The first multi-track recorder I ever owned was a Tascam DA-88. In subsequent years, I used a lot of Tascam MX2424’s, Alesis HD24’s, and for the last six years or so, I’ve almost exclusively used DAW’s such as Pro Tools and Nuendo for live multi-track recording.
Although I love the flexibility that a DAW provides, I’ve often longed to go back to the days of a dedicated hardware recorder, where I didn’t have to worry about operating system compatibilities, audio interfaces, and all of the potential headaches that go along with computer-based recording. All of that is to say, when I found out I would be reviewing the JoeCo BlackBox Recorder, I was excited to do away with my computer and use a dedicated piece of hardware for multi-track recording.
Plenty to Choose From
There are several different models of BlackBox to choose from, depending on your I/O requirements. Alternatively, you can start out with a more basic system and add optional MADI or Dante I/O cards as you go. I/O flexibility is key for a product like this, and JoeCo has made it easy by offering the following models:
- BBR1MP: 24 channels of mic preamps on D-Sub 25’s (or optional XLR breakout panel), as well as an option card slot supporting a Dante or MADI option card.
- BBR1B: 24 channels of balanced, analog, line-level I/O on D-Sub 25’s.
- BBR1A: 24 channels of Lightpipe I/O in addition to the 24 channels of analog I/O on D-Sub 25’s.
- BBR1D: 24 channels of AES/EBU digital I/O on D-Sub 25’s. The analog I/O is still available, and it switchable with the AES/EBU I/O. The two formats share the same physical connectors.
- BBR1U: 24 channels of unbalanced, analog, line level I/O on D-Sub 25’s.
- BBR64-MADI: 64 channels of MADI I/O (coaxial or optical) or 56 channels of MADI and 8 channels of balanced analog I/O.
- BBR64-DANTE: 64 channels of Dante I/O on RJ-45, or 56 channels of Dante and 8 channels of balanced analog I/O.
Getting Started
The demo system that I received was a BBR1MP, equipped with 24 microphone preamps, a 2RU XLR breakout panel to ease connectivity with the D-Sub connectors, as well as both the Dante and MADI option cards that add 24 channels of either protocol to the system. When I first unboxed all of the hardware, I was immediately impressed by the diminutive 1RU form factor and light weight of the unit.
Wasting no time, I went to plug the unit in and start diving into its features. I would have preferred an internal power supply with a locking IEC connector, but instead had to settle for a fairly large external power supply. Upon plugging in the power supply to the DC input, I noted that the power supply connector had a solid locking mechanism, which was a plus.
Once powered up, I went straight for the menu on the front display, just to see what was available. Unfortunately, I was thwarted right away by the navigation controls. I consider myself to be pretty savvy with equipment like this, but for the life of me, I could not figure out how to properly navigate the menu structure. Feeling defeated, I opened the manual to learn how to navigate through the recorder’s menu.
The front panel has a small but high-resolution screen for menu navigation, and the main navigation controls consist of a “data wheel” (similar to the circular navigation control on an iPod) and a set of control buttons. These buttons and navigation control wheel provide no sort of tactile feedback. The buttons actually aren’t a button at all in the traditional sense, but rather a touch-sensitive, backlit display. It took some getting used to, but once there, the BlackBox was a breeze to navigate, and I had no issues.
I was ready to do a quick test and see how easy it would be to arm the tracks and start recording. The BlackBox doesn’t have an internal hard drive for recording. However, after several weeks of using the BlackBox, I came to appreciate this feature. Having an internal drive would have likely required a 2RU frame, and ultimately you’ll offload your recorded tracks to external storage, so why not record to an external drive to begin with? My demo unit shipped with a USB key, and any FAT32 formatted USB2.0 or USB 3.0 hard drive will work.
The BBR1MP has 24 high quality mic preamps, with converters operating up to 24-bit/96k Hz. The full-featured preamp section has phantom power, high pass filter, soft limiter and a polarity reverse — all adjustable from the JoeCoRemote iPad app. Using a variety of microphones, both dynamic and condenser, I found the preamps to be clean and transparent, adding very little coloration to the signal. Even when driven hard into the soft limiter, the BlackBox performed admirably. Considering the fact that JoeCo has packed 24 mic pres into the same 1RU frame as the other BlackBox recorders, I think they’ve done a great job with the preamp section.
Love that Control App
After doing several test recordings at the church I work at, I found that the BlackBox is best operated when it is tucked away in a rack, out of sight and out of mind. The BlackBox is built for live recording, and let’s face it, what live audio engineer has time to be worrying about their recording hardware? The BlackBox’s small form factor makes tucking it away easily achievable, but of course you still need the ability to control, monitor, and most importantly, meter the audio being recorded. Fortunately, JoeCo has an excellent solution to this problem in the JoeCoRemote software application for iPad. This is where the BlackBox really shines, and it was my favorite part about working with the unit.
The free iPad application is well designed, responsive, provides high-resolution metering for all of the tracks, and allows for full access to the menu structure for setup and control. In the case of the BBR1MP, it also provides access to all of the mic preamp functions.
While I really loved the JoeCoRemote iPad application itself, the interface between the iPad and the BlackBox left a lot to be desired. In order to create a network connection between the BlackBox and an iPad, you need a proprietary JoeCo remote hardware interface, which creates an ad hoc Wi-Fi network or a wired connection to the iPad’s headphone jack (handy in congested Wi-Fi environments). I found the remote hardware interface easy to set up, and it worked as advertised, but on several occasions I found myself wishing the BlackBox itself had a wired Ethernet connection. This would have allowed for several features that I wish the BlackBox had, such as easily connecting to my existing wired or Wi-Fi equipment networks, transferring recorded files to networked storage after recording, or even better yet, writing tracks directly to network attached storage over a gigabit network.
The Final Word
Overall, the experience of using the JoeCo BlackBox was a very positive one, and it made me remember how much enjoyed using dedicated hardware for recording. I was able to record mic and line level analog signals while simultaneously recording 24 channels of MADI directly off of a digital console. I appreciated the fact that the BBR1MP incorporates a mix of both analog mic pre’s and digital I/O. This makes for a very flexible recorder that can be used in any number of broadcast or live production environments, all at a relatively affordable price when compared to computer based recording systems with similar capabilities.
At a Glance
Versatile, Easy Location Recording
An easy to use, solid recording/playback package with onboard microphone preamps and the option for MADI or Dante I/O — all in a compact, roadworthy enclosure, with flexible remote operations and monitoring via a free iPad app.
PROS:
- 24 mic preamps in addition to optional Dante or MADI capability
- Dedicated multitrack recording hardware (no computer required!)
- Compact Single-rackspace form factor
- Well-designed iPad application for monitoring and control
CONS:
- External power supply
- No network connection directly on the unit
- Front panel navigation takes some getting used to
SPECS
- Sample Rates: 44.1k Hz, 48k Hz, 88.2k Hz, 96k Hz
- Bit Depth: 16/24-bit
- File Format: Broadcast WAV (BWAV)
- Disk Format: FAT32 — compatible with both Mac and PC
- External Drive: USB2/3 hard drive or fast memory stick
- File Type: Standard mono Broadcast WAV or multi-channel WAV
- Size: Single 19-inch rackspace
- Weight: Approximately 6.5 pounds
Price: Basic BBR1MP 24-ch BlackBox MicPre recorder with iXML and JCRH: $4,735; BBR1MP Bundle (BBR1MP with XLR breakout, MADI card and DANTE card: $6,155.
Manufacturer: JoeCo
More Info: www.joeco.co.uk
