This little thing is a real killer! Lot's of great i/o, very cool DSP. The amp models are insane... and this comes from a snob about those.

iOs/Android/PC control over the network. ReAmp outputs BUILT in! Thunderbolt or USB. I am pretty impressed.

Whats new and amazing are the vintage pack plug-in's. Real time tracking through some pretty stunningly great emulations.



• Analog Inputs
4 x Mic / Line Instrument on XLR combos on the back
4 x Hiz / Line on TRS combos on the front
• Digital Inputs
2 x ADAT (up to 16)
1 x S/PDIF
• Analog Outputs
8 x Lines on 1 x DB25 (8 channels)
2 x Stereo Monitor out on TRS (4 channels, only 1 active at a time)
2 x Stereo Headphone out on TRS (4 channels)
2 x ReAmp outs on TRS (2 channels)
• Digital Outputs
2 x ADAT
1 x S/PDIF
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed; Data stream up to 480 Mbits/192kHz
24 channels I/O, Type B
• Thunderbolt
1 x Thunderbolt, 32 channels
• D/A Monitor Converter
Dynamic Range: 129 dB
THD + N: -108 dB
• D/A Converter
Dynamic Range: 120 dB
THD + N: -107dB
• A/D Converter
Dynamic Range: 120 dB
THD + N: -110 dB
• Sample Rates
32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 (kHz)
• Mic Pre
Gain: 0 – 65 dB
THD + N: -108 dB
• Clocking System
4th Generation Acoustically Focused Clocking
64-bit DDS
Oven Controlled Crystal Oscillator
• Clocking Stability
<+/-0.02 ppm, oven controlled at at 64.5ºC/ 148.1ºF
• Clock Aging
< 1 ppm per year
• Clock Calibration
<+/-0.001 ppm
• Power Supply
DC Universal Input 18V
• Power Consumption
25 Watts Max

Pardon my ignorance but what exactly is a reamp output? Does this do the same job as something like the Radial EXTC? Does it allow you to use guitar pedals at line-level?
Also, did they happen to mention a date it would be available?
I read in the announcement thread that it will work stand-alone. If so, wow!

Hey Johnny. Yes!! Built in Re-amper so you don't need any external reamper, like the one you mentioned. Utterly brilliant!! So you can go directly in with your guitar, and directly RIGHT back out to an amp in real time.... or after the fact. This would absolutely let you use a guitar pedal in a line level insert.

Really well thought out and expandable with the 16 i/o over lightpipe.

thanks very cool!

Should be ready to ship in 5-6 days, so sayeth their website.

Yep Marcel confirmed that.

Damn, i'm about to get a Clarett but this got me tempted, if it was $250 cheaper this would be a no brainer for me!

im a bit on the fence myself. but... it would allow me to sell my monitor controller, my reamper and maybe even the duet. which brings the price down a little, in my mind anyway

Wow, shots fired at the UA Apollo! If I were not so invested in UA stuff right now, this would be on my radar. It's also managed to find a sweet spot between the Apollo Twin and Apollo 8 in both features and price. If anything, I'm excited that this is going to push UA to step up their game.

Could you describe the physical dimensions a bit? I was looking on their website recently and couldn't find them listed. Thanks!

Sure. It's about the same size as a standard ipad (not the mini, or the new giant one). It's probably 2 inches deep. Not very big at all.

this would be infitnitely better

Thanks! a very tempting piece of equipment.

Instead of saying "real time" which can mean so many things to so many people... Can you give us a value for the tracking latency with FX at 44.1kHz and 96kHz?

2 samples total, so it's much less than a millisecond. Every guitar player that's used it says it's as realtime as their own amps and plays like them.

Placed my pre-order for the Zen Tour a few weeks back. The more I've found out about it's capabilities since then, the more I realize it's a no brainer and have no regrets having sold my Apollo Twin and plugins. Now it's just the agony of a few more days wait until the shipment.

Ya, I don't blame you! I'm still sticking with my Apollo because I'm happy with it and too reliant on a lot of the UA plugins, but the Zen Tour is looking awfully good!

The front guitar inputs can be also used as regular line inputs?

Yes, switchable in the software and on the touchscreen.

That is totally great but if I could dig just a bit deeper... So if I understand - we hear this processed guitar signal with the mix thats playing back. Is that done with an analog mixer that sums this guitar FX with the playback tracks (and also sends it to the to the A/D for going to the DAW) or is it done in the digital domain where A/D and D/A times come into play?

As a follow on question, what is the Round Trip Latency for monitoring a vocal with your FX (EQ, Comp and Reverb) at 44.1k and 96k?

This video is for the Orion Studio, but the software should be the same. The mixer overview starts around 5:45 and the guitar recording and routing section starts around 13:00

As far as bus powered and the display taking up too much juice. If you can implement a feature to turn of touch screen to run bus powered to make truly mobile for at least playback mixing purposes that way you don't have to carry the Walwart power supply for your laptop or tablet.

It's not as simple as this. It's an entirely different Thunderbolt Certification process with Apple/Intel and we have already taken on a high level of complexity with this product for our software teams to support right now.

Btw, there is a great product called Goal Zero comes with a connector that can be used directly to the Zen Tour, Zen Studio, LiveClock, or Orion Studio, btw and power it for about 5 hours.

Ok thanks for your answer. I guess that applies to USB bus power as well.

Hey Marcel can you confirm that it will work in stand-alone? As in I can have my console's mains at the Zen Tour's inputs and use it as monitor controller without being connected to the computer? sometimes I mix just via console and HD24 so this would be great! also please confirm that the line-ins can be bypassed from the mic pres. sorry if this is but those are my only real hurdles before I pull the trigger. I thought I read this info in the other thread but then couldn't find it. thanks!!!

Yes, it works in stand-alone.

You connect the Line sources to the TRS and select Line In on those channels and you will have no mic pre coloration at all.

Thanks,
Marcel

To be clear. With this Zen Tour I could bypass the pres and use an outboard channel strip. Could I also connect an outboard compressor to mix into?

Yes, you can. Come out of the DB25 dsub (up to 8 channels) and there are 8 inputs (4x Guitar or Line on front, 4x Mic or Line on back).

Great. Can't wait to try this out. Thanks

I noticed on the website it says Internet connection required for installation. Is that because of the plugins? If so can the interface drivers be installed separately without being connected to the internet? I ask this because my DAW is not connected to the internet and I wish it to stay that way and I am interested in this interface. Thank you in advance.