Orpheus is a FireWire multi-track audio interface for personal recording and sound production, for professional musicians, songwriters, engineers and producers as well as recording studios, post production facilities and scoring stages. Orpheus is ideal for music and sound recording, multitracking, overdubbing, stem-based mastering, analogue summing and critical listening applications.
Orpheus provides Prism Sound's renowned performance, sound quality and state-of-the-art clock technology in a dedicated FireWire unit compatible with both Windows (XP, Vista (32 and 64bit) & Windows 7 (32 and 64 bit), ASIO & WDM) as well as MAC OS X 10.4.11 and later (Intel & PPC). Once configured with a computer, Orpheus can also operate stand-alone using its S/PDIF or AES3 I/O.
Orpheus has line, microphone and instrument inputs, selectable RIAA Equalization for turntables, a built-in premium-quality monitoring mixer for each output providing for performer foldback and surround monitoring, concurrent ADAT and switchable S/PDIF or AES3 digital I/O plus support for outboard MIDI devices. Microphone inputs include MS matrix processing. High-performance digital sampling-rate conversion (SRC) is available for digital inputs or outputs. Dual headphone outputs are provided each with its own volume control, both monitoring the same headphone feed.
Signal path
Eight analogue input channels and up to 10 digital input channels are available as inputs for your audio workstation software through the host computer's audio driver. Similarly, eight analogue output channels, up to 10 digital output channels and stereo headphone outputs can play 20 different channels. For low-latency foldback or monitoring to headphones or main outputs, each output pair (1-2, 3-4 etc or the headphone output) can optionally be driven from the built-in DSP mixer with an individual local mix of any selection of inputs through the controller applet. All analogue inputs are electronically balanced with automatic unbalanced operation. Analogue outputs are electronically balanced with 'bootstrapping', i.e. level is maintained if one leg is grounded.
No-compromise, full Prism Sound audio quality
Orpheus makes no compromises on audio quality. It is the result of years of research and development into digital audio conversion and extensive dialogue with Prism Sound's customers.
The Orpheus design brief was: Get Prism Sound quality conversion and mic preamps into a 1U box at a more accessible price point. Sound quality just wasn't negotiable. Orpheus has the same no-compromise analogue front and back ends, with the same fully-balanced-throughout architecture, the same isolation barriers protecting the analogue from digital and computer interference.
Orpheus draws on Prism Sound's years of experience in developing digital audio products, including its range of audio test equipment, adopted by a wide variety of clients across the audio industry from pro-audio to consumer electronics. This experience means that Orpheus is well-behaved both as a computer peripheral and an audio processor.
Reliability is vitally important in professional recording. Prism Sound has always made extensive use of precise software calibration techniques in its converters - pots and tweaks are always unreliable, so there are none.
The design team has gone to great lengths to minimise noise and interference, in particular hum. All of the analogue circuits have galvanic isolation, while the unit's electronically balanced I/O allows it to handle common mode interference sources as well as enabling trouble-free connection to unbalanced equipment.
It is often said that THD+N figures do not always correlate well with the perception of sound quality and this is true - partly because the traditional measures of THD+N or SINAD expressed as RMS figures are rather a broad measure. With this in mind, we have taken great care to make sure that not only is the Orpheus noise and distortion spectrum beyond reproach, but the RMS distortion result measures up to the state of the art.
Standards compliant FireWire interface
Increasing standardisation is leading to more choice for those wishing to "mix and match" editing and production software with various audio interfaces. Prism Sound has taken on board the increasing importance of native processing power for professional users and the fact that software products for standard PC and Mac platforms have been greatly enhanced in recent years.
Prism Sound is probably best known for A/D and D/A converters, not least the ADA-8XR, which already provides a solution for those needing a FireWire interface. However, the flexibility and versatility of the ADA-8XR comes with a higher price tag, reflecting the fact that no other interface provides such exceptional audio performance or can work directly into Pro Tools Core/Processing cards, as well as running a concurrent DSD processor or FireWire interface.
The solution was to create a unit that is dedicated as a FireWire interface and is compatible with Windows PC and Apple Mac computers.
Orpheus is easy to connect to your computer and to your outboard gear. For Windows XP or Vista users ASIO and WDM drivers are provided, while for Mac OS X 10.4 or later, Orpheus interfaces directly to Core Audio. For both Mac and PC platforms, there is a controller application to configure the unit and control its built-in mixer and other functions. Aside from the monitor and headphone level controls, everything else is operated solely from the Orpheus controller application. The controller software opens on-screen as a separate panel alongside your existing editing software.
Flexible Inputs and Outputs
Our customers told us that, along with FireWire connectivity, many professional users wanted a highly integrated solution with instrument and microphone inputs, and line outputs that could be used for stereo or multi-channel monitoring and/or foldback to performers. Orpheus offers eight analogue recording channels, eight monitoring outputs, stereo digital input and output on a phono connector plus concurrent optical digital I/O ports that can interface to S/PDIF or ADAT data formats, giving Orpheus a maximum capability of 18 concurrent input and output channels plus stereo headphones.
Orpheus' eight analogue inputs support various capabilities. Orpheus has four really good mic amps with software-controlled gain in 1dB steps, individually-switchable phantom power - and very low noise and distortion. These inputs are auto-sensing, and support microphone and line input, with digitally-controlled mic gain in excess of 60dB. Two of these inputs also support direct injection (DI) instrument connections with quarter-inch jacks on the front panel. RIAA Equalization can be selected in the controller applet on channels 1 & 2 so that turntables can be connected for archiving or sampling applications. By selecting the input type (Mic or DI) , low- or high-impedance cartridges can be loaded with suitable termination impedances. All analogue inputs have individually-selectable Prism Sound "Overkillers" built in, just as on the higher-priced ADA-8XR, to catch those fast transients. The Overkiller threshold automatically follows the operating line-up level selection (+4dBu or -10dBV). Overkillers are ideal for percussive sounds, particularly drums, where headroom can be a problem.
The co-axial digital I/O port can be switched in the Orpheus controller applet between S/PDIF and AES3 formats. This control changes the operating voltage and the Channel Status format and is complemented by two in-line adaptor leads that provide external XLR connections for AES3 devices. Other connections include MIDI in and out and wordclock sync I/O.
Orpheus can also operate in a stand-alone mode using its ADAT or co-axial digital I/O connections. Once set up using the Orpheus controller applet, the unit can be disconnected from the host computer and used independently. Orpheus will retain its settings when powered down so even if it is switched off, Orpheus can be re-powered and stand-alone operation can continue with the automatically-stored settings.
Orpheus' front panel gives continuous visual indication of the unit's main settings and levels, but in-depth control is managed from the Orpheus FireWire Controller applet. This runs of the DAW computer, and can be popped up whenever adjustments are needed.
Orpheus FireWire Controller applet - Input Setup page
The upper area of the applet shows a panel of 'Global' settings for the entire group of connected FireWire interfaces, and a panel of 'Unit' settings which is assignable to each connected unit in turn, using the enclosed drop-list. These settings are concerned with general parameters such as sync source and sample rate selection, metering and buffering modes. An 'Identify' button causes all the LEDs on the selected box to light, to assist with identification in multi-unit systems. To the right, there are large buttons for loading and saving setups, and for on-line help.
The function of the lower area of the applet is determined by the row of tabs above it. These tabs allow the lower area to be switched between Input and Output Setup pages, Mixer pages for each output, an ADAT metering page and a block diagram page (which contains a navigable diagram of the functions of the selected unit).
The Input Setup page is divided into individual channel 'strips'. Analogue input strips show an indicator of whether mic, line or instrument is connected, and the remainder of the strip changes context accordingly. Line input strips show a high-resolution meter, with overload indication, and a +4/-10 sensitivity selection. An 'OVK' button activates the 'Overkiller' soft limiter, whose momentary operation is indicated beneath the meter. Instrument inputs have the sensitivity switch replaced with a slider control which adjusts the gain of the preamplifier in 1dB steps (indicated in the box beneath). Mic inputs also have a slider gain adjustment, as well as buttons for phantom power, high-pass filter and phase-reversal, as well as a mid/side (M/S) matrix function selectable per stereo pair. The digital input has a coaxial/optical selection, plus an 'unlock' indicator and a warning indicator for asynchronous input stream (SRC active).
Orpheus FireWire Controller applet - Output Setup page
The line output strips in the Output Setup page show a high-resolution meter, with overload indication, and a +4/-10 output level selection. The digital output strip has selectors for wordlength, dither mode (flat dither, or SNS 1 thru 4 noise-shaping) and (if the SRC is selected) output sample rate and sync source. Metering is also provided for the stereo headphone channel. The upper part of the page contains a row of assignment buttons for the monitor volume control, which is located on the front panel of the unit. Assigned output channels are subject to the action of the volume control, which is also indicated and controlled from the applet page. At the bottom of the page, each output pair has a DAW/Mixer selector, which causes it to be driven either directly from the respective DAW feed, or from a local foldback mixer controlled by the appropriate applet page. The headphone output also has a 'Bus' mode, wherein it can be switched to follow any of the other output pairs.
Orpheus FireWire Controller applet - Mixer page
Each output pair has a dedicated mixer page, which is activated when the DAW/Mixer selector on the Output Setup page is set to 'Mixer'. On the mixer page, each channel (including the master output) has a fader and high-resolution meter. Input channels can be operated in stereo or mono mode, and have pan/balance, mute and solo controls. Analogue input channels also have Overkiller activity indicators.
Orpheus in Brief
