Mbox User Guide - Floridamusicco.com
Contents
1. 16 MIDI Connections iena rien tte edie dos rd 19 Chapter 5 Using the Driver Control Panel 21 Presets ni aha eR eles Ao ed Fad QU Gh Nu a ee eee 22 Layouts A a eR aae BATS A ea ti 22 Additional Functions i 2 2425425 A ee Ee POR ERU ADR 24 Stereo MIXES i p Ee Mabe foot Ox Ne eR AUR EDU ADR RODA E Beca B dese RO n 28 Using the Stereo Mix Section 29 Contents iii 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 sis e ap una 2 e eee en ats a be eG 40 Indek o na ttem infa sar tad ecu ora B2. S PDIF MIDI Do Line Out Right Stereo output from the Mbox back panel To connect a sound system a For stereo monitoring connect Monitor Out puts 1 and 2 to the inputs of your main left and right speakers To connect to a stereo system a When connecting to a stereo system connect the left channel of the stereo often the white plug to Monitor Output 1 and the right chan nel of the stereo often the red plug to Monitor Output 2 eo Home stereo systems often use RCA connec tors You can use an adaptor or a special ca ble to convert from the 1 4 inch TRS Tip Ring Sleeve connectors used by Mbox to the RCA connectors on your home stereo 14 Mbox User Guide Audio Inputs Mbox provides two channels of analog inputs and supports microphones guitars keyboards and other types of instruments and devices Mbox has two audio input sections labeled In put 1 and Input 2 For stereo inputs use Input 1 for the left input and Input 2 for the right in put The two input sections are located so that the hardware input jacks line up directly behind their corresponding input controls on the front panel This makes it easier to locate channel in put connections from the front Input 1 Input 2 Inputs on front panel of Mbox Input 2 and Input 1 Inputs on rear panel of Mbox For information about connecting specific au dio so
3. put section with its own faders and mute but ton A pair of channels can be linked together by clicking the link icon between the two channels Linking channels allows you to adjust mute solo and fader settings simultaneously by mod ifying parameters on either one of the linked channels However linking two channels does not have any effect on their Pan controls which are always made on a per channel basis 28 Mbox User Guide The stereo mix features multi segment meters to show input channel levels directly above each channel and main mixer output levels at the top right of the mixer The peak hold indica tion time as well as pre post fader metering op eration can be set from the Settings Tab of the Control Panel The clip indicators can be reset by clicking on the meter itself Keep in mind that setting or adjusting the stereo mix does not affect the signal that is recorded into your DAW For example you ll still be able to record a channel while its corresponding ste reo mix channel is muted You won t hear the part through the stereo mix as it is being re corded but it still records into Pro Tools and play back properly Using the Stereo Mix Section The stereo mix section is located in the main view of the Driver Control Panel and is divided into four main sections Hardware Inputs Software Returns Effects Master Hardware Inputs Software Returns FLOW ABOUT Hardware Inputs Sof
4. Link Button Links the FXReturns section and the mute buttons Master Meters Lets you have a visual representa tion of the audio signal being fed to the associ ated hardware output pair Stereo Mix Copy Lets you copy the settings of the current stereo mix to one of the other stereo mixes Status Indicators Along the bottom left of the Driver Control Panel are the following status indicators Hardware Connected This tells you the status of the hardware if a properly installed powered on Mbox is con nected to the computer Status indicators Streaming This indicates if audio from an audio applica tion such as Pro Tools or a media player such as Windows Media Player is currently streaming audio to the Mbox Host Control Enabled If an application such as Pro Tools has control over the Driver Control Panel then Host Con trol Enabled is displayed 32 Mbox User Guide Using the Multi Button Pro Tools Only The Multi button on the front panel of the Mbox can be assigned to easily execute several functions in Pro Tools including but not lim ited to Add Track Start Stop Record Tap Tempo Locating to Next Previous Marker Save Session Mbox Multi button shown You can use the Multi button to do these and other common tasks with a single button in stead of using on screen menu commands By pressing the Multi button two different ways Press and Release Press and Hold you can pe
5. 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 Chapter 1 Welcome to Mbox 1 System Requirements and Compatibility Mbox can be used with a qualified Windows or Mac computer running Pro Tools software 8 0 4 or higher For Pro Tools installation instructions see the Pro Tools Installation Guide 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 For Mbox hardware drivers installation in structions see Chapter 3 Installing and Connecting 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 compu
6. Record En able mode 9 Press and immediately release the Multi but ton The track begins recording This is just one example of how easy it is to use the Multi button if you want to quickly throw down tracks and record But you can personalize the Multi button settings to fit any audio work flow that works for you Press and Release Options When you click on the Press and Release list a pop up menu provides access to the following options None No function is selected in this mode 34 Mbox User Guide Add Last Track Adds the last track type that you created in the session Say you have created two Audio tracks in a session It adds another mono Audio track Add Selected Track Adds whatever tracks that you have selected in a session Say you have se lected two Audio tracks in a session It adds an other two Audio tracks Cursor to Next Marker Each time the button is pressed and released the transport locates to the next marker location Cursor to Previous Marker Each time the button is pressed and released the transport locates to the previous marker location Start Stop Playback Each time the button is pressed and released it starts stops playing back the session Start Stop Record Each time the button is pressed and released it starts stops recording Loop Playback Toggle Each time the button is pressed and released the Loop Playback mode is toggled between enabled and disabled Undo Each time the bu
7. a mixing board directly to a monitoring system such as a stereo power amp or another stereo destination S PDIF Digital I O The S PDIF in and out ports are unbalanced two conductor phono RCA connectors that utilize a full 24 bit two channel digital data stream The Sony Philips Digital Interface Format S PDIF is used in many professional and con sumer CD recorders and DAT recorders To avoid RF interference use 75 ohm coaxial cable for S PDIF transfers and keep the cable length to a maximum of 10 meters MIDI 1 0 The MIDI In and MIDI Out ports are standard 5 pin MIDI ports each providing 16 channels of MIDI input and output Chapter 2 Mbox Hardware Overview 9 10 Mbox User Guide Installing and Connecting Mbox To use Mbox with Pro Tools or any other Core To install the drivers and connect the Mbox Audio or ASIO compatible applications you must install the Mbox hardware drivers on your computer 1 Make sure you are logged in as an Administra tor for the account where you want to install the drivers This chapter provides instructions on installing the drivers on Mac and Windows and connect ing the Mbox to your computer For details on Administrator privileges see the documentation for your computer 2 Do one of the following Do not start this procedure with your Mbox Insert the Drivers Installer disc that came connected to your computer with your Pro Tools software package into y
8. equipment 11 Only use attachments accessories specified by the manufacturer 12 For products that are not rack mountable Use only with a cart stand tripod bracket or table specified by the manufacturer or sold with the equipment When a cart is used use caution when moving the cart equipment combination to avoid injury from tip over 13 Unplug this equipment during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time 14 Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel Servicing is required when the equipment has been damaged in any way Such as power supply cord or plug is damaged liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the equipment the equipment has been exposed to rain or moisture does not operate normally or has been dropped 15 For products that are a Mains powered device The equipment shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing and no objects filled with liquids such as vases shall be placed on the equipment Warning To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock do not expose this equipment to rain or moisture 16 For products containing a lithium battery CAUTION Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced Replace only with the same or equivalent type 17 The equipment shall be used at a maximum ambient temperature of 40 C Appendix b Compliance Information 41 42 Mbox User Guide A audio digital connections 18 G gain headphones 7 input 6 H headphon
9. is activated The Dim and Mono LEDs flash USB LED between off and on to indicate tuner mode is ac tive When a string is played on a guitar plugged into an Instrument Input the Input 1 Sig nal Clip LED is illuminated red if tuning is too low off when tuning is too high and green when tuning is correct The Input 2 Signal Clip The USB LED is a power LED which is also indi LED is illuminated red if tuning is too high off when tuning is too low and green when tuning is correct The Tuner interface is displayed in the but that cableis connected tea wall outletin Software Control panel if the Software Control stead of a computer similar to an iPod or Panel is open iPhone The USB LED indicates that the Mbox is receiv ing power from its USB connection Once the USB light is on audio can pass in or out of the system cates when the unit is powered in stand alone mode In this mode you can connect a USB cable Front Panel Headphone Output Use the Headphone Output to connect stereo headphones with a 1 4 inch stereo connector The headphone outputs mirror the signal sent to the Monitor Outputs Headphone Volume The Headphone Volume knob adjusts the out put level of the Headphone port This output is independent of the Monitor Level knob Chapter 2 Mbox Hardware Overview 7 Mbox Back Panel Features Figure 2 identifies each port on the back panel of the Mbox S PDIF digital 1 0 l MIDI 1 0 l Monitor Mic Line outpu
10. this device may not cause harmful interference and 2 this device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation Communication Statement NOTE This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions may cause harmful interference to radio communications However there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on the user is encouraged to try and correct the interference by one or more of the following measures Reorient or locate the receiving antenna Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected Consult the dealer or an experienced radio TV technician for help Any modifications to the unit unless expressly approved by Avid could void the user s authority to operate the equipment 40 Mbox User Guide Australian Compliance Avid Canad
11. AV I Mbox User Guide Version 9 0 Legal Notices This guide is copyrighted 2010 by Avid Technology Inc hereafter Avid with all rights reserved Under copyright laws this guide may not be duplicated in whole or in part without the written consent of Avid 003 96 1 0 96i 1 0 192 Digital 1 0 192 1 0 888 24 1 0 882 20 1 0 1622 1 0 24 Bit ADAT Bridge 1 0 AudioSuite Avid Avid DNA Avid Mojo Avid Unity Avid Unity ISIS 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 EUCON 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 Il Strike Structure SYNC HD SYNC 1 0 Synchronic TL Aggro TL AutoPan TL Drum Rehab TL Everyphase TL Fauxlder TL In Tune TL MasterMeter TL Metro TL Space TL Utilities Transfuser Trillium Lane Labs Vari Fi Velvet X Form and XMON are trademarks or registered tr
12. LL Hardware inputs amp oftveare Returns Presets Erz The Preset view lets you load and save Mbox Set tings files which contain all settings of the Mbox Driver Control Panel This is useful if you d like to save various configurations so that you do not have to manually reconfigure your system each time you work on a different type of project Mbox Driver Control Panel Horizontal Meters only shown Load Button The Load Button opens a file browser that lets you load a previously saved Settings file Save as The Save as button opens a file browser that lets you save the current settings of the Driver Con trol Panel to a Settings file 22 Mbox User Guide Vertical Vertical Meters Only Mbox Driver Control Panel Mbox Driver Control Panel Vertical shown Vertical Meters only shown The Vertical layout provides access to all con The Meters Only layout emphasizes pre fader trols and meters in a vertical window The Verti hardware input and software return metering cal layout was designed for compact operation but does not provide access to the stereo mixers which is convenient if you want to run it along with Pro Tools or your other audio application uses far less screen real estate but provides full functionality Chapter 4 Using the Driver Control Panel 23 Additional Functions Mbox also features a variety of functions acces sible through pop up menus located at the up per right area
13. Settings section stating that External clock not de tected Audio Streaming is Disabled Buffer Size Windows only This menu sets the size of the input and output buffers on Mbox Buffers are used to help keep audio hardware and software running smoothly by processing audio in groups of samples rather than one sam ple at a time Due to variations between com puter hardware and software it is impossible to recommend a single optimum setting for all sys tems It may be necessary to experiment with various settings until you find the best buffer size for your system The goal of setting a buffer size is to reduce it as much as possible without hearing any clicks pops or other glitches If the buffer size is too small the computer may not be able to make all the required audio calculations on time and you may hear pops clicks and stuttering in your au dio streams On the other hand if the buffer size is set too high your computer processes audio without incident but your software may feel sluggish and unresponsive To find your system s optimum buffer size set ting begin with a high setting and gradually re duce the size until you begin to hear clicks pops or other audible glitches in your audio Then raise the buffer size setting until these glitches disappear You may need to stop play ing audio any time you change this setting and certain applications require you to re launch the program before the new buffe
14. ach 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 Chapter 2 Mbox Hardware Overview 5 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 6 Mbox User Guide About Phantom Power Dynamic microphones such as Shure SM57s or M Audio Aries do not require phantom power to operate but are not harmed by it Most con denser microphones like an M Audio Solaris do require phantom power to operate A Although phantom pow
15. ademarks of Avid Technology Inc Xpand is Registered in the U S Patent and Trademark Office All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners Product features specifications system requirements and availability are subject to change without notice Guide Part Number 9329 65068 00 REV A 9 10 Documentation Feedback At Avid we are always looking for ways to improve our documentation If you have comments corrections or suggestions regarding our documentation email us at techpubs avid com Chapter 1 Welcome to Mbox 1 Mbox Features pec aa 4 2 ns Ee ER a VR EAR MEI EE 1 System Requirements and Compatibility 2 Conventions Used in This Guide 2 About www avid com 6 Rh e e A E a 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 mr meer IA 14 Connecting a Microphone 000 ccc hrs 15 Connecting Instruments to the Mbox
16. e I east FS tnt as 43 iv Mbox User Guide 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 e 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
17. engage the 20 dB pad Connecting Instruments to the Mbox Mbox provides two input types DI and Line for instruments DI Input Use the DI Direct Inject input for electric guitars or electric basses Line Input Use the Line input for line level de vices including electronic audio sources such as mixers samplers keyboards and synthesizers Connecting Electric Guitar or Bass To use a guitar with Mbox 1 On the front of the Mbox plug your guitar ca ble into one of the Instrument inputs Input 1 instrument input Connecting a guitar to the 1 4 inch connector 2 On the front of the Mbox set the source to Front by setting the input channel Source selec tor to the Out position orange band is visible Input 1 Gain level control Source selector Source selector and Gain control for Input 1 3 On the front of the Mbox carefully turn the Gain control to the right to increase the input level of your guitar Connecting Keyboards and Mixers To use a keyboard or mixer with Mbox 1 Plug your keyboard mixer or other audio source into either the Input 1 or Input 2 Line TRS inputs on your Mbox If your source is ste reo such as a stereo keyboard or the stereo out put from a mixer connect the left channel often the white plug to Input 1 and right channel often the red plug to Input 2 Input 2 Input 1 right channel left channel Line Outpu
18. er 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 A When using phantom power the Mbox maximum current per microphone is 4 mA 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 Checking Phase Relationships Multi Button The Mono switch can also be used for a quick Pro Tools Only check of the phase relationship between The Multi Button can be assigned to execute sev Source 1 and Source 2 inputs eral functions in Pro Tools including Add Track g Start Stop Record Tap Tempo Toggle Marker Guitar Tuner Function Locations and Save Session See Chapter 5 Us When the Dim Button and the Mono Button are ing the Multi Button Pro Tools Only pushed at the same time the Guitar Tuner func tion
19. ers display the level of a signal before it passes the fader This allows signal levels to be displayed regard less of the fader positions within the stereo mix in other words a fader can be all the way down and no sound is heard from the mixer s output but you can still see if there is any activity on that input FX Sends Mode Pre Fader FX Sends When Pre Fader FX Sends is selected the full au dio signal is be sent to the FX Sends regardless of the position of the Channel Faders of stereo mix 1 2 Post Fader Mix 1 2 FX Sends When Post Fader Mix 1 2 is selected the audio signal level being sent to the FX Sends is affected by the position of the Channel Faders of Stereo Mix 1 Flow Clicking the Flow pop up menu opens a display showing the signal flow from the inputs to the outputs of Mbox This is a useful reference for understanding the path of an audio signal flow ing through Mbox About The About pop up menu allows you to view the firmware version of the Mbox hardware and the package version of the Mbox driver installer Manual Updates Support FAQ Register em Firmware and driver information Web links Viewing Firmware and Installer Information Directly above the status indicators you can view the firmware version of the Mbox hard ware and the package version of the Mbox driver installer Accessing the Web Links Along the bottom right of the Driver Control Panel you can easily acces
20. es gain control 7 output 6 7 l indicators peak level 5 6 USB connection 7 input and output connectors 9 inputs analog 8 digital 8 gain 6 monitoring 6 installing Pro Tools LE Mac 11 Mbox features 1 MIDI connections 19 mono switch 6 0 outputs Monitor outputs 8 P peak indicators 5 6 phantom power 16 when to use 6 15 Pro Tools LE installing Mac 11 R recording digital inputs 18 S S PDIF 9 Sources analog 8 DI 8 digital 9 line 8 microphone 8 selecting 5 7 Stereo Width control 17 19 T TRS 15 U USB connection indicator 7 Index 43
21. here are many additional parameters that cannot be ac cessed from the front panel These additional features are available to you using the included Driver Control Panel application To open the Driver Control Panel On Mac launch System Preferences Apple menu gt System Preferences then double click Avid Mbox You can also open the Driver Con trol Panel from the Applications menu OI On Windows choose Start gt Control Panel gt Mbox Presets menu Layout menu Additional Functions Mbox Driver Control Panel Horizontal view shown Chapter 4 Using the Driver Control Panel 21 To open the Driver Control Panel from Pro Tools Layouts 1 Choose Setup gt Hardware y The Layout drop down menu lets you choose what information you would like the Driver Control Panel to show and how you would like that information to be displayed There are four layouts to select from 2 Click Launch Setup App Horizontal The Horizontal layout is the default layout It shows all knobs faders meters and buttonsin a layout similar to that of a mixing console The Horizontal layout is used for all the screen cap tures in this chapter Horizontal Meters Only The Meters Only layout emphasizes pre fader hardware input and software return metering Mbox Driver Control Panel launched in a Pro Tools but does not provide access to the stereo mixers session PRESETS LOAD SAVE AS LAYOUT Horda es GNT U
22. ian Compliance This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES 003 Cet appareil num rique de la classe A est conforme la norme NMB 003 du Canada CE Compliance EMC and Safety CE Avid is authorized to apply the CE Conformit Europ nne mark on this compliant equipment thereby declaring conformity to EMC Directive 89 336 EEC and Low Voltage Directive 73 23 EEC Safety Compliance Warning RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK DO NOT OPEN Important Safety Instructions 1 Read these instructions 2 Keep these instructions 3 Heed all warnings 4 Follow all instructions 5 Do not use this equipment near water 6 Clean only with dry cloth 7 Do not block any ventilation openings Install in accordance with the manufacturer s instructions 8 Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators heat registers stoves or other equipment including amplifiers that produce heat 9 Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding type plug A polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong The wide blade or the third prong are provided for your safety If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet 10 Protect power cords from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs convenience receptacles and the point where they exit from the
23. lied to the Hardware Inputs and or Software Returns There are five available reverb types Three room reverbs and two hall reverbs delay and echo These effects can be customized by using the following three con trols Duration This knob controls decay time for the reverbs or delay time for delay and echo Feedback This knob controls the number of re peats for the delay and echo effects It does not affect the reverbs Volume This knob controls the effects output level being sent to the FX Returns Master The Master section is for monitoring the main mixer output This output can be routed to any hardware output Each Stereo Mix includes mas ter section with several controls Stereo Mix Master fader Copy pull on Balance knob Width knob Mute button L Mute button R Swap button Channel Fader Master Fader Adjusts the overall level of the ste reo mix Balance Knob Adjusts the left right balance of the stereo mix double click the knob to return it to center Width Knob Adjusts the width of the stereo im age where fully counter clockwise is mono and fully clockwise is full stereo double click the knob to return it to center Mute Buttons Mutes the left and or right side of the stereo mix Chapter 4 Using the Driver Control Panel 31 Swap Button Swaps the stereo image making the left channel play out the Right output and the right channel play out the Left output
24. n also configure your hardware using the Control Panel See Chapter 4 Using the Driver Control Panel Configuring the Apple Sound Preferences Mac Only Required for Using Qualified Pro Tools Interface with Apple Tunes or QuickTime Player To use your Avid Mbox family hardware with certain CoreAudio compatible playback applica tions such as Apple iTunes or QuickTime Player you need to configure either Sound Pref erences or Audio MIDI Setup To configure the Apple Sound Preferences 1 Launch System Preferences Apple menu gt System Preferences 2 Click Sound 3 Click Output and select your Pro Tools hard ware as the device for sound output 4 Click Input and select your Pro Tools hardware as the device for sound input 5 Quit System Preferences Appendix a Using Third Party Applications 37 38 Mbox User Guide appendix b Compliance Information Environmental Compliance Disposal of Waste Equipment by Users in the European Union This symbol on the product or its packaging indicates that this product must not be disposed of with other waste Instead it is your responsibility to dispose of your waste equipment by handing it overto a designated collection point forthe recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment The separate collection and recycling of your waste equipment at the time of disposal will help conserve natural resources and ensure that it is recycled in a manner that pro
25. of the Control Panel Tuner Setup Flow About Tuner The Tuner activates the tuner function of Mbox You can also access the tuner by pressing the front panel Mono and Dim buttons simultane ously A tuner display appears in the center of the Driver Control Panel and the front panel in put meters function as tuning indicators as well When tuning from the front panel use the in put meters LED ladders They are red when out of tune and green when in tune 24 Mbox User Guide Setup Setup is where you define the hardware settings of the Mbox For example you can set buffer size sample rate and clock source Think of Setup as a quick way to customize Mbox behav ior Hardware Settings trol Internal External clock not detectec Soft Button Settings Hold Duration 500 ms Use Dim LEDs for Button Off State Driver Control Panel Options Hold Post Fader Meters Post Fader Mix 1 2 FX Sends Setup pop up menu In the Setup window the options are grouped in the following categories Hardware Settings The parameters in this section of the Control Panel govern the operation of the interface when it is connected to a computer using a USB cable Hosted Mode This section of the Control Panel provides pa rameters you can set on your interface when it is connected to a computer using a UBS cable Disable Host Control When you launch Pro Tools it takes control of the Driver Control Panel
26. or ASIO compatible application For Pro Tools installation instructions see the Pro Tools Installation Guide 12 Mbox User Guide chapter 4 Making Studio Connections This chapter provides step by step instructions for connecting mics instruments mixers headphones speakers and other devices to Mbox Connecting Outputs To hear audio from Mbox you need to connect headphones or an external sound system such as powered monitors or a home stereo to Mbox Headphone level 1 4 inch Headphone jack Headphone jack on front of Mbox Connecting Headphones You can use headphones equipped with a 1 4 inch stereo jack to monitor your audio The Headphone Output mirrors Monitor Out put channels 1 2 To connect headphones 1 Connect headphones with a 1 4 inch stereo connector or adapter to the Headphone jack 2 Adjust the volume using the Headphone Vol ume knob on the front panel The headphone outputs mirror the signal sent to the Monitor Outputs Chapter 4 Making Studio Connections 13 Connecting a Sound System The Monitor Outputs on the back of the Mbox support 1 4 inch plugs These connections can be balanced TRS Tip Ring Sleeve connectors or unbalanced TS Tip Sleeve connectors such as those on instrument cables To listen to your to audio connect these outputs to any amplification system powered speakers a home stereo system or an audio mixer Line Out Left
27. or ASIO compliant ap plication use the Mbox Control Panel to config ure the input If you are using Pro Tools use the Hardware Setup dialog in Pro Tools To configure Pro Tools for a S PDIF connection 1 Choose Setup Hardware Setup 2 Select S PDIF from the Clock Source pop up menu 3 Click OK 4 On the recording track select the appropriate stereo or mono S PDIF source from the track In put selector Once enabled in the Hardware Setup dialog the S PDIF inputs become active and passes audio to Mbox 18 Mbox User Guide To configure Mbox for a S PDIF connection 1 Do one of the following On Mac launch System Preferences Apple menu System Preferences then double click Avid Mbox You can also open the Driver Control Panel from the Ap plications menu Or On Windows choose Start gt Control Panel gt Mbox 2 In the Control Panel choose Setup 3 Select S PDIF from the Clock Source pop up menu MIDI Connections The two MIDI ports on Mbox are available to any MIDI application on your computer aslong as the Mbox hardware drivers are installed If you need additional MIDI ports you can add a compatible MIDI interface USB MIDI interfaces work effectively with Windows or Mac Serial MIDI interfaces are supported on Windows sys tems only A Only USB MIDI interfaces are compatible with Pro Tools systems for Mac OS X Mo dem to serial port adapters and serial MIDI devices are not
28. our computer Before installing the hardware drivers refer to the Read Me information included with the drivers installer for your device or Download the Mbox drivers installer for your computer platform from www avid com After downloading make sure the installer is uncompressed dmg on Mac or ZIP on Windows 3 Do one of the following On Mac locate and double click Avid Mbox mpkg OI On Windows locate and double click Install Avid Mbox exe 4 Follow the on screen instructions to proceed with installation 5 When installation is complete click Restart Chapter 3 Installing and Connecting Mbox 11 6 After the computer has restarted connect the small end of the included USB cable to the USB port on Mbox and connect the other end to any available USB port on your computer If the USB LED on the front panel of the Mbox does not illuminate try unplugging the USB cable from the Mbox USB port and plugsing it back in If the USB LED still does not illuminate shut down the computer disconnect Mbox and start the computer Once the computer has fully restarted reconnect Mbox Mbox may not function properly if con nected to a USB hub If you need to use a hub for other USB peripherals connect the hub to a separate USB port Mbox must be connected to a dedicated port on the com puter in order to function properly You can now use your Mbox with Pro Tools or with any other CoreAudio
29. r form two functions with one button Using the Multi Button In the Hardware Setup dialog Pro Tools lets you set three Multi button parameters for your Mbox using the Multi Button Function pane You can also launch the Driver Control Panel from here vy For more information on the Driver Control Panel see See Chapter 4 Using the Driver Control Panel The Multi Button Function includes the follow ing options Press and Release Displays the options avail able for Press and Release mode Press and Hold Displays the options available for Press and Hold mode Duration Gives four time duration options for Press and Hold button Launch Control Panel Launches Driver Control Panel Chapter 5 Using the Multi Button Pro Tools Only 33 To use the Multi Button Function pane and configure its parameters example 1 Launch Pro Tools 2 Choose Track gt New and create 1 Mono audio track CY You need to have at least one track avail able in a session to use the Add Last Track and Add Selected Track functions 3 Choose Setup gt Hardware 4 From the Press and Release list select Start Stop Record the default 5 From the Press and Hold list select Add Se lected Tracks the default 6 From the Hold Duration list select 500 msec the default 7 Go to the Edit Window and select the track you just created 8 Press and hold the Multi button for 500 msec then release A new track is added in
30. r size settings be come active Chapter 4 Using the Driver Control Panel 25 A This menu only appears on Windows sys tems Most Mac OS X applications allow to change the buffer size from within the au dio application itself Please see your audio application s user guide to learn how to change this setting Soft Button Settings The Mbox has four Soft buttons Multi 48v Mono and Dim Hold Duration This pop up menu gives you four choices of Press and Hold duration for all soft buttons on the front of the Mbox Choose between 250 msec 500 msec 750 msec and 1 sec Use Dim LEDs for Button off State Checking this option gives you a dim LED for all the soft buttons that are off so you can still dis cern the LED in the dark Driver Control Panel Options Hold Clipping Indicators until Clicked The top section of the meters or right section for horizontal meters of the Driver Control Panel feature a red clipping indicator When this option is selected the clipping indicators re main lit until they are clicked Load Latency and Clock Settings from Settings Files When this option is selected the clock source and buffer settings are recalled when loading a setting file 26 Mbox User Guide Post Fader Meters When this option is selected fader positions af fect the meters Post Fader Meters mean the me ter indicate post fader levels Pre Fader Meters When this option is selected the met
31. s ter fader pair which is labeled L R by default Clicking on a Channel Label gives you a cursor allowing you to type in your own custom chan nel name such as guitar vocals etc The Channel Labels also display the signal level in dB while a fader is being adjusted 30 Mbox User Guide Link The Link buttons connect stereo pairs of knobs or faders and also links the corresponding FX Send knobs so that adjusting either channel left right adjusts the other side identically Links buttons y Pan controls are unaffected by linking two channels Effects The Effects section is where you set up send and return configurations and select the ef fects that you apply to the Hardware Inputs and or Software Returns Hardware Input FX Sends FX Sends are shared by all Stereo Mixes unless Post Fader Stereo Mix 1 is chosen in the Setup pop up menu Software Return FX Sends FX Sends are shared by all Stereo Mixes unless Post Fader Stereo Mix 1 is chosen in the Setup pop up menu FX Returns These knobs control how much of the Effect au dio output is mixed in with the monitor signal Master L R outputs Unlike sends FX Returns are individually adjustable for each stereo mix The Clip LED shows clipping if the input to the FX is clipping and if the output is clipping the rest of the meter is just output Effect The Effect drop down menu is used to select the effect to be app
32. s first stereo mixer If you want to obtain full manual control of the Driver Control Panel choose this option w Ifyou want to use the Low Latency Monitor ing option of Pro Tools this option must not be checked Clock Source This setting determines the clock source to which Mbox is synchronized Internal If you are using Mbox by itself i e with out other digital devices or an external clock select the Internal option for the interface to work properly S PDIF If you have connected a S PDIF device to your Mbox select the S PDIF option This makes Mbox clock to the external device s clock Sample Rate This drop down menu sets the sample rate of Mbox Note that when using the interface with an ASIO or CoreAudio application the sample rate can also be determined by your audio appli cation This parameter may not be editable from within the Mbox Control Panel if your audio ap plication is running In this case any changes to thesample rate must be made through the audio application itself If the application does not provide a way to set the sample rate quit the ap plication then change the sample rate through the Mbox Control Panel When the sample rate is locked to an external digital clock source the Mbox s LED is solid blue When the sample rate is set and there is no digital clock source detected or cannot lock to it for some reason the LED blinks A message ap pears at the bottom of the Hardware
33. s helpful online re sources on our Avid website www avid com by clicking on the following pop up menus Manual Updates e Support FAOs Register Y Clicking on any of the Web links opens your web browser Your computer must have Internet access for these pages to load Chapter 4 Using the Driver Control Panel 27 Stereo Mixes This 8 input 4 output mixer allows you to cre ate two different stereo mixes from 8 input sources consisting of any of the hardware inputs i e analog and digital inputs and software re turns software outputs This allows you to set up near zero latency cue mixes in which the per formers hear a customized mix while record ing Itisimportant to note that any changes made to the stereo mix only affects what is audible from the mixer s outputs the stereo mix does not af fect the signals that are sent to your DAW for re cording For example if you are recording a vo calist and he she tells you to turn up the vocal track so they can hear themselves better you can increase the vocalist s microphone channel in the stereo mix This makes the vocal part louder in the vocalist s headphones but it is still recorded into your DAW at the volume deter mined by the front panel Gain Adjustment Knob The stereo is set up like a standard mixing con sole There are 8 input channels each with its own volume fader pan and aux send knobs solo and mute buttons as well as a master out
34. supported To connect your MIDI device to Mbox 1 Connect a standard 5 pin MIDI cable from the MIDI Out port of your device to the MIDI In port on the back of Mbox 2 Connect another MIDI cable from the MIDI In port of your device to the MIDI Out port on the back of Mbox MIDI In MIDI Out MIDI connections to Mbox e On Mac OS X use the Audio Midi Setup AMS utility to customize the names of your MIDI devices Monitoring MIDI Instruments with Mbox If you have a MIDI instrument that has analog outputs you can connect it to Mbox to monitor its output To connect your MIDI instrument for monitoring Connect the MIDI instrument s audio outputs to the Line TRS inputs on your Mbox Input 2 Input 1 Line Outputs Mic Line Inputs S PDIF Mbox connections for line level stereo input source Chapter 4 Making Studio Connections 19 20 Mbox User Guide chapter 4 Using the Driver Control Panel The Mbox Driver Control Panel lets you config ure settings for your audio interface for use with Pro Tools or other audio applications that sup port the CoreAudio Mac or ASIO Windows standard For information on configuring applications other than for use with your interface see Using Third Party Applications on page 37 Several features of Mbox can be accessed directly from the Mbox front panel such as input gain phantom power and output levels But t
35. t starts stops playing back the session Start Stop Record Each time the button is held and released it starts stops recording Loop Playback Toggle Each time the button is held and released the Loop Playback mode is toggled between enabled and disabled Undo Each time the button is held and released it undoes that last operation you performed in Pro Tools Same as the Undo command from the Pro Tools menu Save Session Each time the Multi button is held and released it saves the session Hold Duration Options When you click on the Hold Duration list a drop down menu provides access to the follow ing options Hold Duration There are four choices of Hold Du ration 250 msec 500 msec 750 msec and 1 sec which is the amount of time you choose to hold the Multi button down in Press and Hold mode The default is 500 msec Chapter 5 Using the Multi Button Pro Tools Only 35 36 Mbox User Guide Using Third Party Applications The Mbox hardware drivers allow you to use third party CoreAudio Mac or ASIO Win dows compliant audio and MIDI applications with your Mbox 8 For driver installation instructions see Chapter 3 Installing and Connecting Mbox Configuring Mbox for Third Party Applications When using Mbox with third party applications such as Apple GarageBand you may be able to configure hardware settings through the audio preference settings available in that application You ca
36. tects human health and the environment For more information about where you can drop off your waste equipment for recycling please contact your local city recycling office or the dealer from whom you purchased the product Proposition 65 Warning A This product contains chemicals including lead known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm Wash hands after handling Perchlorate Notice This product may contain a lithium coin battery The State of California requires the following disclosure statement Perchlorate Material special handling may apply See www dtsc ca gov hazardouswaste perchlorate Recycling Notice ay Le Appendix b Compliance Information 39 EMC Electromagnetic Compliance Avid declares that this product complies with the following standards regulating emissions and immunity FCC Part 15 Class B EN 55022 Class B EN 55204 Class B AS NZS 3548 Class B CISPR 22 Class B FCC Compliance for United States Radio and Television Interference This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the imits for a Class B digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY We Avid 2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard Daly City CA 94014 3886 USA 650 731 6300 declare under our sole responsibility that the product Mbox complies with Part 15 of FCC Rules Operation is subject to the following two conditions 1
37. ters operating systems hard drives and third party devices visit www avid com compatibility 2 Mbox User Guide Conventions Used in This Guide All of our guides use the following conventions to indicate menu choices and key commands 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 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 164 User Tips are helpful hints for getting the most from your system A Important Notices include information that could affect your data or the performance of your system un Shortcuts show you useful keyboard or mouse shortcuts Cross References point to related sections in this guide and other Pro Tools guides 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 s
38. ts Mic Line Inputs Mbox connections for line level stereo input source 2 Set the Source to Rear in position by press ing the Source selector on the front of Mbox Input 1 Gain level control Input 2 Gain level control Source selector Source selector Source selector and Gain control for Inputs 1 and 2 3 Set your instrument s volume to its optimal level For example the optimal level for most keyboards is between 80 and 100 of maxi mum volume 4 On the front of the Mbox carefully turn the Gain control to the right to increase the input level of your keyboard Chapter 4 Making Studio Connections 17 Digital Input and Output Mbox provides digital inputs and outputs for S PDIF format digital audio The two channels of S PDIF digital input can be used in combina tion with the two analog inputs for a total of four simultaneous input channels The two channels of S PDIF digital output can be used in combination with the two analog outputs for a total of four simultaneous output channels Connecting Digital Devices To connect a S PDIF device to Mbox 1 Usetwo 75 ohm coaxial cables with male RCA connectors on both ends purchased separately 2 Connect the device s S PDIF output to Mbox s S PDIF input port and the device s S PDIF input to Mbox s S PDIF output port Using S PDIF Input If you are using the S PDIF input on Mbox with a third party CoreAudio
39. ts inputs USB port Monitor Outputs Mic Line Inputs Figure 2 Mbox back panel USB Port This standard USB connector is used to connect a USB 2 0 port on your computer to the Mbox One standard USB cable is included with your system It is also used to power the unit in stand alone mode In use the S PDIF input and output channels are available in addition to the four channels of an alog audio I O Mic Line Inputs Each analog source input channel provides combination XLR TRS on the rear panel These balanced unbalanced analog audio inputs sup port the following input levels e Mic microphone for XLR inputs Line TRS for line level signals on TRS or TS inputs On the front panel the input signal is adjusted by the Gain control for each channel and the source rear panel Mic Line or front panel In strument is chosen using the Source selectors 8 Mbox User Guide Mic Line Input 2 is at the far left when looking at the back panel and Mic Line Input 1 is to its right The back panel inputs for Mic Line Input 1 and Mic Line Input 2 are located such that they are directly in line with their associated in put controls on the front panel This lets you lo cate input jacks more easily when viewing from the front of the unit Monitor Outputs These outputs support balanced TRS or unbal anced TS 1 4 inch connections To monitor your mix connect these outputs to
40. tton is pressed and re leased it undoes that last operation you per formed in Pro Tools Same as the Undo com mand from the Pro Tools menu Save Session Each time the Multi button is pressed and released it saves the session Tap Tempo The Multi button can be tapped to adjust the session tempo Tapping tempo causes Pro Tools to come out of Conductor mode and match its tempo to the tapped tempo If Pro Tools is already in Manual Tempo mode the session automatically adjusts its tempo to match the value created by the Tap Tempo function Press and Hold Options When you click on the Press and Hold list a pop up menu provides access to the following options None No function is selected in this mode Add Last Track Adds whatever the last track type was that you created in the session Say you have five types of tracks in your session but the most recent track you created was 1 Mono Audio Track in Samples It adds another 1 Mono Audio Track in Samples Add Selected Track Adds whatever tracks that you have selected in a session Say you have se lected two Audio tracks in a session It adds an other two Audio tracks Cursor to Next Marker Each time the button is held and released the transport locates to the next marker location Cursor to Previous Marker Each time the button is held and released the transport locates to the previous marker location Start Stop Playback Each time the button is held and released i
41. tw s Ma Balance Signal Meter Width Pan Solo H Master Mute Channel Fader Channel Label AA A Link E om how HARDWARE INPUT FX SENDS SOFTWARE RETURN FX SENDS FX Returns 7 Duration Feedback volume Effects Hardware Inputs Software Returns The Hardware Inputs section is where the The Software Returns section is where the audio Mic Line and Instrument inputs are monitored coming back from Pro Tools or other audio ap as well as the S PDIF input of Mbox Hardware plication is monitored Software Returns 1 and Inputs 1 2 are the analog inputs and Hardware 2 is the default stereo output from Pro Tools Inputs 3 4 are the S PDIF input L R Chapter 4 Using the Driver Control Panel Pan The Pan knobs control the position of a chan nel s audio signal in the stereo image of the ste reo mix double click the knob to return pan to center Solo Each Solo button lets audio be monitored for the channel of which it is a part while simultane ously muting all other Hardware Input channels and Software Returns except for those that also have their Solo buttons activated Mute The Mute buttons are used to individually turn off audio monitoring for each channel in the stereo mix Channel Faders The Channel Faders control the monitoring vol ume level of each channel in the stereo mix Channel Labels By default the Channel Labels show the input name of each channel 1 8 except for the Ma
42. udio Aries do not require phan tom power to operate but are not harmed by it A 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 a rib bon microphone Chapter 4 Making Studio Connections 15 Using a Mic with an XLR Connector To use a microphone that has an XLR connector 1 Plug your microphone cable into one of the Mic Line inputs on the back of Mbox Input 2 Mic input Input 1 Mic input Line Outputs Mic Line Inputs S PDIF Eu e o Do XLR connector plugged into Input 1 2 Set the Source to Rear in position by press ing the Source selector on the front of Mbox Source selector Input 1 Source selector 3 If your microphone requires phantom power make sure the microphone is connected then press the Phantom Power switch labeled 48V on the front of the Mbox This switch sends 48V to both mic inputs The 48V LED on the front of the Mbox lights when phantom power is being supplied Phantom Power switch Phantom Power switch 16 Mbox User Guide 4 On the front of the Mbox carefully turn the Gain control to the right to increase the input level of your microphone signal Gain Gain knob for Input 1 5 If the incoming signal is too loud pull the Gain knob out to
43. urces see Connecting a Microphone on page 15 and Connecting Instruments to the Mbox on page 16 Each Input section has three analog input jacks the Mic and Line are on a single combo jack Mic For XLR microphone cables Line TRS or TS For 1 4 inch Tip Ring Sleeve or Tip Sleeve cables from keyboards mixers and other line level sources DI For 1 4 inch Tip Sleeve cables from guitar bass or similar sources N A 02 Pull 20dB DI instrument DI instrument Front panel analog input connectors Mic Line Mic Line Monitor Outputs Mic Line Inputs Rear panel analog input connectors Connecting a Microphone Mic Cables and Connectors Use a microphone with an XLR connector to connect the microphone to the Mbox The Mbox can only supply power through a mi crophone cable with an XLR connector If you are not sure about the phantom power require ments for your microphone refer to your micro phone s documentation or contact the manu facturer XLR connector Phantom Power Some microphones require power to operate This power called phantom power is supplied ei ther by a battery in the microphone or by a mic preamp in a mixer or audio interface such as Mbox that can supply power through the mi crophone cable Most condenser microphones such as an M Audio Solaris require phantom power to op erate Dynamic microphones such as a Shure SM57 or an M A
44. ystem 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 Chapter 1 Welcome to Mbox 3 4 Mbox User Guide Mbox Hardware Overview Mbox Front Panel Features Figure 1 identifies controls indicators and input and output ports on the front panel on the Mbox Input 1 Input 2 Sig Clip Sig Clip LED LED Gain Soft Limit Gain Soft Limit 20dB 20dB Headphone Volume Dim USB Monitor Multi LED Level Sft Imt p Q e 01 Pul 2048 Fronte O V Rear Instrument Figure 1 Mbox front panel 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 Source Instrument Source selector selector 48V Headphone Output 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 e
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