3 MONTH REVIEW | AVID MBOX STUDIO

[@vanessajazp6341]

I actually JUST bought one of these specifically because it was a cheaper option for getting into Pro Tools ($100 off for 'black Friday' deals, so $499 for an interface and Pro Tools Studio perpetual). Pretty good deal, and I have no problem with their choice of effects since I use outboard compressors in front of the interface to give me more dialed in control over compression.

[@mountainlabelmusic]

Very nice!! I think I have grown to prefer to want to use outboard compression. I still wish this thing had DSP...

[@albertkinng]

At 50 years old, I've been using the Mbox since 2002, and I consider it an exceptional tool for home post-production studios. While I'm not a music creator, I rely on it for ad editing, brand audio imaging, and developing audio assets for radio stations. The Mbox truly comes close to being the perfect device; however, it feels like the company is hesitant to fully develop its capabilities to avoid overshadowing their professional line-up. For those who need everything the Mbox provides, it's an incredible value. That said, if you already have an Apollo X4 Heritage Edition on your desk, skip the Mbox and save yourself the time of reviewing it. Thank you.

[@mountainlabelmusic]

Thanks for your input!!

[@thepatzer]

Thanks for the real-world experience. Too many “reviews” on KZbin are glossy video brochures or just specs and measurements, not how it works in actual practice.

[@mountainlabelmusic]

I agree, just about every video I looked at before I bought it myself said the exact same things. Sometimes, it isn't always as good as people make it out to be... Also much appreciated!!

[@drillgirl718]

the mbox studio is real good for those with hardware gear, the thing about my uad volt 476 that it doesnt have that is very important is the ability to bypass the preamps of the interface, which you have to buy the rack apollos to even do that, so already mbox will give you clear sound, u gotta spend $1000 plus for that ability, also a compressor on a interface is hard to do, and the uad compressors suck as you cant customize them so a big no no, nobody else is doing compressors on an interface, just a bad idea, and its coming with a free license,

[@mountainlabelmusic]

Great information!! I feel like Avid could have at LEAST given us some DSP power like many other smaller interfaces have, rather than a delay. Kind of a weird selection to put it instead of a Delay. Might have had to do with something involving the reverb, which I will hand it to them to include.

[@chemdrum]

great video! I always saw this interface as an excellent choice for someone who aspires to run a recording studio with some consistent local talent who needs somewhere to record. It wouldn't be a great choice for the solo artist who only needs to record vocals, guitar, bass, or even keyboards.

[@mountainlabelmusic]

It's exactly that!! If you planned on having external hardware but not needing a huge studio for producing your own music, and only recording and mixing, it is a phenomenal interface!!

[@povertytaretv]

I totally agree with the compression that was a total miss

[@Jriv463]

Does the interface work well across different DAWS? I was looking for a new interface and also came across it not offering compression which started my doubt but did read about limiter (could the settings of the limiter be tweaked to work as a compressor? Could an analog compressor be added through the FX send return for real time monitoring? Are the headphone outputs different output channels or part of the same output as the main and duplicated 3 times. I like to work on Ableton that is why had this last question. Thanks in advanced, great video!

[@mountainlabelmusic]

Thanks for watching!! Here is what I know... You can 100% use the interface with any DAW. It's powered by an external power supply, and is not bus powered. But it does have an included USB-C cable. :) The limiter is a soft-clip limiter, but as far as I know, is described as a fail safe for overdriven signal. I don't believe there is any way to adjust the parameters of the limiter to be useful enough as a compressor. I'll take a look into it :) You could totally add outboard FX to your monitoring if you have it!! You can use your FX Loop from inside the interface, then out to the compressor and back in. Or if you have an external preamp+compression, you can go through the Line In Inputs directly. All of the monitoring is independent!! You can make the primary and secondary monitors the same volume when switching, but the headphone outs are independent in terms of volume. If you need to customize what each headphone output is hearing, you can do that within the MBOX Control Software. (I personally like to create separate monitoring outputs in my DAW and route those outputs to the headphones directly to make controlling what I do and don't need without switching applications).

[@TzillaDzilla]

Late question but how do you think this would work for streaming on youtube or twitch as well? (I know probably overkill, will have other functions). Plug all your mics and monitors into it? Since this has an optical port can you connect a tv to it, haha? I agree that it feels like a product for "who aspires to run a recording studio" or can it be seen as a universal control deck for all your stuff

[@mountainlabelmusic]

It probably would be no better or worse than any other interface with the capabilities you would be needing. It does have loopback capabilities, none that I have played around with myself 🙂

[@TzillaDzilla]

@@mountainlabelmusic I may go for it. Since I have friends who are wanting to use for the recordings, etc. If I can grab sub $300, that'd be great haha. Thanks for the input!

[@mishazvenigorodskiy]

Can you use it , if you buy it from used market ? Or there is limitations ?

[@mountainlabelmusic]

No limitations, you just won't get a free Pro Tools license if someone had already redeemed it with their Avid Account.

[@JawillOwens]

so how is the process to get pro tools? is there a code?

[@mountainlabelmusic]

You will have to create an Avid account and register the MBOX. Once your product is registered, you will go to your "products not yet downloaded" under your Avid account and follow the steps to install Avid Link and iLok, if you don't already have it downloaded. You will create and account/log-in to iLok from there, and it will give you the license through that process. I had to restart my computer, then install Pro Tools from the Avid Link software. It was a little tedious, but well worth it (imo)

[@JawillOwens]

@@mountainlabelmusic can you only use it with the mbox or with any interface?

[@mountainlabelmusic]

@JawillOwens once you download Pro Tools Studio, you can use any interface. I would look into the specs between Pro Tools Studio vs Pro Tools Ultimate to make sure there aren't any limitations that would cause concern.

[@JawillOwens]

@@mountainlabelmusic Thank you. I really appreciate it

[@Me_Dude]

​@@mountainlabelmusicI'm looking at buying this only for the license for protools as right now it's 100 dollars cheaper then just buying the license. I'm just wondering if it includes the year of updates as well or if it's just the license

[@alexanderkhait]

My opinion this is the ugliest interface on the market. It's not even that it's ugly, it's that it drags on all sorts of too much attention. All those flashing multicolored lights wtf

[@mountainlabelmusic]

There are hardly any "flashing" lights aside from the meters, which is kind of standard. And like I mentioned in the video, being able to color code the buttons is actually pretty beneficial. The meters, buttons, and gain/volume controls just take up too much real estate. Also what really constitutes an "ugly" interface? In my opinion, the less lights and meters it has, the uglier it gets. But I also don't buy an interface to look "pretty". I buy it for functionality and ease of use for my needs.

[@b4time718]

I agree. Looks like a kid's toy.

[@alexandereditsvideo]

I bought the Mbox Studio after being on the Focusrite Clarett+ 4Pre for two years and I can say with absolute certainty that music sounds noticeably worse through the Mbox Studio. Music sounds much clearer and better through the Clarett+ and yet every review I see on the Mbox says the AD/DA conversion is really clean. I don’t think this is true at all. I’m listening to music on Tidal at Max quality and the same songs I’ve heard countless times just don’t sound as good. I’m planning to sell this thing used and keep the perpetual Pro Tools license. It’s disappointing for sure.

[@UncleT525]

@@alexandereditsvideo It's because the mbox specs suck...110 Dynamic Range Line/Mon 102 Dynamic Range Headphone Output You want at least 120db Dynamic Range. Audient has this for way cheaper...The Clarett 4pre also specs better than the Mbox but not Audient. I switch between UAD and Audient Converters all the time they are really good for the price

[@mountainlabelmusic]

​@@alexandereditsvideo From my understanding the Focusrite Clarett+ is a mic preamp that has the their "Air" technology. When I think of someone saying the conversion is "clean" I refer to it being accurate from the source. If you plug in a mic into the MBOX Studio, you don't get any kind of special "preamp" sound that I'm assuming is given from the Clarrett+. I'm not sure what the conversion is from the Clarrett+, given that it is a mic preamp, not really built for "clean" audio recording. I believe you when you say that it would sound "better", possibly from the signal being colored with the Focusrite conversion. That wouldn't make it accurate for mixing and mastering, if that were the case. But I haven't used the Clarrett+, so I can't say for sure. In my opinion, I would have kept the Clarett+, used it for my mic preamps to go into the MBOX, rather than using it as a replacement.