AVID Mbox 3 Pro + Black Lion Audio Premium Mod

Mbox 3 Pro + Premium Mod

The Mbox3 Pro is Avid’s redesign of the old consumer-grade Pro Tools interface, the Mbox2, but now with Cirrus Logic CS4272 converters, which feature 24-bit/192kHz conversion and a dynamic range of 114dB (the same converters used in the Apogee Duet and Ensemble). They gave it a load of features like onboard DSP, Softclip limiting, digital I/O, guitar tuner, and six balanced outs to mix in 5.1 surround sound. Not too bad for an entry-level piece of gear, but it sure could be a whole lot better, and that’s where Black Lion Audio comes in.

Black Lion Audio Mbox 3 Premium Mod

The Black Lion Audio Mbox 3 Pro Premium Mod consists of input and output signal path upgrades. They completely replace all of the existing inexpensive stock op-amps with faster, high-grade op-amps that sound much more open, detailed and textured, with far better micro-dynamics. The modification makes the stock Mbox 3 Pro sound quite hazy, undefined and flat in comparison.

BLA also uses a different, expensive high-grade op-amp that will put your D/A into a different ballpark altogether—bringing amazing clarity and definition to your low and low-mid EQ, while adding dimension and spatial separation in the mid-high bands.

In addition to the new op-amps, they also install new audio-grade electrolytic capacitors that dramatically improve bass response and tame the brittle-sounding high end noticeable with the Mbox 3 Pro. Most “affordable” audio gear use low-grade capacitors in power decoupling that will work okay, but just don’t sound very musical in the audio signal paths because they tend to pick up resonating harmonics along the power rail. They choose premium audio-grade caps that are MADE ESPECIALLY for processing audio signal, and apply them to a different method of decoupling that makes a huge difference in the resulting audio.

This kind of rich tone is very difficult, if not impossible, to find in low-powered recording interfaces like the Mbox, but can now be yours for less than the cost of a day’s lockout at professional recording studio.