Recording and Production in the News

Marshall Jefferson adds a Lyra to his kit list

Cambridge, UK, 6 September 2013: Chicago House legend Marshall Jefferson has invested in a Lyra 2 audio interface so that he can access Prism Sound's renowned audio quality while he is on the road.

Marshall Jefferson and Lyra 2

Sometimes known as the father of House music, Marshall Jefferson has produced numerous influential artists as well as recording solo and collaborative material under various names including Virgo, Jungle Wonz, Truth and On The House. His iconic anthem Move Your Body was included on the soundtrack for the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and also appeared on the soundtrack to Michael Winterbottom's film 24 Hour Party People.

"I already have a Prism Sound Orpheus FireWire Interface, which I love because it sounds so good," Jefferson says. "Alongside my production work, I also DJ in various countries and when I heard about the new Lyra range I realised this was exactly what I needed for those occasions when I'm travelling. It's very easy to use - literally plug and play - and it is so compact that it fits neatly into my laptop bag. With Lyra, I have all the Prism Sound audio quality that I'm used to in a very portable format."

Prism Sound's Lyra allows music recording professionals to access the power and sophistication of the Orpheus audio path and clock circuitry, but in a smaller package and at a much improved price point. There are currently two variants in the range - the Lyra 1, which has two analogue input channels (one for instrument/line and one for mic/line) and two DA output channels, and the Lyra 2, which has two AD input channels with switchable microphone, instrument or line input modes and four DA output channels. Both versions offer digital volume control, a low latency 'console-quality' digital mixer for foldback monitoring and optical SPDIF capability.

Jefferson has opted for a Lyra 2 and when he's not travelling he uses it in conjunction with his Orpheus in his studio in Manchester. In recent months he has worked on project for Dave Lee, Lenny Fontana, House of Virus, Robert Owens, DJ Pierre, Donna Hidalgo and K-Klass.

"I'm doing a lot of mixing and mastering work at the moment and that's keeping me busy," he says. "All of my mastering projects go through my Prism Sound Orpheus and I'm constantly being asked what interface I'm using because people love the sound so much. Now I have the same sound quality when I'm on the road - and I can also use my Lyra 2 as a back-up in the studio if I want to master onto a different computer."