MBOX and external Microphone Preamplifiers

[V Mingle]

Hello to all,

What I want to do is use another microphone preamplifier with the MBOX. Can this be done?

I would like to know if the mic preamps on the MBOX can be bi-passed if you use the Line/Instrument inputs. Thanks...

V Mingle

[Slim Shady]

The only way to bypass the pres on the Mbox are to use the digital S/PDIF inputs instead of the analog inputs.

[Leadfinger]

Hello to all,

What I want to do is use another microphone preamplifier with the MBOX. Can this be done?

I would like to know if the mic preamps on the MBOX can be bi-passed if you use the Line/Instrument inputs. Thanks...

V Mingle

...I thought using the Line input was the way to go in order to do this too??? Technically I suppose you are not bypassing the mbox but I am sure you can use another Mic Pre this way. Haven't really experimented too much with it so if anyone has any tips or a better way of doing it - I'm keen to hear about it too.

[Slim Shady]

The original Mbox doesn't have seperate Line Inputs, and I would imagine the ones on the Mbox2 still go through the preamps (you can adjust the input volume using the knob on the front right?... still using the preamp if that's the case). You can definitely do it that way, but you're kind of defeating the purpose of using a better external pre when you then run it through the Mbox pre as well.

When patching in gear like an external Preamp, you want the signal to go straight to the converters w/o going through any volume circuitry, and this isn't possible using any of the Mbox analog inputs, the only way to avoid this on either Mbox is to use an external A/D converter along with your preamp and patch into the S/PDIF inputs.

[mindseye]

Slim Shady,

So, based on what you're saying, is there no advantage to using an external pre with the mbox 1, without going thru the S/PDIF inputs??

[Slim Shady]

Well, it depends on how good the pre is, and how much the Mbox pres color the sound of that better preamp and whether or not you like that sound. The thing to remember is just that the sound of the external preamp is going to be colored somewhat by the Mbox pres if you're going analog - that may or may not be a bad thing depending on what kind of sound you're going for, and the only way to avoid it is to use the Digital inputs instead.

Now if you use the line inputs and are able to send an analog signal hot enough to keep the gain knob on the Mbox all the way down, it might not be too bad, but it's still far from an optimal situation.

[Ian-H]

You can do it - I'm running my Great River and Dav preamps through the MBox - you just need to wire up a cable to get the signal in through the insert return channel. Completely bypasses the preamps.

[Ian-H]

You can do it - I'm running my Great River and Dav preamps through the MBox 1 - you just need to wire up a cable to get the signal in through the insert return channel. Completely bypasses the preamps.

[Slim Shady]

Ah, excellent point Ian, the original Mbox does have the insert jacks which would allow you to do this, I have mine wired into a compressor so I totally forgot about them. Unfortuanately the Mbox2 lost the Insert Jacks in favor of the MIDI jack, but if you're on an Mbox1 and have the appropriate cables it could be done, thanks for catching that.

[mindseye]

Sorry to jump on your post V, but it seems like we're in the same boat. Feel free to jump in on mine in the future.

Thanks Slim and Ian for the responses! Could you guys explain exactly what type of cable I would need and can it be purchased or does it have to be made?? I do own an Mbox 1