PrismSound Lyra Operation Manual
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PrismSound Lyra Operation Manual

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  • Page 3 Lyra Operation Manual by Ian Dennis This manual is also available as 'on-line help' from the Orpheus Control Panel applet. You can access the on-line help from the 'Help' button in the top right-hand corner of the applet.

  • Page 4: Table Of Contents

    Table of Contents Part 1 General information Part 2 Introduction to Lyra Features ..........................6 System requirements ..........................7 About this manual ..........................8 Part 3 Quick start guides Quick start for Mac ..........................10 Quick start for Windows ..........................10...
  • Page 5 Lyra Control Panel app ..........................34 Unit settings ............................... 35 Inputs tab ............................... 37 Outputs tab ............................... 38 Mixer tabs ............................... 39 Lyra drivers ..........................40 Part 7 Technical topics Stability and latency ..........................42 Clocking and jitter ..........................43 Dither and noise-shaping ..........................
  • Page 7 Part General information...

  • Page 8: General Information

    Prism Sound Lyra Operation Manual Revision 1.00 General information Manual revision history Rev Date Author Notes 1.00 8th January 2013 I.G.Dennis Product Launch Support contacts Prism Media Products Limited Prism Media Products Inc The Old School 21 Pine Street Stretham...
  • Page 9 Prism Sound Lyra Operation Manual Revision 1.00 Statements of conformity This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against interference in a residential area.
  • Page 11 Part Introduction to Lyra...

  • Page 12: Introduction To Lyra

    Revision 1.00 Introduction to Lyra Lyra is a USB audio interface for Windows PC and Mac. As well as analogue line inputs and outputs, Lyra provides high-quality microphone preamplifiers and high-impedance instrument inputs, plus stereo digital I/O and a host of advanced synchronization and monitoring facilities.

  • Page 13: System Requirements

    Lyra 1 offers a subset of the Lyra 2 functionality - it has only two analogue line outputs, and only a single instrument and a single mic preamplifier, as well as more limited digital I/O capability. The...

  • Page 14: About This Manual

    HTML-based 'on-line help' which can be viewed on your computer. The on-line help version can be launched directly from the Lyra Control Panel app by clicking the help [?] button in the upper right-hand corner of the panel.
  • Page 15 Part Quick start guides...

  • Page 16: Quick Start Guides

    USB 3.0 port. You must have OS X 10.5 Leopard, or later. · Connect your Lyra to the mains supply and to a USB port on your Mac with the cables provided. · Insert the installation disc into a DVD-ROM drive on your Mac.
  • Page 17 Part Installation procedures...

  • Page 18: Installation Procedures

    Lyra directly. The full installation procedure is as follows: · Connect your Lyra to the mains supply and to a USB port on your Mac with the cables provided. · Insert the installation disc into a DVD-ROM drive on your Mac.
  • Page 19 Prism Sound Lyra Operation Manual Revision 1.00 · A copy of the Lyra EULA will appear, which you should read: · Agree to the EULA by clicking 'Continue'. · Having selected an install destination if required, click 'Install' to perform the installation:: ·...

  • Page 20: Windows Installation

    Windows PC. You must have Windows Vista or later (either 32-bit or 64-bit), and a spare USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 port. · Connect your Lyra to the mains supply and to a USB port on your PC with the cables provided. · Insert the installation disc into a DVD-ROM drive on your PC.
  • Page 21 · A welcome screen announces which version (32-bit or 64-bit) is being installed, and warns you to shut down other applications prior to installation. Do so and click 'Next': · You will be asked to agree to the Lyra EULA - if you agree, click 'Yes': © 2013 Prism Media Products Ltd...
  • Page 22 Prism Sound Lyra Operation Manual Revision 1.00 · Confirm your user name and organisation, and click 'Next': · Choose 'Complete' to perform a default installation. To change the installation location or which components will be installed, you can choose 'Custom' (not recommended). Click 'Next': ©...
  • Page 23 Prism Sound Lyra Operation Manual Revision 1.00 · Final check. To proceed with installation, click 'Next': · Installation will then proceed: © 2013 Prism Media Products Ltd 1.17...

  • Page 24: Operating Multiple Units

    · You will then be prompted to confirm that you would like to install the device driver. Click 'Install': · Installation will then complete, click 'Finish': The Lyra device's ports should now be visible to Windows and any applications as both ASIO and WDM audio ports.

  • Page 25: Software And Firmware Updates

    Operation Manual Revision 1.00 Software and firmware updates From time to time, new versions of the Lyra Control app, the Windows driver, or the Lyra firmware itself will be made available. To view the latest versions available, please visit www.prismsound.
  • Page 27 Part Lyra hardware...

  • Page 28: Lyra Hardware

    The figure above is a simplified block diagram of the Lyra audio signal paths. Lyra is basically a sound card, with all inputs made available to the host computer via the USB bus, and all outputs likewise driven from the USB bus. However, Lyra's signal paths contain a range of enhanced processing and mixing functions, which are described in the following sections.

  • Page 29: Overkiller

    Note that there is no explicit stereo width control provided in the matrix; however width can be adjusted by balancing the gains of the mid and side inputs - the gain steps of the Lyra microphone preamplifiers are fine and precise. In line input mode, no fine gain adjustment is available, so if the Lyra MS matrix is used with external preamplifiers, these must have fine and accurate gain control if width adjustment is required.

  • Page 30: Sample-Rate Converter

    Lyra Control Panel app. Note that the SRC can be configured in the S/PDIF input, or in the S/PDIF output in the case of Lyra 2, but not in both simultaneously. Note that presence of an SRC in the S/PDIF input is shown by an indicator beneath the digital meter on the unit's front panel (providing that the unit's meters are in Input mode).

  • Page 31: Digital Outputs

    AES3 level, and the Channel Status to adopt the professional AES3 format instead of the consumer format of S/PDIF. Note that RCA connectors are only fitted to Lyra 2. In Lyra 2, the TOSLINK connector can alternatively output 8-channel digital audio in ADAT format (at 44.1kHz or 48kHz sample rates) or 4-channel audio in ADAT SMUX format (at 88.2kHz or 96kHz...

  • Page 32: Word-Length

    5.1.4.3 DO synchronization Note that it is necessary to ensure that the sample clock of any digital audio device to which Lyra's digital outputs are connected is synchronous with Lyra's own sample clock. This is usually achieved by synchronizing the receiving equipment to Lyra's S/PDIF, ADAT or Wordclock output, but can be achieved by synchronizing Lyra to the receiving device's clock or house sync (by setting DI or Wordclock as Lyra's sync source).

  • Page 33: Assignable Level Control

    The output mixers are primarily intended to provide low-latency foldback or monitor mixes incorporating Lyra's audio inputs in conjunction with feeds from the DAW software - since the mix is performed locally, the delay involved in passing live audio up to the host computer and back is removed.

  • Page 34: Synchronization

    Lyra's digital input or output. In the former case, the SRC simply converts any incoming digital signal of whatever sample rate to the sample rate of the Lyra unit. If the SRC is in the digital output, it is necessary to specify what the output sample rate must be; furthermore, it may be necessary to lock the output rate to an arbitrary external reference.

  • Page 35: Front Panel

    · Standby button: puts the unit into a low-power standby state. Note that the USB interface is still active in standby mode, so the Lyra unit can still be recognised by the host, although its inputs and outputs are inactive. The LED in the standby button flashes to identify the unit in multi-unit setups when the 'Identify' button in the Control Panel app is clicked.

  • Page 36: Rear Panel

    Metering system section for more details. Note that in the case of Lyra 2, the analogue output meters may be selected to outputs 1/2 (OP indicator is green) or 3/4 (OP indicator is orange). · Overkiller indicators: indicate that the Overkiller progressive limiter is operating in that channel.

  • Page 37: Fuses And Ratings

    Stand-alone operation It is possible to operate Lyra without a connection to a host computer. This is done by setting up the unit as required using the Lyra Control Panel app whilst it is connected to a host computer via its USB interface, then placing the unit in standby by pressing the standby button, before disconnecting the unit from the host and power source.
  • Page 38 The hub can be initially raised with a small flat-bladed screwdriver. Retain the feet for later use. If Lyra units are rack mounted, an empty 1U gap should be left above each Lyra to ensure effective cooling.
  • Page 39 Part Lyra software...

  • Page 40: Lyra Software

    This section describes the software supplied with Lyra. Lyra Control Panel app The Lyra Control Panel app is a program which can be used to adjust Lyra's settings and view its metering and status indicators, from the screen of the Mac or PC.

  • Page 41: Unit Settings

    Accessing the Lyra Control Panel app The Lyra Control Panel app can be run directly like any other Mac or Windows program, or it can be accessed from the operating system itself, from the "Sound and Audio devices" dialogue in the Windows' Control Panel (or from the Device Manager) or from the Audio MIDI Setup in Mac OS X.
  • Page 42 NOTE: It may not be possible to change the sample rate whilst any of Lyra's ports are in use by an audio application (e.g. a DAW). In this case it is necessary to disconnect the ports from the application before changing the sample rate, or (where possible) to change the rate from within the application.

  • Page 43: Inputs Tab

    ULOK (unlock) is lit when no S/PDIF carrier is detected at the selected input; ASNC (asynchronous) is lit when the incoming carrier is not locked to Lyra's selected sync source. In ADAT modes, ULOK and ASNC indicators are also provided for the ADAT/SMUX inputs.

  • Page 44: Outputs Tab

    There is also a mute button (whose function is also available by pressing the volume knob on the Lyra front panel) and a numerical readout/setting box. Note that changes to the assignment of the level control can be prevented by engaging the lock button (marked with a key symbol) just above the level control.

  • Page 45: Mixer Tabs

    Operation Manual Revision 1.00 mixer associated with any other output pair. Each stereo mixer can mix any of Lyra's analogue, digital and ADAT/SMUX inputs to the output pair, along with the DAW feed, as described in the following section. Above these output mode drop-lists are a row of dedicated radio buttons which cause the headphone output to be routed from the mixer associated with that output pair directly.

  • Page 46: Lyra Drivers

    Thereafter, this connectivity is permanently available. It is not necessary to run the Lyra Control Panel app for applications to be able to use Lyra; however, the app is needed if any but the most basic control of Lyra's functions is required.
  • Page 47 Part Technical topics...

  • Page 48: Technical Topics

    Technical topics The following sections contain detailed discussions of various relevant technical issues. The content of these sections is not required to operate Lyra, but is provided merely as background information. Stability and latency Ever since audio production has found its way inside the computer, new problems concerning issues of stability and latency have arisen.

  • Page 49: Clocking And Jitter

    - such as in the live recording example. In the case of Lyra, problems of latency and stability are improved by a couple of useful features: First of all, the operator can control the buffer delays within the Mac and Windows drivers directly, irrespective of what buffering is employed by the user's particular audio software.
  • Page 50 Prism Sound Lyra Operation Manual Revision 1.00 clock to be re-created from any reference sync, no matter how much jitter it has and no matter what its frequency. But why is clock jitter so important? Analysis of sampling jitter Analysis of sampling jitter (small variations in the sampling intervals of an A/D or D/A converter) shows that it produces a similar effect to phase modulation, where distortion components appear as ‘sidebands’...

  • Page 51: Dither And Noise-Shaping

    Lyra and CleverClox Lyra is designed to source clocks which are as stable and accurate as possible, and also with the aim of being insensitive to the quality of incoming clocks. It is designed to remove jitter from any selected reference sync source before it is used as a conversion timebase, so as to eliminate any audible effects of sampling jitter, whatever sync source is used.
  • Page 52 (if at all) to different sample rates. Prism Sound SNS (Super Noise Shaping) Lyra provides a comprehensive choice of dithering and noise-shaping processes. These comprise ‘ flat’ dithering, plus a selection of four Prism Sound ‘SNS’ (‘Super Noise Shaping’) algorithms. All produce high-quality 16 bit output: the choice of which one to use is purely subjective.
  • Page 53 Prism Sound Lyra Operation Manual Revision 1.00 dither with an rms noise amplitude of about –93.4dBFS). It is tempting to audition noise shapers by using a low signal level and boosting the shaper output by tens of dBs in the digital domain prior to monitoring.

  • Page 54: Analogue Interconnections

    Revision 1.00 Analogue interconnections To maintain the high sound quality of Lyra, it is important to follow some basic guidelines when making analogue connections to the unit. This section discusses some things to watch out for. © 2013 Prism Media Products Ltd...
  • Page 55 A solution to this is the use of external 'sound cards', such as Lyra, with their own enclosures and power supplies allowing adequate space, power and electromagnetic peace and quiet for the well-being of studio-quality analogue circuits.
  • Page 56 (the outer of the instrument input jacks, or pin 1 of the mic input XLRs). Since no dedicated terminal exists on Lyra, it is usually easiest to connect the wire to the outer of one of the deck's unbalanced output connectors. In some situations, a direct connection to local mains ground may work better.

  • Page 57: Digital Interconnections

    Prism Sound Lyra Operation Manual Revision 1.00 · Use balanced connections where possible; if you must use unbalanced connections, keep them short; · Ensure that signals passing between equipment do so at as high a level as is practical; · If switching interference is heard, try to identify the source equipment by unplugging things one by one.
  • Page 58 Even though Lyra is insensitive to incoming clock jitter, and even though it transmits very low jitter at its digital audio and clock outputs, the question of cable quality may still be relevant if Lyra is transmitting to equipment which itself has poor jitter rejection capabilities.
  • Page 59 Part Specifications...

  • Page 60: Specifications

    Windows OS support: Core Audio device Mac audio driver: Windows audio driver: ASIO or WDM device Control Panel app: Graphical user interface for control of Lyra unit under Mac OS X or Windows © 2013 Prism Media Products Ltd 1.54...
  • Page 61 Prism Sound Lyra Operation Manual Revision 1.00 Analog Line Inputs Configuration: Electronically balanced, with fully-balanced analog signal path Input sensitivity: Switchable ‘+4dBu’ (0dBFS=+18dBu) or ‘-10dBV’ (0dBFS=+6dBu) 14.5kR Input impedance: Automatic Unbalanced mode: Total harmonic -117dB (0.00014%, -0.1dBFS) distortion: THD+n: -111dB (0.00028%, -0.1dBFS)
  • Page 62 Prism Sound Lyra Operation Manual Revision 1.00 Analog Line Outputs Configuration: Electronically balanced, with fully-balanced analog signal path Output amplitude: Switchable ‘+4dBu’ (0dBFS=+18dBu) or ‘-10dBV’ (0dBFS=+6dBu) 100R balanced, 50R unbalanced Output impedance: Unbalanced mode: Automatic, with bootstrapping level compensation Total harmonic -107dB (0.00045%, -0.1dBFS)
  • Page 63 Prism Sound Lyra Operation Manual Revision 1.00 Synchronization System sample rates: 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz or 192kHz Synchronization sources: Master: Local Slave: Wordclock, DI (S/PDIF input) or ADAT [*Note1] Local clock accuracy: +/-50ppm Jitter rejection: 60dB/decade above 100Hz Internal mixer delay: 44.1k: 0.57ms;...
  • Page 64 Prism Sound Lyra Operation Manual Revision 1.00 © 2013 Prism Media Products Ltd 1.58...
  • Page 65 Operation Manual Revision 1.00 [Note 1]: Specification as per Lyra 2. Lyra 1 does not have analog outputs 3-4, mic input on channel 1, instrument input on channel 2, RCA/phono digital I/O, wordclock I/O or Ethernet port. Lyra 1 SRC THD+n/dynamic range are limited to <-125dB/>125dB (0.000056%) and can only be applied to DI.

  • Page 66: Index

    Index - D - Delay - - - Device Manager DI inputs -20dB mic pads DI synchronization Differences between Lyra 1 and Lyra 2 - 2 - Digital inputs 23, 37 Digital interconnections 256x clock Digital outputs 25, 38 Dither...
  • Page 67 23, 27, 37 Load button Overload indicators Local sync Overview Lock button - P - Low-latency mixers Lyra 1 and 2 features Lyra Control Panel app Pan pots 10, 14 - M - Phantom power 22, 37 Phase-reverse 10, 12, 34...
  • Page 68 - Q - - U - Quick start guide, Mac Unbalanced connections 22, 24 Quick start guide, Windows Unit settings Unlocked (ULOK) indicator - R - Unlocked (UNL) indicator Updating software Rack mounting kit - V - Rear panel Re-dithering 26, 45 Ref Sync 24, 26, 28, 43...

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