Black Lion PBR TRS3 LIT: A Patchbay That Labels Itself

The Black Lion Audio PBR TRS3 LIT is a 48-point 1/4-inch TRS patchbay with LED displays, wired with 96 gold-plated connectors and a lit label over every point. It combines the three-mode routing of the TRS3 with a screen for each channel so you never guess which jack is which. The displays replace tape and marker labels with text you can rewrite in seconds. In one rack it turns patching into a clearly labeled, repeatable workflow.

Per-Channel LED Displays You Can Rewrite

A bright display sits above every one of the 48 points and shows up to 12 characters per channel. Brightness is adjustable, and a display button can toggle the labels off when you want a dark rack. Because the labels are digital, renaming a channel takes seconds instead of peeling stickers. That keeps identification accurate even as routing changes from session to session.

Two Ways to Set Your Labels

Labels can be entered two ways to match how you work. Plug a standard USB keyboard into the front port and type each channel name directly on the unit. Alternatively, design a full label set in the included PatchCAD software on Mac or Windows, save it to a USB drive, insert the drive, and update. Both paths write clear, consistent names across the whole bay.

Three Routing Modes on Every Pair of Points

Underneath the displays, the TRS3 LIT routes exactly like the three-mode TRS3. Rear three-way switches select normal, half-normal, or thru for each pair of points. Half-normalled means signal passes straight through until a front cable taps or breaks the link, while thru leaves the points open for mults and bypasses. That gives full routing freedom with a label to match every choice.

Gold-Plated Path in a Reinforced Chassis

All 96 connectors are gold-plated to resist corrosion and keep the balanced path quiet. A reinforced steel chassis behind the black-anodized aluminum faceplate makes the unit road-ready. Clean contacts matter because the bay sits in the middle of the signal chain. The build suits studios that patch heavily and travel often.

Powered Displays, Passive Audio

A single 5-volt USB-C connection powers the LED displays and the labeling workflow. The analog patch path itself stays passive, so audio passes straight through the connectors. The front USB port drives a keyboard or reads a USB drive up to 8 GB for labels. Power feeds the screens, not the signal.

Where the Black Lion PBR TRS3 LIT Fits

Larger studios with constantly changing routing benefit most from labels that update instantly. Engineers rename channels on the fly, avoiding the confusion of outdated tape labels behind a busy rack. The three routing modes still handle mults, bypasses, and half-normal feeds to the DAW. The lit displays also add a clean, professional look to any control room.