The Prism Sound Lyra family of audio interfaces offers Prism Sound performance at its most affordable ever. They are based on the Orpheus audio path and clock circuitry, but in a smaller package for those who don't need eight channels of analogue I/O.

Analogue and digital input channels are available as inputs for your audio workstation software through the host computer's audio driver. Similarly, analogue and digital outputs and stereo headphone outputs can be played independently.

For low-latency foldback or monitoring to a headphone or main outputs, each output pair (1-2, 3-4, digital out or the headphone output) can optionally be driven from the built-in DSP mixer with an individual local mix of any selection of inputs through the controller applet. All analogue inputs are electronically balanced with the automatic unbalanced operation. Analogue outputs are electronically balanced with 'bootstrapping, i.e. level is maintained if one leg is grounded.

Lyra has the same no-compromise analogue front and back ends as its brother Orpheus, with the same fully-balanced-throughout architecture and the same isolation barriers protecting the analogue from digital and computer interference.

The design team has gone to great lengths to minimise noise and interference, in particular, hum. All of the analogue circuits have galvanic isolation, while the unit's electronically balanced I/O allows it to handle common mode interference sources as well as enabling trouble-free connection to unbalanced equipment.

For Lyra, we have created a unit that is compatible with the widest range of computer hardware by using a USB2 interface. This is a UAC2 (USB Audio Class 2) interface supported natively in Mac, Linux and Android, and in Windows via a driver.

Lyra is easy to connect to your computer and to your outboard gear. For Windows users, ASIO and WDM drivers are provided, while for Mac OS X 10.4 or later, Lyra interfaces directly to Core Audio. For both Mac and PC platforms, there is a controller application to configure the unit and control its built-in mixer and other functions. Aside from the monitor and headphone level controls, everything else is operated solely from the Lyra controller application. The controller software opens on-screen as a separate panel alongside your existing editing software. Since Lyra is UAC2 compliant, it will also work in recent Linux and Android builds, although no control panel is provided.

Lyra has the same excellent mic amps as Orpheus with software-controlled gain in 1dB steps, switchable phantom power, a 20dB pad - and very low noise and distortion. These inputs are auto-sensing with software over-ride. Analogue inputs have individually-selectable Prism Sound "Overkiller" peak limiters built in, just as on the higher-priced ADA-8XR and Orpheus, to catch those fast transients. The Overkiller threshold automatically follows the operating line-up level selection (+4dBu or -10dBV). Overkillers are ideal for percussive sounds, particularly drums, where headroom can be a problem.

The co-axial digital I/O port can be switched in the Lyra 2 controller applet between S/PDIF and AES3 formats. This control changes the operating voltage and the Channel Status format and is complemented by two in-line adaptor leads that provide external XLR connections for AES3 devices. The optical digital I/O ports on Lyra 2 can also be configured as ADAT I/O. Other connections include word clock sync I/O on BNC connectors (Lyra 2 only).