Sound Pure's Take
The Lynx Mesa feels like a converter designed by people who actually understand modern studio workflow.
At its core, it’s an incredibly high-end AD/DA interface with the kind of transparency and detail you’d expect from Lynx—but what really makes the Mesa stand out is how elegantly it combines that level of audio quality with flexibility and integration for hybrid studios. It feels less like a traditional interface and more like the central nervous system of a serious recording setup.
Sonically, the Mesa is exactly what you want from a top-tier converter: open, detailed, and trustworthy. The stereo image feels wide and stable, transient detail comes through effortlessly, and there’s a sense of depth that makes critical listening easier rather than more fatiguing. It doesn’t hype things or impose a strong character—it simply lets you hear what’s actually there.
What we especially appreciate is the headroom and clarity. Whether you’re tracking through high-end outboard, mixing through analog chains, or mastering, the Mesa stays composed and transparent in a way that inspires confidence. That kind of honesty matters when you’re making important decisions.
The workflow side is equally impressive. With flexible routing, network audio capability, and modern connectivity options, it integrates cleanly into both traditional studio setups and more advanced hybrid or immersive systems. It feels designed for engineers who want their interface to stay out of the way while still giving them powerful control over signal flow.
There’s also a refinement to the overall experience that stands out. The software is intuitive, the monitoring feels immediate, and the system as a whole comes across as stable and thoughtfully engineered—qualities that become increasingly important the larger and more complex a studio gets.
For engineers looking for flagship-level conversion paired with modern flexibility and serious studio integration, the Lynx Mesa feels like a forward-thinking centerpiece built for the realities of today’s professional workflows.
From Lynx Studio Technology
Mesa offers a desktop form factor, making it ideal for everyone from home/project recording setups to production rooms in commercial recording facilities. Compact and easily portable, Mesa offers four analog inputs and two outputs for monitoring, along with dual headphone outputs with independent level controls.
The Lynx Mesa offers a hi-contrast capacitive touchscreen interface — the same as in the company’s renowned Hilo 2 — making perfect for standalone use. Mesa owners will also be able to access its functions via the included Mesa Control software. A built-in MicroSD card slot allows Mesa to be used as a primary or backup recording device, making it useful for live/remote recording needs.
Designed for musicians, recording engineers, live sound engineers, and others who require the very best in pristine, detailed audio, Mesa offers the same level of audio quality and transparency as the company’s acclaimed Aurora(n) interface/converter. Other Mesa users include those involved in location recording — live performances, house of worship services and more — as well as for purposes including playback that can be done either via the onboard MicroSD card or its Thunderbolt 3 connection.
Mesa’s combo input connectors accept Mic, Line and D.I. signals, so users can plug in directly with instruments like electric guitars, bass, and keyboards, as well as microphones, and are selectable on a per-channel basis. Its monitor outputs are on ¼” balanced TRS connectors. Designed for professional applications, Mesa also features S/PDIF coaxial I/O, with its optical port supporting both S/PDIF (2 channel) and ADAT (8 channel) formats, and also includes Word Clock in and out.
The Lynx Mesa is compatible with all Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) platforms on both Mac and Windows, including Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Cubase, GarageBand, and more. This universal compatibility makes it ideal for music and audio creators who require flexibility in working seamlessly with multiple DAW systems.
- Four microphone/line/Hi-Z inputs, identical to Aurora(n) LM-PRE4.
- Four analog outputs (Monitor Out & Phones), identical to Aurora(n) line out/phones.
- Two channels of inputs and outputs on S/PDIF coax.
- Up to Eight channels of inputs and outputs on ADAT optical, or two channels of i/o on S/PDIF optical.
- Thunderbolt 3 connectivity to Windows and Macintosh computers.
- Up to 32-channels of real-time recording and playback via on-board Micro SD card.
- 1 in/1 out Word clock I/O with Lynx exclusive second generation SynchroLock-2 sample clock technology.
- External universal power supply with USA IEC power cable.
- Designed, Built and Supported in the USA.
Analog Performance
Line in
- THD+N
- ‐113dB @1kHz, ‐1dBFS, 20kHz filter
- Full scale input level
- +20dBu
- Dynamic range
- 119dB, A‐weighted, ‐60dBFS signal method
- Frequency response
- ±0.010dB, 20–20kHz
- Crosstalk
- ‐130dB maximum @ 1kHz, ‐1dBFS signal
- Common mode rejection
- greater than 80dB
- Input Impedance
- 200kΩ balanced, 100kΩ unbalanced
All line input measurements made with 40 ohm source applied to input
- Gain settings
- Fixed
- Connector
- Female XLR on combo jack
Mic In
- Features Per Channel
- 48V Phantom Power Pad Hi-Pass Filter Polarity Reversal 48V Lockout Channel Pairing for Stereo Inputs
- THD+N
- -111dB (0.00028%) @1kHz, ‐1dBFS, 20kHz filter @ 21.6dB gain
- EIN
- -129dBu A-weighted, -60dBFS method
- Dynamic Range
- 116dB A‐weighted, ‐60dBFS signal method @ 21.68dB gain
- Frequency Response
- +0.01 / -0.08dB max. Deviation over 20-20kHz band, -1dBFS @ all gain settings
- Crosstalk
- -127dB max. Adjacent channel, -1dBFS, 1kHz @ 21.6dB gain
- Common Mode Rejection
- 75dB min. -1dBFS, 60Hz and 1kHz @61.6dB gain
- Full-scale Input Level for A/D
- 28.7dBu
- Input impedance
- 2.1kΩ
- Gain Settings
- 5.6dB or 13.6dB to 68.6dB in 1dB steps, pad disabled -8dB or 0dB to 55dB in 1dB steps, pad enabled
- Pad Attenuation
- 13.6dB
- High-Pass Filter
- 80Hz, 12 dB / octave
- Connector
- Female XLR on combo jack
Hi-Z In
- THD+N
- -109dB (0.00035%) 1kHz, -1dBFS, 20kHz filter
- EIN
- -115dBu A-weighted, -60dBFS method
- Dynamic Range
- 114dB A-weighted, -60dBFS method @ 21.6dB gain
- Frequency Response
- +0.01 / -0.05dB max. Deviation over 20-20kHz band, -1dBFS
- Crosstalk
- -132dB max. Adjacent channel, -1dBFS, 1kHz
- Full-scale Input Level for A/D
- 14.9dBu @5.6dB gain
- Input impedance
- 1MΩ unbal. (TS), 2MΩ bal. (TRS)
- Gain Settings
- 5.6dB/13.6dB to 68.6dB in 1dB steps
- Connector
- 1/4" TRS on combo jack
Monitor Out
- THD+N
- -107dB @1kHz, -1dBFS, 20kHz filter
- Dynamic range
- 121dB, A-weighted, -60dBFS signal method
- Frequency response
- ±0.02dB, 20-20kHz
- Crosstalk
- -130dB maximum @ 1kHz, -1dBFS signal
- Output level at max
- +19dBu
- Output Impedance
- 0.6 ohms
- Connector
- Two 1/4” TRS jacks
Headphone Out
- THD+N
- ‐107dB @1kHz, ‐1dBFS, 20kHz filter, volume at max
- Dynamic range
- 120dB, A‐weighted, ‐60dBFS signal method
- Frequency response
- ±0.025dB, 20–20kHz
- Crosstalk
- ‐120dB maximum @ 1kHz, ‐1dBFS signal
- Output level
- 18.4dBu maximum
- Output power
- 68mW @ 600Ω, 135mW @ 300Ω, 383mW @ 60Ω, 212mW @ 32Ω, 100mW @ 16Ω
- Connector
- Two 1/4" stereo headphone jacks
Digital I/O
- S/PDIF I/O coax
- transformer-coupled on RCA jacks
- S/PDIF I/O optical
- on optical connectors
- ADAT I/O
- 8 channels at 48 kHz when selected on optical connectors
Warranty
This item is sold without the Sound Pure 3-year warranty (used / B-stock / dealer-exempt). Coverage terms for items in this category live in Terms & Conditions, Section 27.
Returns
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