AuroraTB User Manual Table of Contents 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................3 1.1 Overview ......................................................................................................3 1.2 Features ........................................................................................................5 2 Before you begin .......................................................................................
1 Introduction Thank you for purchasing the LT-TB™! We have worked hard to create a reliable and high performance audio device using the latest high-speed interfacing technology available. We believe you will find our efforts to benefit all of your audio projects immensely. This manual covers operation, product characteristics, and information to help you get started. Additional information is available via our website’s support resources.
with two Thunderbolt ports could deliver up to 384 channels. The 2014 Mac Pro, with 6 Thunderbolt II ports, can potentially deliver 1,152 channels, if processor speed and system throughput are adequate. The Thunderbolt spec allows for daisy chaining of unrelated devices as well, so hard drives, monitors, and other devices can be connected in a daisy chain with one or more Auroras.
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2 Before you begin We recommend that you read through the entire manual to acquire an overview of the installation procedure and use of the LT-TB. This manual will presume a working knowledge of the Aurora converter. For additional information, please refer to the Aurora User Manual. It is also highly recommended that you have a good working knowledge of Windows and/or Macintosh operating system basics and an understanding of computer hardware basics.
2.2.1 Windows Intel Core 2 @ 1.6 GHz, or AMD equivalent PC or laptop manufactured in or after 2013 1GB RAM One functional Thunderbolt port Windows 7 (32-bit or 64-bit) or Windows 8 A connection to the Internet to download the Lynx Driver (this can be from a different computer than the one that the Aurora-TB is connected to). NOTE: The LT-TB is not supported under Windows 95, 98, ME, Windows 2000, Windows XP or Windows Vista. Windows installed via BootCamp is not supported. 2.2.
3 Nomenclature Used in this manual The following typographic conventions are used in this manual: ALL UPPER CASE TEXT refers to a specific parameter selection control (i.e. SYNC SOURCE) or a cable connection. Text in quotation marks indicates a parameter selection value or menu option (i.e. “EXT”). Phrases, such as: Start > Programs > Lynx Studio Technology use the greater than symbol (“>”) to indicate multiple menu options or mouse selections within a software control context.
5 Installation Procedures Please insure that the Aurora has firmware 28 or above before proceeding. See Section 2.2.3: Insuring compatible firmware 1. Remove the AC power cord and take the top cover off of the Aurora. There are seven large screws plus one small alignment screw near the center-front of the top lid that holds it on. 2. Before installing the LT-TB card, you must change a dipswitch setting on the Aurora that corrects the current draw for an Aurora with an LT-TB.
4. Remove the screw from the Aurora circuit board that is adjacent to the JP1 connector and the white serial number/barcode label. Set the screw aside for reuse. 5. Install the standoff post (included with the LT-TB) in this same hole. 6. Grounding yourself to earth ground, remove the LT-TB from its protective anti-static bag.
7. Attach the multi-pin connector on the back edge of the LT-TB to the LSLOT connector (JP1) on the Aurora mainboard. The LT-TB LSLOT connector has a protective sheath to insure that the pins line up correctly with the Aurora LSLOT connector. It is also helpful to line up the screw hole of the card with the hole in the standoff post. When the LT-TB connector pins appear to be lined up correctly with the Aurora LSLOT connector, press gently until the connector snaps into place.
10. Plug in and power up the Aurora using the front panel standby switch. You can see the LT-TB from the slits in the Aurora top cover. If the green LED on the LT-TB corner (by the transformer) is flashing, the installation was successful. When a Thunderbolt cable is connected between the Aurora and a computer, and the driver is loaded, then the LED will go solid. If the LED does not light, unplug the Aurora and re-mount the LT-TB, making sure that it is securely attached. Then plug in and power up again.
hardware. If one wishes to avoid the effects of this rate conversion, the sample rate can be changed globally from the Sound section of Windows control panel (Sound > Properties > Advanced). After changing the sample rate, the play application often will need to be restarted. In OS X, some Core Audio applications will initiate a change of sample rate to match the project or audio file being played, and others will not.
5.3 Installing the Lynx Driver Lynx Drivers and firmware updaters are updated regularly. The most current versions can be easily downloaded from the Lynx Website: http://www.lynxstudio.com/ > Support> Downloads. Make sure that you choose LT-TB as the “Product”. Choosing Aurora as the product will not give access to the drivers that you will require for this system.
7. The installer will extract the necessary files to the C:\Lynx directory. Click “Extract” from this window 8. If you are prompted to let the program make changes to the computer, select “Yes” 9. You will next see the driver Install dialog. Click “Install” 10. You may get a Windows Security Dialog Bog. If so, select “Install” 11. Driver installation will proceed 12.
13. The Aurora is ready to use, no reboot necessary. NOTE: The driver installation process installs both the Windows driver and the Lynx Mixer application. The Lynx Mixer application is installed into the Lynx Studio Technology program group 5.3.2 OS X 1. Power up the Aurora and connect it to the computer with a Thunderbolt cable 2. Located the LT-TB driver from your downloaded files. The file name will be Lynx_OSX_##.zip (where ## is the version number of the driver).
6. Click “Agree” from the next Window 7. Click “Install” in the Standard Install Window 8. Type in Password and click “Install Software” 9. Click “Continue Installation” for prompt about restarting computer after the installation 10.
11. When complete, you will be prompted to restart the computer 12. After restart the driver will be installed and ready for use. NOTE: The OS X installation process installs both the Core Audio driver and the Lynx Mixer application. The Lynx Mixer application is installed in the “Applications” folder. 5.4 Front Panel Behavior After the driver has been successfully installed, the Aurora front panel will change state. The buttons TO ANALOG OUT and TO DIGITAL OUT will automatically go to “LSLOT IN”.
The channel mode can be changed within the Lynx Mixer. Click Settings > Advanced > Adapter Settings, selecting the appropriate Aurora (if multiple are present) and then setting the desired mode from the “Channels” Selection. Click “Save”. Turn the Aurora OFF then ON again for the new channel mode to become active. With multiple Auroras, each can be set to different channel modes if so desired.
6 Getting Started With the LT-TB drivers and Mixer application installed, the Aurora can now be used with most popular third-party audio applications. However, it is a good practice to verify that the system is functional by testing the Aurora/TB with the following procedure. 6.1 Windows Quick Audio Test The installation of your Aurora-TB can be tested using the Lynx Mixer and the Lynx Demo application that is installed automatically by the driver installer.
7. Click “Play.” You should see the progress bar move from left to right. 8. Launch the Lynx Mixer application. Check the Outputs pane at the bottom. Check for meter activity for Analog Outputs 1&2. If you have speakers or headphones connected to your destination device, you should be hearing audio as well. If the test did not operate as described or you received any errors, please refer to Section 10: Troubleshooting.
6.2 Macintosh Quick Audio Test The installation of your LT-TB can be tested using the Lynx Mixer application and the iTunes software that is included with OS X. This is a quick way of verifying that the interface is installed correctly and properly connected to your external equipment. 1. Open Audio MIDI Setup from Applications > Utilities. 2. If the Audio Devices window does not appear automatically, then select “Show Audio Menu” from the “Window” menu. 3.
9. Highlight this file from the songlist and click the Play button. Make sure that the iTunes progress bar is moving from left to right. 10. Open the Lynx Mixer and show the Play Panel. Check for meter activity for Analog Outputs 1&2. If you have speakers or headphones connected to your destination device, you should be hearing audio as well. If the test did not operate as described or you received any errors, please refer to Troubleshooting: Section 10.
7 Lynx Mixer Application Reference The Lynx Mixer application allows control of Aurora parameters from a convenient software interface. It also provides accurate real-time metering for all inputs and outputs, and displays status information, sync source and sample rate. The Lynx Mixer is automatically installed with the driver setup program for Windows or OS X. 7.
the Mixer will not launch if an Aurora-TB is not connected and functional. In addition to the controls on the Main Window there are two menus with additional features. For multi unit installations, there are tabs on the left side of the screen for each unit. When the tab is clicked, then the settings on the main screen, and in the menus, pertain to that individual Aurora. This makes managing a large amount of I/O simple, and allows for keeping settings and connections well organized.
be stored into the scene file. Selecting an existing scene name and clicking the Save button will overwrite that scene with the current parameters. To delete a scene simply delete the mixer scene file from the disc drive. NOTE: When the computer is shut down, the current mixer state is saved. When the computer is restarted, the mixer state is restored. This function is independent of Mixer Scene operation.
Play This button toggles whether controls for the Play Sources are visible from the Main window or not. The Play section, when visible, appears as the middle pane of faders in the Lynx Mixer. Now let’s look at the Mixer Main Window in greater detail 7.3.2 Adapter Section The Adapter Section is where the clock settings for the AuroraTB are established and monitored. Current Source This displays the clock source that is active.
Rate Lock When the “Current Source” is “Internal” and Rate Lock is ON, the driver will ignore all requests to change the Sample Clock Rate, including those coming from applications. This effectively causes all files not running at the currently selected clock rate to be software sample rate-converted by the Operating System during playback or recording.
External/2: Clock signal from BNC WORDCLOCK connector at half the sample rate External/4: Clock signal from BNC WORDCLOCK connector at one quarter the sample rate AES A: Clock signal from the Digital In 1-8 Inputs (Digital in 1-4 with Aurora 8) AES B: Clock signal from the Digital In 9-16 Inputs (Digital in 5-8 with Aurora 8) If the selected Preferred Clock Source is not also displayed as the Current Source in the SAMPLE CLOCK section of the Adapter page, it would be for one of the following reasons: 1.
section can be “hidden” by clicking the RECORD button in the Lynx Mixer Toolbar. When the section is hidden, all of the settings are still active. Clicking the RECORD button again will make the section visible again. Some of the controls and displays here are pertinent to the hardware inputs themselves, and some are specific to the hardware monitoring settings for that input. We will look in detail at each control.
The Output label appearing in green indicates that this is the Selected Output. A different Output can be selected by clicking a different pair’s Output button. In this state, any of the Sources in the Input Section can be routed to this output. For instance, if we have an input signal on Analog In 3, and we wish to hear it through Analog Out 1+2, Select Analog Out 1+2 in the bottom of the Outputs Section, then un-mute Analog In 3 in the Inputs Section.
Mutes The “M” Icon below the fader is for the Mutes. This switch Mutes or UnMutes the input signal routed to an output. As with the faders, this control is specific to the patch point between the Input Source, and the selected output. It does not control whether the input signal itself is muted, or whether that input signal can be recorded. When the “M” button is blue like this , then the Mute is ON, and no signal will pass to the selected output.
7.3.4 Play Section The middle row of faders on the Main Screen is the Play Section of the Lynx Mixer. The purpose of this section is to reveal and control playback streams from the computer. Monitoring levels, pan or balance, mirroring of streams, and muting can be easily facilitated here. The number of faders that appear will be relative to the channel mode that the unit is operating in.
Faders The FADERS are for attenuating the level of a playback stream routed to a specific output. As with panning, this level is specific to a play stream routed to a specific output. It is not to be confused with adjust the level of the Output itself. That is handled in the bottom pane of the Lynx Mixer. Mutes The “M” Icon below the fader is for the Mutes. This switch Mutes or UnMutes the play stream routed to an output.
Linked is the default state for pairs of inputs. To “un-link” a pair, click on the link icon and it will change to a single circle: . In this state, the mute, fader and pan controls operate on a single channel independently. Play Channel Label This identifies the Play Channels that are applicable to the fader, pan, mute and input select controls. The Play Channels are the driver devices that you will see from an audio software application.
The METERS in the Outputs section show the level strength of the signals at the associated output. The Meters are post-fader, so there will be reduction in Meter level as the signal is attenuated. Mutes The “M” Icon below the fader is for the Mutes. This switch Mutes or UnMutes the associated output. When the “M” button is blue like this , then the Mute is ON, and no signal will pass to the selected output.
7.3.6 Mixer Menu Restore Defaults This returns the Mixer (and Aurora hardware) to its factory default state. Routing, Sync Source, state of the Play and Record panes, all can be impacted. What is NOT impacted is channel mode and device order, since those states are stored in the actual hardware. Restore defaults is an excellent troubleshooting tool. When things are not going as expected, this is a good first step to try. Open Scene This feature allows user-defined mixer scenes to be restored.
About This option displays information about the Lynx Mixer, driver, and firmware as follows: Mixer/Driver Version: Displays the current mixer version and build number. Build Date: Displays the date the driver and mixer were released. DLL and SYS versions (Windows only): These are driver system file versions, useful for diagnosing a potential versioning mismatch. LSLOT Device: Displays the installed Lynx LSLOT Expansion card, in this case the LT-TB.
Adapter Settings This page is for assigning the order for each unit in a multiAurora configuration. Current operating systems can alter device order for a variety of reasons. This can be problematic when a system is configured around a static device order. This page solves that by insuring that the intended device order does not change. For instructions on how to use this tool, see section 8.1.1: Setting Device Order.
8 Using the LT-TB With the LT-TB correctly installed in your computer, you can begin to use the Aurora with most popular third-party audio applications. In this section we will explore setting up the Aurora-TB system for different contexts of use. 8.1 Configuring Multiple Units Up to six Aurora-TB and/or Hilo/TB interfaces can be daisy chained to a single Thunderbolt port. Each unit will be addressable independently in the Lynx Mixer, and the combined I/O can be used by a DAW application.
One may need to change the ID because a unit has changed position, been added, or for some reason the existing order is not appropriate to the context of use. We generally want to assign unit order in a way that is consistent with the physical ordering of units. For instance, if you have 4 Auroras in a rack, you might want to make the bottom unit number 1, the next unit up in the rack #2, etc. Device order is set from the Lynx Mixer. 1.
device order here. To determine which unit in the list is the one that you wish to use, follow this process: * From Control Panel > Sound > Playback, you will see all of the Aurora Devices. Play 1+2 in this list will be labeled as “Speakers”. Click one of them to select. * Click Properties > Advanced * Click the “Test” Button * Look at the Auroras in your rack. Whichever shows Meter activity for the first pair of channels when “Test” is clicked corresponds to that instance.
8.2 Using LT-TB with other Thunderbolt Devices The Thunderbolt specification allows daisy chaining of other Thunderbolt devices. Common computer accessories like hard drives, video equipment, and expansion chassis can be connected to the Thunderbolt daisy chain, either before or after your Lynx Interface(s). Up to six devices can be daisy chained together off of a single Thunderbolt port.
assumed that the application uses the Windows default audio device. To use the desired Aurora output as the system default: With Windows 7 /Windows 8 navigate to: Start > Control Panel > Sound > Playback. Right-Click the desired Lynx Aurora TB output device and choose “Set as default device”. Note: With Multiple Auroras, the device IDs can be misrepresented here. See Section 8.14: Configure for use.
3. 4. In the Audio playback software, set the audio configuration settings for 5.1, multichannel, or whatever mode is applicable to playing the multi-channel content. The speaker configuration for surround sound content will be as such: Channel Name Front Left Front Right Front Center Sub (LFE) Surround Left Surround Right Aux Left Aux Right 5.1 Output 1 2 3 4 5 6 N/A N/A 7.1 Output 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Multi-Channel Interleaved recording is also supported by the driver.
in the amount of latency that a user will experience when using the Aurora-TB. See 8.3.1.4 Controlling Latency by Changing the Buffer Size 2. Latency – Displays the amount of latency in milliseconds that is the result of the selected buffer size at the active sample rate. 3. Double Buffer Output – When checked, an additional output buffer is used. This does increase playback latency, but relieves some strain on the CPU.
audio to the hardware. However, a higher buffer results in more latency. Also, the higher the sample rate, the higher the buffer size needs to be. For instance, a buffer size of 128 samples at a sample rate of 44.1kHz results in 2.9 milliseconds of latency. However, at 96kHz, a buffer size of 128 = 1.33 milliseconds. Therefore the buffer size needs to be increased as the sample rate increases to maintain the same level of performance.
When the Aurora is selected as the output sound device, channels 1&2 are active by default. To change this, highlight the Aurora, choose “configure speakers” from the gear icon, and then select the desired stereo output channels from the drop-down menus. 8.3.2.2 Controlling Latency by Changing the Buffer Size Latency in an audio interface can be defined as the time required to process a sample from an application to the interface’s audio output.
Smaller buffer sizes will give you lower latency. However, if a buffer size is too small for the system or context, audio anomalies such as clicks and pops may occur. It is recommended to become familiar with altering the LT-TB buffer size to best suit the context of use. Once you determine the lowest achievable buffer size, you will typically have to double the size each time you double the sample rate, but the effective latency will remain constant.
9 Troubleshooting There is an error message during the driver installation: 1. Verify that the LT-TB has been installed correctly and there is an LED flashing on the LT-TB board when unplugged. The LED should go solid when a Thunderbolt cable is connected. See Section 5.3: Installing the Lynx Driver. 2. Verify that the TB cable is connected correctly and that the computer TB ports are active and the drivers are functional. 3.
is compatible with the LT-TB. If pressing Power and Trim does not cause any LEDs to flash, causes a sequence lower than 28 to flash, or causes a single number to flash, then your unit needs to be updated. 7. Check that the LT-TB is connected via a Thunderbolt cable (not provided). 8. Check that the OS is compatible with the LT-TB. One must be running OS X 10.8.5+ or Windows 7 OR 8 (32-bit or 64-bit). 9. Remove all other Thunderbolt devices from the bus and retry. 10.
If the Aurora is operating on an External or AES input SYNC SOURCE, you must manually select the rate through either the audio application settings page, or globally through the OS’s sound control settings. With external clocking you must also set the sample rate to the desired rate on the clock master device. Otherwise, the playback streams may be sample rate converted by the operating system, compromising playback quality. Please see Section 5.1, Clock Settings and Connections for more information.
10 Support We are devoted to making your experience with the LT-TB trouble-free and productive. If the troubleshooting and operational sections of this manual did not help resolve your questions, several support options are available to you: 10.1 Lynx Website Support Resources Logging on to www.lynxstudio.
10.4 Return Policy If you have a unit that you suspect is defective or is malfunctioning, contact Lynx technical support via one of the means described above for diagnosis. If the technician determines that the unit is faulty, they will issue an RMA number so you can send the unit in for repair. Units received without a valid RMA number will be refused. All RMA numbers are valid for 30 days from the date of issue. 10.
12 Warranty Information One year Free Labor / One year Parts Exchange This product must be returned to the factory for repair. Who Is Covered? You must have proof of purchase to receive warranty service. A sales receipt or other document showing when and where you purchased the product is considered proof of purchase. This warranty is enforceable only by the original retail purchaser.
