Lexicon Lambda

The Lexicon Lambda recording interface is designed for completely portable multi-track recording, mixing and editing. This is the middle of three Lexicon USB interfaces designed for Cubase LE, sitting in between the Alpha and Omega. The compact, desktop chassis is mostly plastic, which could be a concern for heavy road use. I'd recommend a padded, hardshell case.

There are two LED meters on the front, though with only 4 segments, they aren't terribly reliable.

Input trim pots, two for mic inputs and two for line inputs, are located ont he face of the box, as well as an output level control (headphones) and a mix control that adjusts between cue and mix signals. Both mic and Line pairs may be monitored in mono or stereo, controlled by buttons in between trim pots. Phantom power switch is on the back.

Aside from record and monitor levels, everything else is controlled by the included Cubase LE software (current version is Cubase LE 4 as of this review). Cubase has surprised me (a long-time user of a different industry-standard DAW system with proprietary hardware). Though it has a bit of a learning curve, the 32-bit engines are impressive and the signal routing has greatly improved since the last version of LE.

The included plug-ins are incredibly clean, though any VST plug-in may be used with the software (which means that I was able to move my Waves plug-ins over to this system). The bonus Lexicon Pantheon reverb plug-in is more than enough to get started in recording and mixing, and is versatile and easy to manipulate.

The system also comes with HALionONE, which is a virtual instrument for MIDI composition. This means that, straight out of the box, the Lambda system is ready to do almost anything. Almost. There are obvious limitations that only an upgrade to the full version of Cubase will address, but in all, this is one tidy, little system.

The Lambda connects to USB for all audio and MIDI into and out of the DAW software, as well as power. This means that the USB bus is driven hard, but it still works fairly well.

Equipped with two pre-amps featuring XLR inputs, phantom power, and 1/4" TRS (send/return) inserts, this is a great, no-frills interface for traveling musicians and location production. Though most of the I/O is located on the rear of the unit, a single, 1/4" TS instrument input is located on the front, and is automatically routed to the trim control for Line 1 in. A 1/8" TRS headphone out is also located on the front.

Other I/O includes two 1/4" TRS line inputs, two 1/4" line outputs, 1 MIDI in, 1 MIDI out, and 1 USB. Don't be confused by the "5-in, 2-out" description in the marketing materials... only two channels may be recorded at any given time, though signals may be mixed (Mic 1 with Line 1, Mic 2 with Line 2). Having two pre-amp channels available at a time allows a good amount of flexibility in recording for singer/songwriters and independent musicians. Anything past two channels requires overdubbing.

The pre-amps are impressive for the money. There is a slight noise floor, but this only comes into play when the pre-amps are driven above 75%. The line inputs are clean, and an external pre-amp (of good quality) would fix the floor.

This is a stereo-in, stereo out system.

The Lambda is powered by USB only. This creates some limitations in the field, and can drain a laptop battery a little faster if doing true remote recording. Nonetheless, the USB-powered unit means that recording can be done where a wall outlet is not available.

The biggest limitation here is in the +48v phantom power. Both pre-amps are equipped, but the unit struggles when powering two sources at once. In use, I tried to power both a Studio Projects B1 condenser and an LR Baggs Para Acoustic DI and got very poor results. Installing a 9v battery in the DI lightened the load that the Lambda had to provide and cured the signal problems.

The Lambda interfaces seamlessly with Cubase LE, offering 44.1k or 48k sampling at 16 or 24 bit word length. This system operates with ASIO drivers. A 32-bit internal DSP engine keeps everything slick.

Signal monitoring compensates for latency by offering direct listening from the input within the interface, while sending out a monitor mix from previously-recorded tracks adjusted to keep everyting in sync.

The Lambda comes with Cubase LE, the Lexicon Pantheon reverb plug-in, and HALionONE virtual instrument plug-in.

So far, this system has performed very well for me. I have used it to multi-track and do do simple tasks like voice-over recording, and have been pleased with the results. The operation of Cubase takes a a little getting used to, especially for some one who comes out of a Pro Tools world.

This is a great investment for the musician who needs effective, affordable, on-the-go production that's easy to set up and easy to use. Of course, the beauty of Cubase LE is that it can be use by a wide variety of experience levels, so those in the know for little tips and creative effects will still find that they have the tools they need.

If this unit were to get lost or stolen, I'd most likely buy another. It serves me well for smaller projects when I'm not in the studio. It's perfect for a digital sketchpad, but can easily produce publish-worthy results as well. I'm considering, just for chuckles, producing my next project on this system just to see how it measures up. Though, it's really the user more than the tools (remember 4-track tape?).

I do wish that the Lambda had the option of AC or DC power, but it still offers a handy and useful interface.

Overall, because of the (very slight) noise floor and the phantom/USB power limitations, I give this system a solid 8, but highly recommend it for those needing a decent DAW system to step up from mixer/recorders or from less capable programs like Garageband.

I am reviewing the Lexicon Lambda portable computer audio interface. This is a very good unit. It has 2-XLR mic inputs, with DBX SilverSeries preamps w/ Phantom power; 2-1/4in. TRS inputs for intruments, and MIDI inputs for keyboards/drum machines. It also has stereo line ins for CD/MP3 players. It also features inserts on the rear panel for external DSP's.

Each channel has seperate monitoring which makes recording a breeze. The unit is very well laid out, labeled well so its easy to figure out, and very solid. Contruction is all metal & very sturdy. Built for portability.

I was using an M-Audio MobilePRE with CakeWalk Sonar 4PE forever to record tracks for my band, but when I upgraded my laptop, I found that my equipment was no longer compatible with Vista, (Thanks Bill). So I purchased the Lambda (instead of a Line6 Toneport 2-ch for $50 more). This thing included Cubase 4LE and Lexicon's Pantheon Reverb plug-in! The industry standard for reverb!

The quality of recording was spectacular! Far better than my M-Audio and was so easy to use. Kudos to Lexicon for providing an OUTSTANDING desktop recording solution at such an awesome price.

USB 2.0

Powered only by USB but its very stable. It's designed for maximum portability so this is the norm. Phantom power checked out at true 48v.

24 bit recording with direct monitoring on the hardware. Most others are monitored via software which can cause latency. Not so with the Lambda.

Cubase 4 LE, and Lexicon's Pantheon VST reverb plug-in. what else do you need?

Performance is stellar. I would recommend this to other musicians in a heartbeat. I would not change a thing about it. If it were lost, stolen, or otherwise destroyed, I would purchase another Lambda without question! Simply a great product at a great price!