Antelope Audio ZENTOUR Owner`s manual

Owner’s Manual

Portable Thunderbolt™ / USB Audio Interface

www.AntelopeAudio.com

Contents

1. Safety Notes 5

2. Introduction 6

3. Features 7

4. Installation Guide 8

5. Activation Guide 9

6. Front Panel Explained 10

7. Rear Panel Explained 11

8. Touchscreen Explained 12

9. Software Control Panel 17

10. In the Box 24

11. Troubleshooting 24

12. Technical Specifications 26

13. Antelope Audio Support Resources 28

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1. Safety Notes

• To reduce the risk of electrical shocks, fire, and related hazards:

• Do not remove screws, cover, or cabinet. There are no user serviceable parts inside.
Refer servicing to qualified service personnel.

• Do not expose this device to rain, moisture or spillover of liquid of any kind.

• Should any form of liquid or a foreign object enter the device, do not use it. Unplug
it from the power source. Do not operate the device again until the foreign object is
removed or the liquid has completely dried and its residues fully cleaned up. If in doubt,
please consult the manufacturer.

• Do not handle the power cables with wet hands!

• Avoid placing things on the cabinet or using the device in a narrow and poorly ventilated
place which could affect its operation or the operation of other closely located
components.

• If anything goes wrong unplug the power. Do not attempt to repair the device yourself.
Consult authorized service personnel or your dealer instead.

• Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, stoves, or other apparatus
(including amplifiers) that produce heat.

• Do not use harsh chemicals to clean your unit. Clean only with specialized cleaners for
electronics equipment.

• Connect all your devices before powering your unit.

• DC power supply cable should be routed so that it is not likely to be walked on or
squeezed by items placed upon or against it.

• To completely turn off the device, unplug the power cable first from the outlet and then
from the rear panel of the unit.

• The device is designed to operate in a temperate environment, with a correct Operating
Temperature of 0-50° C, 32-122° F.

• During Firmware updates all peripherals must be turned off or disconnected from the
unit. Only a direct USB / Thunderbolt™ connection to your computer and the power
supply should remain active. Ensure you have a stable Internet connection and the USB
/ Thunderbolt™ cable you are using is maximum 3 meters long.

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2. Introduction

Thank you for purchasing Zen Tour from Antelope Audio.

Producing your own music has become the contemporary equivalent of writing poetry.
Current technologies have made sound recording as easy as grabbing a pen and pouring
your feelings on paper. However, unlike the solitude writing requires, music creation is
usually a shared experience. A simple two or four-channel audio interface is no longer
enough. A cool, creative jam with friends will require at least eight channels, packed in a
portable interface that could easily fit in a backpack.

With Zen Tour we are pushing the envelope once again. Antelope is offering not just a
portable Thunderbolt™ & USB audio interface, but a pro piece, easily covering the needs of
a small band. Zen Tour comes with 4 switchable Mic/Line inputs and 4 more Hi-Z/Line ins.
Two reamp outs and a Talkback button on the front panel put it in the spotlight of portable
tabletop interfaces.

Zen Tour borrows the powerful Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) from Antelope Audio’s
top-selling pro studio devices. This game-changing technology provides the interface with
massive parallel processing capabilities and the lowest latency levels on the market. In Zen
Tour portability meets studio power like in no other device. No longer will portable interface
stand for a starting point for your career, Antelope turned Zen Tour in a powerful tool for
growing huge in the crazy music business!

The custom FPGA is a rock-solid platform for creating multiple, zero latency mixes and
applying an exciting stack of effects. Forget about buying expensive plug-ins – Zen Tour
offers something better. Get creative with Antelope’s brand new hardware-based guitar amp
& cab simulations, recreations of legendary studio gear, the extremely versatile AuraVerb
reverb and our own EQ and compressor. The FPGA effects offer unbeatable authenticity and
audio realism, comparable only to the sound and behavior of legendary hardware gear.

Zen Tour control is now literally at your fingertips via the intuitive touchscreen. The OS X
and Windows compatible software control panel follows Antelope’s innovative concept for
networking. You can now manage all Zen Tour features from multiple computers in the same
network. Did we mention iOS and Android mobile apps will allow you to access all Zen Tour
features from your smartphone or tablet?

While other portable interfaces have to choose between giving you a decent amount of I/O
channels or high-end DSP effects Zen Tour is better at both! With the 4 switchable Mic/Line
and 4 Hi-Z/Line ins now come 8 analog outs, digital I/O on ADAT & S/PDIF, two independent
headphone amps and two separate pairs of monitor outs. The FPGA powered Thunderbolt™
and custom USB make the device lightning fast and compatible with any DAW on the
market.

Enjoy working with the new Zen Tour!

All the best,

The Antelope Team

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3. Features

• 1x Custom USB 2.0 Type-B Connector

• 1x Thunderbolt™ Gen1

• 4x Mic / Line In on TRS / XLR combo

• 4x Hi-Z / Line In on TRS

• 8x Line Out on DB25 (8 channels)

• 2x ReAmp Outs on TRS

• 2x HP Outs on TRS

• 2x Monitor Line Out on 1/4 TRS stereo jacks (L/R CHs) for pair of stereo monitors

• 1x S/PDIF I/O on 2x RCA

• 2x ADAT I/O on Fiber optic

• 1x TALKBACK Mic

• 1x 3.5” high resolution TFT display (262 000 colors) with capacitive touchscreen
panel

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4. Installation Guide

Connect the DC power source on the rear panel.

Windows:

1. Connect the USB cable to the USB port on your computer.

2. Download the Zen Tour launcher from www.antelopeaudio.com/products/zen-tour/.

3. Start the application, the launcher will automatically download
the Software Control Panel.

4. Open your Control Panel by double clicking and follow the device activation procedure.

5. Connect your inputs and outputs of choice to Zen Tour.

6. Open your preferred DAW and ensure the device is selected as an input and output.

Note Make sure your Zen Tour has the most recent firmware installed. Check this by
selecting the Options panel and clicking on the Firmware Update button.

Mac OS:

1. Connect the Thunderbolt™ (TB) or the USB cable to the TB or USB port on your
computer.

2. Download the Zen Tour launcher from www.antelopeaudio.com/products/zen-tour/.

3. Start the application, the launcher will automatically download the Software Control
Panel.

4. Open your Control Panel by double clicking and follow the device activation procedure.

5. Connect your inputs and outputs of choice to Zen Tour.

6. Open your preferred DAW and ensure the device is selected as an input and output.

Note Make sure your Zen Tour has the most recent firmware installed. Check this by
selecting the Options panel and clicking on the Firmware Update button.

See picture:

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5. Activation Guide

It is essential to activate Zen Tour before using it. Once the DC power source is plugged and
the device is connected to your computer via USB or Thunderbolt™ follow the steps below:

1. Navigate to www.antelopeaudio.com/products/zen-tour/.

2. Download the Zen Tour Launcher.

3. Start the application (If you are on a PC install the launcher). The launcher will
automatically download the Software Control Panel.

4. You will be greeted by an Activation Screen. If you already have an Antelope Audio
account click on “Use existing Antelope ID”. Enter your information and click Continue.

If you don’t have an Antelope Audio account please enter a user ID, e-mail and
password, then click Done.

Check your email for the activation link mail and click on it. If the email does not appear
in your Inbox, please check your Spam folder.

5. Go back to the launcher and enter the required information. Click Done.

6. You’re good to go!

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6. Front Panel Explained

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1. 4 Line / Instruments (Hi-Z) Inputs

Inputs suitable for connecting instruments such as bass or guitar to Zen Tour.

2. 2 Headphone Outputs

Two independently assignable headphone outputs, selectable and controllable via the
main volume control knob. Which headphone output is currently controlled will be
indicated on the touchscreen display.

3. 2 Reamp Outputs

These outputs are direct outputs that should be used with guitar amplifiers for
re-amping.

4. High resolution “capacitive touch” TFT display

Multi function touchscreen that displays various information and control options.

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5. Gain Button

Press to adjust the volume level of Zen Tour using the Rotary Control Knob.

6. Headhone Select

Press to switch between the two headphone outputs and adjust their volume levels.

7. Antelope Function Button

Accesses various menus in combination with other buttons.

8. Talkback Button

Press the talkback button to activate the talkback microphone. This can be distributed
to the selected headphones and/or monitors using the software control panel or the
touchscreen.

9. Rotary Cotrol Knob

Big knob for monitor outs, line outs or HP volume control. By pressing it you can Mute
the selected output.

10. ADAT Inputs and Outputs

2 Inputs & 2 Outputs (up to 8 channels per line).

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