I have owned both an RME Fireface 800 (which was my primary ADDA for like 10 years), and a Prism Titan. Now Currently I use the Titan with an MDIO card for PTHDX so I'm running it via Diglink to PCIe for PTHX Native. I much prefer the Prism, but RME makes incredible stuff for the money. If I wasn't using Pro Tools Ultimate, I would probably have bough an RME HDSPe MADI 128-channel MADI PCI Express Card and SPL Madison converters. I feel the Prism stuff is best suited for PTHD (or Pro Tools Ultimate, whatever you want to call it), in order to take advantage of lower latency. The Prism IS better. Maybe the best ADDA on the market right now...but I don't think it's the best solution for most DAWs that are not PTHX.
You can’t compare the very old RME Fireface 800 with a Prism. But if you take the new ADI 2 pro fs or the new m32 AD / DA pro series, you will be shocke how good they sound. We have both (actually the Prism, the ADI 2 pro fs and the m32 AD/DA pro (next to an old but fantastic Wadia decoder and an expensive Millennia card))
@@mruebsam6453 Oh I bet RME is getting better year after year. My point is that the Prism was a no compromise solution that I have yet to see surpassed. I'm not married to any company, but Prism Titan consistently won every loop back test shootout we did for years. That being said. It's always good to try new things.
My experience was that I felt the songs had more depth to them with more details in the mid and high range. Bass was more tight and easier to understand what was going on. It was like wearing a beanie hat with RME and then when I took the hat off I could hear more detail in the Prism, was enough of a change to hear the difference but was not so much night and day. But I agree the drivers compared to RME are not great, it's the trade off for the quality of the sound.
As I wrote above; you have to compare the prism with the new ADI 2 pro fs or the new m32 series. I still like the Prisms, too. But I can’t tell which one i s better…
We did several tests (Merging Horus, Lynx aurora (n), RME m32 ADDA pro/ ADI 2 fs pro, Prism Orpheus) and I still have the testifies. If somebody is interested, just contact me...
@@mruebsam6453 I’m definitely interested! I have the Lynx Hilo and it sounds good but not as good as I thought it would be vocal wise but yea I definitely wands hear , what I gtta do?
In all of the components in my DAW rig, the RME Babyface and its Win drivers have been so stellar, there's zero reason to even ponder switching out IMO. We all have other areas in our rigs that need attention, lol! If you are buying new then the prism vs RME discussion is important of course. At this point I am committed to RME and Cubase and it works incredibly well, so I'm focusing elsewhere... such as learning orchestration way better!
Thanks for the comment! I fully agree with you, RME is really amazing and there is so much one can do to improve and put time and effort into doing better (especially in music production). You really have to be obsessed (like myself) or a full-time mastering engineer to even justify going "above" RME and even then you face challenges (as I mentioned in the video).
Get a Madiface USB or any other RME MADI interface and hook-up any MADI converter you like. In my case I use a Antilope Goliath Which has horrible drivers but this does not matter as its just used as a stand alone converter over MADI. All the benefits of RME drivers but with Antelope conversion. Great setup I can recommend.
Appreciate the help. That's very close to what I'm planning on doing. I don't have MADI on the Prism and I like it as an ADDA but I will probably use the AES or the S/PDIF connection. Unfortunately there are less and less RME interfaces available but I will definitely find a solution.
I think the interface type- whether it’s usb, pcie, adat, madi, is just as important to this conversation as the brand. While some companies nail a single format incredibly well, they may struggle with others. The Lynx Hilo for instance sounds better connected AES than USB because lynx didnt bother to address some power and clocking problems that come with usb. RME from what I have seen has probably the best USB jitter reduction- period. But if you connect an RME pcie adat card to a Hilo, then you are going to have best of 3 worlds- the RME steady clock, the electronic isolation of ADAT, and the outstanding ant-alias filters of Lynx
Using my Hilo with the Raydat i can verify this statement. Thats why a lot of professionals go exactly the same route of using an rme device as a main interface and adding 3rd party converters.
Ich have the other way around behind me... Let me explain. We have since quite a while 3 Prism Orpheus (daisy chained via FireWire). Unfortunately in the middle of a recording session one of them just broke. Within a weekend we compared a merging Horus, our prism orpheus, a lynx aurora (n) and a RME m32 AD pro (these are the new AVB AD and DA converters). We were shocked how good the RME were. All of those were really close. Most of the time we were not able to hear differences. Sometimes we thought that the Prism has a more relaxed body. Bit it was impossible to say which one was really better,. So we decided for the RME. This was my first contact to RME. In the studio we still worked with the Prisms (btw. Orpheus has the same converters and circuities als the Titan) and for location recording we used the RME. Then we made an upgrade in ou computer system. Apple dropped FireWire Support. So the Prism didn't work anymore from one day to the next 😞 Maybe this is the time to talk about the Prism drivers. In my opinion they are horrible. Especially when daisy chaining the Orpheus. I cannot tell you how many times I had to reboot the computer and plug in and out the prisms over the last year. It was just horrible. Our current solution looks like this. We have a cheap RME Digiface USB with 4 ADATs I/Os (and a RME Digiface AVB for the high track count). The prism orpheus are connect to the RME DigiFace USB via ADAT and it works just perfectly. However there is on major Drawback. And again it's about drivers....In standalone / ADAT mode the Prisms just work on a set sample rate (which is 96 kHz at the moment). I f your want to change this to another sample rate you have to find an old computer an rund the Prism Control Applet and reconfigure the Prism. What a pain. In the same time we just got another RME ADI 2 pro fs, which has absolutely no issue in accepting all sample rates... and from my perspective the ADI 2 pro fs sound absolutely transparent. My conclusion: The prism ADDA converters are good. Very good. But everything around the conversion is "difficult" (a pain in the ass, if you need to work and it's not working right - again and again) . I was really surprised about the audio quality of the newer RME products (m32 ad/da pro series and ADI 2 pro fs) I really like using both right next to each other...
That's amazing! Thank you for sharing it. I love RME just as much and I agree, Prism is mostly for its conversion, everything around it is a bit painful. RME does so many -if not all- things very well, it is hard to find an overall better value for the money.
I have an Orpheus and am wanting to move to a silicon mac but they do not suport audio over firwire dose this meen I couls still use the orpheus on th adat out of another usb interface ?
@@TheFuturetive it should also have an “offline” mode where it remembers your settings without the main computer connection. That way you should be able to use it, yes. However the best would be to contact Prism and ask them too, but I am fairly certain it should work.
@@TheFuturetive We have this issue, too. The solution is to connect the Prism via ADAT (and SPDIF) to another audio interface (like the RME Digiface USB). However there is one real issue: The Prism does sync on Wordclock and on ADAT but it won’t change the sample rate :-( this is anyway the way we use all of our Prism Orpheus with 96 kHz.
@@TheFuturetive Yes, this works. You can connect the Prism Orpheus via ADAT and SPDIF to another audio interface (like the RME Digiface USB). But be aware that although the Prism will sync on wordclock or ADAT it won’t change the sample frequency 😞 Anyways the is the ways we keep using our Prism Orpheus at 96 kHz…
Prism Atlas on Mac (i7 Mini with Big Sur then Studio Max with Monterey, and now Studio Ultra with Ventura) over the last 3 years.... Rock solid, not a single driver hiccup. I came from an Apollo X6 (which also has great stable drivers on Mac), and sound wise the Atlas is just prettier, more engaging and more pleasurable sounding mixes (when run through the DA-AD analog loop). Haven't given the audio recording latency a good test yet though, but I do play a lot of VST's in Logic Pro using Komplete and using Logic's Low Latency mode, I have no issues with the response time.
you are wrong. rme changed from akm to sabre only for the dac. the ad/da versions still on akm. everyone has different ears, i respect your opinion. but in my eyes there is nothing more neutral and on point then rme. great support and quality. i tried everything, for me rme is the only way since years. but good luck with prism.
Great video! Since Studio One 6.2 my Lyra 2's drivers are again stopping production. 2019 Prism had to send me a beta that corrected some things, but to be honest, it's never worked great with Studio One. The dropout/garbled audio issue when bouncing/mixdown has persisted since the day I bought it. Currently Prism and Presonus are working to figure out a solution to my new issue and the dropouts, but I'm pretty much over it. So frustrating. Shame too. The Prism sounds great. But what good is it when almost any DAW update cripples functionality? RME ADI 2/4 Pro se might be the solution. I'd much rather have stability over a small bump in quality.
Thanks for the comment! That’s very strange.. I got fedup and bought an RME digiface USB which acts as the brain of the studio now and I feed the Lyra with Adat optical using it only as an AD/DA converter. It’s really amazing since then. You could give this a try too ;)
Ordered the Digiface. I have questions! Do you have access to changing the Lyra's input types (line & mic) through totalmix? I track as well as use bus hardware. So switching input types is important.
@@BpackAudio you cannot control that with totalmix. I connect the lyra with usb just for the settings. Also I have set it to upsamle everything so at least I don’t need to worry about changing the sample rate. Hope this helps, let me know
I saw on gearslutz there is a night and day difference by using sharp mode and setting the dc filter to "none" on the RME. I regret not trying this before I sold my RME and am looking to get another one just to try this. Also supposedly you can make it even better by modding the RME to bypass the input DC coupling caps.
I was using the NOS filter but tbh I haven’t experienced “night and day” differences. The transient response was slightly different. I don’t recall changing DC filte. I would definitely not open an interface and modify it especially in this price range :)
Good day bro thanks for all the insights on all the prism videos. I have a question can you use an interface like an rme for the really reliable drivers while using the prism ad/da for the quality conversion?
That’s exactly right! This is why it has AES and toslink on the back of the unit so you can connect to it digitally both ways and use it as standalone Ad/Da ;)
@@portwill stand-alone meaning? I’ve never used anything but interfaces so I might need you to explain the I/o like a 5 year old. The standalone part made me feel like I don’t quite understand.
@@donrich3927 it just means you can use it as a converter without any PC connected to it. Most interfaces need to be connected to a computer to function properly. The Prism can be set to behave the way you want it to and then it remembers those settings the next time you power it on WITHOUT the usb cable connected. Hope it makes sense :)
If you are a Windows user then it might be an issue. Best option is to have a fast interface and use Prism as a converter only. If you are on Mac, you should be good AFAIK.
Could you share any samples? I mean, you talk about depth and soundstage, but I perceive the same on my Orion 32+ Gen 3. But the problem is that it sounds "wet" to me. And that means that when mixing, it can limit options (depending upon how it sounds). So, I wonder how it sounds.
I had the Apollo X6, Apogee Symphony Desktop and currently have the Neumann MT48, they all have shitty drivers! I am considering a Lyra 2 or getting the RME ADI.2 PRO FS R (i owned the orginal ADI-2 PRO before) and i think i will go for the RME simply because of the driver because i think at this level the sound is mainly subjective at all, so it's simply a different flavour.
I don't have RME, but I was looking for that best possible DA sound in both speakers and headphones. So I kind of found Prism Sound Lyra. But if you say that I have to heavily lower the buffer size.. Man that makes me think of not buying it. Is this needed because of some heavy processing for the sake of better quality or is it just lazyness on Prism Sound side of not working hard enough on their products... Honestly I want a good audio interface, but especially DA and headphone amp is the most important thing for me. Routing and recording is secondary..
@@Nedvio prism is a small company and they don’t invest too heavily into their software. RME is known for their drivers, Prism is known for their conversion. I ended up using an RME digiface as a centerhub and brain for the studio and use Lyra as ADDA & headphone amp. It is amazing and the Digiface costs very little tbh
@@portwill Thanks for the quick answer. In another of your videos I saw this setup. Your main workstation is a Mac. But I guess as the centerpiece is RME, then this setup works both on Mac and Windows. So Mac is just your preference? Now to the solution: its basically RME Digiface connected to the Mac/PC via USB, then connect Lyra to RME via ADAT, then speakers and headphones connected to Lyra (yes you also have a optical switch, but I am just generally talking about the logic behind the setup). And within TotalMix you set the audio to go to Lyra? Something like this? By the way, I was surpised you use M50x. Not that these are bad, but they dont seem in the same ballpark as the Lyra. I own a pair of M50x, but I mainly use Sennheiser HD 650.
@@Nedvio you are correct, that’s it. Mac is only preference. About the headphone: I like the M50X but I know it’s not high-end. I really am not a fan of headphones tbh. I just needed something to get the job done, every critical listening I do is on the Adams. However, if I were to spend money on it I would probably buy Audeze or something similar but I could never justify the price for what I need.
Great stuff. There aren’t any videos or sound comparisons out there so it’s kinda a buy it first and test. I’m looking at a Lyra 2 I’ve currently got a ssl2 interface and I’m starting mastering for clients. Can you provide any audio examples between the rme and the prism ? Also I’m on Mac m1 so wonder if anyone else has issues with the control app.
JDB just mentioned he experiences the same driver issue on a Mac. The control app is fine, it’s really the driver that seem to cause some headache. Unfortunately I cannot provide any A/D samples as I was using the RME solely as a mastering DA. I wouldn’t believe there is much of a difference in preamp/AD part there is more on the DA side. And when it comes to how it actually sounds no recording would technically give you the real truth, you would have to be in the room to hear soundstage, small details and dynamics. The Lyra is effortless, less “sterile” and brings out micro-details compared to the RME. For mastering it is definitely a better choice.
No issue in control app till now I'm on macbook air m1 16gb osx Monterey 12.6 in near future if i face issue about control app then i will update my comment right now working fine
@@jdbmusicproducer that’s good to know as I’d be using it on an Mac m1 pro Monterrey with Logic Pro. Any other issues that you are aware of or on Mac has it been plain sailing ?
@@portwill excellent 👌 I’m going to plan to use it to go from D/a into a tape reel to reel then back into a/d then master in Logic before printing. Is that where the difference would be more noticeable when I’m printing it ? I’m just trying to weigh up the cost vs the quality for what I’m going to be doing if that makes sense ?
@@sylegg this is exactly the use case where the prism shines and why it is being used in so many mastering studios: to go out high quality and then push it through the preamp using the built-in limiter. It doesn’t get better than this.
@@portwill My understanding is the ADC and DAC are about the best on the market. 32bit processing, up to 768khz sampling rates. I believe the model you have was similar though I know they had a couple that topped out at 192Khz 24bit, so not sure how much better/cleaner the 32bit/768 range is going to be. The headphone outputs are 2.2watts each (up from 1.5) and the new small one (forget what it is called) is up to 3.5watts I believe, but not sure that has much to do with sound quality. From what my rep told me it is a bit better/cleaner ADC/DAC than previous versions. Their own video indicates its a bit better, and more processing power and DSP, etc.
Hey! I’m also someone who plans to purchase a new professional grade interface for my studio. Like you, use a lot of midi instruments and additionally prioritize stability and buffer size above all. Given the parameters, do you think something like the UFX III would be the optimal choice? Im weighing against Lynx and Prism currently.
Hey! I think you’re gonna love the UFX if you decide on it. If you need that little something you could also use RME digiface and the Prism only as an AD/DA (via Adat Optical) - this is what I ended up doing. I would also check the Merging Tech interfaces. I don’t have experience with them but in theory they bring the best in performance and sound. Hope this helps
@@portwill Thanks for the insight! I’ll check those out today and see what I think. I’d consider the digiface prism combo since I was only looking at it for conversion quality anyways. Much appreciated and thanks for the response!
Question for you: If I buy the prism to just record microphone inputs and run my speakers through it thats it (hardly using its mixer ill be mostly exclusively in Logic Pro using my plugins I just want great mic preamps) will the performance of the drivers affect me? I do not think they will but I could be wrong. Apogee user here
Unfortunately the drivers still be affecting your workflow although it should not be a horrible experience per se. On Mac it is much better, on PC I was struggling with project files in the box when there were multiple plugins. It not just about your CPU and RAM performance. Even on a Mac I can run about 20% more using the RME digiface instead of Prism through USB.
@@JNCGaming Yes but it's not the DAW itself. It has more to do with the driver. Easy to test, just change the buffer and/or sample rate and you will see. The smaller buffer and higher sample rate will result in less performance = less plugins your computer will be able to handle without dropouts and artifacts. Just the buffer alone works very differently depending on the interface and driver you use. The driver of an interface really makes or breaks the performance and in Prisms case it is sub-par compared to what RME has to offer. Even the option to run double buffer size on RME can be a game changer for someone who doesn't need good roundtrip latency but needs LOTS of plugins to run simultaneously.
I am on PC windows 11 I am currently looking for an interface and the top 2 I am looking at are the Prism Sound Lyra 2 2 x 4 USB Audio Interface and the RME UCX 2, I am a little nervous about getting the prism because of hearing this, I actually read about this issue in a couple other places. Any idea if this problem has been taken care of? I heard this Prism Sound Lyra 2 2 x 4 has great sound but I dont want latency or have to deal with driver issues
I use an RME digiface USB and connect the Lyra through optical. This works amazingly well and I get the best of both worlds. To be fair, if you are happy with the RME sound, you won’t miss a thing going with the UCX.
@@trailerparkchronicle5874 I would steer you to RME as a first interface or try to find a shop that gives you a decent return period. Prism can be hard to resell too if you change your mind and it’s really only great at conversion. The RME does LOTS of things, has very high quality conversion and keeps its value better in my opinion. Just my $0.02
RME has updated the chips and headphone amp on the RME ADI 2/4 in 2023 and also the Interface UFX III 3.0. I wonder if these are better than the prism. I am going to upgrade to the newest RME but would go with prism if it's better
Yeah I read it somewhere. The older I get the more I question what “better” is really. In terms of micro-details I have a feeling it may outperform RME but in overall functionality, drivers and price you can hardly get better than RME.
They are fantastic, transparent. If you need color you can always pair it up with an API or Neve, the in-built has “no color” as far as I can tell. The drivers are good on Mac, horribly slow for Windows so that’s a deal-breaker for some. I bought an RME digiface to be the brain of my system and now only use the Lyra as a 2 channel AD/DA and couldn’t be happier.
I'm also use studio one and also facing the same issue with my lyra 2 it's very annoying when client sitting with you and want to record something or play production suddenly crackling noise 😖
Agreed! I have to start 4096 buffer on the Prism or just change the sample rate so it reinitiates and then it’s good. Usually I keep it at 4096 when working in Studio One. Do you also use PC? I was wondering if there is any difference on a Mac
@@portwill I use both pc and mac i notice that when i use logic pro its running smooth and i when i use studio one the issue start on both platform pc and mac
hello there ! i need advice , i am planning to hook up "prism callia " DAC with UCX II to get great sound of prism DAC via my adams , and also i can connect my few hardware gears with ucx II and still i will be able to get prism sound DAC quality , how you see such setup ? bettr than Lyra 2 , or it is just stupid idea. ( because in almost same price i could get more IN and OUTs Than Lyra 2 & still be getting sound prsim quality )
It could work if you only need a DA but the Lyra is an AD too and a very useful one if you would want to use hardware gear too. Also, the Lyra accepts AES/EBU connection via the RCA on the back and can work "offline" as an AD/DA while upsampling the incoming signal if needed. Also the Lyra has WordClock and I believe the Callia does only work as a slave when it comes to clocking. If you solely work in the box and only need a single DA, it could absolutely work but I would only buy it if I was planning on using it in a hi-fi system too. I am not sure about the Callia's sound as I have never heard it. Strictly for studio use I would most probably wait and save up enough money to buy the unit that is designed for the studio. Just my 2 cents
@@rainstar9626 it also has 8 ins and 8 outs through ADAT optical plus 2 inad and outs through SPDIF & AES3 connection which means with expansions you can have 12 ins and 12 outs. I'm planning on using the AES connections for offline ADDA
@@portwill great ! and which interface/converter do you use as a slave to expand INs and OUTs via ADAT , to keep the Quality intact of Prism converter ! like i have UCX II and Old Focusrite 18i20 i can use Them Via ADAT and Expand it But my seller is saying it hurts the quality of prism while using inferior AD/DA converters with Prism Sound so suggesting me to get Titan Instead
@@rainstar9626 I am not using anything else at this moment but I will either get me an RME or Universal Audio Apollo for extension. Obviously the inputs and outputs of these are somewhat inferior compared to the RME but this is when you need to make a decision and know what you are using it for. To be honest I need two inputs and outputs that are REALLY high quality for mastering purposes, the remainder is mostly for single tracks or buses to go through and no one can complain about the preamps and outputs of the RME, it is 90% there which is "good enough" for me. Those ins and outs are gonna be used for analog summing for me and also to record multiple mics and I am completely OK running it through RME converters and preamps. I would suggest you do the same. The retailer will loose some money but you will end up with a more modular and capable system. Especially considerint the drivers of RME, I would use that interface as the core of the studio. So I think you are good, don't sweat it!
@@sancessounds RME has a higher wattage output if I’m not mistaken. I wonder whoever said that really tried the Prism??! Also note that this is mainly a converter so if you want the best headphone experience you might look into separate headphone amps like SPL or similar. And the same is true for RME. That’s what I would do if I was using the headphone a lot. I tried the Emotiva BasX A-100 many many years ago as a headphone amp and it blew my mind (I was using the ADI-2 at the time and it was nowhere near the performance of a dedicated amp). I can tell you I’m perfectly happy with the output of the Lyra and the microdetails are certainly noticable.
@@sancessounds well you need both a good conversion and a good headphone amp. I would say the RME is high-end enough in both categories. If you want better conversion, get the Lyra and if you want the best amp, get a dedicated headphone amp. It’s really dependent on your needs and your budget. A chain is as strong as its weakest link so even if you have a high-end headphone amp, a mediocre audio source (converter) won’t do it justice. I hope it makes sense
Then I heard people say that the lyra2 before the 1000 number has a different sound than the black lyra2 now, I consulted prism soud and they said the sound is exactly the same
I haven't unfortunately. That was on my list before I bought the Prism, however I didn't need many of its features and did like the idea of having the mic pres and added features in the Prism. I think Lynx's only option for a smaller home studio would be the Halo but that again lack most features I really needed.
@@portwill Try the Aurora. They use it in Lucasarts studio (skywalker ranch) so it has top converters. And it's driver is rock solid 3rd place in TAFKAT's latency list on gearspace(gearslutz). Just behind RME's AIO Pro, and HDSPe.
i switched to a mark of the unicorn 828 es and they have sabe chips and i got rid of my patch bay .you can rount any input to any output in the interface . and drivers are very close to rme i know how you feel .my focurite drivers wer a bit faster on buffers 256 full master 1.6 ms tracking on the MOTU on thunderbolt and abt 2.1 usb 2.0
Indeed, MOTUs are freakin amazing nowdays! I also own a small M4. I would argue that the low end of the DA is not really on par with RME but it is soooo close overall. I think what MOTU lacks now is slightly better build quality of their interfaces. My good friend is a MOTU fan and he also swears by it and loves the loopback feature too.
@@portwill I would really like to get an rme some day I grabbed my 828es for half cost of new so $for$ I couldn't pull the trigger on an rme . have you checked out those orions from antelope ? how you think conversion and drivers compare to rme?
@@metalfather8139 I personally don't have experience with Antelope but a friend of mine bought one and said they sounded truly amazing, slightly better than RME but he sold it due to software instability and no support. Unfortunately from what I have heard Antelope is very much behind when it comes to software and customer support so I really don't know. It could be interesting to try it out and buy it from a seller who allows you to try it for a month or so and see if it suits you and is working fine. RME on the other hand is pretty much an industry standard when it comes to driver stability, no question there.
Don’t! If you can’t hear the difference, you don’t have good enough hearing (it happens) OR you have weak components/room in which case it’s a waste of money.
@@portwill both points! In a blind test even those who pretend to hear the difference will fail , it is proven! But again if that investment makes you feel better and your music improves of those feelings, then ok im not against! But for 0.1% improvements i don’t think it’s worth it!
05:21🤣 Its not funny but this is why I sold my Atlas and kept my RME UFX. The RME is Military Grade Conversion. Its not on par with Prism but it is very good and it is ROCK SOLID!! ....AND, RME is never credited for how good their low end resolution is.
@@nickmandleberg meaning it’s solid, reliable, robust and unbreakable....but it’s not “fancy” or pretty...RME doesn’t sound as pretty as Prism but it’s good to go.
@@nickmandleberg it won’t turn you into a military official :) But if my life depended on it and I had to have one interface that will work day after day, I would always choose RME regardless of the price.
It has 32GB RAM and an i8700K that should do the trick :) In the meantime I got an M2 Mac Studio and although it is much better on Mac, I am using an RME Digiface as a centerhub instead.
Yes , just got the prism lyra 2 last night, just tried tracking with it and the latency so far anyways is absolutely terrible!!!! Unusable and I am also using ableton!!!!!
Don’t give up on it! :) It’s a lovely converter. I got the digiface usb and hooked up the Lyra through Adat Optical (In/Out) and have set SRC on the Prism to 192khz. Works amazingly.
@@portwill But as far as going into my pc via usb I am pretty much screwed? Also sending it through the the digiface usb? You are also sending it through another converter right?
@portwill wasn't planning on tracking with live plugins. I am currently just going from my lyra 2 via USB into my pc/ ableton and it is already " painful " enough, more like unusable. Wouldn't going from a lyra 2 into the digiface be going from one ad converter to another? Wouldn't that bring the quality of the sound down a bit?
@@trailerparkchronicle5874 You don’t use the digiface as a converter, only as the computing interface. So no difference there. Play around with the buffer settings too and the asio latency and see if that helps first.
I bought 20 units of lyra2 from an agent last year for $671, but this year his price has tripled. I don’t know why the price of his device, which has been released for so many years, has increased. At the beginning of the release of adi2, many people used it and lyra2 Hilo makes a comparison, but the price of Hilo 2 is still firm, while the price of Adi has become worthless. Is it the difference between ess and akm?
I'm not sure if you are joking or not. :) The price for Prism 2 is transparent on the internet, the used market average is 1750 EUR for years now and it never was sold for less than 1800 brand new since 2014. That is if you don't consider counterfeit or black market products :) Lynx and Prism is not a comparison unit to ADI-2 as they are in different class - Prism and AFAIK Lynx uses proprietary conversion technology and was always more expensive. As for ADI-2 becoming worthless: I bought my ADI-2 in 2019 from Thomann for 1044EUR and it is sold on Reverb for average 800 EUR so I'm unsure about what you are referring to.
@@portwill I'm sure he is really useful. It seems that this can really be the reason why I don't like him. The price difference between different regions is really big. The most magical thing is that the second-hand price is more expensive than the brand new price. Ha ha ha
Prism vs. RME, its like women. Yes the Prism is hot, she is beautiful, but the RME is good, she's attractive enough but she also can cook, clean, and she can change the oil in your car. 🤣🤣🤣
I tested the Prism Titan just because some procucers told me that Prism was the best. Result: the driver is terrible, the software too and the sound is somehow too sterile for me. I went Apollo X with Burl B2, man they both destroy the Prism in terms of sonics and stability!
I think lots of people would be interested in your opinion and measurement findings. Please elaborate in a video with your personal experience with both devices.
@@portwill Go Watch ASR he mesures every DAC with an apx555 ( 30k$ ). When you listen to 2 dac except if one is really badly engineered or if one uses distortion on purpose to color the sound, ( eg r2r or tubes ) which you wouldn’t want for mastering, you can’t tell the difference in a proper blind test because you are listening with many biais ( money in line ) that make you more attentive thus hearing more details ( in short but it’s more complex ) it’s been studied extensively, your brain doesn’t always show you what’s real, if you do mixing or mastering you should already know about about the psychoacoustic field, but it’d actually way deeper, the correlation between price and performance of DAC was evaluated around 0.9%, mainly because there was a big technology step up in the last 10 years ( not only with DAC but with most technology in general ) but also cause there is a market of audiophile who would buy overpriced things without knowing anything about how they work. Most of what a DAC has to do is reproduce the sound with the less distortion and noise possible, and the most linear frequency response, and that is measurable with the right tools, we can mesure way more than we can hear, apx555 hardware can mesure 1mhz frequency.
@@AaezZzze I get where you are coming from. This is not an "audiophile" equipment, it is meant to to be used in a studio as ADDA. In that regard there is not many that can do rountrip recording with de facto same results after many loop cycles (that has little to do with your distortion measurements that are anyway houndreds of times lower than any transducers). RME, although is a fantastic company and produces great DACs is far from this performance. You can argue all day, please do your own recording with RME and with Prism and check degradation per recording cycle and come back with your results. There are quite a lot you and I don't know about psychoacoustics as the field of science is constantly finding newer and newer evidence against what we thought was common knowledge (like nothing makes a difference above 20kHz). The goal of this equipment is to provide an accurate conversion in and out. In that regard if you actually do listen to them side-by-side you will certainly hear a difference that is not marginal. I mean, you don't need to measure if the bass is detailed or not, you should be able to hear it. If you don't, then nothing to worry about, get the one that is cheaper. My kind suggestion to you is to not listen to anyone (including me) and do your own research instead of coming to conclusions based on what you read somewhere.
@@portwill I was talking about your comment on the DA part only not AD. Listening side by side induces many biais which are studied since many years, I encourage you to read those studies because those products were made using science not listening test subjects to human flaws which aren’t even following a serious blinded protocol. Your hears and your brain are connected together, and they adapt to what they receive, you probably know this when tou have to make EQ decisions you should close your eyes. When you want to compare DACS by hear you can’t do it alone or you will want to like the more expensive one more thus hear more from it.
@@AaezZzze I’m not here to argue with you. I know mixing and mastering and have been learning about this since 20 years so I’m well aware of where you are coming from. At this point we can agree to disagree, I’m gonna keep my Lyra and enjoy it, you keep your RME and enjoy it ;)
I was in the same situation about a year and a half ago. Was warned about the "Prism" driver. Which was the main reason I got the UFX2. In the future I will simply add a high-end converter. Btw I saw you're on win 11. I hope you debloated it and did enough tweaking! There is a LOT to optimize!
Thats an amazing interface, great choice! I did try to optimize Win 11 but to be honest I am more and more leaning towards OSX again. I was using OSX for more than a decade and I miss lots of things.
@@portwill I understand 100% why! If you have the chance to reinstall your system again, do it, but watch a few videos on the subject here on RUclips beforehand. You can also skip the Win 11 account at the beginning. This will also save you some GB of memory usage! Your driver might also work better afterwards. ✌️
I have owned both an RME Fireface 800 (which was my primary ADDA for like 10 years), and a Prism Titan. Now Currently I use the Titan with an MDIO card for PTHDX so I'm running it via Diglink to PCIe for PTHX Native. I much prefer the Prism, but RME makes incredible stuff for the money. If I wasn't using Pro Tools Ultimate, I would probably have bough an RME HDSPe MADI 128-channel MADI PCI Express Card and SPL Madison converters. I feel the Prism stuff is best suited for PTHD (or Pro Tools Ultimate, whatever you want to call it), in order to take advantage of lower latency. The Prism IS better. Maybe the best ADDA on the market right now...but I don't think it's the best solution for most DAWs that are not PTHX.
You can’t compare the very old RME Fireface 800 with a Prism. But if you take the new ADI 2 pro fs or the new m32 AD / DA pro series, you will be shocke how good they sound. We have both (actually the Prism, the ADI 2 pro fs and the m32 AD/DA pro (next to an old but fantastic Wadia decoder and an expensive Millennia card))
@@mruebsam6453 Oh I bet RME is getting better year after year. My point is that the Prism was a no compromise solution that I have yet to see surpassed. I'm not married to any company, but Prism Titan consistently won every loop back test shootout we did for years. That being said. It's always good to try new things.
Ok, thank you for the confirmation that I'll be sticking with RME for life!
My experience was that I felt the songs had more depth to them with more details in the mid and high range. Bass was more tight and easier to understand what was going on. It was like wearing a beanie hat with RME and then when I took the hat off I could hear more detail in the Prism, was enough of a change to hear the difference but was not so much night and day. But I agree the drivers compared to RME are not great, it's the trade off for the quality of the sound.
I agree fully, glad to read your experience!
Good info. If RME's drivers are still superior, then I'm sticking with RME.
As I wrote above; you have to compare the prism with the new ADI 2 pro fs or the new m32 series. I still like the Prisms, too. But I can’t tell which one i s better…
I’d like to hear a vocal recorded with the prism going through its converter compared to a vocal that goes through an RME
Exactly me tooooo , it’s like why not show a difference in vocals in these videos that people make! Like cmon .. it’s too much talking going around
We did several tests (Merging Horus, Lynx aurora (n), RME m32 ADDA pro/ ADI 2 fs pro, Prism Orpheus) and I still have the testifies. If somebody is interested, just contact me...
@@mruebsam6453 I’m definitely interested! I have the Lynx Hilo and it sounds good but not as good as I thought it would be vocal wise but yea I definitely wands hear , what I gtta do?
In all of the components in my DAW rig, the RME Babyface and its Win drivers have been so stellar, there's zero reason to even ponder switching out IMO. We all have other areas in our rigs that need attention, lol! If you are buying new then the prism vs RME discussion is important of course. At this point I am committed to RME and Cubase and it works incredibly well, so I'm focusing elsewhere... such as learning orchestration way better!
Thanks for the comment! I fully agree with you, RME is really amazing and there is so much one can do to improve and put time and effort into doing better (especially in music production). You really have to be obsessed (like myself) or a full-time mastering engineer to even justify going "above" RME and even then you face challenges (as I mentioned in the video).
Get a Madiface USB or any other RME MADI interface and hook-up any MADI converter you like. In my case I use a Antilope Goliath Which has horrible drivers but this does not matter as its just used as a stand alone converter over MADI. All the benefits of RME drivers but with Antelope conversion. Great setup I can recommend.
Appreciate the help. That's very close to what I'm planning on doing. I don't have MADI on the Prism and I like it as an ADDA but I will probably use the AES or the S/PDIF connection. Unfortunately there are less and less RME interfaces available but I will definitely find a solution.
@@portwill I use the RME AES PCIEx, this give flexibility to choose any external converter with AES i/o
@@astralboy I never knew they had that. Good stuff
@@astralboycan i do this with a UfX 2 Also??
@@yurqandi sure since it has 1-AES I/O......so you can also flip the order of the devices.
I think the interface type- whether it’s usb, pcie, adat, madi, is just as important to this conversation as the brand. While some companies nail a single format incredibly well, they may struggle with others. The Lynx Hilo for instance sounds better connected AES than USB because lynx didnt bother to address some power and clocking problems that come with usb. RME from what I have seen has probably the best USB jitter reduction- period. But if you connect an RME pcie adat card to a Hilo, then you are going to have best of 3 worlds- the RME steady clock, the electronic isolation of ADAT, and the outstanding ant-alias filters of Lynx
Great points! Thank you!
Using my Hilo with the Raydat i can verify this statement. Thats why a lot of professionals go exactly the same route of using an rme device as a main interface and adding 3rd party converters.
Ich have the other way around behind me...
Let me explain. We have since quite a while 3 Prism Orpheus (daisy chained via FireWire). Unfortunately in the middle of a recording session one of them just broke. Within a weekend we compared a merging Horus, our prism orpheus, a lynx aurora (n) and a RME m32 AD pro (these are the new AVB AD and DA converters). We were shocked how good the RME were. All of those were really close. Most of the time we were not able to hear differences. Sometimes we thought that the Prism has a more relaxed body. Bit it was impossible to say which one was really better,. So we decided for the RME. This was my first contact to RME. In the studio we still worked with the Prisms (btw. Orpheus has the same converters and circuities als the Titan) and for location recording we used the RME. Then we made an upgrade in ou computer system. Apple dropped FireWire Support. So the Prism didn't work anymore from one day to the next 😞 Maybe this is the time to talk about the Prism drivers. In my opinion they are horrible. Especially when daisy chaining the Orpheus. I cannot tell you how many times I had to reboot the computer and plug in and out the prisms over the last year. It was just horrible. Our current solution looks like this. We have a cheap RME Digiface USB with 4 ADATs I/Os (and a RME Digiface AVB for the high track count). The prism orpheus are connect to the RME DigiFace USB via ADAT and it works just perfectly. However there is on major Drawback. And again it's about drivers....In standalone / ADAT mode the Prisms just work on a set sample rate (which is 96 kHz at the moment). I f your want to change this to another sample rate you have to find an old computer an rund the Prism Control Applet and reconfigure the Prism. What a pain. In the same time we just got another RME ADI 2 pro fs, which has absolutely no issue in accepting all sample rates... and from my perspective the ADI 2 pro fs sound absolutely transparent.
My conclusion: The prism ADDA converters are good. Very good. But everything around the conversion is "difficult" (a pain in the ass, if you need to work and it's not working right - again and again) . I was really surprised about the audio quality of the newer RME products (m32 ad/da pro series and ADI 2 pro fs) I really like using both right next to each other...
That's amazing! Thank you for sharing it. I love RME just as much and I agree, Prism is mostly for its conversion, everything around it is a bit painful. RME does so many -if not all- things very well, it is hard to find an overall better value for the money.
I have an Orpheus and am wanting to move to a silicon mac but they do not suport audio over firwire dose this meen I couls still use the orpheus on th adat out of another usb interface ?
@@TheFuturetive it should also have an “offline” mode where it remembers your settings without the main computer connection. That way you should be able to use it, yes. However the best would be to contact Prism and ask them too, but I am fairly certain it should work.
@@TheFuturetive We have this issue, too. The solution is to connect the Prism via ADAT (and SPDIF) to another audio interface (like the RME Digiface USB). However there is one real issue: The Prism does sync on Wordclock and on ADAT but it won’t change the sample rate :-( this is anyway the way we use all of our Prism Orpheus with 96 kHz.
@@TheFuturetive Yes, this works. You can connect the Prism Orpheus via ADAT and SPDIF to another audio interface (like the RME Digiface USB). But be aware that although the Prism will sync on wordclock or ADAT it won’t change the sample frequency 😞 Anyways the is the ways we keep using our Prism Orpheus at 96 kHz…
Prism Atlas on Mac (i7 Mini with Big Sur then Studio Max with Monterey, and now Studio Ultra with Ventura) over the last 3 years.... Rock solid, not a single driver hiccup. I came from an Apollo X6 (which also has great stable drivers on Mac), and sound wise the Atlas is just prettier, more engaging and more pleasurable sounding mixes (when run through the DA-AD analog loop). Haven't given the audio recording latency a good test yet though, but I do play a lot of VST's in Logic Pro using Komplete and using Logic's Low Latency mode, I have no issues with the response time.
Finally someone is answering this. I was so long on the hunt for this… converters are a challenging topic
I am happy you found it useful :)
you are wrong. rme changed from akm to sabre only for the dac. the ad/da versions still on akm. everyone has different ears, i respect your opinion. but in my eyes there is nothing more neutral and on point then rme. great support and quality. i tried everything, for me rme is the only way since years. but good luck with prism.
I appreciate your comment. Indeed, I need to suffer listening to the Prism every day :)
Great video!
Since Studio One 6.2 my Lyra 2's drivers are again stopping production. 2019 Prism had to send me a beta that corrected some things, but to be honest, it's never worked great with Studio One. The dropout/garbled audio issue when bouncing/mixdown has persisted since the day I bought it. Currently Prism and Presonus are working to figure out a solution to my new issue and the dropouts, but I'm pretty much over it. So frustrating.
Shame too. The Prism sounds great. But what good is it when almost any DAW update cripples functionality?
RME ADI 2/4 Pro se might be the solution. I'd much rather have stability over a small bump in quality.
Thanks for the comment! That’s very strange.. I got fedup and bought an RME digiface USB which acts as the brain of the studio now and I feed the Lyra with Adat optical using it only as an AD/DA converter. It’s really amazing since then. You could give this a try too ;)
Ordered the Digiface.
I have questions!
Do you have access to changing the Lyra's input types (line & mic) through totalmix?
I track as well as use bus hardware. So switching input types is important.
@@BpackAudio you cannot control that with totalmix. I connect the lyra with usb just for the settings. Also I have set it to upsamle everything so at least I don’t need to worry about changing the sample rate. Hope this helps, let me know
You lost me at, Driver. Hello RME!
I saw on gearslutz there is a night and day difference by using sharp mode and setting the dc filter to "none" on the RME. I regret not trying this before I sold my RME and am looking to get another one just to try this. Also supposedly you can make it even better by modding the RME to bypass the input DC coupling caps.
I was using the NOS filter but tbh I haven’t experienced “night and day” differences. The transient response was slightly different. I don’t recall changing DC filte. I would definitely not open an interface and modify it especially in this price range :)
Without setting the DC filter to none there wasnt much of a difference.
@@alexmagor7538 That could be it.
@@whome3911 You can disable filter in menu. Beyond that you can find a local tech to bypass the filter caps.
Man we need Shootout tests now
I did,, if you are want to get the testifies (high quality classical music, transient tests, Vocals and white noise), just contact me...
I've only heard people use the PRISM for mastering... you're a bold man to attempt using it as the centerpiece
Bald man rather 😂in the meantime I got me a Digiface USB which is the centerpiece and the Lyra is only for ADDA conversion
Good day bro thanks for all the insights on all the prism videos. I have a question can you use an interface like an rme for the really reliable drivers while using the prism ad/da for the quality conversion?
That’s exactly right! This is why it has AES and toslink on the back of the unit so you can connect to it digitally both ways and use it as standalone Ad/Da ;)
@@portwill stand-alone meaning? I’ve never used anything but interfaces so I might need you to explain the I/o like a 5 year old. The standalone part made me feel like I don’t quite understand.
@@donrich3927 it just means you can use it as a converter without any PC connected to it. Most interfaces need to be connected to a computer to function properly. The Prism can be set to behave the way you want it to and then it remembers those settings the next time you power it on WITHOUT the usb cable connected. Hope it makes sense :)
Wow , I run a overdub studio and I am looking at the Prism. This buffer issue might kill the project
If you are a Windows user then it might be an issue. Best option is to have a fast interface and use Prism as a converter only. If you are on Mac, you should be good AFAIK.
Could you share any samples? I mean, you talk about depth and soundstage, but I perceive the same on my Orion 32+ Gen 3. But the problem is that it sounds "wet" to me. And that means that when mixing, it can limit options (depending upon how it sounds).
So, I wonder how it sounds.
Prism doesn’t use any proprietary chips, they use Cirrus Logic ad DAC and ADC
I had the Apollo X6, Apogee Symphony Desktop and currently have the Neumann MT48, they all have shitty drivers!
I am considering a Lyra 2 or getting the RME ADI.2 PRO FS R (i owned the orginal ADI-2 PRO before) and i think i will go for the RME simply because of the driver because i think at this level the sound is mainly subjective at all, so it's simply a different flavour.
I opted for a Digiface USB and use the Lyra for AD/DA. Best of both worlds ;)
good to know Bro . Thank You
I don't have RME, but I was looking for that best possible DA sound in both speakers and headphones. So I kind of found Prism Sound Lyra. But if you say that I have to heavily lower the buffer size.. Man that makes me think of not buying it. Is this needed because of some heavy processing for the sake of better quality or is it just lazyness on Prism Sound side of not working hard enough on their products... Honestly I want a good audio interface, but especially DA and headphone amp is the most important thing for me. Routing and recording is secondary..
@@Nedvio prism is a small company and they don’t invest too heavily into their software. RME is known for their drivers, Prism is known for their conversion. I ended up using an RME digiface as a centerhub and brain for the studio and use Lyra as ADDA & headphone amp. It is amazing and the Digiface costs very little tbh
@@portwill Thanks for the quick answer. In another of your videos I saw this setup. Your main workstation is a Mac. But I guess as the centerpiece is RME, then this setup works both on Mac and Windows. So Mac is just your preference? Now to the solution: its basically RME Digiface connected to the Mac/PC via USB, then connect Lyra to RME via ADAT, then speakers and headphones connected to Lyra (yes you also have a optical switch, but I am just generally talking about the logic behind the setup). And within TotalMix you set the audio to go to Lyra? Something like this? By the way, I was surpised you use M50x. Not that these are bad, but they dont seem in the same ballpark as the Lyra. I own a pair of M50x, but I mainly use Sennheiser HD 650.
@@Nedvio you are correct, that’s it. Mac is only preference. About the headphone: I like the M50X but I know it’s not high-end. I really am not a fan of headphones tbh. I just needed something to get the job done, every critical listening I do is on the Adams. However, if I were to spend money on it I would probably buy Audeze or something similar but I could never justify the price for what I need.
Great stuff. There aren’t any videos or sound comparisons out there so it’s kinda a buy it first and test. I’m looking at a Lyra 2 I’ve currently got a ssl2 interface and I’m starting mastering for clients. Can you provide any audio examples between the rme and the prism ? Also I’m on Mac m1 so wonder if anyone else has issues with the control app.
JDB just mentioned he experiences the same driver issue on a Mac. The control app is fine, it’s really the driver that seem to cause some headache. Unfortunately I cannot provide any A/D samples as I was using the RME solely as a mastering DA. I wouldn’t believe there is much of a difference in preamp/AD part there is more on the DA side. And when it comes to how it actually sounds no recording would technically give you the real truth, you would have to be in the room to hear soundstage, small details and dynamics. The Lyra is effortless, less “sterile” and brings out micro-details compared to the RME. For mastering it is definitely a better choice.
No issue in control app till now I'm on macbook air m1 16gb osx Monterey 12.6 in near future if i face issue about control app then i will update my comment right now working fine
@@jdbmusicproducer that’s good to know as I’d be using it on an Mac m1 pro Monterrey with Logic Pro. Any other issues that you are aware of or on Mac has it been plain sailing ?
@@portwill excellent 👌 I’m going to plan to use it to go from D/a into a tape reel to reel then back into a/d then master in Logic before printing. Is that where the difference would be more noticeable when I’m printing it ? I’m just trying to weigh up the cost vs the quality for what I’m going to be doing if that makes sense ?
@@sylegg this is exactly the use case where the prism shines and why it is being used in so many mastering studios: to go out high quality and then push it through the preamp using the built-in limiter. It doesn’t get better than this.
Be curious how you would compare the latest 2/4 Pro SE to the Lyra.
I’m not sure how different the new RME is but it would be very interesting to try. I will try to ask around, maybe someone can lend me one for a video
@@portwill My understanding is the ADC and DAC are about the best on the market. 32bit processing, up to 768khz sampling rates. I believe the model you have was similar though I know they had a couple that topped out at 192Khz 24bit, so not sure how much better/cleaner the 32bit/768 range is going to be. The headphone outputs are 2.2watts each (up from 1.5) and the new small one (forget what it is called) is up to 3.5watts I believe, but not sure that has much to do with sound quality. From what my rep told me it is a bit better/cleaner ADC/DAC than previous versions. Their own video indicates its a bit better, and more processing power and DSP, etc.
Hey! I’m also someone who plans to purchase a new professional grade interface for my studio. Like you, use a lot of midi instruments and additionally prioritize stability and buffer size above all. Given the parameters, do you think something like the UFX III would be the optimal choice? Im weighing against Lynx and Prism currently.
Hey! I think you’re gonna love the UFX if you decide on it. If you need that little something you could also use RME digiface and the Prism only as an AD/DA (via Adat Optical) - this is what I ended up doing. I would also check the Merging Tech interfaces. I don’t have experience with them but in theory they bring the best in performance and sound. Hope this helps
@@portwill Thanks for the insight! I’ll check those out today and see what I think. I’d consider the digiface prism combo since I was only looking at it for conversion quality anyways.
Much appreciated and thanks for the response!
Question for you: If I buy the prism to just record microphone inputs and run my speakers through it thats it (hardly using its mixer ill be mostly exclusively in Logic Pro using my plugins I just want great mic preamps) will the performance of the drivers affect me? I do not think they will but I could be wrong. Apogee user here
Unfortunately the drivers still be affecting your workflow although it should not be a horrible experience per se. On Mac it is much better, on PC I was struggling with project files in the box when there were multiple plugins. It not just about your CPU and RAM performance. Even on a Mac I can run about 20% more using the RME digiface instead of Prism through USB.
so the audio interface can actually affect daw performance as in how many plugins I will be able to use? Ive never heard of that. @@portwill
@@JNCGaming Yes but it's not the DAW itself. It has more to do with the driver. Easy to test, just change the buffer and/or sample rate and you will see. The smaller buffer and higher sample rate will result in less performance = less plugins your computer will be able to handle without dropouts and artifacts. Just the buffer alone works very differently depending on the interface and driver you use. The driver of an interface really makes or breaks the performance and in Prisms case it is sub-par compared to what RME has to offer. Even the option to run double buffer size on RME can be a game changer for someone who doesn't need good roundtrip latency but needs LOTS of plugins to run simultaneously.
I am on PC windows 11 I am currently looking for an interface and the top 2 I am looking at are the Prism Sound Lyra 2 2 x 4 USB Audio Interface and the RME UCX 2, I am a little nervous about getting the prism because of hearing this, I actually read about this issue in a couple other places. Any idea if this problem has been taken care of? I heard this Prism Sound Lyra 2 2 x 4 has great sound but I dont want latency or have to deal with driver issues
I use an RME digiface USB and connect the Lyra through optical. This works amazingly well and I get the best of both worlds. To be fair, if you are happy with the RME sound, you won’t miss a thing going with the UCX.
@@portwill I actually don't have either, don't even have an interface. Always recorded in studios or on my all in one outboard gear.
@@trailerparkchronicle5874 I would steer you to RME as a first interface or try to find a shop that gives you a decent return period. Prism can be hard to resell too if you change your mind and it’s really only great at conversion. The RME does LOTS of things, has very high quality conversion and keeps its value better in my opinion. Just my $0.02
my lyra and titan are fine 256 with 3 drum vsts playing live on usb drumkit, you need a pc with powerfull single core performance in the daw
Hi, what's would your next choice so ? Forssell ?
RME has updated the chips and headphone amp on the RME ADI 2/4 in 2023 and also the Interface UFX III 3.0. I wonder if these are better than the prism. I am going to upgrade to the newest RME but would go with prism if it's better
Yeah I read it somewhere. The older I get the more I question what “better” is really. In terms of micro-details I have a feeling it may outperform RME but in overall functionality, drivers and price you can hardly get better than RME.
@@portwill Thank You for your advice.
I also use the Burl ADC and DAC for two channels or 1.
@@marc8vino if you have Burl I would not bother with Prism, hahha :)
How are the preamps on the Prism Lyra 2. If you need a 2 channel interface for home recording and mixing all ITB
They are fantastic, transparent. If you need color you can always pair it up with an API or Neve, the in-built has “no color” as far as I can tell. The drivers are good on Mac, horribly slow for Windows so that’s a deal-breaker for some. I bought an RME digiface to be the brain of my system and now only use the Lyra as a 2 channel AD/DA and couldn’t be happier.
I'm also use studio one and also facing the same issue with my lyra 2 it's very annoying when client sitting with you and want to record something or play production suddenly crackling noise 😖
Agreed! I have to start 4096 buffer on the Prism or just change the sample rate so it reinitiates and then it’s good. Usually I keep it at 4096 when working in Studio One. Do you also use PC? I was wondering if there is any difference on a Mac
@@portwill I use both pc and mac i notice that when i use logic pro its running smooth and i when i use studio one the issue start on both platform pc and mac
@@jdbmusicproducer very interesting!!
I’ve been using s1 on Mac since 2010 and never had a problem like that or any at all. But I do use reaper mainly now though.
hello there ! i need advice , i am planning to hook up "prism callia " DAC with UCX II to get great sound of prism DAC via my adams , and also i can connect my few hardware gears with ucx II and still i will be able to get prism sound DAC quality , how you see such setup ? bettr than Lyra 2 , or it is just stupid idea. ( because in almost same price i could get more IN and OUTs Than Lyra 2 & still be getting sound prsim quality )
It could work if you only need a DA but the Lyra is an AD too and a very useful one if you would want to use hardware gear too. Also, the Lyra accepts AES/EBU connection via the RCA on the back and can work "offline" as an AD/DA while upsampling the incoming signal if needed. Also the Lyra has WordClock and I believe the Callia does only work as a slave when it comes to clocking. If you solely work in the box and only need a single DA, it could absolutely work but I would only buy it if I was planning on using it in a hi-fi system too. I am not sure about the Callia's sound as I have never heard it. Strictly for studio use I would most probably wait and save up enough money to buy the unit that is designed for the studio. Just my 2 cents
@@portwill thankyou for sharing your thoughts on it , so how do you connect your outboard gears with the Lyra 2 when it has only two in and outs.
@@rainstar9626 it also has 8 ins and 8 outs through ADAT optical plus 2 inad and outs through SPDIF & AES3 connection which means with expansions you can have 12 ins and 12 outs. I'm planning on using the AES connections for offline ADDA
@@portwill great ! and which interface/converter do you use as a slave to expand INs and OUTs via ADAT , to keep the Quality intact of Prism converter ! like i have UCX II and Old Focusrite 18i20 i can use Them Via ADAT and Expand it But my seller is saying it hurts the quality of prism while using inferior AD/DA converters with Prism Sound so suggesting me to get Titan Instead
@@rainstar9626 I am not using anything else at this moment but I will either get me an RME or Universal Audio Apollo for extension. Obviously the inputs and outputs of these are somewhat inferior compared to the RME but this is when you need to make a decision and know what you are using it for. To be honest I need two inputs and outputs that are REALLY high quality for mastering purposes, the remainder is mostly for single tracks or buses to go through and no one can complain about the preamps and outputs of the RME, it is 90% there which is "good enough" for me. Those ins and outs are gonna be used for analog summing for me and also to record multiple mics and I am completely OK running it through RME converters and preamps. I would suggest you do the same. The retailer will loose some money but you will end up with a more modular and capable system. Especially considerint the drivers of RME, I would use that interface as the core of the studio. So I think you are good, don't sweat it!
How is the headphone amp in the prysm? I am deciding between these two currently. Mainly a headphone mixer with Audeze LCDX's
It’s a very good headphone amp, I prefer this to the RME. I loved the IEM output on the RME ADI-2 though.
I heard that the headphone amp prticularly is not as good as the RME. I wonder why?@@portwill
@@sancessounds RME has a higher wattage output if I’m not mistaken. I wonder whoever said that really tried the Prism??! Also note that this is mainly a converter so if you want the best headphone experience you might look into separate headphone amps like SPL or similar. And the same is true for RME. That’s what I would do if I was using the headphone a lot. I tried the Emotiva BasX A-100 many many years ago as a headphone amp and it blew my mind (I was using the ADI-2 at the time and it was nowhere near the performance of a dedicated amp). I can tell you I’m perfectly happy with the output of the Lyra and the microdetails are certainly noticable.
So if I was mainly using headphones and i wasn't interested in IO, I should aim for a dedicated headphone amp rather than the RME or Lyra?
@@portwill
@@sancessounds well you need both a good conversion and a good headphone amp. I would say the RME is high-end enough in both categories. If you want better conversion, get the Lyra and if you want the best amp, get a dedicated headphone amp. It’s really dependent on your needs and your budget. A chain is as strong as its weakest link so even if you have a high-end headphone amp, a mediocre audio source (converter) won’t do it justice. I hope it makes sense
Then I heard people say that the lyra2 before the 1000 number has a different sound than the black lyra2 now, I consulted prism soud and they said the sound is exactly the same
Nothing sounds the same lol. and if it does then it wont feel the same as the other.
Have you tried Lynx?
I haven't unfortunately. That was on my list before I bought the Prism, however I didn't need many of its features and did like the idea of having the mic pres and added features in the Prism. I think Lynx's only option for a smaller home studio would be the Halo but that again lack most features I really needed.
@@portwill Try the Aurora. They use it in Lucasarts studio (skywalker ranch) so it has top converters. And it's driver is rock solid 3rd place in TAFKAT's latency list on gearspace(gearslutz). Just behind RME's AIO Pro, and HDSPe.
i switched to a mark of the unicorn 828 es and they have sabe chips and i got rid of my patch bay .you can rount any input to any output in the interface . and drivers are very close to rme i know how you feel .my focurite drivers wer a bit faster on buffers 256 full master 1.6 ms tracking on the MOTU on thunderbolt and abt 2.1 usb 2.0
Indeed, MOTUs are freakin amazing nowdays! I also own a small M4. I would argue that the low end of the DA is not really on par with RME but it is soooo close overall. I think what MOTU lacks now is slightly better build quality of their interfaces. My good friend is a MOTU fan and he also swears by it and loves the loopback feature too.
@@portwill I would really like to get an rme some day I grabbed my 828es for half cost of new so $for$ I couldn't pull the trigger on an rme . have you checked out those orions from antelope ? how you think conversion and drivers compare to rme?
@@metalfather8139 I personally don't have experience with Antelope but a friend of mine bought one and said they sounded truly amazing, slightly better than RME but he sold it due to software instability and no support. Unfortunately from what I have heard Antelope is very much behind when it comes to software and customer support so I really don't know. It could be interesting to try it out and buy it from a seller who allows you to try it for a month or so and see if it suits you and is working fine. RME on the other hand is pretty much an industry standard when it comes to driver stability, no question there.
Why change when you can’t hear dhe difference??
Don’t! If you can’t hear the difference, you don’t have good enough hearing (it happens) OR you have weak components/room in which case it’s a waste of money.
@@portwill both points! In a blind test even those who pretend to hear the difference will fail , it is proven! But again if that investment makes you feel better and your music improves of those feelings, then ok im not against! But for 0.1% improvements i don’t think it’s worth it!
05:21🤣 Its not funny but this is why I sold my Atlas and kept my RME UFX.
The RME is Military Grade Conversion.
Its not on par with Prism but it is very good and it is ROCK SOLID!!
....AND, RME is never credited for how good their low end resolution is.
Plus RME has the best drivers in the industry. Period.
What do you mean by "military grade conversion" ?
@@nickmandleberg meaning it’s solid, reliable, robust and unbreakable....but it’s not “fancy” or pretty...RME doesn’t sound as pretty as Prism but it’s good to go.
@@nickmandleberg it won’t turn you into a military official :) But if my life depended on it and I had to have one interface that will work day after day, I would always choose RME regardless of the price.
@@portwill exactly...and just to be clear it is high end conversation, but there are companies that specialize in conversion that is more flattering.
Definately Prism....I love RME but its not a Prism
Does your computer have enough ram and/or processing power?
It has 32GB RAM and an i8700K that should do the trick :) In the meantime I got an M2 Mac Studio and although it is much better on Mac, I am using an RME Digiface as a centerhub instead.
@@portwill Sounds good to me
Yes , just got the prism lyra 2 last night, just tried tracking with it and the latency so far anyways is absolutely terrible!!!! Unusable and I am also using ableton!!!!!
Don’t give up on it! :) It’s a lovely converter. I got the digiface usb and hooked up the Lyra through Adat Optical (In/Out) and have set SRC on the Prism to 192khz. Works amazingly.
@@portwill But as far as going into my pc via usb I am pretty much screwed? Also sending it through the the digiface usb? You are also sending it through another converter right?
@@trailerparkchronicle5874 well.. if you want to track live with plugins, it’s gonna be a bit painful
@portwill wasn't planning on tracking with live plugins. I am currently just going from my lyra 2 via USB into my pc/ ableton and it is already " painful " enough, more like unusable.
Wouldn't going from a lyra 2 into the digiface be going from one ad converter to another? Wouldn't that bring the quality of the sound down a bit?
@@trailerparkchronicle5874 You don’t use the digiface as a converter, only as the computing interface. So no difference there. Play around with the buffer settings too and the asio latency and see if that helps first.
I bought 20 units of lyra2 from an agent last year for $671, but this year his price has tripled. I don’t know why the price of his device, which has been released for so many years, has increased. At the beginning of the release of adi2, many people used it and lyra2 Hilo makes a comparison, but the price of Hilo 2 is still firm, while the price of Adi has become worthless. Is it the difference between ess and akm?
I'm not sure if you are joking or not. :) The price for Prism 2 is transparent on the internet, the used market average is 1750 EUR for years now and it never was sold for less than 1800 brand new since 2014. That is if you don't consider counterfeit or black market products :) Lynx and Prism is not a comparison unit to ADI-2 as they are in different class - Prism and AFAIK Lynx uses proprietary conversion technology and was always more expensive. As for ADI-2 becoming worthless: I bought my ADI-2 in 2019 from Thomann for 1044EUR and it is sold on Reverb for average 800 EUR so I'm unsure about what you are referring to.
@@portwill I'm sure he is really useful. It seems that this can really be the reason why I don't like him. The price difference between different regions is really big. The most magical thing is that the second-hand price is more expensive than the brand new price. Ha ha ha
@@portwill Of course, I compared adi2 pro fs be
@@moonm7279 OK :)
Prism vs. RME, its like women.
Yes the Prism is hot, she is beautiful,
but the RME is good, she's attractive enough but she also can cook, clean, and she can change the oil in your car.
🤣🤣🤣
dsd … ?
No
I tested the Prism Titan just because some procucers told me that Prism was the best. Result: the driver is terrible, the software too and the sound is somehow too sterile for me. I went Apollo X with Burl B2, man they both destroy the Prism in terms of sonics and stability!
Everything sounds the same, I wouldn't waste a cent.
To much work. Just buy an atlas
RME
This is pure bs
RME mesures better than prism, you got fooled by your ears and psychoacoustic
I think lots of people would be interested in your opinion and measurement findings. Please elaborate in a video with your personal experience with both devices.
@@portwill Go Watch ASR he mesures every DAC with an apx555 ( 30k$ ).
When you listen to 2 dac except if one is really badly engineered or if one uses distortion on purpose to color the sound, ( eg r2r or tubes ) which you wouldn’t want for mastering, you can’t tell the difference in a proper blind test because you are listening with many biais ( money in line ) that make you more attentive thus hearing more details ( in short but it’s more complex ) it’s been studied extensively, your brain doesn’t always show you what’s real, if you do mixing or mastering you should already know about about the psychoacoustic field, but it’d actually way deeper, the correlation between price and performance of DAC was evaluated around 0.9%, mainly because there was a big technology step up in the last 10 years ( not only with DAC but with most technology in general ) but also cause there is a market of audiophile who would buy overpriced things without knowing anything about how they work.
Most of what a DAC has to do is reproduce the sound with the less distortion and noise possible, and the most linear frequency response, and that is measurable with the right tools, we can mesure way more than we can hear, apx555 hardware can mesure 1mhz frequency.
@@AaezZzze I get where you are coming from. This is not an "audiophile" equipment, it is meant to to be used in a studio as ADDA. In that regard there is not many that can do rountrip recording with de facto same results after many loop cycles (that has little to do with your distortion measurements that are anyway houndreds of times lower than any transducers). RME, although is a fantastic company and produces great DACs is far from this performance. You can argue all day, please do your own recording with RME and with Prism and check degradation per recording cycle and come back with your results. There are quite a lot you and I don't know about psychoacoustics as the field of science is constantly finding newer and newer evidence against what we thought was common knowledge (like nothing makes a difference above 20kHz). The goal of this equipment is to provide an accurate conversion in and out.
In that regard if you actually do listen to them side-by-side you will certainly hear a difference that is not marginal. I mean, you don't need to measure if the bass is detailed or not, you should be able to hear it. If you don't, then nothing to worry about, get the one that is cheaper. My kind suggestion to you is to not listen to anyone (including me) and do your own research instead of coming to conclusions based on what you read somewhere.
@@portwill I was talking about your comment on the DA part only not AD.
Listening side by side induces many biais which are studied since many years, I encourage you to read those studies because those products were made using science not listening test subjects to human flaws which aren’t even following a serious blinded protocol.
Your hears and your brain are connected together, and they adapt to what they receive, you probably know this when tou have to make EQ decisions you should close your eyes.
When you want to compare DACS by hear you can’t do it alone or you will want to like the more expensive one more thus hear more from it.
@@AaezZzze I’m not here to argue with you. I know mixing and mastering and have been learning about this since 20 years so I’m well aware of where you are coming from. At this point we can agree to disagree, I’m gonna keep my Lyra and enjoy it, you keep your RME and enjoy it ;)
Rme is a joke
I was in the same situation about a year and a half ago. Was warned about the "Prism" driver. Which was the main reason I got the UFX2. In the future I will simply add a high-end converter. Btw I saw you're on win 11. I hope you debloated it and did enough tweaking! There is a LOT to optimize!
Thats an amazing interface, great choice! I did try to optimize Win 11 but to be honest I am more and more leaning towards OSX again. I was using OSX for more than a decade and I miss lots of things.
@@portwill I understand 100% why! If you have the chance to reinstall your system again, do it, but watch a few videos on the subject here on RUclips beforehand. You can also skip the Win 11 account at the beginning. This will also save you some GB of memory usage! Your driver might also work better afterwards. ✌️
@@portwill Here is a good Video to start with: (But try to find more to have enough info) ruclips.net/video/8ReoMuCUdKE/видео.html
Do you feel like there is a big difference between UFX 2 and prism converter quality? And is there a different in sound between titan and atlas?