Okay, so not only have I now had a chance to do some recording and mixing with the modded 002R, but I've also had the opportunity to A/B it against an un-modded 002R in a simple, nerdy test.
The difference was jaw-dropping! I was absolutely floored by the difference in quality between the two. Basics of the session:
Clock - Internal
Mic Pres:
-Onboard modded 002R
-Onboard stock 002R
-UA 2108 solid state 2-ch pre into stock 002R line input
Mic - MXL V67G
Source - Larivee acoustic guitar played by me
I played the same thing through the onboard preamp of the unmodded 002R, the UA 2108 into a line input on the unmodded 002R, and into the onboard preamp of the modified 002R.
The difference between modded and stock? It's like someone took the blanket off the microphone. The clarity was astounding. I honestly was not expecting the difference to be this drastic, but it really was. The mud was gone from the audio. There was a substantial increase in presence and accuracy across the board.
The difference between the 2108 into the stock 002R and the onboard pre of the modded 002R was not quite as drastic. The winner was definitely the modded 002, but this may also be a matter of opinion. The 2108 seemed to be darker and took some gentle EQ'ing to pull up the low end around 60-80 Hz and to boost the midrange from about 1k-3k to make it sound really close to the BLA mod. The difference was akin to listening through a 6 foot tube (2108) and listening directly in the room with the source (BLA mod).
Stock 002= Like having a blanket on the mic
UA 2108= Like listening through a tube
I was EXTREMELY impressed with the performance of the BLA 002 and I feel MUCH better about having spent my money upgrading my existing unit instead of investing more on something new.
These guys are pros and really deliver. THIS MOD IS WORTH EVERY PENNY AND MUCH MUCH MORE.
-Russell Muller
Bass Player (We Are They) - www.myspace.com/wearethey
Sound Engineer - Recording, Mixing, Mastering
Tarktones Audio - http://www.tarktones.com
Hello, I had you guys mod my 002 console back in December right
before Christmas. I would just like to thank you for such a fine
job that you guys did on my 002. I am the type of person who needs
to wait and hear mixes done instead of just comparing a single voice
or instrument on the new unit, so I am just getting a chance to
actually appreciate the sound of my music now. It’s definitely
everything that other people describe it to be. At first I thought
well, I just paid 450.00 to have it done so maybe, I am a little
biased, but not anymore.
The other day I had an engineer friend come over and we were
talking about different techniques and plug-ins. I played a few
mixes for him that I was working on and he was like man that sounds
really good! .............but here is the kicker about 5 hours later
he called me (after trying some techniques/plugins) and said HOW DO
YOU GET THAT SOUND? YOU KNOW, THE SEPARATION AND CLARITY, THERES NO MUDD! Man, I was smiling from ear to ear
Because I knew exactly what it was and I knew there wasn't a plugin/technique on earth that was going to make up for the clock/analog stages you guys did on my 002.
The fact that others can recognize and describe the sound of the
002 mod without even knowing that there was a modification says it all!
No Hype Here!!!
-Jeremiah Albritton, Burlington NC
As a voice talent, the DigiDesign 002 and MBox (backup) have become two products that are indispensable tools for my work. I wanted to take a moment and post my comments on the modification Black Lion performed on my 002 which I received yesterday, December 8, 2006. Like many others, I asked numerous questions prior to committing myself to the upgrade. At the time I was preparing to purchase an A/D unit from another manufacture when a friend mentioned the Black Lion upgrade. I figured for the cost, it was worth checking out and after my experience with Black Lion's timely email responses, I had very little issue making the decision.
The unit was shipped over night to Black Lion on November 28th for work scheduled on the 30th. I received notification that the unit had arrived on November 29th and was set to go. Black Lion was kind enough to repair the broken headphone jack which had been snapped "in" to the unit years earlier when the back of swivel chair grazed the headphone plug inserted at the time. Upon completion of the modification, I received a notice with the UPS tracking information and the unit arrived as scheduled. After opening the unit, I could smell the work, something I personally enjoyed. I also heard a rattle inside so I opened up the unit to check it out before plugging it in. It would appear the the cold winter weather caused some excessive internal glue to become so brittle it cracked and broke off in transport, but this had nothing to do with the upgrade. Black Lion also stated a two year guarantee on work performed ... glue is glue, the unit was connected and powered up.
My typical setup involves a Sennheiser MKH416P48 or a Neumann U87 into a Buzz Audio Elixir/Essence or Requisite Audio PAL+ to the DigiDesign unit, in this case, the 002. While the session in ProTools was opening I slipped on some headphones, then hit the record button on the controller and read some copy. The result of the Black Lion upgrade is absolutely stunning to put it lightly and I still find it was hard to believe it is an 002, period. I tried the U87 with the modded mic inputs and had a similar reaction. The preamps no longer sound hollow and week. They sound beefy, given the changes made, if I had to buy four preamps like this, I would probably have to start with a Focusrite Red One. Does it mean I may stop using my external preamps? On vacation, yes, I have no reason to pack anything else now.
Overall, I would say many of us have been effected by the "lowest bidder" mentality for which most companies have become known. This upgrade fixes that problem with this particular unit (the DigiDesign 002) and with the money I saved by not buying an external a/d, d/a and clock, I could probably get away with selling the MBox on Ebay, buy a second 002 with upgrade as well.
-Kevin Genus Website
Matt, Jim and crew. Clint and I ran the modded 002 through it's paces yesterday and all I can say is....Holy Freakin' Cow! It really is a whole new beast. I think the biggest surprise was how amazing the mic pres sounded. We recorded acoustic guitar through them and almost wet ourselves!
Anywhoose, I just wanted to thank you for offering such a great product. Clint is selling off a few things so that he can have the mod done. I've got at least two or three other buddies with 002's that are waiting to hear the verdict on the mod. Expect some more business from the big "O" fellas.
-Scott Gaeta,
Music Factory Productions, Omaha, NE
I FINALLY got to try out the mic pre's in the upgraded 002. Holy crap
dude! Amazing job! I A/B'd with my API's and they totally held up!
-Mark Hollingsworth
You guys need to develop a "face plate"/"brand"/permanent marker to write something on the face of the 002r so people know you 'modded' it!! I've had people tell me (since the mod) "Oh man, that 002r sounds good....I should get one of those"...I quickly have to let them know it wasn't always this articulate, and they should contact you right away if they want the sound I have.
So, make a face plate or something so it's easier to brag about your work!! :)
As far as the sound of the unit...sensitive, alive, etc....every instrument that I record seems to "breathe" through my monitors now. I always had a hard time getting the "punch" out of my mixes...I no longer have that problem, especially with new material I've recorded since the mod. The preamps sound great; definately 400 dollars well spent. My external preamps also seem more clear now that the input stages have all been updated.
-John Wagner
