Digidesign 003r Mods

“…hope you guys aren’t getting tired of hearing this, but… HOLY SMOKES!!!

The bottom end has tightened up so much. The mids have worlds more clarity and spacial separation, and the highs aren’t ringing in my ears any more. A true modern engineering marvel. I haven’t gotten to tracking yet, but given that these mixes I’ve listened to so far were merely tracked with the old boring version, I can only expect things to get even better. As for mixing, until now, I knew there were some major EQ problems throughout my mixes that I was never quite able to solve. But now they are marked with big red flags. Thank you so much.”

– Marcel Gellesch

“…I recently received my Digi 003R after having the Signature Series modification performed. I just wanted to let you know that your service was excellent, customer service-wise AND in the work performed on the Digi 003. This was the missing piece to my studio. The sound quality is astounding. The highs are creamy and the lows are tight. Everything I record sounds SO MUCH MORE NATURAL. I couldn’t have afforded HD quality audio without you. Thank you so much!!!”

– Seth Allen, Goleta Studio

“I just finished the Black Eyed Peas and T-Pain tour, and let me tell you that I am super excited about my Signature Mod 003! I am T-Pain’s programmer and Pro Tools Operator on the road, and thanks to the Signature mod, our show sonically sounded much better than the Peas’ show.

I have been using the mod now for almost a year to work on some amazing projects (all Ciara shows, Rip The Runway Brazil, Chris Brown show mix, Pleasure P, and many more projects). When I print 2-track masters and send to TV or artist, the first question I get is, where did you record this stuff?! Thanks to Black Lion Audio, I can wake up and walk right in my home studio and get amazing quality.

Thanks so much for being such a big part of my musical equation and work flow!! Looking forward to having a facility full of Black Lion gear! Love the clock and summing box!!!!”

– Adrian Porter, The AP Factor LLC, Lithonia, GA

“… I do a cappella (overdubbed) recordings, which serve as learning materials for amateur singers. I was scrambling to finish a recording, and didn’t have my AKG 414 with me. I busted out an $80 condenser with my new 003R Signature Mod, the first time I had used it since getting it back from you guys. I was expecting mediocre results because of the cheap mic. The quality, however, was FAR superior with a 003R Sig Mod and a cheap mic to what I ever got with my 414 and regular 003R. I’m scared of what this mod will do with a decent mic!! THANK YOU!”

– James Estes, Nashville, TN

“…I got the Signature Series Mod for my 003 about a year ago, and it’s been pretty incredible …and quite reassuring I might add, knowing what I’ve got under the hood…..especially when ‘mix-time’ comes.”

– Jason Lyle, (ex-GRANDADDY vocalist-guitarist-kybds & ‘studio troll / music recordist’)

“Hey Guys – just wanted to give u guys a shout – just finished my first session after getting my 003 back – I had a Signature Series mod done and picked up an Auteur as well – All I can say is WOW!!! Everything has come to life – my rig Never sounded this good… punch, warmth, sonic detail… You guys nailed it – and I am stoked!!! Thanks so much!”

– Dave Williams, Audio Engineer, Creative Technology Group, Los Angeles, CA

“…I finally got my 003 thru customs and I hooked it up and…

1. All plug-ins I earlier had to use to enhance the sound [I now have] deleted – the traditional subgroup w compression for drums that I always had to make to be able to get a listenable sound, I just deleted it! No EQ, no compression, no master compression… lots of bottom end, lots of info in 200-4kHz.

2. No distortion whatsoever, neither in master out nor in the headphones! Could listen as loud as I wanted in my AKG K271´s!

3. I placed a BLUE The Mouse mk1, Riga made in front of my Vox AC50/2×12″ Alnico Blue Bulldog Rig, the sound was there at once, moved the mike from center to edge of the speaker – the difference in sound reminded me of the good old days with U47 to Neve 1073 to Studer A820 2″ 24ch. Far from all HD-systems I worked with – regardless of outboard! Have used the lot, vintage NEVE, vintage Helios, vintage and new API, Thermionic Culture and so on…

4. I made 8 trax of guitars on 2 songs in just 1 and 1/2 hours – had no hustle with anything, all dynamics where there! Probably too much, but who cares!?!?!?!

Thanx for making my life a lot simpler! From now I can put all my time in making music, not trying to get around all the obstacles I had before with both the cheapo and the expensive Digidesign/Avid systems. The difference is astonishing! Thanx a lot!”

– Jörgen Cremonese, Sweden (formerly of ‘Whipped Cream’)

“About a year ago, I had bought a brand new 003 rack and gave it to you for a Signature Mod. I’ve been working on it since, and it is simply superb. I especially love what you’ve done to the main output section, the whole “master bus” sounds so analog and all my mixing [sounds as if] I was mixing on a real desk. I read a lot about how people love the high clarity of the device thanks to the new [Word Clock] installed, but I love the low-midrange ‘bottom’ even more, even when I crank up the monitor knob, it sounds awesome.”

– Arnon Afriat, Holon, Israel

“Did some tracking finally with my new 003 Sig Mod… and wow! Big difference. People who say they can’t tell the difference shouldn’t be working in sound recording. I will most definitely be buying more BLA stuff in the future, thanx…”

– Darren Chamberlain, Saskatchewan, Canada

“The low end is Fat, the highs are crisp, nice mids, the stereo image is great. Tracks also stack very well. Too much good stuff to name…”

— Prince Cheatwood, Cleveland, OH

“Hey Guys, just wanted to say thanks for my Hot Rod 003 Mod. This thing is truly amazing.”

– Jason Chaulk, BC, Canada

“You guys are great! I did a session at a place recently that had a 003 mod, and it was bitchin!… Thanks!”

– Damien Lewis, (Asst. Engineer to Phil Tan)

“I just wanted to email you guys and tell you what an amazing job you guys have done on my Digi 003, and what an awesome service you guys provide for musicians/songwriters like myself!

I just plugged in my new Signature Series modded 003R today to listen to a bunch of my old mixes I did in the past, and holy #*%inner_shortcodesamp;!, I am just blown away!!! I haven’t even recorded into this thing yet to hear the AD side of its conversion, so I’m only hearing the DA side of things right now. I can only imagine what I’m in store for after I take full advantage of all the upgraded preamps and inputs on this thing.

I have listened to my mixes a million times over, and I know what they sound like, believe me! I can honestly say I never heard my mixes and monitors sound so open and clear after getting this thing overhauled from you guys!!! I actually hear the stereo mix widen and everything has a smoother, less cloudy sound to it, and the punch! There is all this definition in the low end and high end that was missing from before, that just wasn’t [previously] audible. There is a definite distinction and separation between all the instruments now… I’m really impressed with this and I should have done this a long time ago! Well worth it! You guys are the best!”

– Tom Yurik, Guitarist/Songwriter

“I was curious about the buzz of this modification when I first heard about it… I thought this was going to be like an okay copy of the 192 system. Thank god I was wrong! This is in a league of it’s own, you can NOT compare the superb tone, quality, genius, and everything in between that this device produces after your intervention. You guys made out of my simple 003R a true masterpiece– Digidesign created the car (003R, Control 24 HD, etc..), you gentleman created the PLANE!!! You guys are MICHELANGELO & you made out of my simple 003R, THE SISTINE CHAPEL CEILING!!!”

– Javy Bojorquez, Producer/Arranger/Composer/Songwriter (Billy Davis Jr & Marilyn Mcoo, Joan Sebastián, Yuri, Maria del Sol)

“I have been recording using my newly upgraded 003R and AI3. I was totally amazed from the first take on vocals by the clarity and detail. My true shock came with drums. Our drum takes are so good that we cannot believe it; the depth of the kick and toms, and clarity of the overheads! The sound is absolutely amazing. I sent a few rough mixes out to a couple friends and they could not believe their ears. One friend is even getting the upgrade now. Anyway, I appreciate your skill and what you have done to make the recording process a real pleasure!”

– Mark Palmer

“Wow! What you did to my Digi 003 is what I call a modern day miracle. I can not get over what I got in return for the money, no regrets at all. Like they say, I would do it again.. the preamps have more headroom and the clarity has improved so much. The master clock is the best in my opinion; no need to use [my old] external clock, and am putting it up for sale.

Keep up the good work!”

– Mike Lopez, San Clamente, CA

“I just wanted to email you guys back and express my thanks to the company. The mod went smoothly and I got it back a lot sooner than I expected. It’s AMAZING!! I immediately noticed a huge difference in the quality of my recordings now. So clean and precise, and hardly any extra room noise with my condenser mics!! Best upgrade to my studio besides plug-ins, by far. You guys rock and I will definitely be buying your products again soon! Thanks again and keep it up!”

– Jake Rowan, Muse Records Studio, Portland, OR

“Your 003R signature series mod is incredible. Just this past weekend, I had the opportunity to record live drums using the 003R, and the results have blown me away. The level of detail and depth to the sound is astonishing! My band had previously done some recording through the 003 at 44.1 kHz/16 bit, but at 96 kHz/24 bit this thing really shines! It’s almost surreal how amazing and huge the drum sounds are, especially considering that they were recorded in a basement with low ceilings, and very little in the form of acoustic treatment, far less than an ideal space for recording drums, that’s for sure. Yet still, they sound better than tracks I’ve heard coming from professional studios. It actually made my performances sound better! I’m really excited to finish tracking through the 003. What an amazing piece of equipment!”

– Regan Bordessa