Black Lion Audio Micro Clock MKIII XB Master Clock Certified Open Box

Name: Black Lion Audio Micro Clock MKIII XB Master Clock
Brand: Black Lion Audio
Rating: 4 (5 reviews)

Master Clock with 8 Selectable Sample Rates, Galvanic Transformer Isolation, AES Output, S/PDIF Optical and Coaxial Outputs, and Dedicated Output Drivers

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Item ID: MicroClock3XBd1

Black Lion Audio Micro Clock MKIII XB Master Clock

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This item is in good condition and perfect working order. Product includes all original accessories. This item ships in its original factory packaging.

This item was thoroughly inspected by our factory-authorized service team and is backed by Sweetwater's exclusive 2-year warranty. The images shown do not necessarily represent the condition of this particular item.

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Black Lion's Flagship Clock

The Black Lion Audio Micro Clock MKIII XB is an ultra-tweaked version of the company's popular Micro Clock MKIII master clock. Through painstaking engineering, Black Lion reduced the jitter by two-thirds and spec'd their flagship clock with super-accurate crystal oscillators and high-caliber galvanic isolation, both of which contribute to the exemplary jitter performance. The Micro Clock MKIII XB's compact footprint and ability to drive up to 1,000 feet of coax make it an ideal solution not only for improving the conversion quality of an audio interface, but also for re-clocking digital consoles at live events or in houses of worship and as a master word clock in large post-production and broadcast facilities. The Black Lion Audio Micro Clock MKIII XB can sync all of your digital gear, even if it’s located in different rooms — or in different buildings.

Look Ma, no jitter

Flaunting a vanishingly low 0.6 picoseconds of jitter at its BNC outputs, the Black Lion Audio Micro Clock MKIII XB punches above its price range. Jitter can introduce phase discrepancies and distortion into your digital signals, resulting in harshness and blurring, especially in the high frequencies. That's a prime reason Sweetwater engineers are so picky about the clocking we use in our studios. With the Black Lion Audio Micro Clock MKIII XB, jitter becomes a nonissue.

About Black Lion

Founded in Chicago in 2006, Black Lion Audio has made their mark on the audio industry by hot rodding audio equipment and upgrading the sound quality of popular music production gear, elevating industry-standard products to new levels of sonic quality. Though they started off modding gear from other manufacturers, they've utilized their cumulative expertise to design their own line of boutique mic preamps and word clocks. BLA gear and modded gear can be found in studios from LA to New York to Nashville and heard on projects from artists like Maroon 5, Alison Krauss, Metallica, T-Pain, George Strait, MGMT, Beyonce, George Duke, Slayer, Erykah Badu, Rod Stewart, and more.

Black Lion Audio Micro Clock MKIII XB Features:

Ultra-low 0.6 ps RMS jitter, harmonically enhanced word clock signal generation
8 selectable sample rates: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192, 352.8, and 384
Locking frequency selection knob; dimmable LED frequency display
6 BNC outputs with dedicated output drivers for optimal isolation
AES output; S/PDIF optical and coaxial outputs
Half-rack chassis; rack ears included

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Tech Specs

Sample Rate: 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz, 192kHz, 352.8kHz, 384kHz
Clock Outputs: 6 x BNC (75 ohm)
Other I/O: 1 x Coax out (S/PDIF), 1 x Optical Toslink out (S/PDIF), 1 x XLR out (AES)
Power Source: 9V DC power supply (included)
Height: 1.75"
Depth: 6.5"
Width: 6"
Weight: 2.2 lbs.
Manufacturer Part Number: 700254867199

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For audio interfaces that lack accurate clocking, this is a must have addition that can transform decent AD/DA conversion into stellar quality. Please keep in mind this is based upon the individual being able to recognize that clocking is a factor. However, even when I A/B the unit, the average person always chooses the Micro Clock over the internal clocking.

The example I will use here is the Apollo Twin X which I recently started working on due to convenience and setup continuity reasons for a project. The Apollo has good but not great AD/DA conversion. This is based upon my experience with the likes of Weiss, Prism, Cranesong, and Antelope. Aside from the type of chipsets used and implementation, the one thing that the previously mentioned converters all have in common is stellar clocking.

The Antelope interfaces in the same price range as the Apollo exhibit a night and day difference in audio quality. I suspected that it was due to their 64-bit AFC clocking that's included in their product line. Having said that, and not being satisfied the sound of the Apollo, I decided to add the Micro Clock 3 XB.

While monitoring on PMC 8-2s with the MC3XB, the stereo image opens up and beings to breathe. As others have mentioned, the soundstage becomes 3 dimensional and you have a greater sense of depth, width, separation, clarity, and detail amongst the elements of the track. The low end tightens up and feels full and round. Percussions begin to pop with a more pronounced transient response. Lead vocals and harmonies become distinct and the nuances of the breath that weren't present suddenly appear out of thin air. Reverb tail decays fade into the distance and delays spread out with pin point accuracy. This result is somewhat similar when comparing an acoustically treated room to an untreated room. You finally begin to hear what's actually there and remove the smearing effect.

In general, most would say why not just upgrade to a Prism Lyra after spending all that money? Yes, of course you could. However, there are those individuals whom have grown accustomed to their interface such as the Apollo, its DSP plugins, and user interface amongst other features. In this scenario, adding the MC3XB instantly upgrades the Apollo from a consumer level interface into an outstanding unit deserving of it's place in professional studios.

Results may vary with other audio interfaces and I can only speak from my experience with the Apollo. It's still a matter of personal preference and cost. Personally, from a professional perspective, the MC3XB is a fantastic clock that delivers the goods and I look forward to seeing what else can be achieved with the Black Lion Mod upgrade package.

It's like a breathe of fresh air and clarity to vocals and instruments...in conjunction with other high quality gear this is a great solution

I added the XB MKIII to my apollo quad (silverface) setup. I A/B tested the apollo and the XB clock and there was a noticeable difference in the sound. Without the XB the music sounded 2D and with it,3D. There's more clarity, depth, punch and elements live in their own space.
I thought maybe I was tricking myself so I had my wife listen in a blind test and she said the XB audio was a clear winner... "I dunno, it just sounds better" Her words lol.

It's subtle but a big enough of an improvement that I would suggest this to anyone trying to get the most out of their digital equipment.

I'm a live sound engineer, and I take this clock with me wherever I go. With it being 1/3 rack width, it fits perfectly inside both my pelican and my console's dog house. This clock makes all of the consoles I see in the wild noticeably better!

I have not had the best luck with any of the Black Lion products, but I have just had the worst luck with this piece of gear. I have sent 3 back for problems and this one has developed issues as well. The top three outputs square waves look different than the bottom three outputs. I think I am done with their products.

See also: Word Clocks, Black Lion Audio, Black Lion Audio Synchronizers