Axino Synergy Core looks similar to a USB microphone but in fact it is a versatile tool for recording, starting with an outstanding microphone in its own right, featuring a large, gold-spluttered diaphragm that delivers low self-noise. The cardioid pickup pattern minimizes background noise capture in favor of focusing on the sound source directly in front of the mic itself. And built inside this studio-grade microphone is also a preamp that is an hybrid of the renowned discrete preamps Antelope Audio uses in its professional audio interfaces and integrated circuit preamps.
The combination creates a compact, all-in-one studio-grade recording system, which also uses the most recent technology present in Antelope Audio’s top-of-the-line audio interfaces.
The new Axino Synergy Core was also designed for microphone modeling, which Antelope Audio has been successfully exploring in its most recent generation of studio products.
The Axino Synergy Core’s Modeling Engine enables access to 18 emulations of legendary microphones, ranging from dynamic designs to rare tube and FET (Field Effect Transistor) large-diaphragm condenser classics. This means that, starting from a large-diaphragm condenser capsule, users are able to select sound features from a some of the most famous studio microphones, from models that are named as direct references to the originals (without mentioning brands). These models can be applied in realtime during recording or when mixing in a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) and users can experiment with the flexibility and versatility on offer by choosing the microphone that best suits a particular project’s needs.
But before even opening the easy-to-use software control panel for macOS and Windows, the microphone itself offers Volume and HP (headphone) controls alongside a -10dB pad switch and a high-pass filter switch, which helps with taming the original sound source. After that analog input stage, the Axino Synergy Core effectively offers an entire audio interface built into the studio-grade microphone, with powerful DSP (Digital Signal Processing) and FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) processing, precise clocking, and superior AD/DA conversion.
According to Antelope Audio, the new Axino Synergy Core uses the same AFC technology from the company’s rackmount audio interfaces; in turn, this governs the AD/DA conversion to ensure a complete 24-bit/192 kHz audio path for playback and recording resolution — rare for a USB microphone. As the company adds, “it is this cutting-edge combination of clocking and conversion that forms the foundation upon which the exceptional sound so solidly rests.”
But since this a complete audio processing system that is able to support real-time microphone modeling, Antelope Audio also integrated its proprietary Synergy Core effects platform. With the Axino Synergy Core, users can apply effects during live tracking and monitor through them with next to no latency as all processing is done inside the microphone with no strain on the computer. CPU (Central Processing Unit) draining effects are offloaded, allowing Axino Synergy Core to offer a level of audio processing not typically possible with conventional USB microphones. Processing with the Synergy Core effects library during post-production and live streaming is also possible, by making use of the two stereo playback channels with effects strips and the included loopback functionality.
The Axino Synergy Core in fact comes complete with reverbs, EQ, filters, all sorts of dynamic processing, and direct emulation of famous studio preamps and effects. Users can also add more effects from the expanding library of 80-plus effects already available, all created using the company’s hardware modeling approach, and which includes some of the most hard-to-find analog studio equipment. Also available are third-party effects like Auto-Tune Synergy — a custom-designed plug-in that leverages the next-generation hardware acceleration of the Synergy Core platform to deliver the legendary Auto-Tune pitch correction and vocal effects with ultra-low latency — and Instinct Synergy audio processing tools from Inertia Sound Systems. These effect Expansions start at $55.00 USD, and are available from Antelope Audio’s Software Store.
Merging modeling microphone and audio interface innovations, the Axino Synergy Core also comes with custom-built audio drivers for macOS and Windows, optimized for streaming and playback, as well as low-latency recording, while the software control panel permits easy access to settings configuration, signal routing, and effects processing.
The microphones comes complete with USB cable, shock-mount, and stand, available from Q2 2021 at a projected price of $399.00 USD/EUR.
www.antelopeaudio.com
