Connecting Outboard Gear? Mbox 3 Pro

[philip888]

I would like to connect some outboard gear to my Mbox 3 Pro to use as Inserts on audio tracks in Pro Tools.

What is the best way to do this?

Thanks

[guatamas]

Did you figure it out?

[nst7]

Are you referring to wanting to record through the hardware, or use the hardware as inserts when you're mixing? Because that's two different setups.

[philip888]

Originally Posted by nst7

Are you referring to wanting to record through the hardware, or use the hardware as inserts when you're mixing? Because that's two different setups.

My original questions is regarding the use of hardware as an insert when mixing.

Thank you

[guatamas]

Originally Posted by philip888

My original questions is regarding the use of hardware as an insert when mixing.

Thank you

The best way I can see that happening is getting an insert cable and setting up your control panel up for this (not sure if the CP setup is necessary though). In Pro Tools using a hardware I/O as an insert, that would allow you to use any hardware as if it was an effect

[albee1952]

Its going to be tricky and limited, at best. For inserts, you need to use matching IO, which means output3, paired with input3 or output4 paired with input4(for a total of 2 insert paths in mono or a single path in stereo). Personally, unless the outboard gear is exceptional, its not worth the hassle(and we haven't addressed the latency that must be manually compensated for). Now, I really don't mean this to sound insulting, but I suspect 2 things; 1-the output gear isn't that special(feel free to prove me wrong), and 2-since you are asking how, you may well be better off staying ITB(in the box) and avoiding all the hassle(feel free to disagree). Having said that, I applaud you for wanting to learn(and the manual/help files can guide you thru it all nicely). Most that use outboard, also use an interface with a lot more IO(which is seriously limited on the Mbox Pro, and simply not feasible on the USB Mboxes). There are so many really good plugins that hardware is just not worth it for mixing(but I do like to track thru a good preamp and compressor).

Maybe if you tell us what you have for hardware, someone can offer some great options or recommend plugins based on your "ideal" effect or process that you want.

[upavas]

The inserts on your mbox 3 pro only work when recording a mic, so to say from the mic via the insert into your outboard gear and then directly into your ad/da converter. Thry csnnot be used for mixing. As to how to connect your reverb unit, go from output 3 into your reverb if stereo or teo channel output 3-4 into reverb, and from the reverb back into input 3 or respectively 3 and 4. Good luck with it... I know the question is old but better late than never ;-)

[albee1952]

He has a Mbox Pro, which is firewire, and my instructions regarding matching IO for inserts are exactly correct for that interface. I mentioned the USB Mboxes because a great many newbies are wondering the same thing, so I try to address my answer/help to all, in hopes that my advice can help more than just the OP. All too often, folks that are new to this stuff think that they will be happy and efficient if they could only patch in that Alesis or cheap DBX compressor, but by the time they deal with all that happens in the real world, they will be much better served by using plugins. I have some decent compressors that I track through, but for mixing, plugins will beat any hardware that most "budget" setups have access to(wanna patch in a real LA2A or a Distressor? I'm all for that)

2 ins and outs allows for 2 channels of hardware insert; I would not call that "plenty" (but the S/PDIF IO might be a handy place to patch a hardware reverb like the TC Electronics M-ONE). And thanks for pointing out that the insert jacks are strictly for tracking use (I already assumed the OP knew that).