Problem With Recording Vocals in Pro Tools

[Visceral]

Hi everyone. I'm new to the forum and new to home recording. I have a Mbox Mini 2. This weekend I wanted to record a song with some of my vocals on it. I imported a midi file into Pro Tools and was able to pick the instruments through Reason and got all the instruments on the track.

When it came time to record my vocals, I set up my microphone (MXL 990) in my closet and attempted to sing. When I listened to the track, it sounded really thin and it didn't capture any of the low end in my voice. It also sounded grated, distorted, and scratchy, and frankly my laptop microphone sounds much better than the recording with the MXL 990. I have a full baritone voice, and the recording I made basically destroyed all the fullness of my natural voice and turned it into something very thin and weak sounding. I must be doing something wrong, because the reviews I've read on the internet about the MXL 990 make it seem like it's a decent starter microphone.

I'm running a 15 foot XLR cable from the microphone into the input 1 on the back of the Mbox Mini 2. I have the Mic/DI and Pad buttons out, and the 48V button is pushed in. I tried pushing the Mic/DI button in, and nothing recorded. The same thing happened when I pushed the 48V button out. This mic requires phantom power, so I believe that pushing the 48V button in engages that power. From there I am recording right on to a Pro Tools Audio Track.

I tried switching the microphone to an SM58. This sounded better and more full, but I know that you are supposed to use condenser microphones for vocals on recordings.

Please help me with recording vocals through my MXL 990.