![]() There's also a rotary control for the headphone output level. What you get instead is a rotary control that adjusts the mix balance between the input signal being monitored and the playback signal from Pro Tools. ![]() ![]() However, there's no conventional volume control for the main stereo outputs. ![]() The M Box provides zero-latency monitoring by routing signals from the analogue inputs directly to the analogue outputs (including, naturally, the headphone socket) as well as to the host computer for recording. The only concession to hardware metering is a red peak LED on each channel, which lights to indicate that the signal is "just below analogue clipping levels". For each of the two analogue inputs there's a rotary gain control and a momentary button to select mic, line or instrument sources, current status being indicated by three more LEDs. This LED is mirrored on the front panel, where there's also a second LED to indicate successful communication with the computer over USB. It's joined by a button which switches phantom power off and on for both analogue inputs together, and an LED which indicates whether the recording source is set to analogue or S/PDIF (they can't be used at the same time). All the audio sockets are on the back panel apart from the headphone mini-jack, and the USB socket is also tucked away at the rear. Only one of the latter can be used at once, but it's nice to have a choice of mini or full-sized connectors. In more detail, the M Box's socketry comprises two XLR/jack combi analogue inputs with Focusrite mic preamps and insert points on TRS jacks, plus co-axial S/PDIF digital I/O, two analogue outputs on jacks and two headphone sockets. This is such a good idea it makes you wonder why no-one (to my knowledge at least) has done it before. The unit draws all its power from the attached computer via the same USB cable used to transmit data, even though it is capable of supplying two condenser mics with 48V phantom power. It's always pleasant to discover that your sparkly new piece of recording hardware doesn't require an external power supply, but the M Box goes even further than this: no power cable is needed at all. Also supplied are a 1.5m USB cable, an installer CD, a registration card and a short printed Getting Started manual full documentation is on the CD in the shape of the ubiquitous PDF manual. At 670 grams in weight it's light enough to be easily portable, but not so feather-like that it falls over with the slightest movement of a mic cable. The M Box itself is a smart-looking blue and grey affair, with a tough moulded plastic casing measuring 15.8cm high, 18.3cm deep, and 8.9cm across at its widest point. It's initially available for Mac only Digidesign say that they are planning a PC version later in the year, but haven't set a date for its release. Designed in collaboration with Focusrite, the M Box is a 24-bit USB audio recording interface providing stereo analogue and digital I/O, and comes with a specially adapted version 5.2 of the Pro Tools LE recording software. There's no output level control on the M Box: instead, you get a Mix control, which varies the blend of playback and direct-monitored signals at the main and headphone outputs.This year sees new systems being introduced both at the top of Digidesign's product range, in the shape of the Pro Tools HD workstation reviewed last month, and at the bottom - the M Box under review here. By far the most successful of these systems has been the Digi 001 (reviewed in SOS December 1999), which bundled a multi-channel PCI audio interface with a slightly cut-down version of the company's Pro Tools recording software. Over the years, the company have also introduced a number of more affordable spin-off systems for home-studio use, relying on the native CPU power of the host computer rather than dedicated DSPs. Is it too good to be true?ĭigidesign's TDM digital audio workstations, based around Apple Mac computers with powerful DSP cards, have become something of an industry standard in music recording. The most affordable Pro Tools system ever promises trouble-free USB recording, high-quality audio hardware and the freedom to record wherever you want.
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