Antelope Audio has introduced Satori, a true analog monitoring and summing system.
Satori expands upon the design architecture of Eclipse 384, Antelope’s mastering AD/DA and monitoring controller. Carefully designed analog circuits and fast, transparent relay attenuators ensure the audio integrity throughout the whole signal path.
The 0.05 dB platinum relays provide accurate volume control and perfect L/R balance, even at the lowest listening levels.
“We wanted to design a clean and transparent monitoring controller that would not compromise the quality of our converters and will provide sound engineers with a genuine listening experience,” states Igor Levin, founder and CEO of Antelope Audio. “Satori is a part of our concept for creating a coherent signal path all the way from the analog source through conversion, recording and playback.”
Four independent headphone outputs allow individual source selection and volume control, enabling separate feeds for musicians or vocalists. The headphone drivers on Satori employ the same circuitry found in Antelope’s line of premium home audio products, and are able to drive both low and high impedances.
Satori functionality such as talkback and level trims, as well as stereo effects like mute, mono, dim and mid-side. The mid-side effect is rarely implemented in monitor controllers, yet routinely requested by mastering engineers.
Gain offset is available for any input and output, making A/B testing extremely easy and efficient. In addition to monitoring capabilities, Satori includes a fully analog 8-channel summing mixer. This kind of analog summing, with warm punch and excellent dynamics, allows engineers who work completely “in-the-box” to mix signals in the analog domain for a more natural blending of instruments.
It packs eight stereo inputs, four stereo outputs, and a range of connectivity options including XLR, 1/4-inch TRS and D-Sub 25, into a 1RU package. In addition to four stereo loudspeaker outputs, Satori offers a dedicated subwoofer output. The D-Sub 25 connectivity solves the issue of connecting to multi-channel converters such as Orion32.
Satori’s machined aluminum volume knob and large LED front panel push buttons allow easy access to the most commonly used monitoring functions such as input and monitor selectors, gain adjustment and level trimming.
The unit also ships with the next generation of software application [Mac and PC] enabling flexible and accurate control. The software control panel allows fast and responsive source and speaker switching, accurate volume control, stereo effects selection, headphone controls and user-recallable presets. Analog summing is fully controllable via the software application.
Satori is scheduled to ship later in Q4 of 2014 and will be priced at $1,475.
