you open Antelope Launcher.
Note: Feel free to bypass any operating system prompts, such as Windows Firewall.
Manage Device
Click to launch the Antelope Management Wizard. Use it to register/de-register devices and
assign/un-assign features (such as AFX2DAW, Synergy Core FX, and so on).
Device Info
Click to display the following information (useful for troubleshooting):
• Serial number
• Hardware version
• Firmware version
• Control Panel version
• USB/Thunderbolt ™ driver version
• Software Bundle version
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Click again to close.
Not seeing your device?
If a device is missing from the list, the most common reason is driver conflict. The Antelope
Launcher makes it easy to re-install drivers and troubleshoot. Click 'Not seeing your device?'
to launch the 'Add Drivers' wizard.
Choose your device and connection type from the drop-down menus, disconnect the device
from your computer, and click ‘Next’ to perform a driver re-install.
Note: If the issue persists, please contact Antelope Audio Customer Support.
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'Plug-ins’ tab

This section lets you install, update, and uninstall Antelope Audio software such as native mic
emulations and AFX2DAW.
By default, the Bundle Version drop-down menus show the most recent software bundle
available for each product. Clicking the menu shows the currently installed software bundle
version and lets you roll-back to an older build.
To update or change the installed software version, choose your desired Bundle Version, click
the check mark next to the drop-down menu, then click the ‘Update’ button on the bottom
right.
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'System’ tab

Here, you can do the following:
• Update or roll-back the Manager Server and Thunderbolt™ Driver versions. Choose
your desired Bundle Version from the drop-down menu, click the check mark, then
lick the ‘Update’ button on the bottom right.
c
• Restart the Manager Server and enable/disable remote connections from other
computers on your network.
• Install the Antelope Audio Thunderbolt™ driver. Choose a Bundle Version from the
rop-down menu, click the check mark, then click the ‘Update’ button.
d
o From this menu you can manually re-install the device driver if needed, without
updating the device bundle.
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Login button
Click and enter your Antelope Audio username and password, then click ‘Login’. If you don't
have an Antelope Audio account, click ‘Register’ and follow the on-screen instructions.
Settings button
Click to open the Settings window.
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Here, you can do the following:
• Click ‘View Logs’ to view, save, and send activity logs to Antelope Audio Customer
Support.
• Click 'Advanced' to enable or disable automatic updates for each of the following:
- Device firmware
- USB Driver
- Control Panel
- Effects
- Thunderbolt™ driver
Make your selection(s) in the drop-d
• Click ‘Network’ to view network status and logs.
own menu(s) and click 'OK'.
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HARDWARE PANELS EXPLAINED

To p Pa n e l

1. Display
The display provides the following information:
• Gain/Volume metering for up to three inputs and outputs e.g. Analog inputs (inputs
1 - 2), S/PDIF inputs (channels 1 - 2) and HP1 output (L/R channels).
• Current clock source - Internal, S/PDIF, ADAT.
• Lock indicator - lights up when the unit is 'locked' to a digital audio and clock
source.
• Current device sample rate e.g. 32kHz - 192kHz.
Note: The display is not touch-sensitive.
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2. Function Keys - Gain, HP/MON, Antelope button.
'Gain' button - the 'Gain' button features the following functionality:
• Press (and keep pressing) 'Gain' to cycle through input gain adjustments for the
interface's analog inputs. For inputs A1 and A2, press and hold the rotary control to
activate or deactivate 48V phantom power. For inputs G1 and G2, press the rotary
control to switch between Line and Hi-Z mode. Turn the rotary control to adjust
put gain. Press the 'Antelope button' to exit.
in
• Press and hold 'Gain' to enter the Control Menu.

Control Menu

Turn the rotary control to navigate the menu and select an entry. Press the rotary control
to enter the sub-menu for the entry. Turn the rotary control to browse the available
options and make adjustments. Press the rotary control to confirm.
T
he Control Menu has the following entries:
• Power OFF - press the rotary control to enter standby. Press again to wake the
device.
• Clock Source - choose the clock source (Internal, S/PDIF, ADAT).
• Sample Rate - choose the device sample rate (32kHz - 192kHz). Make sure your
choice always matches the DAW and operating system sample rates.
• Monitor Trim - choose an audio signal trim value for the monitor outputs (14dBu -
20dBu). By default, this option is set to 20dBu. Trim can be used to compensate
for the perceived volume differences between two or more sets of speakers so that
they produce the same perceived volume level.
• Line Out Trim - choose an audio signal trim value for the monitor outputs (14dBu -
20dBu). By default, this option is set to 20dBu.
Pr
ess the 'Antelope button' to exit the Control Menu.
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'HP/MON' button - the 'HP/MON button' features the following functionality:
• Press (and keep pressing) 'HP/MON' to cycle through volume adjustments for the
Headphone (HP1, HP2), Monitor, and Line outputs. Turn the rotary control to adjust
volume. Press the rotary control to mute and un-mute. Press the 'Antelope button'
to exit.
• Press and hold the 'HP/MON' button to enter the System Menu.

System Menu

Turn the rotary control to navigate the menu and select an entry. Press the rotary control
to enter the sub-menu for the entry. Turn the rotary control to browse the available
choices and make adjustments. Press the rotary control to confirm.
The System Menu has the following entries:
• Device Info - display the device's serial number, hardware revision and firmware
version. This information is useful when contacting Customer Support. Turn the
rotary control to return to the System Menu.
• Scr Save Time - choose how long it takes for the display's screensaver to appear
when the unit is idle. The choices range between 'Off' (screensaver disabled) and
up to 120 minutes. We recommend choosing the shortest duration of time you are
comfortable with to prevent display burn-in.
• Scr Save Style - choose the screensaver style (Star or Black).
• Factory Reset - press the rotary control to restore the unit to its factory default
settings. This is useful for troubleshooting and is also a quick way to erase presets.
Press the 'Antelope button' to exit the Control Menu.
'Antelope button' - when inside a menu, press the button to exit the menu.
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