Digidesign 192 I/O Mods

Digidesign 192 I/O Mods

From: $1,695.00

What do industry heavyweights like Mike Shipley (RIP), Mutt Lange, and Butch Walker have in common? They’re proud users of the Black Lion Audio FM192, a heavily modified version of the Digidesign 192. The FM’s A/D and D/A conversion is so smooth, so rich, and so clear that Sound on Sound Magazine called it “a game changer”. We’re not talking about the usual shades of grey among high end converters; the FM192 has bass extension that rivals 2 inch 16 track tape. It has high end response that’s velvety and uncharacteristically clear for digital audio. Instrument imaging is pinpoint accurate, with front to back extension that few digital systems can rival. Read below for details on how we can take your interface to the next level!

  • Mod
  • Clock
  • Cables
  • Book

Configure Your Mod

Bundle a Micro Clock

Bundle in a Micro Clock MKII, MKIII, or MKIII XB and get a discount on your mod.

Bundle A Cable

Need a cable? Add one now.

Schedule Your Mod

Please note that you will need to ship your gear to arrive at our shop 1-2 business days prior to your chosen date.

Clock Architecture *

Analog I/O *

SKU: Digidesign 192 I/O Categories: ,
000

We are offering the following modifications for the Digidesign 192 I/O (8×8, 8×16, 16×8):

Analog

  • – New, high performance op-amps on EVERY analog input and output (line inputs and line outputs)
  • – New, high-grade op-amp decoupling capacitors on EVERY analog input and output (line inputs and line outputs)
  • – New, high-grade signal path capacitors on EVERY analog input and output (line inputs and line outputs)
  • – Proprietary decoupling on analog stage power rails
  • – Improving the performance of the analog stage circuits makes a drastic difference for tracking, mixing, and mastering (expect amazing micro-dynamics and space)!

Digital

  • – Proprietary decoupling on all A/D and D/A converters
  • – Ferrite power filtration on all A/D and D/A converters
  • – Proprietary decoupling on digital stage power rails
  • – Your choice of FM (very low jitter) or XB (ultra low jitter) internal word clocks
  • – Our approach to converter decoupling reduces noise generated during the conversion process, leaving you with crisp, clear audio!

      • Hear your Digidesign 192 I/O like never before!

Booking a Mod

A 50% down payment will be collected during checkout for booking a modification. The remaining 50%, plus return shipping, will be due when the modification is complete. You will be prompted to choose a mod date when you add a mod to your cart. After booking, you will receive an email confirming your chosen “mod date” and shipping details.

The interface is not included in the mod price. You must supply us with an interface to be modified.

Please read our full sales policies prior to booking a mod.

Mod Rating

We often get asked our opinion on how one interface compares to another, so we’ve decided to create a rating system based on subjective A/B listening tests. The scale is from 1-10, with “1” being unimpressive audio quality and “10” being true audio excellence. This is an exponential scale, so going from “1” to “2” isn’t nearly as big of a jump as going from “9” to “10”.
Please keep in mind, we only modify an interface if we can make a significant improvement to the sound. All of our ratings are ultimately a matter of opinion. To view how we rate all of our mods, click here.

  • Digidesign 192 with FM Clock

    Pre 5.75
    Post 9

  • Digidesign 192 with XB Clock

    Pre 5.75
    Post 10

RAVES

“I’ve never heard anything like them. They have completely changed the sound of Pro Tools for me. We put them up against many high-end converters and they won every time.”

– Mike Shipley, Grammy Award-winning engineer/mixer/producer

(Alison Krauss, Aerosmith, Maroon 5, Def Leppard, The Cars, Faith Hill, 30 Seconds to Mars, Tim McGraw, Shania Twain, Joni Mitchell, Van Halen, Green Day, Anberlin, The Black Crowes, Tom Petty, Cheap Trick)

(Read his interview in Sound On Sound Magazine on using the FM192!)

“I recorded a Martin D35 acoustic guitar with two spaced omni mics, placed a few feet away from the guitar to pick up some stereo ambience with some natural decay. In this test, the FM exhibited an extension along each axis—X, Y and Z. The soundstage (X) seemed wider, but not in a “phase-y” way. At the same time, the center of the image—the picture of the guitar emanating from the speakers—seemed more solid or focused in the middle, between the speakers. I know this sounds like “hi-fi” talk, but it was noticeable and repeatable. The frequency response (Y) seemed more extended from bottom to top, even though I knew the response of both converters was ruler-flat. The FM sounded clearer and smoother, especially in the upper midrange and high frequencies. The natural decay and low-level information seemed more apparent, giving the sound more depth from the front to the back of the speakers (Z)…. Tracks played back through the FM192 seem more 3-D and less fatiguing. They sound bigger, smoother, clearer and deeper.”

– Erik Zobler,Grammy Award-winning engineer

(Michael Jackson, George Duke, Sarah Vaughn, Miles Davis, Celine Dion, Donna Summer, Anita Baker, Al Jarreau, Stanley Clarke, Charlie Daniels, Natalie Cole, Whitney Houston)

(Read his entire review of the FM192 in the April, 2010 issue of Mix Magazine)

“The past is future once again. I actually lived long enough to see the liberating power of multi-track digital reliably fused with the sonic correctness a well-maintained 16 track 2 inch platform could only promise. It’s been decades since I heard something sound this good. And the repeatability is rock solid. The FM192 is more than a phenomenal interface, it’s a wayback machine. Problem solved.”

– Bill Hawks, Wichita, KS

“I don’t know what you’re doing there, but this #@!!% is crazy!”

– Jeff Frickman

Handcrafted in Chicago.

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