Black Lion PBR TRS-BT: A Balanced Patchbay with Wireless Audio Built In

The Black Lion Audio PBR TRS-BT is a 46-point 1/4-inch TRS patchbay with Bluetooth, wired with 94 gold-plated connectors plus an onboard wireless receiver. It handles the same front-of-rack routing as a standard bay while adding a way to drop wireless audio into the studio. Two of the points are given over to the Bluetooth input, which is why the count is 46 rather than 48. In one rack space it combines organized patching with instant wireless playback.

What the Built-In Bluetooth Receiver Adds

A dedicated Bluetooth module lets a phone, tablet, or computer stream audio directly into the patchbay. That makes it simple to pull up a reference mix, a client's track, or playback without running a cable across the room. Black Lion tunes the module for professional audio rather than casual listening, so the wireless feed lands cleanly in your chain. The wireless signal appears at the bay like any other source you can patch.

Pairing with the Sync Button and Status LED

Pairing starts at a sync button on the rear panel that puts the module into discovery. A status LED blinks to show pairing mode and then confirms a connected device. Once paired, the device audio is available at the assigned patch points. The process stays quick even mid-session.

Normal and Half-Normal Modes Made Simple

The remaining points behave like a classic patchbay with normal and half-normal routing. In normal mode the rear input passes straight through to the rear output with nothing patched. Half-normalled means the signal still passes straight through until you insert a front cable, which taps or breaks the connection to reroute it. These modes are set per point using buttons on the rear panel.

Gold-Plated Connectors for a Quiet Path

All 94 connectors are gold-plated to resist oxidation and corrosion over years of patching. A patchbay sits in the middle of the chain, so clean contacts keep added noise out of everything downstream. Gold plating holds low contact resistance to preserve the detail of balanced audio. The bay stays a transparent link between your gear.

Power Only Where It Is Needed

The patch points themselves are passive and pass audio without any power. Power is required only to run the Bluetooth module, so the analog signal path stays fully passive. A black-anodized aluminum faceplate keeps the unit rugged and rack-matched. It occupies one rack unit, 1.75 inches tall, on a 19-inch rail.

Where the Black Lion PBR TRS-BT Fits

Studios that want traditional TRS patching plus wireless playback reach for the PBR TRS-BT. Producers use the Bluetooth input to audition mixes from a phone or share ideas from a client's device on the spot. The rest of the bay routes preamps, converters, and outboard gear like any half-normalled patchbay. It suits rooms that blend hardware workflows with quick wireless sources.