Burl Audio Black BDA12 Orca

The Burl Audio Black BDA12 ORCA is a 12-channel D/A conversion and control room monitor daughter card engineered for the B80 and B16 Mothership modular chassis. Part of the Burl BLACK series, the BDA12 ORCA combines 12 channels of pristine line level DAC outputs with a dedicated stereo monitor controller section in a single card slot. Powered by Burl’s Next Gen Class-A discrete architecture utilising BOPA14 op-amps, it delivers the signature punch, dynamic depth, and spatial warmth of Burl conversion at an accessible cost per channel.

Installed in a compact 2U B16 Mothership chassis, the BDA12 ORCA provides 12 line-level outputs alongside switchable Speaker A/B and headphone monitoring. Paired with a BAD16 input card, it creates a powerful 16-in / 12-out plus monitor controller rig in just two rack units.

The BDA12 ORCA features a dedicated stereo monitoring circuit supporting switchable Speaker A, Speaker B, and a high powered headphone output. Multi-channel DAC chip technology ensures dense rear-panel connectivity via two standard DB25 connectors alongside a $1/4"$ TRS headphone output. Integrated Avid delay compensation automatically aligns phase across Pro Tools hardware inserts, while full Mothership 3 protocol support enables seamless slot auto-mapping across DigiLink, MADI, Dante, and SoundGrid networks.

Key Features

• 12-Channel Line DAC + Stereo Monitor Section: 12 discrete line-level DAC output channels plus 2-channel stereo control room monitor outputs.

• Switchable Speaker A/B & Headphone Output: Complete control room switching for two stereo speaker pairs and headphones.

• Next Gen BOPA14 Class-A Circuitry: All-discrete transistor design delivering high headroom, deep spatial imaging, and low-end punch.

• BURL BLACK Series Density: High channel count per slot reducing the cost per DAC channel for project and commercial studios.

• Avid Hardware Delay Compensation: Automatic BMB1-DigiLink delay detection for sample-accurate phase tracking.

• Mothership 3 Protocol Support: Auto-card mapping across all BMB motherboard network formats.

• Anodised Black Faceplate: Matches the sleek aesthetic option of the Burl BLACK hardware line.

Technical Specifications

• Form Factor: Single-Slot Daughter Card (B80 / B16 Mothership 3 Compatible)

• Conversion Channels:

  • Line Outputs: 12 Channels D/A Conversion

  • Monitor Outputs: 2 Channels D/A Conversion (Stereo Monitor Section)

• Analog Path: Direct-Coupled All Class-A Discrete Topology (BOPA14 Op-Amps)

• Resolution: 24-Bit / $44.1\text{ kHz}$ to $192\text{ kHz}$

• Connectors:

  • Analog Outputs: 2x DB25 Female (TASCAM Pinout)

  • Headphone Output: 1x $1/4"$ TRS Jack

• Faceplate Finish: Anodised Black

• Metering: Front Panel Signal Status Indicators for Monitor Channels