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The Mbox line grows up
In the last few years, Digi's famed Mbox line in particular has undergone numerous changes - growing from a single device to a whole family of portable LE interfaces. From the ultra-compact Mbox 2 Mini to the new Mbox 2 Pro, users have been offered a range of Mbox interface choices. But how does this new-fangled design hold up? What distinguishes this particular piece from the rest of the pack and, more importantly, how does this upgrade apply to you?
OVERVIEW
Presently, the Mbox 2 Pro is the most feature-rich (and physically largest) unit of the entire family. While the rest of the line uses the USB 1.1 protocol, the Mbox Pro 2 is FireWire-based - taking advantage of the bandwidth increase compared to USB 1 to support up to 24-bit/96kHz resolution. (Note: For laptops or desktops that have 4-pin instead of the full 6-pin IEEE-1394a FireWire connectors, users will need to use the supplied 12 volt DC adaptor - test for this before taking it on location.)
For most recordings (done in 24-bit 44.1 or 48kHz), the Mbox 2 Pro supports six simultaneous inputs and eight simultaneous outputs. Other new features worth mentioning are MIDI In and Out and a BNC word clock I/O. A surprising, and very useful, addition comes in the form of a set of RCA phono preamp connectors (see sidebar). This makes the Mbox 2 Pro a great choice for archival, sampling, or DJ work.
I was really happy to see the small security receptacle on the side panel. This is the same lock slot found on laptops and other high-value electronic gear and while not foolproof, it's a significant deterrent against would-be thieves.
Above that, I was impressed by the unit's heavy-duty design. I had expected the knobs to get ripped off within two weeks of nopunches-pulled, on-the-road recording, but it stood up to some serious field testing - making the Mbox 2 Pro a great companion for remote assignments.
APPLYING THE MBOX 2 PRO
On the subject of remote assignments, I used the Mbox 2 Pro to record a live concert with Irish troubadour Mark Dignam. The first thing I noticed was that the two près were pretty nice sounding: clear, relatively uncolored,...