Mbox 2, Digidesign's Pro Tools LE-Based Portable Studio
Small, Portable, and Complete 24-Bit Pro Audio
Mbox For ProTools
Pro Tools is the most popular music recording program in the world. Their high end systems are very expensive and out of reach for the average guy recording in the home studio but you can get into Pro Tools LE software with an investment of as little as a few hundred bucks with an Mbox 2 portable studio.
The Mbox 2 is great for a home recording studio that doesn't require large amounts of inputs and because they are so small they're ideal for recording at live gigs as well.
The original Mbox was released by Digidesign several years ago and today it has grown into a family of 4: the Mbox now comes in the Micro, the Mini, the Standard, and the Pro. Each has a 24-bit audio engine.
If you're serious about recording and on a tight budget the Mbox is good news. What's more is that you won't have to buy anything else. The Pro Tools recording software comes with it and this software is loaded with a ton of studio effects by Digidesign as well as some handy 3rd party plug-ins like Bombfactory.
Also included is Reason, Ableton Live, Sampletank2 SE, and Amplitube LE. Reason alone is worth a few hundred dollars! With these programs you'll have more than enough sounds and sequencing capabilities to produce your music.
Start Recording With ProTools Under $300:
Can you imagine?...All you need is your laptop and the Mbox 2 Micro to record yourself or others at live gigs, mix, or create loop-based music with virtual instruments found within Pro Tools.
Digidesign Mbox 2
Mini This is ideal for the beginner on a very low budget just
getting
into recording music on their computer or even a pro looking
for
a mobile Pro Tools system. It has 2 channels of simultaneous
analog
I/O, 24-bit/48kHz sound quality, an XLR jack with 48V phantom
power
for your mic, 2 - 1/4" line-/instrument-level jacks,
zero-latency
monitoring, 2 - 1/4" monitor outputs, headphone jack, and
front-panel
volume and mute controls.
The Mbox 2 Mini also includes Pro Tools LE software, over 50
effects and instrument plug-ins, and Pro Tools Ignition Pack—a
collection of powerful tools to get you started creating music
right away.
ProTools Under $500:
Digidesign Mbox 2 USB Audio/MIDI Pro Tools LE Interface
$449.99
2 channels, each featuring an XLR mic input with preamp, 1/4" instrument jack, and a TRS line-level jack. There are also S/PDIF I/O, monitor L/R 1/4" outs, and a USB out. Compact and versatile, the Mbox 2 is a go-anywhere interface with truly professional audio capabilities, thanks to 24-bit/48kHz A/D/A. It also includes the Pro Tools Ignition Pack, featuring powerful plug-ins, applications, and additional tools to help you professionally produce your music.
*Note: The ingnition pack is a ton of studio
effects
and tools including just about everything you'll need to
record,
mix, and master.
Same pro audio capabilities as the standard MBox 2 only the Pro model has Firewire connectivity.
Read the review