In the first of two articles covering the Aurora(n), Luke Goddard looks at the unit’s integration with Pro Tools. The Aurora(n) AD-DA converter from Lynx is a multichannel mastering grade studio interface that also brings multitrack MicroSD recording/playback and modular connectivity into a 1U box. Drop in the company’s LT-HD2 card and you have a fully integrated solution for your Pro Tools HDX system.

Introduction

Lynx has been making high-end audio gear in the USA since 1998, with their AD-DA solutions found worldwide in applications such as broadcast, recording studios, and audio test measurement. The Aurora(n mastering grade AD-DA converter is the latest incarnation of the Aurora series of converters beginning with the original Aurora in 2006. You can read James Richmond's full review of the Aurora(n) for the full lowdown.

LT-HD2 Card

The Aurora(n) was designed to be future-proof. Rather than build yet another box that is destined to end up on the shelf, Lynx has made something that can change as your needs and/or those of your system do, with modular USB, Thunderbolt 3, Dante, and Digilink cards available. With the latter LT-HD2 card, you can now run into any HDX rig for a seamless Pro Tools experience for around £325. The Aurora(n) shows up as an interface in PT’s Hardware Setup, so with a Digilink licence from Avid, you’re ready to go.

Upon connecting the Aurora(n), the review unit’s configuration showed up as two emulated HD I/Os, these being: 

• HD I/O # 1:

• Line inputs and outputs 1-16

• HD I/O #2:

• Line inputs and outputs 17-24

• Mic Pre inputs 1-4

• Inputs 13-16, and outputs 9-16 = not connected

Considering the 1U footprint, the amount of I/O you can push through Pro Tools is highly impressive. All I/O is delay compensated, and if you have hardware inserts connected to the unit you can enjoy accuracy to within one sample. Impressive.

Ncontrol

All functions can be accessed from the front panel, including routing, mic gain, input conditioning, card functions, and even cue mixing and metering configurations. That said, Ncontrol is Aurora(n)’s companion application freely downloadable from Lynx’s website that allows users the same functionality but with a larger UI to make life easier. Making the most of your computer display’s real estate certainly makes life easier. HDX users will probably set and forget by hard patching PT main and cue mixes to the lineouts as I did. In short, it’s up to you whether or not you have NControl running in the background.

Pro Tools Tracking

To try out the Aurora(n) Pro Tools experience with the LT-HD2 card, I tracked a modest arrangement of drums, bass, and acoustic guitar, with some later overdubs done in standard  Pro Tools. Although this was never going to bother the available power of the system, it was good to know that the Aurora(n) could accommodate any impromptu orchestral overdub as needed! In the video, you can hear the quality of Aurora(n)’s conversion and see just how easy it is to bring an LT-HD2-enabled unit into your rig.

Conclusion

Using the Aurora(n) with Pro Tools HDX is everything it should be, that is to say powerful, stable, and expandable. Having a rolling SD card backup on the hardware is the icing on the cake. The modular architecture of the unit also ensures that your investment will work with current and future incarnations of Pro Tools or your DAW of choice making it a very attractive proposition for any professional recording or mixing environment. Any facility could certainly do worse than having one of these impressive fanless blue boxes silently and seamlessly doing its thing in their studio. 

In a future article, I look at the microSD facility and explore the LM-PRE4 mic preamp module for Aurora(n).

For more information on the Aurora(n), head to Lynx's website.