High End Soundcard Shootout - Lynx L22 vs. RME HDSP

vpolineni · « **Reply #20 on:** 17 Jan 2005, 08:28 pm »

Brandon,
I just thought about this-were you using the stock breakout cable or the one you built for the lynx? you used the stock breakout cable for the rme, so it would not be a completely equal comparison if you used your custom cable for the lynx.

Hantra · « **Reply #21 on:** 17 Jan 2005, 08:33 pm »

Quote from: vpolineni

Brandon,
I just thought about this-were you using the stock breakout cable or the one you built for the lynx? you used the stock breakout cable for the rme, so it would not be a completely equal comparison if you used your custom cable for the lynx.

In the review I specified that I used the stock cables on both.

vpolineni · « **Reply #22 on:** 17 Jan 2005, 09:04 pm »

duh... my fault-sorry about that.

thomaspf · « **Reply #23 on:** 17 Jan 2005, 10:48 pm »

Well my point being: if you want to compare the DACs and analog stages you should feed them with equivalent bits. For the case of your test that means WAV with RME and ASIO for the Lynx.

If you use WAV on the Lynx you have kmixer in the middle and compare the sound of a modified bit stream to the unmodified bits on the RME which is probably not what you wanted to find out.

That the Lynx still sounds better is telling that the card is really better and that the impact of kmixer is not that big.

Cheers

Thomas

Jon L · « **Reply #24 on:** 18 Jan 2005, 03:37 am »

K-mixer gets a lot of bad press, but it's not that bad sonically in my A-B comparisons with ASIO vs. Waveout(K mixer). It definitely changes the sound significantly, but I would call it a lateral move as opposed to downward.

Q for Hantra: Can you try 96kHz resampler in foobar using Asio output in Foobar? For me, only 44.1 and 48 are working with Asio output. 96 works with Waveout only.

Hantra · « **Reply #25 on:** 27 Jan 2005, 02:09 am »

Quote from: Jon L

Q for Hantra: Can you try 96kHz resampler in foobar using Asio output in Foobar? For me, only 44.1 and 48 are working with Asio output. 96 works with Waveout only.

Didn't work for me either.

Jon L · « **Reply #26 on:** 27 Jan 2005, 02:53 am »

Quote from: Hantra

Quote from: Jon L
Q for Hantra: Can you try 96kHz resampler in foobar using Asio output in Foobar? For me, only 44.1 and 48 are working with Asio output. 96 works with Waveout only.

Didn't work for me either.

Hantra, I've finally figured it out. 96kHz will likely work once you can set the ASIO buffer to max by downloading this control panel
http://www3.cypress.ne.jp/otachan/ASIOcaps_003.zip

BUT, more importantly, you should dowload the Lynx WDM driver from Lynx website and replace the stock driver. This WDM driver sounds WAY better than the stock driver, and now the 44.1 setting sounds better than 96.

Man, I think I finally hit the sweet spot with my Audio PC/Lynx card with above changes. A Neuance shelf underneath and "custom" BMI Whale Supreme cord on it didn't hurt, either.

NOW we're REALLY talking

Hantra · « **Reply #27 on:** 27 Jan 2005, 02:59 am »

Quote from: Jon L

BUT, more importantly, you should dowload the Lynx WDM driver from Lynx website and replace the stock driver. This WDM driver sounds WAY better than the stock driver, and now the 44.1 setting sounds better than 96.

I think I have that driver. My 44.1 sounds better than the upsampled stuff. In my experience, I have found 24 bit padded to 32 to sound better than anything else. You?

I wish they'd come out with their own ASIO .dll for Foo.

Tuckers · « **Reply #28 on:** 6 Mar 2005, 02:37 am »

We use a modifed Lynx L22 for the VRS Gold Music Computer, and it is the best sound card we have tried by far. I'm glad you have found the same Hantra.

John Hughes, VRS Audio Systems

WerTicus · « **Reply #29 on:** 28 Apr 2005, 04:28 pm »

me orders an l22

its only $1400 in australia - thats pretty decent if its this good!

Hantra · « **Reply #30 on:** 28 Apr 2005, 06:14 pm »

Quote from: WerTicus

me orders an l22

its only $1400 in australia - thats pretty decent if its this good!

Wer:

Don't take this the wrong way b/c the L22 is damned good, and it's versatile, but since writing this up, I have switched to a Nixon DAC. I got a new mobo with a SPDIF out, and hooked a DAC up while my Lynx was in the shop getting repaired. This is the basic ooooold Nixon DAC Kit. It has none of the improvements, and comes with a basic wall wart.

I put the Lynx back in when it came from the shop, and I even tried to find a reason to keep it, but I couldn't. I have an order in for one of the new TubeDAC's now b/c this thing is amazing! It makes the Lynx sound quite rough.

For what it's worth. . .

B

WerTicus · « **Reply #31 on:** 29 Apr 2005, 03:09 am »

http://www.scott-nixon.com/dac.htm

ahh i see.... hrmmmm probably equal cost for me or more -

arghhh need to think some more

i think i would prefer the sound card route, it means less boxes - also if i go the dac route i cant do professional recording at home!

which i might actually just need

WerTicus · « **Reply #32 on:** 29 Apr 2005, 03:37 am »

do you think the lynx ONE would suffice for my needs -

is the l22 offering superior performace? or just features i probably dont need?

ahh dont worry i have answered my own question - the l22 is significantly better in specs

Hantra · « **Reply #33 on:** 29 Apr 2005, 10:38 am »

Quote from: WerTicus

do you think the lynx ONE would suffice for my needs -

is the l22 offering superior performace? or just features i probably dont need?

ahh dont worry i have answered my own question - the l22 is significantly better in specs

Not only in specs, but the Lynx L22/TWO series is light years beyond the ONE in sound quality. If you want recording and convenience, then it's the way to go.

WerTicus · « **Reply #34 on:** 29 Apr 2005, 02:21 pm »

the card seems to be ~$1400 in australia, and its 750 in usa ... which does not equal double at the current rate - ill be looking into shipping one over

WerTicus · « **Reply #35 on:** 9 May 2005, 02:07 pm »

i got my lynx l22 - i need the pin out diagram for the breakout cables... if anyone has it handy!

thanks!

scottnixon · « **Reply #36 on:** 9 May 2005, 03:14 pm »

http://www.lynxstudio.com/support.html

You can download the manuals here