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stupidfatnugly
New member
should I invest in a preamp to go with my mbox2 or get a new interface?
how much do these things cost?
should I invest in a preamp to go with my mbox2 or get a new interface?
how much do these things cost?
SouthSIDE Glen
independentrecording.net
Don't misuderstand me; I'm not saying that gear like the mbox2 sounds awful. You can get a perfectly servicable recording out of one provided you have the technique. Will it be a blow-you-away, Abbey Road sound? Of course not. It's only a couple of hundred dollar box. But used properly, you can get sounds good enough to mix.
I'd recommend learning how to use your mbox2 (and everything else) first, otherwise any new money you spend on something better will just be giving your money away. Get the technique down; practice mic placement and learn some tricks there, learn about how to set your gains on your preamps so as not to record a signal that's too hot or too cold, learn what we're actually talking about when we throw around all these different VU and dB numbers and what you meters are actually telling you. Ans so on.
It's not that hard. No one is stupid unless they don't want to learn. If you want to learn this stuff, it's not that hard. If you don't and you just want us to be spoon fed simple answers, you're in the wrong hobby, because that's not how this one works.
G.
Farview
Well-known member
If you are using Protools, you have to use thier interface. You have no choice.
This thread has gotten off on a tangent. Glen, Born and I are really arguing about tiny details and things that won't make much of a difference to you for a long time.
Born's argument has more to do with the fact that he knows more about how these things are built than most people, so he was trying to give very specific advice that will only work in one situation (assuming that your interface is designed the way he thinks it is). What Glen and I are attempting to do is tell you how the system is designed to work, so that you can take our advice and apply it to any recording situation anywhere.
There is nothing really 'wrong' with your preamps or interface.
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stupidfatnugly
New member
how to use my mbox? there's like two knobs. I just adjust the "mix" knob and the "input" knob and it doesn't really matter which one. or so I think. I keep the "mix" knob halfway and adjust the "input" to whatever sounds good.
is there more to it than that?
I just adjust these knobs so that the average signal I'm recording is about halfway up the meter, correct?
thanks to the 3 of you for trying to explain it to me.
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stupidfatnugly
New member
another post says use a preamp with mbox2:
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=272488
second skin and Rd423 said they use a preamp with.
maybe I should look into this after I learn how to use mine?
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=272488
second skin and Rd423 said they use a preamp with.
maybe I should look into this after I learn how to use mine?
Farview
Well-known member
The input knob adjusts the recording level. Adjust that knob so the level is about half way up the meter.
The mix knob adjusts how loud the instrument you are recording is against the playback. Turn it one way and you will hear nothing but playback, turn it all the way the other way and you will hear nothing but the instrument you are recording.
So, adjust the input knob to get the right recording level and adjust the mix knob to hear it the way you need to.
Farview
Well-known member
Once you get to the point where you know that the quality of the mbox preamp is holding back your mixes, go for it. Until then, it's just an added complexity that is unneccessary.
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corban
New member
this has been by far the most educational thread I've read on here in a long time. I've been running under the "as hot as possible without clipping" mantra, and yes I end up turning everything down in the mix. I didn't realize the downside to that is i may be adding unnecessary noise with my preamp staging, depending on the dynamic range of my source. So I'll be making some adjustments based on that. Unfortunately as a beginner you guys have shot a bit over stupidfatandugly's head. For him I'll say: keep coming back to this thread until you understand it. Check out that link to southside Glen's page. For now just make sure you give yourself some headroom when you record, especially with things that don't have a lot of dynamic range.
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stupidfatnugly
New member
yeah it's ridiculous how much help they've been
I should be paying for this
and I'll keep coming back to this but for now, the changes I've made sound alot better already
I should be paying for this
and I'll keep coming back to this but for now, the changes I've made sound alot better already
