Black Lion & MOTU Traveler

[antichef]

I'm seriously considering sending my MOTU Traveler to Black Lion for mods - I like the before/after samples on their website (and I recognize the before samples). Anyone done this?

[antichef]

Originally Posted by antichef

I'm seriously considering sending my MOTU Traveler to Black Lion for mods - I like the before/after samples on their website (and I recognize the before samples). Anyone done this?

Well, antichef, I did it, and let me tell you....

Just trying it out today. The output is strikingly better - no good way I can think of to let you all hear it, but listening to things recorded before, you really notice it -- seems bigger and with more detail.

I haven't had a chance to try recording with it much -- I *tried* to do a before/after acoustic guitar thing, but I was so rushed just now that the mic placement was not good, and basically blew the comparison. I'll try again later, because the "before" clip was OK. Subjectively, the pre-amped inputs seem quieter at high levels (not that this was much of an issue before) and sound better, without the harsh coloration on vocal sounds that I remember from before. Also, I believe channel 3 was unusably hissy when I had phantom power engaged, but now it's fine - nice!

I also ordered the micro clock, but I don't have it yet.

[Whoopysnorp]

The guy behind Black Lion used to work at my company...I remember going into Guitar Center one day, and he was walking out the door with a MOTU Traveler under one arm. Funny to see how he's kind of famous within the home recording community now (deservedly so from what I hear of his work).

[Supercreep]

I have a modded 896 HD and to my ears the difference is not striking.

After 70 or so tracks, however, I find the mixes to be less cloudy, and the stereo field to feel a little more spacious. It's definitely not a night/day type thing. I find most of this audio stuff to be similar. People hype stuff up so much that you're expecting to hear a major difference.

Again, the difference is like a glass of water and a glass of water with 2 tablespoons of sugar in it. It's not stark, it's subtle. But it all adds up in the end, so I think it's a no-brainer gear purchase.

[antichef]

I should be more specific, and now that I've been working with the unit for a couple weeks, I can be -- on the D/A side, I hear more detail and separation of sound, with better stereo placement - makes good mixes sound better and bad mixes sound worse. Reminds me of when I went from computer speakers to the low end monitors that I use now. The change is even more noticeable for bad mixes using a decent pair of headphones.

On the input side, there was an edgy high-mid hype that's gone, and it seems like the pres are more demanding with regard to mic placement (this could be the improvement to the D/A side, but it does seem to be more of an issue for new tracks). I'm finding that I have be more precise with X-Y configurations, for instance. Currently, this is slowing me down, because I'm having to learn more about placement, but ultimately I believe it'll lead to better work product once I get the hang of it.

I do realize that, along with the improvements to the unit, I have to account for a) improvements to my own ear/brain that are occurring as they do for noobs who work at it, and b) my imagination, but I really do notice a big difference. Perhaps the context of the rest of my system (monitors, room, brain, cables, etc.) brings it out as well.

[antichef]

and finally, here's a before/after:

before:
http://recursor.net/BeforeBLA.wav (~22M)
http://recursor.net/BeforeBLA.mp3 (~600k)

after:
http://recursor.net/AfterBLA.wav (~22M)
http://recursor.net/AfterBLA.mp3 (~600k)

Both were done in the same room, sitting in the same place, and I did everything I could to duplicate the environment -- these were several weeks apart, of course. Signal chain is:

Martin D28 -> SM81 x2 stereo XY pointing at 14th fret -> 5' XLR cables -> MOTU Traveler channels 1&2 -> Logic Express (dry)

The guitar has the same strings on it (actually several weeks worth of occasional playing "older" in the after sample)