Digidesign Mbox 2 Pro FireWire Audio/MIDI Interface

Digidesign Mbox 2 Pro FireWire Interface

When the digital recording revolution swept the home studio world, Digidesign was right at the forefront with the MBox, a USB audio interface that sounded great, performed reliably, and offered easy portability for the mobile recordist, all at a price that made it easy for anyone to get into serious digital multitrack recording (the fact that it came with industry-standard Pro Tools recording software didn't hurt either). With the upgraded MBox 2 line of interfaces, Digidesign has taken a classic design and made it even better, and the MBox 2 Pro is the most impressive of the bunch. It offers all the features necessary to start building a truly professional recording studio. Plus, it ships with the latest, most powerful version of Pro Tools LE, as well as a plethora of great sounding plug-in effects and instruments, and even M-Audio Torq LE DJ software. If you're ready to go pro with your audio recording endeavors, then you're ready for the Digidesign MBox 2 Pro FireWire Audio/MIDI Interface.

The Core Of An Expandable, Professional Studio
All the interfaces in the 2nd-generation MBox 2 line offer you an array of professional routing options for a recording-ready setup right out of the box. Only the MBox 2 Pro, however, has the additional features necessary for growing your studio from a home hobby to a professional business. For starters, the Pro has the most I/O of the MBox 2 family: a total of 6 inputs and 8 outputs. In addition to the analog mix inputs, you get a stereo auxiliary input that can handle line-level sources--this is where you can hook up the outboard channel strips you plan on upgrading your recording rack with. You also get the same S/PIDF I/O from the MBox 2, but this time with added benefit of full BNC word clock capabilities, making it possible to synchronize all the analog-to-digital conversion gear in your studio. Word clock synchronization is an integral part of any digital recording setup, and the only way to combat problems like sample-jitter and extreme-frequency phasing. The eight total output channels on the MBox 2 Pro, along with dual headphone outputs and a dedicated monitor level control, allows for professional multi-monitor setups. MIDI support has also been upgraded, making it easier than ever to integrate external MIDI sound modules and software instruments into audio projects.

Celebrated Sound Quality
When the MBox hit the market in 2002, home recordists and professionals alike were amazed by the sound quality for its price, and the MBox 2 Pro more than lives up to that stellar reputation. The two Digidesign-produced microphone preamps are the very definition of transparent, but all four analog input channels benefit from the Pro's ultra-clean and ultra-stable converters. The MBox 2 Pro supports up to 24-bit, 96 kHz sampling rates for the most demanding of recording situations, and because it's a FireWire-based audio interface, it can handle the bandwidth of six-in, eight-out simultaneous audio streaming with near-zero playback latency.

Industry-Standard Pro Tools Software
For home recording enthusiasts and pro engineers alike, one of the most attractive parts of the MBox 2 Pro package is the software it comes with. What does "industry-standard" really mean? For starters, Pro Tools HD systems are found in the biggest hit-making recording studios around the world. Truly, it's rare to find a professional studio without a Pro Tools rig, and the projects you start on your MBox 2 / Pro Tools LE system can be effortlessly imported into any Pro Tools HD rig. And then there are the reasons that Pro Tools is and has been the industry-standard: ease-of use, powerful editing and mixing flexibility, and incredible sound quality. The LE version that ships with your MBox 2 Pro offers most of the same operations as the top-of-the-line HD systems, including parameter automation, non-destructive audio editing, and support for RTAS instrument and effects plug-ins. Speaking of plug-ins, Pro Tools LE comes with a formidable supply of them, including synthesizers, guitar amp simulators, reverb processors, pitch bending tools, and the amazing Beat Detective LE, a one-step find-and-replace utility for drum tracks. Both Pro Tools LE and the MBox 2 Pro are fully supported by both Windows and Mac operating systems, so no one has to feel left out of the Digidesign phenomenon.

Features Every Laptop DJ Will Love
In addition to Pro Tools LE, your MBox 2 Pro ships with Torq, M-Audio's advanced digital DJ software, and the Pro is the best way to make full use of this amazing application. Not only do you get pristine audio output, but the six analog outputs let you route your mix directly to the house, or to multiple speakers, effects units, or even to a separate recorder to capture your live sets. Best of all, the AUX inputs on the MBox 2 Pro feature a phono-level in with grounding post for analog turntables. Easily integrate a bit of old-school vinyl charm into your set, or make use of Torq's timecode support and join the virtual-vinyl revolution.

Even More Power With The Factory Bundle
Select "New, with Factory Bundle" and for only a hundred bucks you'll be treating yourself to over one-thousand dollars worth of additional plug-ins that'll make your projects sound like a million bucks. Two plug-ins from the legendary Joemeek company emulate two of their most sought-after hardware units: the SC2 Photo Optical Compressor adds punchy, warm, and transparent compression, while the VC5 Meequalizer puts musical, old-school tone shaping in your hands. Also in the Factory bundle is the spaced-out Cosmonaut Voice plug-in, a processor that turns vocal tracks into deep space distress calls. Finally, you get four incredible Moogerfooger effects from the company that basically invented modern electronic music, Moog: a luscious 12-Stage Phaser, an Analog Delay that sounds like the best vintage hardware units, a dynamic Lowpass Filter for injecting some serious funk, and a Ring Modulator for when you're feeling experimental.

Amazingly, even with all these improvements, additions, and professional features, the Digidesign MBox 2 Pro is priced well within reach of even the most conservative budgets. Buy it now through zZounds, and you'll also get our renowned customer service at no extra charge, not to mention the best shipping prices in the industry. There's never been a better way to start your professional recording career.

zZounds is an authorized dealer of Digidesign products.