Burl Audio B80 Mothership AD/DA Converter (SoundGrid)

Burl Audio

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Product Code: 6972
$2,399.00
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The Burl Audio B80 Mothership AD/DA Converter combined with the BMB4 SoundGrid Interface Card will be the heart of your Waves SoundGrid system. Powerful and expansive, the Burl Audio B80 Mothership has redefined digital recording!

For anyone who has felt that digital recording has been lacking soul, warmth, and musicality, the B80 Mothership is the answer. Building on the technology of the two-channel B2 Bombers, the B80 Mothership was forged from Burl Audio’s deep dedication to analog class-A circuitry. The result is not only heard, but it is also felt. The Mothership stands out from every other interface on the market not because it is colored, but because it does not sterilize your audio.

BP300 Power Supply
Powering the Mothership takes some juice, so Burl Audio designed and includes the BP300 Power Supply to drive the possible 80 channels of class-A analog circuitry. With a 300-watt continuous power capability, this multi-channel AD/DA converter is finally getting the power it deserves!

BMB4 Interface Card
The BMB4 features an Ethernet port for 64 IO channels of Waves SoundGrid connectivity. SoundGrid is an Audio-over-Ethernet networking and processing technology developed by Waves. SoundGrid provides extremely low-latency, high-channel-count audio processing using standard Intel CPUs and 1 Gbps Ethernet networks for studio, live sound, and other real-time professional audio applications. Real-time audio processing is performed on standard Intel-based plugin servers, running a Waves-customized real-time version of Linux. Waves SoundGrid audio over Ethernet technology is a robust, proven system for audio over IP networking. Amongst the competing standards for audio over IP, SoundGrid boasts impressive, low latency. With 6 BAD8s and 4 BDA8s a 48×32 IO can be achieved. With 2 BAD8s and 8 BDA8s a 16×64 IO can be achieved. With the configurability of the Mothership the IO possibilities are limitless.

B80 Mothership Configuration
The Burl B80 Mothership is a modular chassis that allows you configure the chassis with any of their AD cards, DA cards, and even a Wordclock card, over it's 10 slots to meet the demands of your studio. First you select the chassis with the interfacing card that you need. In this case you have selected the Soundgrid (Burl BMB4), but you also have the Digilink (BMB1), MADI (Burl BMB2) and Dante (Burl DBD4) interface cards to choose from. Once you have the chassis setup with the right interfacing card, the fun starts with configuring your I/O. Burl Audio has several “Daughter Cards” to choose from, giving you a vast choice in configurations. These cards are sold separately so you will have to add them to your cart, but lets take a look at your options:

  • B4 Mic Pre – This card provides 4 high end mic preamps, that also accept line level input, over the four fully balanced XLR inputs. Utilizing their BX6 input transformers, the preamps are hi-fi and rich sounding, providing 4 channels of extremely musical AD conversion.
  • BDA4 – This card provides 4 channels of high end musical DA conversion over fully balanced XLR connectors, and utilizes Burl's discrete BOPA14 Op-Amp, and BX5 nickel core output transformers.
  • BAD4M – This card provides 4 mastering grade line level input channels of AD conversion. Utilizing Burls BOPA14 or BOPA11 op-amps (your choice), you get pristine detailed audio. Further the BX1 input transformers can be switched in and out of the signal to provide a little musical color if desired.
  • BDA4M – This card provides all the same features of the BAD4M, but in mastering grade DA conversion, and it utilizes Burl's BX5 output transformers – which are able to be switched in and out of the signal path for musical color.
  • BAD8 – This card provides 8 channels of high end musical AD conversion over a DB25 connector (Tascam wiring), and utilizes Burl's high definition BX1 input transformer.
  • BDA8 – This card provides 8 channels of high definition DA conversion over a DB25 connector (Tascam wiring), in a transformerless design that utilizes Burl's BOPA14 discrete Op-Amps.
  • BAES4 – This card provides 4 channels of AES/EBU input, and 4 channels of AES/EBU output, over XLR connectors. Clocking is carried over the AES/EBU connection, and the card features a BNC Wordclock output for sending clock to another device if needed.
  • BCLK – This card provides 8 BNC Wordclock outputs, and one AES Wordclock output (for a total of 9 Wordclock outputs of stable low jitter clocking, with two independently programmable banks.
  • B22 ORCA - This card provides a high-end and transparent monitor controller as well as a headphone amp to your Mothership. This is Burls Mothership version of their highly respected Orca Control Room Monitor controller. The B22 ORCA is available with either an ALPS (Standard) or ELMA (Switched - Optional) attenuator, a choice of Burl's BOPA14 or BOPA11 op-amps, and it features their BX5 output transformers – which are able to be switched in and out of the signal path for musical color.

Front End Audio is well versed in the Burl Audio line, so if you have any questions on the different configurations, cards, or options, just let us know and we will be happy to help you setup a B80 Mothership to meet your needs!

Burl Audio B80 Mothership AD/DA Converter Features

  • 4U main chassis
  • BMB4 SoundGrid Motherboard
  • 1 BNC Word Clock In
  • 2 BNC Word Clock Out
  • 10 card slots
  • All slots accept AD/DA, AES and BCLK
  • 4 and 8 channel analog cards

Burl Audio B80 Mothership AD/DA Converter Includes

  • Burl Audio B80 Mothership AD/DA Converter Chassis
  • Burl Audio BMB4 Soundgrid Interface Card
  • Burl Audio BP300 Power Supply
  • All Associated Power and Linking Cables
  • Manufacturers Warranty

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What We Think

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The Burl Audio B80 Mothership solves the problem of limited lane width and smooth pavement for your audio to drive upon. In fact, you will really more in the territory dominated by the maglev bullet train. No obstacles or jitter - just smooth speed. So, here's the deal: industrial strength chassis designed to hold a ful complement of the exceptionally and unexpectedly heavy BAD4 cards (which weigh an approximate 6-8 lbs each!). Discrete BOPA2, OP-AMPs throughout, high-voltage Class-A design, discrete transistors, custom BX1 input transformers... these are the things that make for unbridled excellence in AD / DA conversion. There are several testimonials out there which support that the B80 Mothership system is the best thing to happen to digital audio, well... ever. But the long and the short of it is this: Burl converters - especially the B80 Mothership within the context of multi-tracking, will save you time as an engineer and/or producer. Due to the lack of circuit design / construction obstructions in the signal path, your audio is not damaged on the way in, and tracks stack together effortlessly and in a way that was only common to tracking to analog tape, through, say a Studer A800 mkIII, Ampeg MM1200, or MCI JH16. Mix the tracks through a console or Burl's very own B32 Vancouver Summing Amplifier / Mixer, and baby, you got yourself a stew on. In all seriousness, this approach to doing digital correctly provides lots of open road for your audio to stretch out upon. No more trying to race through pothole riddled alleyways, littered with the audio equivalents of dumpsters and trash cans. The Mothership is totally configurable to your needs 4 channels of AD and 8 channels of DA at a time. You'll likely need some specific cabling, etc together with your Mothership in order to get up and running. So give us a call at 888-228-4530 and let us help you ensure that you're going to be up and running flawlessly and with maximized potential and functionality.

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