Avid Technology Mbox User manual

Mbox User Guide

Version 9.0

Legal Notices

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882|20 I/O, 1622 I/O, 24-Bit ADAT Bridge I/O, AudioSuite,

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Avid Xpress, AVoption, Axiom, Beat Detective, Bomb Factory,

Bruno, C|24, Command|8, Control|24, D-Command, D-Control,

D-Fi, D-fx, D-Show, D-Verb, DAE, Digi 002, DigiBase,

DigiDelivery, Digidesign, Digidesign Audio Engine, Digidesign

Intelligent Noise Reduction, Digidesign TDM Bus, DigiDrive,

DigiRack, DigiTest, DigiTranslator, DINR, D-Show, DV Toolkit,

EditPack, Eleven, HD Core, HD Process, Hybrid, Impact,

Interplay, LoFi, M-Audio, MachineControl, Maxim, Mbox,

MediaComposer, MIDI I/O, MIX, MultiShell, Nitris, OMF,

OMF Interchange, PRE, ProControl, Pro Tools M-Powered,

Pro Tools, Pro Tools|HD, Pro Tools LE, QuickPunch, Recti-Fi,

Reel Tape, Reso, Reverb One, ReVibe, RTAS, Sibelius,

Smack!, SoundReplacer, Sound Designer II, Strike, Structure,

SYNC HD, SYNC I/O, Synchronic, TL Aggro, TL AutoPan,

TL Drum Rehab, TL Everyphase, TL Fauxlder, TL In Tune,

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availability are subject to change without notice.

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Contents iii

contents

Chapter 1. Welcome to Mbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Mbox Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

System Requirements and Compatibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Conventions Used in This Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

About www.avid.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Chapter 2. Mbox Hardware Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Mbox Front Panel Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Mbox Back Panel Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Chapter 3. Installing and Connecting Mbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Chapter 4. Making Studio Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Connecting Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Audio Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Connecting a Microphone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Connecting Instruments to the Mbox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

MIDI Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Chapter 5. Using the Driver Control Panel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Presets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Layouts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Additional Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Stereo Mixes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Using the Stereo Mix Section . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Mbox User Guideiv

Chapter 6. Using the Multi Button (Pro Tools Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Using the Multi Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Press and Release Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Press and Hold Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Hold Duration Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Appendix A. Using Third-Party Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Configuring Mbox for Third-Party Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Configuring the Apple Sound Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Appendix B. Compliance Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Environmental Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

EMC (Electromagnetic Compliance) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Safety Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Chapter 1: Welcome to Mbox 1

chapter 1

Welcome to Mbox

Welcome to the Mbox®USB audio and MIDI

interface from Avid®.

Mbox provides your USB 2.0-equipped com-

puter with two channels of analog audio input

and output, two channels of digital audio input

and output, MIDI In and Out ports, one head-

phone output with front panel level control.

Mbox includes two professional-quality mic pre-

amps and 24-bit/96 kHz analog-to-digital and

digital-to-analog converters.

Mbox integrates with Pro Tools® software, and

is compatible with third-party audio and MIDI

applications that support the CoreAudio (Mac)

or ASIO (Windows) standard.

Mbox Features

Mbox provides the following:

• Two channels of analog audio input with

high-quality microphone preamps and swit-

chable 48V phantom power

• Analog input jacks include two XLR/TRS

combo-jacks and two 1/4 TS jacks, with

switchable Mic, Line, and DI levels

• Soft-limit feature on each input

• –20 dB pad available separately on each an-

alog input channel

• Two channels of S/PDIF digital input and two

channels of S/PDIF digital output

• S/PDIF inputs are available independently,

in addition to analog inputs 1–2

• S/PDIF outputs are available indepen-

dently, in addition to analog outputs 1–2

• Up to a total of four channels of input, using

analog and digital inputs simultaneously

• One MIDI In and one MIDI Out port, provid-

ing 16 channels of MIDI input and output

• Two 1/4-inch TRS analog monitor outputs

• 24-bit A/D and D/A converters, supporting

sample rates up to 96 kHz

• Low Latency Monitoring (LLM) with adjust-

able balance between input and playback

• Dim and Mono buttons

• 1/4-inch (TRS) stereo headphone output with

adjustable level control

• On-board reverb and delay effects (useful for

monitoring while tracking vocals)

• On-board Tuner

• Multi-function, assignable Soft button

• USB 2.0 High-speed operation

Mbox may not function properly if connected

to a USB hub. Connect Mbox Mini to a sepa-

rate, dedicated USB port.

Mbox User Guide2

System Requirements and

Compatibility

Mbox can be used with a qualified Windows or

Mac computer running Pro Tools software 8.0.4

or higher.

Mbox can be also be used with a qualified Mac

or Windows computer running other Core Au-

dio- or ASIO-compliant applications.

Mbox hardware drivers must be installed before

you can connect and use your Mbox.

A DVD drive is required to use the Drivers In-

staller disc (included with your Pro Tools soft-

ware package).

Avid can only assure compatibility and provide

support for hardware and software it has tested

and approved.

For complete system requirements and a list of

qualified computers, operating systems, hard

drives, and third-party devices, visit:

www.avid.com/compatibility

Conventions Used in This

Guide

All of our guides use the following conventions

to indicate menu choices and key commands:

The names of Commands, Options, and Settings

that appear on-screen are in a different font.

The following symbols are used to highlight

important information:

For Pro Tools installation instructions, see

the Pro Tools Installation Guide.

For Mbox hardware drivers installation in-

structions, see Chapter 3, “Installing and

Connecting Mbox.”

Convention Action

File > Save Choose Save from the

File menu

Control+N Hold down the Control key

and press the N key

Control-click Hold down the Control key

and click the mouse button

Right-click Click with the right

mouse button

User Tips are helpful hints for getting the

most from your system.

Important Notices include information that

could affect your data or the performance of

your system.

Shortcuts show you useful keyboard or

mouse shortcuts.

Cross References point to related sections in

this guide and other Pro Tools guides.

Chapter 1: Welcome to Mbox 3

About www.avid.com

The Avid website (www.avid.com) is your best

online source for information to help you get

the most out of your Pro Tools system. The fol-

lowing are just a few of the services and features

available.

Product Registration Register your purchase

online.

Support and Downloads Contact Avid Customer

Success (technical support); download software

updates and the latest online manuals; browse

the Compatibility documents for system re-

quirements; search the online Knowledge Base

or join the worldwide Pro Tools community on

the User Conference.

Training and Education Study on your own using

courses available online or find out how you can

learn in a classroom setting at a certified

Pro Tools training center.

Products and Developers Learn about Avid

products; download demo software or learn

about our Development Partners and their

plug-ins, applications, and hardware.

News and Events Get the latest news from Avid

or sign up for a Pro Tools demo.

Mbox User Guide4

Chapter 2: Mbox Hardware Overview 5

chapter 2

Mbox Hardware Overview

Mbox Front Panel Features

Figure 1 identifies controls, indicators, and input and output ports on the front panel on the Mbox.

Instrument Inputs

Use these 1/4-inch TS inputs are for connecting

an electric guitar, bass, or other instrument-level

device. The level for these inputs is controlled

by the Gain Controls.

Front/Rear Source Selectors

These buttons select either the front panel In-

strument Inputs (TS) or rear panel Mic/Line In-

puts (XLR/TRS combo) for each channel. When

the button is set to the Out position, the front

panel Instrument Inputs are active. When the

button is set to the In position, the rear panel

Mic/Line Inputs are active.

Figure 1. Mbox front panel

48V

USB

Headphone

Source

selector

LED

Input 1

Volume

Output

Monitor

Level

Dim

Gain/

Source

selector

Input 2

Sig/Clip

LED

Mono

Soft Limit

Instrument

Multi

-20dB

Sig/Clip

LED

Gain/

-20dB

Mbox User Guide6

Gain Controls/–20dB Pad

These knobs adjust the input gain levels of the

Mic/Line inputs. Turn the knob clockwise to in-

crease gain, and counter-clockwise to decrease

gain.

If your input signal is too hot even with the

Gain knob at a low setting, pull the Gain knob

out to engage a “pad” that attenuates the signal

by 20 dB.

Signal/Clip LEDs

These LEDs illuminate green in the presence of

audio signal, and illuminate red if the input sig-

nal has “clipped” (overloaded) the input of the

Mbox. Clipping the input can result in audible

distortion.

Soft-Limit Buttons

These buttons activate the Soft-Limit function,

applying a smooth, overdriven tape-type limit-

ing to strong input signals on the Instrument,

Mic, or Line inputs.

+48V Switch and LED (Phantom

Power)

The +48V switch toggles phantom power on/off

for all mic input channels. The LED, when lit,

indicates that 48V phantom power is active on

the XLR Mic inputs.

About Phantom Power

Dynamic microphones (such as Shure SM57s) do

not require phantom power to operate, but are

not harmed by it. Most condenser microphones

(like an M-Audio Solaris) do require phantom

power to operate.

If you are not sure about the phantom power re-

quirements for your microphone, consult your

microphone’s documentation or contact the

manufacturer.

Monitor Level

The Monitor Level knob adjusts the output level

of the Monitor Output ports.

Dim Button and LED

The Dim Button reduces by 30 dB the output

volume from both the Monitor Outputs and the

Headphone Output. When engaged, the Dim

LED lights.

Mono Button

The Mono Button sums the control room out-

puts to a mono signal (delivering that identical

signal to both speakers) via the Driver Control

Panel or the Mbox. When engaged, the Mono

LED lights.

Although phantom power can be used

safely with most microphones, it is possible

to damage some ribbon microphones with

it. Always turn off phantom power and wait

at least ten seconds before connecting or dis-

connecting a ribbon microphone.

When using phantom power, the Mbox

maximum current per microphone is 4 mA.

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