Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dannyvect
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Now before it goes back up it is going to go down, the pre-amps in this unit are shocking... I have been using recording equipment for 10 years now and never have I found such dull lifeless pre-amps in a box (Besides an old MBOX 1 I have collecting dust somewhere).
Here are a small amount of I/O sound unit's I have had before with a score and price comparing to the MBOX in my opinion for small studios. (I'm from UK so I'm converting)
MBOX 3 / $796.10 or £500.00 / Pre-amp rating 2
Focusrite Liquid Saffire 56 / $953.73 or £599.00/ Pre-amp rating 8.5
Focusrite Pro 24 / $396.46 or £250.00 pre-amp rating 7.5
M-Audio Profire 2626 / $633.00 or 398.00 pre-amp rating 6.0
(All tested with an AKG C414 and C4000B)
Now the Pro 24 sounded fantastic and I know you are paying the premium for Pro-tools with the MBOX, but surely you would expect some good quality for your money?
Now, I've not used the Mbox 3 so I'm not disagreeing with your opinion. I've used the 002/003/Mbox 2 though, and from what you're saying, it sounds like the Mbox 3 is a step back? Because the 002 wasn't great, the Mbox 2 likewise, the 003 a bit better....
With the focusrite - you're commenting on the non-liquidmix inputs right? because otherwise you're looking at modeling, which isn't a fair comparison.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dannyvect
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Never to fear, I knew the pre-amps would never be that good from the MBOX so I bought an external pre-amp made by TC Helicon for an extra $400 / £250. I completely bypassed the awful D/A convertors and used the S/PDIF into the back of my pre-amp, to say the least it sounds fantastic, it really is crystal clear sound with no noise or latency (if there is, I can't hear it) running at 48K on an external clock from my TC.
So, your preamp has A/D AND D/A? you're monitoring through the preamp, or you're going preamp, bypassing the A/D of the Mbox 3 and in digitally, then monitoring via the Mbox clocked to the TC?
Again, I've not used the Mbox 3, I can't comment on the A/D D/A side, but it really sounds crazy that a £250 preamp with inbuilt conversion is that much better...you're listening in a good room, and you've had help with blind tests right? or it's just that different that it's obvious to everyone's mother?
This review is really contrary to everything else I've read on the boxes, that's why I'm questioning it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dannyvect
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Another thing I found quite annoying is you have to map the S/PDIF to analogue in the new OS Mixing desk to get it to make sound. Obviously I never read the manual and try to figure out everything myself (We all love to play with toys)
I don't know if this is similar to the 8.1 routing, but if it is, there's a good reason for it - it makes moving between rigs (eg Studio HD rig to home edit system) much much easier.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dannyvect
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Conclusion:
As a digital S/PDIF I/O for pro-tools it is an excellent if not slightly pricey solution, but if you want a decent DA / Preamp, complete one stop solution I would look else where.
Talk about damning with faint praise! doesn't the Mbox 2 do all that?!
EDIT - reading your comment in your preamp thread about how you connected up the external preamp in the first place, I don't really think you've done significant testing to comment on how good the A/D conversion is! Certainly wasn't a fair test! If it wasn't a clean sound (ie there's electrical buzz/hum) then you've almost certainly done something wrong, for a start. The only differences that connecting the preamp analogue and digital should be things that people describe as "air", "weight", "width" and so on - and then, it's subtleties. I can tell the difference when A/Bing between our aurora and the 003, but play one straight at me and ask me to identify it and I'd struggle I think. If one is buzzing or crackly, and the other crystal clean, you've got other issues not related to conversion.