DigiDesign Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started Manual
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DigiDesign Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started Manual

DigiDesign Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started Manual

Version 7.1.2
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Getting Started

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  • Page 1: Getting Started

    Getting Started Mbox 2 Pro ® Version 7.1.2...
  • Page 2 However, there is no © 2006 Digidesign, a division of Avid Technology, Inc. All rights guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular reserved. This guide may not be duplicated in whole or in part installation.
  • Page 3 Canadian safety certification in accordance with the specifications of UL Standards: UL60065 7th /IEC 60065 7th 11) Only use attachments/accessories specified by the and Canadian CAN/CSA C22.2 60065:03. Digidesign Inc., has manufacturer. been authorized to apply the appropriate UL & CUL mark on its compliant equipment.

  • Page 5: Table Of Contents

    Installing Pro Tools LE and Mbox 2 Pro ....... . .
  • Page 6 Connecting Mbox 2 Pro to the Computer ........
  • Page 7 Before You Call Digidesign Technical Support ........
  • Page 8 Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started...

  • Page 9: Chapter 1. Installation Quickstart

    Overview (Mac OS X Systems Only) (Windows Systems Only) Installation of Pro Tools LE for Mbox 2 Pro on a Mac includes the following steps: Installing Pro Tools LE™ for Mbox® 2 Pro on a Windows computer includes the following “Mac System Optimization”...
  • Page 10 Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started...

  • Page 11: Chapter 2. Welcome To Mbox 2 Pro

    DigiRack RTAS (Real-Time AudioSuite) monitor output, and two headphone outputs and AudioSuite plug-ins, optional software, with front panel level control. Mbox 2 Pro pro- and electronic PDF guides vides professional-quality mic preamps and 24- • This Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started Guide, which...

  • Page 12: Mbox 2 Pro Features

    • Low latency analog record monitoring • Two 1/4-inch (TRS) stereo headphone outputs Mbox 2 Pro lets your Pro Tools LE sessions uti- (A and B) with adjustable level controls. Head- lize up to six discrete channels of input and up phones B can mirror A (output channels 1–2)

  • Page 13: System Requirements

    Recording to your system drive is not recom- mended. Recording and playback on a system Mbox 2 Pro includes one MIDI In port and one drive may result in lower track counts and fewer MIDI Out port, providing 16 channels of MIDI plug-ins.

  • Page 14: About The Pro Tools Guides

    This Getting Started guide explains how to in- tions to indicate menu choices and key com- stall Pro Tools LE software, make basic connec- mands: tions to your Mbox 2 Pro interface (to get sound in and out of your interface), and do common Convention Action tasks (such as recording in Pro Tools).

  • Page 15: About Www.digidesign.com

    News and Events Get the latest news from Digi- design; sign up for a Pro Tools demo. To learn more about these and other resources available from Digidesign, visit the Digidesign Web site (www.digidesign.com). Chapter 2: Welcome to Mbox 2 Pro...
  • Page 16 Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started...

  • Page 17: Chapter 3. Windows Configuration

    Required Optimizations Installation Overview To ensure optimum performance with Pro Tools LE, configure the following settings Installing the Mbox 2 Pro on a Windows com- before you install Pro Tools hardware and soft- puter includes the following steps: ware. “Windows System Optimization” on page 9.
  • Page 18 Click OK. powering down. Restart the computer. Sleep (or hibernate) settings are supported when using Mbox 2 Pro and the Windows System Audio drivers with an application other than Pro Tools LE. Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started...
  • Page 19 Recommended Optimizations Under the General tab, choose “Do not use this device (disable)” from the Device Usage Pro Tools can also be affected by other software pop-up menu, and click OK. and hardware drivers installed on your com- Close the Computer Management window. puter.

  • Page 20: Installing Pro Tools Le And Mbox 2 Pro

    Pro Tools. Some startup applications may be consuming unnec- essary CPU resources, and should be turned off. To install Pro Tools LE and Mbox 2 Pro: Start Windows, logging in with Administrator If you disable any of the following startup items, privileges.

  • Page 21: Optional Software On The Pro Tools Installer Disc

    Insert the Pro Tools LE Installer disc for Win- Optional Software on the dows in your CD/DVD drive. Locate and open Pro Tools Installer Disc the Pro Tools Installer folder, and double-click the Setup icon. Your Pro Tools Installer disc includes several Click Next to begin installation.

  • Page 22: Launching Pro Tools Le

    RTAS your desktop (or the application icon in the plug-ins. Pro Tools folder inside the Digidesign folder). In addition to causing slower screen re- Enter the authorization code in the dialog sponse and monitoring latency, higher...
  • Page 23 To change the Hardware Buffer Size: To set the number of RTAS Processors: Choose Setup > Playback Engine. Choose Setup > Playback Engine. From the RTAS Processors pop-up menu, select the number of available processors you want to allocate for RTAS plug-in processing. Click OK.
  • Page 24 Using a larger DAE Playback Buffer Size Hardware Setup dialog for Mbox 2 Pro leaves less system memory for other tasks. Select the sample rate from the Sample Rate The default setting of Level 2 is recom- pop-up menu.
  • Page 25 The I/O Setup dialog provides a graph- Internal Use this setting if you are recording an- ical representation of the inputs, outputs, and alog signals directly into Mbox 2 Pro. When set signal routing of the Mbox 2. to internal, Mbox 2 Pro provides four channels of input (analog only).

  • Page 26: Windows Audio Drivers

    Choose Start > Control Panel. Double-click Add or Remove Programs. The Digidesign® ASIO Driver and DirectSound Driver let you use your Digidesign Mbox 2 Pro From the Currently Installed Programs list, se- hardware interface with third-party applications lect Digidesign Pro Tools LE.

  • Page 27: Chapter 4. Mac Configuration

    Administrator privileges in Mac OS X, Installation Overview refer to your Apple OS X documentation. Installation of the Mbox 2 Pro on a Mac in- Do not use the Mac OS X automatic Soft- cludes the following steps:...
  • Page 28 To enable journaling: Launch the Disk Utility application, located in Applications/Utilities. Select the volume in the left column of the Disk Utility window. Click Enable Journaling in the toolbar. Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started...

  • Page 29: Installing Pro Tools Le

    Mbox 2 Pro to your computer. “Launching Pro Tools LE” on page 22.) When installation is complete, click Restart. To connect Mbox 2 Pro to your computer: Connect the small end of the included Firewire cable to the FireWire port on Mbox 2 Pro.

  • Page 30: Launching Pro Tools Le

    Pro Tools sessions. Playback Engine dialog for Mbox 2 Pro From the H/W Buffer Size pop-up menu, select the audio buffer size, in samples.
  • Page 31 RTAS Processors CPU Usage Limit The RTAS Processors setting determines the The CPU Usage Limit controls the percentage of number of processors in your computer allo- CPU resources allocated to Pro Tools host pro- cated for RTAS plug-in processing. cessing tasks. Used in combination with the RTAS Processors setting, the CPU Usage Limit With computers that have multiple processors, setting lets you control the way Pro Tools tasks...
  • Page 32 (“Disk too slow or fragmented”) errors. To change the DAE Playback Buffer Size: Choose Setup > Playback Engine. Hardware Setup dialog box for Mbox 2 Pro From the DAE Playback Buffer pop-up menu, select a buffer size. Select the sample rate from the Sample Rate pop-up menu.
  • Page 33 Internal Use this setting if you are recording an- ical representation of the inputs, outputs, and alog signals directly into Mbox 2 Pro. When set signal routing of the Mbox 2 Pro. to internal, Mbox 2 Pro provides four channels of input (analog only).

  • Page 34: Mbox 2 Pro Coreaudio Driver

    In the Installer window, choose Uninstall Mbox 2 Pro CoreAudio Driver from the pop-up menu, and click Uninstall. The Mbox 2 Pro CoreAudio Driver is a multi-cli- Follow the on-screen instructions to remove ent, multichannel sound driver that allows Pro Tools LE.

  • Page 35: Chapter 5. Mbox 2 Pro Hardware Overview

    5 Mbox 2 Pro Hardware Overview Mbox 2 Pro Front Panel Features The Mbox 2 Pro front panel has the following features: Input 2 Aux In (3–4) Input 1 Power Monitor Source Source Source Gain Gain Level Peak Headphones level...
  • Page 36 Phantom power is activated by the switch la- phone outputs, A and B, each with its own level beled 48V on the front panel of Mbox 2 Pro. The control. Headphones mirror the Monitor out- LED, when lit, indicates that 48V phantom puts, by default (usually your main Pro Tools power is active on both Mic/Line inputs.
  • Page 37 The DI and Mic LEDs indicate the cur- rent source input. The Aux In Source select switch selects the Aux Line inputs, or Phono inputs. For more information, see “Connecting Audio Inputs” on page 35. Chapter 5: Mbox 2 Pro Hardware Overview...

  • Page 38: Mbox 2 Pro Back Panel Features

    Mbox 2 Pro Back Panel Features Figure 2 identifies each port on the Mbox 2 Pro back panel. Inputs 1 and 2 Aux In (3–4) Monitor Line Line Out outputs outputs (5–6) (1–2) (1–4) Phono In L/R S/PDIF MIDI I/O...
  • Page 39 S/PDIF is selected as the Pro Tools These outputs let you send discrete Pro Tools Clock Source. This lets Mbox 2 Pro be used as a outputs to external headphone or cue systems, 6-in/8-out digital audio interface for remote speakers and similar devices.
  • Page 40 RCA connectors. Grounding Post The Grounding Post is for grounding turntables and other types of DJ equipment to Mbox 2 Pro. Mic/Line 1 and 2 Each analog source input channel (Input 1 and Input 2) provides Mic (XLR) and Line (TRS) in- put on combination jacks.

  • Page 41: Chapter 6. Making Hardware Connections

    Connecting Headphones system, use any of the six available Line Out channels on the back panel. See “Addi- On the front panel of the Mbox 2 Pro are two tional Analog Outputs” on page 34. 1/4-inch headphone connectors, each with an associated level control, labelled A and B.

  • Page 42: Connecting A Sound System

    Additional Analog Outputs Connecting a Sound System Mbox 2 Pro provides a total of six analog output The main monitor outputs on the back of the channels in addition to the primary Monitor Mbox 2 Pro (Mon Out L and R) support 1/4-inch outputs.

  • Page 43: Connecting Audio Inputs

    Mbox 2 Pro. For information about con- necting specific audio sources, see “Connecting DI For 1/4-inch Tip-Sleeve cables from guitar, a Microphone to the Mbox 2 Pro” on page 36, bass, microphones, or similar sources. and “Connecting Instruments to the Mbox 2 Pro”...
  • Page 44 Mbox 2 Pro. This switch sends 48V to both XLR mic inputs. The 48V LED on the front of the Mbox 2 Pro will light when phantom power is being supplied. Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started...
  • Page 45 Mic Cables and Connectors phone’s documentation or contact the manu- There are several ways to use Mbox 2 Pro with a facturer. microphone, depending on the type of micro- phone and cable you use.
  • Page 46 Connecting Instruments to the On the front of the Mbox 2 Pro, set the source to DI by pressing the Mic/DI switch until the DI Mbox 2 Pro LED is lit. Mbox 2 Pro provides three input types (DI, Line...
  • Page 47 This lets you record signals from digital devices into On the front panel of Mbox 2 Pro, press the Pro Tools, and send digital audio from Pro Tools Aux In Source select switch as needed so the to other digital devices.

  • Page 48: Midi Connections

    Mbox 2 Pro S/PDIF In connec- tor, you must do the following to configure the The two MIDI ports on Mbox 2 Pro let you take Pro Tools Clock Source: advantage of all the MIDI features of...

  • Page 49: Word Clock

    Word Clock controller to the MIDI OUT port on the back of Mbox 2 Pro. Mbox 2 Pro provides Word Clock In and Out connectors on the back panel that let you syn- MIDI chronize, or “clock” Pro Tools LE and Mbox 2 Pro to industry standard Word clock.
  • Page 50 In order to slave Pro Tools to an external Word clock source, you must configure Word clock as Pro Tools LE with Mbox 2 Pro can act as Word the Pro Tools Clock source, as follows: clock master, or as a slave to Word clock sup- plied by an external device.

  • Page 51: Chapter 7. Common Tasks With Pro Tools Le

    Verify the connections between your with your Pro Tools system. Mbox 2 Pro and your instrument or micro- phone. For the most complete information on using Pro Tools, see the Pro Tools Reference Guide.
  • Page 52 Samples, if your source is stereo. put volume of the source device, then adjust the Mbox 2 Pro Gain control. Adjust these two levels so that the input Peak LEDs on the front panel do not light red. (One Peak LED is provided on the front panel for each input;...

  • Page 53: Importing Audio From A Cd

    Click Record Enable in the Transport window Importing Audio from a CD to arm Pro Tools for recording. The Record but- ton flashes red to indicate that Pro Tools is ready To import audio from a compact disc: to record. Put the source CD into your computer’s When you are ready to start recording, click CD/DVD drive.

  • Page 54: Creating An Audio Cd From A Pro Tools Session

    Analog 1–2 as the Bounce Source. “master” audio file. After the new audio file has Choose WAV (BWF) for the File Type. been bounced to disk, you can burn it to a CD. Choose Stereo Interleaved for the Format. Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started...
  • Page 55 Choose 16 for the Resolution and 44100 for Click Save. the Sample Rate. Pro Tools begins bouncing to disk. Pro Tools If you are changing the sample rate of the bounces are done in real time, so you hear audio bounced file, choose a Conversion Quality set- playback of your mix during the bounce process ting.

  • Page 56: Recording Midi In A Pro Tools Session

    Signal paths for MIDI instruments Creating a new Mono Instrument track Select View > Mix Window > Instruments to display the MIDI controls for the Instrument track. Showing the Instrument View in the Mix window Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started...
  • Page 57 At the top of the Instrument track in the Mix window, click the track’s MIDI Input selector and assign the device and channel to be re- corded, or leave it set to All. MIDI Input selector MIDI Output selector in an Instrument track MIDI Input selector in an Instrument track If your connected MIDI device does not ap- Do one of the following, depending on the...
  • Page 58 You can also record to a selection in a track Click Play in the Transport window to begin or from the cursor location in the Edit window. playback. The recorded MIDI data plays back through the track’s assigned instrument and channel. Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started...

  • Page 59: Appendix A. Configuring Midi Studio Setup (Windows Only)

    appendix a Configuring MIDI Studio Setup (Windows Only) MIDI Studio Setup Window MIDI Studio Setup The MIDI Studio Setup window is organized MIDI Studio Setup (MSS) lets you configure the into three sections. Interface controls are at the MIDI controllers and sound modules that are top of the window.
  • Page 60 To define an instrument with MIDI Studio Setup: I/O), in addition to the MIDI ports on Choose Setup > MIDI > MIDI Studio. Mbox 2 Pro, the MIDI Studio setup window shows both the DirectMusic time-stamped out- Click Create. put ports, and non-stamped duplicate emulated In the Instrument Name field, type the name...

  • Page 61: Midi Patch Name Support

    MIDI devices. These files reside in directories, available MIDI interface input ports. Inputs will sorted by manufacturer, in Program Files\ include Mbox 2 Pro and any additional MIDI in- Common Files\Digidesign\MIDI Patch Names\ terfaces enabled on your system. The MIDI in- Digidesign.
  • Page 62 Patch Select dialog names. In the Open dialog, navigate to Program Files\Common Files\Digidesign\MIDI Patch Names\Digidesign\<name of manufacturer>, and select the MIDI Patch Name file (.midnam) for the MIDI device. Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started...

  • Page 63: Appendix B. Configuring Ams (Mac Os X Only)

    MIDI interface and configure your MIDI studio for use with Pro Tools. This chapter shows examples of AMS using Mbox 2. The instructions for Mbox 2 Pro are identical to those presented here. To configure your MIDI studio in AMS:...
  • Page 64 Repeat steps 3–6 for each MIDI device in your TextEdit). MIDI setup. To configure an external MIDI device: Select the external device icon and click Show Info (or double-click the new device icon). External Device Icon Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started...
  • Page 65 Click the More Properties arrow to expand the Click the device image. The window expands dialog, then enable the appropriate MIDI chan- to show images for various MIDI devices (such nels (1–16) for the Transmits and Receives op- as keyboards, modules, interfaces, and mixers). tions.

  • Page 66: Midi Patch Name Support

    MIDI patch name files (.midnam) can be edited in any text editor, or you can use third party patch librarian and editor soft- ware to create your own custom patch names. Patch Select button, Mix window Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started...

  • Page 67: Appendix C. Hard Drive Configuration And Maintenance

    appendix c Hard Drive Configuration and Maintenance It is recommended that you start with a newly Formatting an Audio Drive initialized audio drive. You should also periodi- cally defragment your audio drive to ensure Formatting Windows Audio Drives continued system performance. (Windows Only) Always back up any important data on your drive before initializing it, as it will...
  • Page 68 Type a name for the new volume. If you plan to connect the drive to a Mac OS 9 computer, select Install Mac OS 9 Drivers. Click Erase. The drive appears on the Desktop with the new volume name. Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started...

  • Page 69: Audio Drives And Disk Cleanup

    Audio Drives and Disk Defragmenting an Audio Drive Cleanup (Windows Only) (Windows Only) Periodically defragment audio drives to maintain system performance. The process of recording and editing can quickly decrease overall drive performance. It is sug- To defragment an audio drive: gested that you regularly use Disk Cleanup (or an equivalent utility) to assess the condition of Right-click My Computer and choose Man-...

  • Page 70: Hard Disk Storage Space

    24 mono tracks, 60 minutes 7 GB 7.8 GB 10.5 GB 11.6 GB 32 mono tracks, 5 minutes 800 MB 883 MB 1.2 GB 1.3 GB 32 mono tracks, 60 minutes 9.4 GB 10.4 GB 14 GB 15.4 GB Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started...

  • Page 71: Appendix D. Troubleshooting

    CD burners. quired amount of RAM to launch Pro Tools. See The best way to back up an entire session is to the compatibility page of the Digidesign Web use the Save Copy In command. This command site (www.digidesign.com).

  • Page 72: Performance Factors

    DAE errors, and their solutions based interchange of audio data. on the latest information from Digidesign Tech- nical Support. This database is installed in the Background Applications Any software utilities Digidesign folder when you install Pro Tools.
  • Page 73 Gather Important Information Other Hardware Refer to the manufacturer’s documentation for Digidesign wants to help you resolve problems operational details. as quickly and efficiently as possible. If you have the following information handy when you The most common hardware additions include: contact Technical Support, it will make the diag- •...
  • Page 74 Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started...

  • Page 75: Index

    index ASIO driver (Windows) 18 hard drives defragmenting (Windows) 61 audio drivers Disk Cleanup (Windows) 61 ASIO driver (Windows) 18 formatting (Mac) 60 CoreAudio driver (Macintosh) 26 formatting (Windows) 59 Audio MIDI Setup (AMS) (Macintosh) 55 MacDrive utility 13 authorizing Pro Tools LE maintenance 59 Macintosh 22 requirements 5...
  • Page 76 28, 37 Power LED 27 power management settings Macintosh 20 Windows 10 Pro Tools LE capabilities 4 configuration (Macintosh) 22 configuration (Windows) 14 installing (Macintosh) 21 installing (Windows) 12 QuickTime installing (Windows) 13 Mbox 2 Pro Getting Started...

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