Is This The Best Desktop Audio Interface?

[@_JohnnySav]

Good video, I just subbed! Drop your PC specs!

[@JayLeonardJ]

Had it for a while, but it is still going strong: Windows 10 Pro, Intel Xeon E5-1650 v4 (6 Core 3.6GHz), 48GB ECC Ram, Nvidia GTX-1070ti GPU. Cubase 11 for my audio recording and editing.

[@honorificasouto5907]

u65

[@mrdoomsy]

Hands down one of the best reviews I’ve seen. You are direct, and to the point offering the absolute most useful information without any filler. Your points (pros and cons) are unbiased and useful. I just got one after watching this video. Thanks for the killer review 😎

[@JayLeonardJ]

Really appreciate it :)

[@radcowley]

i"m die hard apogee. all about that conversion. but i will definitely consider this since you came from an ensemble. I love the bigger analog i/o in comparison to the Symphony desktop. adds a lot of value. thank you for sharing.

[@judgegroovyman]

Answer: The number one feature I want in an audio interface is low noise because with the first two interfaces I used the noise in this situation was unusable. Right now I've got a Boss GT001 and its great and super low noise and totally usable, but I also got an Audient Evo in the mail today which is rumored to be even lower noise! Great video thank you! BTW the second feature I want in an interface is small size :)

[@Supperconductor]

#1 feature for me: Intuitive to use I need to be able to fully use it directly without any external apps.

[@jamesrobinson529]

The most important thing that I look for in and audio interface is latency. Latency issues can really kill a groove.

[@JayLeonardJ]

Yeah: direct monitoring interfaces are a godsend!

[@stauride2793]

@@JayLeonardJ do you recommand the uad interfaces aswell?

[@edmundowarnke4378]

@@stauride2793 8

[@budgetguitarist]

I really enjoy your channel, and I love the enthusiasm you put into your vidoes! This product, though.... Soooo it's around $1,500 and it has 4 mic preamps and 4 line inputs. But it can run plugins. Obviously I'm not in the target audience for this device. The diminishing law of returns in the audio world is absolutely brutal! But if ya got the money, I say go for it!

[@JayLeonardJ]

Definitely, high end audio gear can take you to some pretty crazy places!!! I always try to make a specific list of NEEDS (and maybe 1 or 2 WANTS, haha) when I shop for new studio gear and try to turn a blind eye all the other really shiny and amazing options that might be beyond what my studio is actually ready for :)

[@ArrakisOCE]

Is this still the only interface with enough instrument level I/O to run pedals before and after amp-sims in the DAW??

[@StephanPaul]

The Zen Go is excellent in terms of specifications, but the experience is a bit different in practice. I bought one for Christmas. I'm experiencing a constant electrical buzz and interference. I've tried connecting it to my MacBook Pro M1, directly to a socket, to an external battery, and I even took it to work to try it in a different environment, but I still get this buzz. It's unusable for daily use. I think I'm going to return it.

[@ruslanklymenko1019]

thanks for honest answer! I was planning to get one also but the amount of bad comments is the thing that stops me..

[@Fedbo]

I have a question: when you mention the great functionality of the clock, how do you notice that? What's the difference between a good clock and a class leading one?

[@loudane9962]

The apogee symphony desktop kicks the shit out of this

[@Krishanu]

with no line outputs? you must be new to this field.

[@escapeentropy]

I'm just returned the Apogee symphony desktop today because of the unit itself made a shrill sound, thin sound very annoying. I tried to stand with it on the table for a few days but I couldn't. So the unit not the signal.

[@glennzone]

Really great review, and a really great reviewer ! Most important to me is low latency, but the quality has to be there, all around.

[@amonchhetri1053]

is zen tour desktop and zen tour synergy core same? and also the price..

[@robertsimpson5801]

I own the older model of that interface; the non-Synergy Core Zen Tour. It is a great interface with a boat load great features that make it much more powerful than other competitive products. I like it so much that I invested in a Goliath HD! :)

[@JayLeonardJ]

Wow, the Goliath is a monster.. That is one SERIOUS studio upgrade!

[@gonzalomonteiro]

How do you compare the AD DA conversion from zentour to the Goliath ?

[@robertsimpson5801]

@@gonzalomonteiro they are practically identical! I actually did more recording on a recent commercial EP with the Zen Tour than I did with the Goliath HD just because the project required me to do more mobile recording, and the project turned out fantastic!

[@gonzalomonteiro]

@@robertsimpson5801 thanks for sharing your experience! I also have the old zentour and I am very happy with it but at the same time I was thinking if I should upgrade it or not… In that case iam not changing it yet:)

[@robertsimpson5801]

@@gonzalomonteiro the Zen Tour’s preamps really sound excellent. The only benefit that you get from upgrading to a larger interface like the Goliath HD is a slightly expanded feature set and quite a few more inputs, but the Zen Tour even has two sets of ADAT inputs, so you could expand your input count on it without upgrading interfaces. The Zen Tour seems to be one of the most properly supported interfaces by Antelope, too, so hopefully, they will continue to support it with drivers for many years!

[@WarrenPostma]

The arturia audiofuse series kicks this things ass.

[@loudane9962]

The symphony desktop makes this look like a piece of shit

[@stephenfellows5108]

@@loudane9962 I am actually debating between the symphony and this now. Do you still fell this way?

[@jonkomatsu8192]

Interesting! And digging the aloha shirt! Nuh-huh-hiiice!

[@JayLeonardJ]

Keeping it sunny in the studio, haha

[@3lackwoodmusic]

I have had mine for a few weeks and it absolutely destroys my old Apollo x4 in every way. 💯 best interface at this price point! Great video my dude 👌.

[@rishabhrawal19]

Hey i am planning to buy an interface and I am confused between x4 and zen tour. Whose dsp plugins sounded better to you?

[@3lackwoodmusic]

@@rishabhrawal19 I use a satellite so I use both uad and antelope plugins. Need more time with antelope plugs to make this call

[@dougleydorite]

I was looking into antelope but I’ve heard their stuff is buggy. Went with Apollo in Windows and guess what... buggy. Fml

[@3lackwoodmusic]

@@dougleydorite Ah I'm sorry to hear that. Ive definitely heard people having issues with windows. I can say I had huge issues with an X4 on mac and haven't had a single one with the zentour, if that helps.

[@rishabhrawal19]

@@3lackwoodmusic hey can u elaborate a bit u had on X4 with Mac As I own a windows dell xps15 And was switching to Mac just for universal audio Apollo x4. So u can save me money on 2 things here and it will be really appreciated as I know a universal audio guy at a high post so I can contact them and talk about it. Thanks!!

[@noelvox]

Fantastic review, waiting for mine to be delivered . The flexibility and quality of this device is insane! ...and no fear of running out of DSP when tracking. Can you use ADAT and SPDIF at the same time? I guess I'll find out when mine arrives but excited to know 😅

[@JayLeonardJ]

Yes you can :)

[@noelvox]

@@JayLeonardJ Awesome, thank you! the possibilities are endless with this.

[@wololeg]

most important for me is the noise floor

[@UTSONUT]

i care most about sound quality , converters, and next ease of use ( like less touch screen more knobs) and ofcourse pre amps, and the mixer software should be easy on the eye and easy to use thanks for this useful video? have you ever heard Lynx or Prism converters? how would you compare this unit to Lynx ?

[@chuquiii]

09:06 Dude!, I believe you, because you can play with style, means that probably your productions (havent heard anything) have a good taste

[@chaoswork612]

Hey @JayLeonardJ. Are reamp outs powerful enough to drive the amps in? I've seen some compliants that you need to break the volume up to the highest levels and even then they say reamp outs don't sound that powerful and similar to a conventional recording with guitar connected directly to the amp.

[@JayLeonardJ]

To be honest, I actually haven't tinkered with the re-amps too much. What I may recommend if you are feeling there is not enough output is, instead of just sending your output to the reamp channel, send your multiple instances of that output into a mix channel and send that mix channel to the reamp channel. That way you can keep stacking outputs together to give yourself more and more gain to send to the reamp. Good luck!

[@chaoswork612]

@@JayLeonardJ thanks a lot for the advice. I'll try it as soon as I but it. I'm just considering it as an option for the moment

[@futureaugraphy]

At this price range did you consider trying the Fractal Axe fx III or the Fm3? I think those tick a lot of the same boxes this thing does but also with great modeling software.

[@rjb7569]

Nice review, Jay. Got me thinking about riding an Antelope now...

[@loudane9962]

The symphony desktop is a little cheaper and blows this piece of shit out of the water.

[@escapeentropy]

@@loudane9962 I'm just returned the Apogee symphony desktop today because of the unit itself made a shrill sound, thin sound very annoying. I tried to stand with it on the table for a few days but I couldn't. So the unit not the signal.

[@ErnestoPossiSpanishVoiceOver]

Great tips and tricks!

[@bigdap100]

I want to try it out... I have an RME UFX, and an Apogee Element 46 but I want to try the Antelope Discrete 4...what’s good about Antelope that makes it a great choice??

[@ThePhantomOfHipHop]

its the new APOGEE SYMPHONY DESKTOP interface for me.. That's the best one right now.

[@JayLeonardJ]

I had an Apogee Ensemble back in the day. Great box :)

[@MikeHoltackers]

@@JayLeonardJ which do you prefer?

[@bigdap100]

Number 1 feature in an interface??? Conversion. Nothing like the sound of a vocal going through a Lavry or a Prism Sound Interface...it’s a lovely sound.

[@dcoverzsessions]

yes but what about the latency? how can you inspired if the sound is coming late? when you monitor with reverb?

[@GotBettaBeats]

Dope video bro. That benson amp is dope

[@18CC]

FIrst i looked for converters/price, so I bought Audient. Now i want play instruments with FX. I look for low latency and plugins. Antelope Looks to be the best on the market for a low budget of course.

[@shockwavestudios2958]

I use the antelope discrete 4 and it also is an amazing audio interface, I think zen tour is more the flagship though.

[@agency1000x]

still no live fx for pc users though.

[@Rhuggins]

troubleshooting for a month says it all really

[@agency1000x]

wait so PC finally get the live FX I thought that was mac only. when did that come out? Discreet 4 still doesn't have live fx for pc.

[@beerjackets1158]

I would be very glad if AFX2DAW works with window.

[@JayLeonardJ]

Yup, still waiting for that one: hopefully soon!

[@Mandingo_Cule]

Hello friend I have a question, look I have a laptop and my interface is the antelope zen tour, what I would like to do since I do not have external hardware such as compressors, equalizers etc is send the signal through the spdif output and forward it to the same interface to through the xlr input since the interface has rear inputs for spdif cable if I buy the spdif or DB25 cable that they are offering it would serve me in the antelope zen tour routing it similar to how you do it in the video, it is all I want to do to feed the signal and return it so that it feeds on the circuits of the same interface and to be able to record that signal already modified to the fl studio, because I would like to know if fl studio would allow it to me in the first place? I appreciate your answer friend

[@JayLeonardJ]

Not 100% sure what you are planning on doing. Is your plan to send the output of FL Studio through the Antelope so you can use the ZenTour built in DSP effects? If so, you can do that without using any external cables. Just assign an output bus in FL Studio to send your signal out of (something like USB PLAY 7/8). Then, in the Antelope Control Panel, drag those "USB PLAY" outputs into an AFX IN box (something like AFX 7/8). You put all your DSP effects in your AFX 7/8 and get the sounds you want. Assign the AFX 7/8 outputs into a set of USB Record inputs (Something USB RECORD 7/8). Then, in FL Studio, just record the input coming out of "USB RECORD 7/8. Alternatively, if you have an Apple Computer, just grab the "AFX to DAW" plug in and then you can just put the Antelope Effects in as an insert within FL studio without going through the Antelope Control Panel.

[@Mandingo_Cule]

@@JayLeonardJ If you have understood me, friend, it is what I would more or less like to send the audio signal out of the fl studio as an example a battery compress it within the fpga plug-in system within antelope and then return that compressed signal within the fl studio, I would appreciate it If you could make a video about this either for any daw to take advantage of the plugins and apply the effects that one wishes not to use vst inside the daw, and another topic also the summing through the spdif cable returning the signal through the rear xlr inputs of the zentour, I would like to talk about these issues that I know many would lean towards the antelope, I thank you for having answered me in time friend, thank you

[@DavidGilden]

Does the routing panel have a loopback feature like the RME total mix?

[@JayLeonardJ]

yup, you can even route your loopback to any recording input you want.

[@markntexas8265]

Just starting out and this so far out of my budget use case skill set etc it’s not even funny But damn I want one Definitely a subscriber and new fan you explain things so even my old brain can understand

[@tonydelahoz9051]

Only One (1) Dedicated Monitor Output, The Original Zen Tour Comes With Two (2)

[@Noname-wb5jc]

You can route 8 line out in to monitoring

[@tonydelahoz9051]

​@@Noname-wb5jc yes but not dadicated Like the previous one

[@elsaalemayehu7198]

@@Noname-wb5jc m

[@jamespark1582]

Can Zen go be routed with the same mixer?

[@h1pst3r88]

No. Zen Go uses the same mixer as the Discrete series. All the same routing can be done, it's just not in a matrix like you see in this video. I have the Discrete 4 SC, love it, but am considering getting the Zen Tour SC for the extra I/O... and the upgraded pres, DR, and DSP/FPGA horsepower.

[@xchump]

I passionately hate when audio interfaces don't have separate volume knobs for the speakers and headphones.

[@foolaround]

In this case you have a touchscreen which gives you all the control you want :)

[@dharmageek3732]

So your DAW is Presonus?

[@JayLeonardJ]

I use Cubase as my main DAW for everything. I do have a version of Studio One Pro I use on occasion (the days I forget my Cubase dongle at home, haha)

[@electedmusic7685]

Have problems in Windows 10?

[@JayLeonardJ]

Works great. Every once and a while it'll ask me permission to run the software and I just press "yes". New update just came out and it seems to be rock solid so far 👍

[@electedmusic7685]

OK. One question, apogee symphony mk2, prism lyra 2 or antelope zen tour synergy?

[@samchoate1719]

Yeah that’s not what troubleshooting means

[@vitality.project]

amd's suing 100%

[@flashbak01]

Sorry, but the display of these and the Zen-Go are rediculously bad. They are very, very, dim even when set to 100% brightness. Very disappointing and making it a deal breaker for me.

[@MsRobstar]

I love there stuff but I sold it because of some of the same issues. I am on  so maybe they fixed the driver’s. The apogee ensemble was so simple but so rocksolid. I wish I could have antelopes technology with Apogee‘s drivers!!!

[@christinejones2428]

Are you using Apogee again? I have an Apogee Element which has the Ensemble Convertors. I just bought an M1 computer so I am without an interface at the moment. How does the clarity of the Element / Ensemble compare to Zen Go? I can wait until July/August if it means I don’t go through a sound change.

[@Metro6am]

Insane to trust this company..

[@kev_kev4089]

Jay leno

[@volfgankamei5348]

👍🏻👍🏻

[@JayLeonardJ]

Thanks so much for checking out the videos! Really appreciate you digging the sounds 👍

[@mariabelencardenasmanosalv8286]

Padre Luis Toro versus tres pastores.

[@EpocaDura]

This feels like he got paid to do this review and he didn't tell us. It's also an ad on YT atm...

[@JayLeonardJ]

Hi, didn't get paid for this video, but I did let them have it for their promo purposes after. This video is more of a demo, but if you want to hear my a full unbiased and crowd funded review of the interface, check it out on my Patreon page 👍

[@I.M.Guitar-Nerd]

Spendy.

[@Lalairu]

Almost 2000 euros... I can get a nice guitar, a keyboard, an amp (or interface) and some pedals por that price xD

[@JayLeonardJ]

I could also buy 16 Civics for the price of 1 Lamborghini ;)

[@Lalairu]

@@JayLeonardJ sure. It is still expensive. It is okay if you consider you might need to expend that amount of money on that. Besides, I wouldn't need a Lamborghini neither if I needed a car, the comparison isn't really relevant in this case XD. What I meant is that I could get all the gear (nice gear) I needed for the price of that interface. I am glad if that interface is useful for you. Its like ice cream, there is a flavour for everyone's taste.

[@JayLeonardJ]

Well said: find what fits your needs and budget and rock 'n roll! I also agree... Lamborghini's are pretty unnecessary, but they are fun if you can swing it :)

[@Lalairu]

@@JayLeonardJ well... A friend of mine has a Lamborghini. A tractor 😂😂

[@JayLeonardJ]

😂😂😂

[@koningvaro7298]

Greate video and they have not fixed shit yet. it takes too much time to route stuff really bro. Is really fucked up. I can not recommend this interface

[@catarinomedina9557]

Someone must be paying cause this is crop and stop lying to people look me up I will send to school when it comes to engineering

[@thewatchmanstudios6257]

Meh.

[@pacificbase]

Audient id 22 or id 44 smokes Uad, motu, focusrite.

[@CO-kd6sd]

lol

[@tuneunleashed]

😂😂😂😂 loooool

[@-thirteen]

Dude

[@Strangel72]

Short answer: NO!

[@JayLeonardJ]

What Desktop (non-rack) AI would you go for? I also really dug the RME UCX I had before the ZenTour, but haven't really seen anything else that had the same IO, sound quality, and routing flexibility in a portable structure. Always up to learn something new :)

[@Strangel72]

JayLeonardJ RME is nice (as is the one you demo), but I would definately say Universal Audio are the king of DSP Audio Interfaces, both in rack and desktop. Zero latency, great console function, top converters and unparallelled plugin quality.

[@JayLeonardJ]

Yeah, I was with UA for a while too before I switched to RME (had the Apollo 8 Quad in the room for a few years) and totally agree that they excel in the DSP plugins department; their AKG Spring Reverb was heaven in my mixes!

[@Strangel72]

JayLeonardJ I would say that RME’s totalmix is the most capable routing of all, with the other side of the coin having the possibility of being overwhelming for all those who only record 1-2 tracks at the time. And their drivers and converters are top of the line too.

[@Strangel72]

Philippe Guardiola Dont work for anyone

[@bigxrecords7375]

Lol For that price it’s not worth it for 1,000 less I might as well get a allen and heath qu 16 which is digital mixer and pretty much does everything that thing does

[@bigxrecords7375]

James R you do realize a simulation is just a software add on anyone can get free for any daw online it’s pretty easy still not impressed by the preamps themselves

[@bigxrecords7375]

James R Have you used the zen ? Cause I have and I have first hand experience

[@bigxrecords7375]

James R I’m talking about the price only you don’t need to spend 2,000 just for an interface ridiculous there are so many interfaces that sound just as good or even better under that price

[@bigxrecords7375]

James R I’m saying for this particular interface for 2,000 it’s not worth it lmao I’ve heard way better interfaces for that price or even lower than that price, this thang is just hype

[@bigxrecords7375]

James R for example the Apollo twin sounds way better