Black Lion Audio Revolution EXP User manual

Revolution EXP
8x8 AD/DA Converter and Word Clock with ADAT
Quick Start Guide
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Do not use this apparatus near water.
6. Clean only with dry cloth.
7. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat regis-
ters, stoves, or other apparatus that produce heat.
9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type
plug. A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other.
A grounding-type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong.
The wide blade or third prong is provided for your safety. If the pro-
vided plug does not t into your outlet, consult an electrician for
replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particular-
ly at plugs, convenience receptacles, and the point where they exit
from the apparatus. If the power cord becomes frayed, stop using
immediately.
11. Use only attachments/accessories specied by the manufacturer
12. Use only with a cart, stand, tripod, bracket or table specied by the
manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use
caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid in-
jury from tip-over.
13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for
long periods of time.
14. Refer all servicing to qualied service personnel. Servicing is re-
quired when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as
power supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or
objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been ex-
posed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been
dropped.
15. This apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing, and
no object lled with liquids, such as vases, shall be placed on the
apparatus.
16. The DC Input on the product is used as the disconnect device, so
the disconnected device shall remain readily operable when recon-
nected.
17. Any changes or modications not expressly approved in this manu-
al could void your authority to operate this apparatus.
The lightning ash with an arrow-
head symbol within an equilateral
triangle is intended to alert the
user to the presence of uninsu-
lated “dangerous voltage” within
the product’s enclosure that may
be of sucient magnitude to
constitute a risk of electric shock
to persons.
The exclamation point within an equilateral triangle is intended to alert
the user to the presence of important operating and maintenance
(servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the product.
The Black Lion Audio Revolution EXP complies with all applicable /
RoHS / WEEE European Union directives.
Do not attempt to service this unit yourself, as it will void your warran-
ty. Please check your unit carefully upon receipt and return to place
of purchase immediately if there are any problems with the product.
After that, the standard Black Lion Audio 3 YEAR warranty will apply
to defects in materials and workmanship.
U.S.A.
Should your Black Lion Audio product require service,
please contact the Black Lion Audio Service Department:
https://www.blacklionaudio.com/contact. You must obtain an RA #
(Return Authorization number) from us before shipping a unit back to
us. This RA # must be clearly written on the outside of the box.
Please safely pack the units…It is best to use the original packing
materials. Black Lion Audio cannot be responsible for any damag-
es incurred in shipping to us due to poor packaging. PLEASE PACK
CAREFULLY and FULLY INSURE THE SHIPMENT.
INTERNATIONAL
For service or warranty assistance, please contact the Black Lion Au-
dio distributor in your country through the dealer from whom you pur-
chased this product.
LIMITED 3 YEAR WARRANTY
Black Lion Audio’s Revolution EXP is warranted by Black Lion Audio to
be free from defects in materials and workmanship for the period of
THREE (3) YEARS to the original purchaser. In the event of such defects,
the product will be repaired without charge or, at our option, replaced
with a new one if delivered to Black Lion Audio prepaid, together with a
copy of the sales slip or other proof of purchase date. The warranty ex-
cludes problems due to normal wear, abuse, shipping damage or failure
to use the product in accordance with the specications.
All parts and labor are covered under this Limited Warranty. However,
if it is determined by Black Lion Audio that the device was damaged or
made defective through abuse, we reserve the right to charge the cus-
tomer for the cost of the repair.
Black Lion Audio shall not be liable for damages based upon inconve-
nience, loss of use of the product, loss of time, interrupted operation or
commercial loss or any other damages, whether incidental, consequen-
tial or otherwise. This warranty gives you specic legal rights, and you
may have other rights, which will vary from state to state.
This warranty is not transferable.

LET’S GET STARTED!
Introduction
GETTING TO KNOW THE REVOLUTION EXP.
Front Panel
Rear Panel
Thanks! We appreciate that you’ve chosen the Revolution EXP for your
studio needs. We know you have a lot of options out there and we’re
thankful that you’ve chosen Black Lion Audio.
Use the Revolution EXP to add eight inputs and outputs to your audio
interface, dramatically expanding your studio’s channel count and cre-
ative potential!
1. Input Meters: This meters the analog input levels.
2. Input Meters: This meters the analog output levels.
3. Clock Source: These lights indicate the clock source used by
Revolution EXP when lit.
ĥ Macro-MMC is the Revolution EXP’s internal clock.
ĥ ADAT indicates sync over an ADAT connection.
ĥ BNC indicates word clock sync over the BNC Word Clock In
jack.
4. Macro-MMC Control: Turn this knob to select the sample rate.
Options include 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, and 192 kHz. Press the knob
in to cycle through available clock sources.
5. Display: Displays the current operating sample rate.
6. Power Switch: Turns the unit off or on.
1. Power Connector: Connect the included power supply here.
2. ADAT Outputs: Sends up to eight channels of digital audio to an
ADAT-compatible device.
3. ADAT Inputs: Receives up to eight channels of digital audio from an
ADAT-compatible device.
4. Word Clock Output: Connect your other devices here to use the
Revolution EXP as your primary clock.
5. Word Clock Input: Connect your other devices here to sync
Revolution EXP to your primary clock.
6. USB-C: Connect your computer here. Only for rmware updates.
7. TRS Analog Outputs: Outputs for connecting line-level equipment.
8. TRS Analog Inputs: Inputs for connecting line-level equipment.
9. Pad: Toggle between +4 dB (pro-level devices) and -10 dBv (con-
sumer-level devices) .
To use Revolution EXP as a primary clock:
1. Connect the external device you wish to clock via the Macro MMC
Clock Out or ADAT Out. We recommend using the BNC connection
for best results.
2. Press the Macro-MMC control repeatedly until the Macro-MMC in-
dicator lights.
3. Rotate the Macro-MMC control to set the desired sample rate.
To sync Revolution EXP to an existing clock:
1. Connect the external device you wish to sync the Revolution EXP
to via the BNC Word Clock In or ADAT In. We recommend using the
BNC Word Clock connection for best results.
2. Press the Macro-MMC control repeatedly until the ADAT or BNC
indicator lights.
3. Revolution EXP will sync to your external clock automatically.
1. Power the Revolution EXP off.
2. Connect your line-level devices to the TRS 1/4” inputs on the rear of
the Revolution EXP.
3. Connect the ADAT Out 1 of your Revolution EXP to the ADAT In of
your audio interface using a TOSLINK cable.
4. Power the Revolution EXP on.
5. Use the Macro-MMC control to set the desired sampling rate. The
rate chosen, displayed on the front of the Revolution EXP, must
match the sampling rate of your audio interface and current DAW
project. Reference instructions above on clock conguration.
6. Send a signal from one of your connected audio devices and check
that the meter on the Revolution EXP is receiving signal.
7. You may need to congure the ADAT Input routing of your audio in-
terface or software before signals from the Revolution EXP can be
recorded in your DAW. The steps to do so will vary by manufacturer;
please consult with your audio interface manufacturer or DAW de-
veloper for assistance.
1. Power the Revolution EXP off.
2. Connect your line-level devices to the TRS 1/4” outputs on the rear
of the Revolution EXP.
3. Connect the ADAT In 1 of your Revolution EXP to the ADAT Out of
your audio interface using a TOSLINK cable.
4. Power the Revolution EXP on.
5. Revolution EXP will sync to your external clock automatically.
6. Send a signal from your audio interface to its ADAT Outputs and
check that the meter on the Revolution EXP is receiving signal.
7. You may need to congure the ADAT Output routing of your audio
interface or software before signals from your DAW can reach Rev-
olution EXP. The steps to do so will vary by manufacturer; please
consult with your audio interface manufacturer or DAW developer
for assistance.
The number of digital audio channels that can
be transmitted or received by the ADAT I/O is
dependent upon the selected sampling rate.
Higher sampling rates consume more band-
width, reducing channel count. That’s why the
Revolution EXP offers dual ADAT Ins and Outs!
When using ADAT I/O 1:
ĥ 44.1 kHz: 8-in, 8-out
ĥ 48 kHz: 8-in, 8-out
ĥ 88.2 kHz: 4-in, 4-out
ĥ 96 kHz: 4-in, 4-out
ĥ 176.4 kHz: 2-in, 2-out
ĥ 192 kHz: 2-in, 2-out
When using ADAT I/O 1 and 2:
ĥ 44.1 kHz: 8-in, 8-out
ĥ 48 kHz: 8-in, 8-out
ĥ 88.2 kHz: 8-in, 8-out
ĥ 96 kHz: 8-in, 8-out
ĥ 176.4 kHz: 4-in, 4-out
ĥ 192 kHz: 4-in, 4-out
Clocking
Adding Inputs to your audio interface
Adding Outputs to your audio interface
Using multiple ADAT Ports Suggested uses
Here’s just some of the exciting potential use cases for your new Revolution EXP:
ĥ Set up four sets of stereo sends and returns for external reverbs, EQs, and other processors.
ĥ Create four sets of stereo headphone sends for monitoring applications.
ĥ Route four mono stems and two stereo stems to an analog summing mixer via your Revolution EXP’s analog outputs, and use two stereo inputs
to return from the summing mixer.
ĥ Add eight mono speakers via the Revolution EXP outputs and create a 5.1.2 spatial audio mix environment.
When using ADAT as a clock source, please note that the sample rate must be set manually. Note that the Sync light will not light when syncing via
ADAT due to limitations of the ADAT protocol.
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