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James... « Great lightweight recording interface »
Published on 08/03/11 at 06:01Tha lambda at a glance:
USB powered
High-end D/A converters
2 quality mic preamps
Phantom power
Independent mic and line controls with LEDs
Monitor mix and output level controls
2 balanced TRS line inputs and outputs
2 XLR mic ins
1/4" high-impedance instrument in
1/8" headphone jack
Cubase LE recording software for 48-track audio and 64 MIDI tracks
Pantheon VST reverb software
Works with Macs and PCs
I use this unit with my desktop computer for dedicated recording purposes. Mostly vocals and guitar. The features are roundabout, sporting two xlr inputs and two line inputs.
UTILIZATION
I'm a home recording hobbyist. But sometimes I take this unit on the go with my laptop. I use Cubase 5 to record with, and have been using Cubase in some form for years. The Lambda is a pretty simple install, however I find that every so often the driver will crash and I have to restart my computer. This only happens once every couple of weeks and is a minor issue. I don't ask a lot from the interface. I don't use the midi and I rarely have to use both inputs at once. Everything works as it should. The playback/direct blending knob is great and a wonderful feature. I also like the stereo functionality, although it can be a little confusing at first. There aren't a lot of controls and the ones there are self explanatory.
GETTING STARTED
There isn't a big need for a manual unless you have never used an interface before. the input and controls are simple and laid out for you. I like the no nonsense approach with this unit. Some interfaces assume you are a 5 star producer and the reality is that most users looking at this interface are hobbyists like me. Lexicon has been nice enough to design the lambda so that even someone with minimal experience with interfaces can figure it out quickly. I have had few issues with this unit other than the driver failing every once in a while. It's probably an issue with my main audio driver. I have abused this interface physically and it hasn't broken. So it's reliable too.
OVERALL OPINION
I like the simplicity and functionality of this unit. Sometimes it can be a little finicky with Cubase but 90% of the time it plays nicely. The value is great considering what you get. If you don't need more than 2 inputs, this is the interface to buy. I've used this one for a couple of years with no complaints. It's mobile too which is nice. I may switch to a rack unit in the future since I need more inputs to record drums. I have recorded vocals and guitar on the lambda with great results. It sounds a works great.
USB powered
High-end D/A converters
2 quality mic preamps
Phantom power
Independent mic and line controls with LEDs
Monitor mix and output level controls
2 balanced TRS line inputs and outputs
2 XLR mic ins
1/4" high-impedance instrument in
1/8" headphone jack
Cubase LE recording software for 48-track audio and 64 MIDI tracks
Pantheon VST reverb software
Works with Macs and PCs
I use this unit with my desktop computer for dedicated recording purposes. Mostly vocals and guitar. The features are roundabout, sporting two xlr inputs and two line inputs.
UTILIZATION
I'm a home recording hobbyist. But sometimes I take this unit on the go with my laptop. I use Cubase 5 to record with, and have been using Cubase in some form for years. The Lambda is a pretty simple install, however I find that every so often the driver will crash and I have to restart my computer. This only happens once every couple of weeks and is a minor issue. I don't ask a lot from the interface. I don't use the midi and I rarely have to use both inputs at once. Everything works as it should. The playback/direct blending knob is great and a wonderful feature. I also like the stereo functionality, although it can be a little confusing at first. There aren't a lot of controls and the ones there are self explanatory.
GETTING STARTED
There isn't a big need for a manual unless you have never used an interface before. the input and controls are simple and laid out for you. I like the no nonsense approach with this unit. Some interfaces assume you are a 5 star producer and the reality is that most users looking at this interface are hobbyists like me. Lexicon has been nice enough to design the lambda so that even someone with minimal experience with interfaces can figure it out quickly. I have had few issues with this unit other than the driver failing every once in a while. It's probably an issue with my main audio driver. I have abused this interface physically and it hasn't broken. So it's reliable too.
OVERALL OPINION
I like the simplicity and functionality of this unit. Sometimes it can be a little finicky with Cubase but 90% of the time it plays nicely. The value is great considering what you get. If you don't need more than 2 inputs, this is the interface to buy. I've used this one for a couple of years with no complaints. It's mobile too which is nice. I may switch to a rack unit in the future since I need more inputs to record drums. I have recorded vocals and guitar on the lambda with great results. It sounds a works great.