Post
by enzymex » Fri Jul 27, 2012 3:17 pm
Congrats again to the Auria team for a nice launch - I've been waiting for a product like this, and as a heavy PSP user it was a no-brainer purchase.
After some research on Auria compatible interfaces, I bought a Lexicon Omega this week with "Version 2" branding prominently displayed on the box. I mention the version labeling because this USB 1.1 interface has been in production for around for eight years, and some of the reviews online show build quality issues for some production runs.
That being said, so far this interface is exceeding my expectations, so I thought I'd do an "in depth" review of my experience so far.
What's great:
1. Though the Omega only records 4 tracks simultaneously, there are 9 inputs (nice mix of Mic/Line/Inst/SPDIF) that route to the 4 usb DAW inputs. The input routing is all done via hardware switches, so you are not constrained to pre-setting input levels via a windows/mac program, or other workarounds.
2. There are two physical knobs for "direct vs. DAW" mix and master volume that you can tweak in seconds to adjust headphone mix in between takes, without affecting recording input levels. Very fast and convenient for overdubs.
3. Misc: Four stage LED input monitoring makes setting gain easy. Plenty of clean gain seems to be available. The sound quality is surprisingly good at this price point. The USB connection is recognized quickly and is forgiving of unplugging and re-plugging. No powered hub needed.
Limitations:
1. Only records up to 48K sample rate. I've never gone beyone 44.1K but that may be a concern for some folks.
2. No separate volume controls for headphone/main outs. I run the main out into a small line level mixer (ART Power Mix III) to provide additional headphone jacks and a separate level control for studio monitors.
3. The DBX pre's and/or converters in the Omega, though decent, seem a bit less transparent that the focusrite pre's (I have a 18 channel Focusrite firewire rig powered by a Mac for live band recording).
4. Misc: Omega requires external power, has no on/off switch, and doesn't charge the iPad.
So, would I recommend the Omega? Yes. My only question is whether I need two interfaces. For example, the Focusrite 18i6 is a reasonable price, so I could pair it with one of my 8 channel Focusrite Mic Pre expanders for band recording, and sell off the rest of my Focusrite / Mac fireware rig.
So, here's my question for you 18i6 owners: Are you satisfied with your tracking/overdub workflow with Auria WHEN WORKING ALONE IN THE STUDIO? Your responses will help me understand if it's worth having two interfaces (one optimized for solo music creation, and one for live recording). Thanks.