Antelope Audio enters the speaker game with Atlas i8 isobaric studio monitor
The brand first teased the speaker, which boasts impressive low-end, at NAMM 2023
Antelope Audio Atlas i8
Antelope Audio, a brand usually associated with audio interfaces, high-quality converters, master clocks and modelling microphones, has announced its first-ever monitor speaker.
The Atlas i8 was teased at the NAMM Show in April, but has now been given an official release date.
It has an active three-way design, which means the bass is delivered via eight-inch low-frequency drivers with the mids and highs coming through coaxial mid- and high-frequency drivers.
Inside, the drivers are configured in an isobaric way, which, if you don’t know, is the process of fitting one identical driver in front of the other, improving the low-end frequencies. This means it can achieve low-end performance which would typically require a larger cabinet. It offers a response down to 35Hz with minimal distortion and delivers a high SPL output.
Antelope has developed its own DSP system for the Atlas i8. This enables the monitor to offer a range of helpful features, including EQ adjustments, tailored speaker modes for different work scenarios, preset saving, and delay offset settings. You can control these settings remotely via USB using a software control application.
The Atlas i8 is also equipped with Antelope’s proprietary 64-bit acoustically-focused clocking technology, along with its A-D and D-A converters, operating at a sample rate of 192 kHz. It also provides analogue inputs on XLR/TRS combo sockets and offers AES3 input and output on XLR connectors, allowing for daisy-chaining of speakers and the option to bypass interface converters, if you want.
The brand is usually associated with audio interfaces. In 2021, we reviewed its Zen Go Synergy Core audio interface, saying that it was “hard to fault”.
“The Zen Go is well priced for its sound quality, routing flexibility, channel count and DSP operation.” The review reads. “It sits between the UA Volt 276 and Apollo Twin X in price, but is closer to the latter in features, though without the MIDI of the former. The hardware is well built yet light, which is good for a life in and out of bags, whilst on the software side it is easy to work with, requiring only the scantest of manual skims.”
Antelope Audio has stated that the Atlas i8 would be available in Q2 2023, although no official launch date has yet been confirmed by the brand. The price, however, comes in at €2,495 per speaker.
Contact Antelope Audio regarding availability at en.antelopeaudio.com.
