Digidesign MBox 2 USB, Computer Hardware Options

[toddr]

yes celticdale I see your point, the reason anyone on here is bitching about pro tools le and Mbox 2 is because no one wants to spend $450-$550 on some plastic crappy blue box with tiny writing on it and no inserts and only 48k and slow USB 1.1, when the whole system runs on that slow and unreliable usb connection, why spend money on a nice computer to plug in crap, because of PT LE, big deal, that le software is the biggest, hungryest program on the planet, with USB No one will pay that price to have compatibility, Im sure sweetwater will sell out the first few bunches, but then they will realize they have been screwed by Digi once again,
Digi is so far behind on this piece of crap they have no idea. I would fire the whole design team and marketing team as well, this is a poor attempt to stay in the $500 bracket, they should be ashamed,

Oh and celticdale, while I was writing this comment, I am buring a 24 track mix with my $399 Saffire/cubase le without a hitch, so I am making music and wasting no time at all.
Have fun updating your plug ins after they update PT LE every month, they wont work, it's digi's way of saying "thanks for all your money sucker!"

[thetaxi.AN971]

I would venture to say that Digi didn't upgrade to 96k or Firewire in order to not compete with the 002. I mean, if you were trying to sell a Firewire device that was 96k, why would you sell another one that's half price?

[toddr]

Yes you have a point there, its all about what we can afford,

[gkeys]

Man, I've been wanting to say this for a long time... since I got the Mbox for touring with this lil'G3 back in May, 2001... using PT5.2... Focusrite ain't got a clue! How they've managed to hook DigiDesign into teaming up is way beyond me!

(My) Mbox has NEVER booted properly and I have to plug/unplug the USB cable 2+ times before it will run... EVERYTIME! How about that USB 'lagtime'... it's fine for recording the mix on a live gig BUT... multitracking? NO WAY!

I wouldn't trust another Focusrite product if my life depended on it. Les'we forget... MIDI? I am not sorry to say Focusrite S*CKS... and their preamps? OK... in a bind. I've been wanting to upgrade to a better Mac 'cause I use a Digi001 on an old'G4 in the home studio. Just can't afford it so... added more mem(to1Gb), waiting for Panther to come in and the 'last' Digi001 upgrade I just ordered... that should suffice for another year(or two?).

There's just way too much stuff out there to keep up with... I like knowing how to use what I got and as until I get faster than it does the G4&001 will do fine.
ps... I prefer to actually "play" my keyboards rather than program. Also looking into the MPowered setups... interesting stuff!

George "Keys" Izquierdo
http://www.zymondo.com

[BobbiStyle]

Hi GKeys

Actually, the issues you have with the MBox are not Focusrite caused issues. Their preamps wouldn't cause these issues. 100% Digidesign errors there mate. USB is also notorious for latency too. The 001 and such are awesome though.

Cheers!
Bobbi
:-)

[gkeys]

Hi Bobbi,

Thanks for the comment. How about the fact that the Mbox came with no MIDI... was that a DigiDesign thing? I forgot to mention this but, how about the actual physical design of the mbox? ever try to pack that thing for a trip... I finally went to the grinder and took those stupid little wings off! Portablity? Just put it in a simple square box so I can pack it!

Before I went digital with my studio in 2000, I asked everybody I knew for their opinion... the majority replied... "Mac & ProTools". So I went with it... my only regret is the price of ProTools and their RTAS stuff. Ya'gotta'wonder at this point, is DigiDesign gonna'get off their high horse before long or do they even realize the hounds are at their heels?!?!

I have been looking at Logic7 when I get the next Mac (whenever that is) but I do love ProTools!

L8r G8r
George

[geokie8]

OK I'm brand new (both to this forum as well to computer recording). I'm in the market for a new PC and want to record music as well. I have a BOSS 1180CD but I think I want to e-bay it and start with computers. I'll get a PC (not a Mac). I know I'm on the wrong forum for that, but you guys seem knowledgeable and passionate and the platforms are pretty much interchangeable, so let's not go there.

I just got back from Sam Ash and they recommended the M-Box 2. I was skeptical of the USB connection and spent a lot of time trying to determine if it was 1.1 or 2.0. I have no software preference (i.e., I don't know a Pro Tools LE from a Cubase SE). I want to do all the normal things (EQ, compression, delay, etc., and wouldn't mind a bunch of other tricks (pitch correction, etc.). I don't need to record a whole band (but wouldn't that be a nice option?).

Let's assume I spend between $1000 and $1500 on the computer and get a fast enough chip, enough RAM, and two hard drives. What interface should I get, (or does it really depend upon the software that comes bundled)? What's the best value at $500? At $1000? At $1500?

Please help me out here.

[dave-g]

welcome geoki, i have the feeling you aren't going to get many replies here. it's not because you choose to use a PC either, it's because we only read this thread to bitch about how bad the new mbox is and what fools digi thinks we are. i know i've done my share on this and other lists! i've actually had all my mbox2 posts deleted on the DUC forum, so i know digi loves me, not.

anyway, you're one of the lucky ones, all us folks using PTLE are stuck with either this low end crap box 1 or 2 or we'll have to shell out real loot to get something only slightly better, but you can have your pick of some of the new and exciting things out there. if i wasn't in this boat i'd be buying:

Focusrite Saffire - onboard DSP and 24-bit/192kHz processing for $399!? can't go wrong there. i still might get one, just to play around with.
Presonus FIREBOX - 24-bit/96K and cubase for $299
M-Audio FireWire 410 24-bit 192kHz. i actually bought one of these for a project and ended up using it way more than i should have. some folks had problems with theirs, but mine has always worked fine. mine came with Reason adapted and Ableton Live lite version (what ever it was called i loved it and upgraded to the real one!) and now it's a good path to go pro tools in the future.

hope this gives you a starting point. if i were you i'd post your message on another forum (to get the PC folks advice) and start your own thread because this one's going to get buried amongst all the complaints.

enjoy!
Dave-G

[geokie8]

Hey, thx for taking the time. I'll check these out in more detail (they have come across my radar as I've searched for info).

I will take your advice and ask around at some other forums (if I can find any). This forum was invaluable as it seems to have steered me away from the M-Box 2 (which does sound like a pretty decent deal on its face).

Thx again,

geokie8

[lepetitmartien]

As long as we are not a Pc site at all (doesn't mean we don't like, it's just not the purpose) as far as I know, protools on PCs is still not that great, you should have a look on the DUC to check.

Also, Digidesign means proprietary software linked to hardware, it can be just a bore sometimes (especially in the compatibility issues).

Fortunately there's plenty of good interfaces in that range as dave-g hinted.

Now please, if you want some advice about the pc itself, please, keep it in open bar