M-audio Black Box -- Are The Models Good? Options

[muleboy]

Just wondering if anyone has experience with the Black Box? The USB / s/pdif outs make it singularly attractive at $199 [compared to comparable POD with only MIDI controlling, no digi out], but I'm wondering what your experience is with the modeling/cabinet simulation.

I gues what i mean is: does it sound good?

[mortalengines]

I am kinda leary of ever buying little "modeling boxes" & would recommend you do a couple of things instead:

1) Buy a DI box

2) Buy a Reamp Box

3) Find a good deal on modeling software like Izotope Trash or Amplitube LE (or even some freeware modeling programs)

4) Think about getting a decent dynamic mic like the Blueball or The SM57.

The idea behind this is that modeling gets better as time goes on & upgrading software is easier than commiting to a Pod or a Black Box & you can use the modeled stuff until you meet a friend or go to a "real" studio that has good amps & then bring your file & "reamp" your DI'd guitar tracks into whatever amps/stompboxes you like & get a GOOD guitar sound.

Actually, a Black box is pretty cheap so if you get it, just buy a DI for now (one that splits your signal into 2 outputs) & Record a clean signal at the same time as you record the Black Box. Later, you can spend the 300 bucks on a "reamp" & a dynamic mic when you are thinking about mixing down. The "reamp" works really well on Drums & Keys & even whole mixes for putting a little air & grunge on any pristine "digitized" signal with the idea that it converts the signal coming out of your computer to "line level" capable of driving a guitar amplifier which can be recorded & run back into the computer as a new track. I can elaborate more if you wish but I am not to hip on the Pod (I own one by the way) or any of that stuff after I bought a mic & jammed it into my amp's grill & CRANKED THAT BABY UP. My Pod is a dust collector now.

This post has been edited by mortalengines: Tue 21 Feb 2006, 03:39