Once Pro Tools had become a fixture in virtually every professional audio studio, Digidesign's natural next step was to offer products aimed at small studios and semi-pro users. It was an emerging market back then, and one with a big future ahead of it. Out of that came a new system, Pro Tools LE, which delivered many of the features of its big brother at more affordable prices. Digi 002, Digi 002 Rack and Mbox2
At the time we put this shootout together, three interfaces were tied to the Pro Tools LE system: the Digi 002, the Digi 002 Rack and the Mbox2. Each offered different specs in terms of input channel count, sample rate and so on, but the one that probably did best was the Mbox, thanks to being the most affordable.
Mbox. With this system we got two analog input channels with phantom power, two digital S/PDIF inputs and outputs, and 24-bit recording at 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz sample rates. Perhaps precisely because of the Mbox's popularity, Digidesign decided to improve on the original version, and now presents the new Mbox2.
What Does It Offer? Audio
One of the ideas the designers of the new Mbox2 had in mind was to take advantage of the newer techniques used in other Pro Tools hardware to improve the sound of the original Mbox.
The A/D converters use the same technique as the famous Pro Tools|HD 192 I/O, and the D/A converters are an adaptation of those used in the VENUE live sound system.
The mic preamps have been redesigned, and each channel now includes an attenuation pad similar to those found on traditional mixing consoles. The Mbox2's dynamic range is now 106 dBA (versus 101 dBA on the original), with distortion of .00079% (THD+N).
MIDI
Another of the new Mbox2's strong points is undoubtedly its MIDI integration. Two MIDI ports (In and Out) have been added, fixing one of the most frequently criticized shortcomings of the previous version.
Input Channels
Another new feature worth noting is the ability to use both analog inputs at the same time as the S/PDIF digital inputs. That wasn't possible on the original Mbox, so you can now record up to four simultaneous channels.
Latency
Latency is inherent to any audio system based on host processing. The time that passes from the moment the original signal enters the computer until it comes back out can make multitrack recording really difficult. Using a short buffer in Pro Tools (a buffer size of 128 samples) together with the Mbox2's input/output mix control lets us record with practically zero monitoring latency.
Software
Rounding out the Pro Tools LE editing software is a software bundle that includes the Digirack and Bomb Factory plugin collections (the latter optional), as well as the so-called Pro Tools Ignition Pack, which features some of the most widely used music applications around today:
Ableton Live Lite 4 Digidesign Edition
Propellerhead Reason Adapted 3
FXpansion BFD Lite
IK Multimedia SampleTank 2 SE, AmpliTube LE and T-RackS EQ
Celemony Melodyne uno essential
REX Bunker 8 file CD
There's also an instructional DVD, the Pro Tools Method One Instructional DVD, to help you take your first steps in Pro Tools.
USB 1.1?
Perhaps one of the questions users ask most is why FireWire or USB 2.0 connections weren't used on the new Mbox2. It seems a little odd that such a thorough overhaul didn't take the chance to improve host connectivity.
Digidesign tells us the decision came down to several reasons. For one, FireWire ports aren't very common on Windows-based machines, and those that do have them often use the 4-pin connector, which doesn't supply bus power.
For another, the USB 2.0 protocol demands more processing from the host, and the bandwidth it provides isn't needed for a unit with two input channels.
With all that in mind, USB 1.1 was chosen to give the Mbox2 the greatest possible power and reach.
New on the Outside...
The Mbox2's housing has been redesigned, and it can now be positioned either vertically or horizontally. The handle makes it easy to carry and can be swapped for a slightly smaller strip that makes the controls more accessible when the unit sits horizontally.
It's somewhat larger than the original Mbox, but not excessively so.
The new front panel carries over some of the previous controls, though there are a few new features worth highlighting:
- There's a new knob for monitor level. This is something we missed on the previous version: a common setup is to connect powered monitors directly to the Mbox outputs, and in that case the only way to change the output level sent to the speakers was with the master fader, which is of course completely inadvisable during mixing.
- The phantom power switch is now easier to reach, since it sits on the front panel.
- There's an attenuation pad (-20 dB) on each input channel, although we miss an LED showing when it's engaged.
- The headphone jack goes from mini-jack to 1/4".
The rear panel has some changes as well:
- There's now a dedicated connector for each type of input (Mic, Instrument, DI) on each channel, which has allowed the electronics behind each connector to be tailored to the type of source it handles.
- The second headphone jack that was on the back of the original Mbox is gone in the new version.
- The two insert points (one per channel) have also been eliminated on the Mbox2. If you usually work with outboard processing gear (EQs, compressors...), keep that in mind.
...and New on the Inside
We got the chance to put an Mbox2 head to head with its predecessor. Before running any kind of comparative test, the recordings we made with the Mbox2 gave us the impression that the new preamps had a warmer, more pleasing response than the Mbox.
Our next step was a simple test
Using a test CD, we played back pink noise through a Technics player and a pair of Rotel speakers (home audio gear). We then recorded this signal with a Behringer B2 Pro into both the Mbox2 and the Mbox, and compared the two resulting signals with a spectrum analyzer.
Obviously, the results don't let us establish the frequency response of each unit: neither the room nor the test equipment is suited to that. They do, however, let us compare the two responses we got and get an idea of the differences, since the same source and microphone were used to capture the pink noise, with the mic preamps being the only difference in the chain.
The results confirmed what we had previously perceived "by ear." The Mbox2 has a slightly more pronounced response in the low frequencies than the Mbox, and that may be the cause of the warmth of sound we mentioned.
It's worth noting that the response of the knobs seems more linear on the new version and that, with the input gain knob set to the same position on both units, the Mbox2 delivers somewhat more gain than the Mbox.
Conclusions
We like the Mbox2's new preamps, and their sound quality is exceptional considering this is a portable USB mini studio. The exterior redesign is also a smart move and makes the unit easier to transport. Including MIDI ports is good news, and being able to use the analog inputs together with the digital ones makes recording in the home studio easier.
Add to that the fact that the bundled software is extremely powerful, and the Mbox2 has to be considered a serious alternative for anyone looking for a small portable studio.
