PT 8 Mbox3 Mini

[elvi123]

Hi Everyone,
I've just installed Pro Tools LE 8 and upgraded to 8.05 on my Macbook pro using OSX 10.6.6 The new Pro Tools looks great but horror of horrors I get this awful hiss and intermittent hum when I turn up the mic gain on the mbox 3 mini!
I thought that the original Mbox was bad but this seems even worse!
I'm really disappointed as I have read glowing reviews of the Mbox 3 mini now I feel like sending it back.


Does anyone know what could be wrong? Has anyone experienced this problem?

Thanks
EL

[DigiTechSupt]

Can you give us more info on your configuration? What kinds of speakers do you have connected to the Mbox 3? Or are you using headphones? Which USB port is the Mbox 3 connected to? Did you try a different USB port?

This sounds like it could be a ground loop. Does the noise happen both in headphones and speakers? How high do you have the gain turned up? What do you have connected to the inputs on the Mbox 3?

The more info you can provide the easier it will be to troubleshoot. This is NOT typical of an Mbox 3 - I'm using one right now with 2.2ghz Santa Rosa MacBook Pro and it's dead quiet.

[elvi123]

Hi,
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.
I have no speakers connected to the Mbox at the moment (don't have access to them at the minute) so am using headphones.
I have tried both USB ports and experience the same hiss
I have to have the mic gain very high in order to get any decent level at all.
I have nothing connected to the other inputs of the Mbox mini just a mic into the SLR connection.
Phantom power is switched on the mic button is out......

I have compared the signal I can get with the MBox original (which I never rated that much as far as mic levels go) and it's so hissy and quiet in comparison.

EL

[DigiTechSupt]

What model mic is this? Does the hiss occur if the mic is not connected? When you say 'decent level' - what do the meters look like (peak) when you're using the mic? What are you recording with the mic and how are you recording (how close is the mic to the source, etc)?

[elvi123]

When I turn the mic gain knob all the way up there is only a horrible loud hissing noise.... don't know if this helps you?

Like I said I've been using the original Mbox until today and getting ok levels in comparison to this so if it were a ground loop wouldn't the Mbox original also have suffered the same or worse audio problems? I thought that the pre amp in the mbox 3 mini were supposed to be way to be superior by far but not so in my present experience......

EL

[elvi123]

Yes it's still there but only when I turn the gain nob up all the way and it's quieter obviously without the mic plugged in - so is the low hum intermittent hum noise....... still there but quieter
EL

[DigiTechSupt]

Which mic are you using? Have you tried different mic cables?

It may be that you have a defective unit - it's difficult to say for sure from here, so I'd suggest contacting tech support by phone so they can walk you through further troubleshooting and determine if that's the case.

[elvi123]

Hi
I've just noticed that when I go to the Setup menu and select Hardware in Pro Tools 8.05 nothing happens no pop up window etc....

EL

[DigiTechSupt]

That's normal - the setup window for Mbox 3 Mini is in the System Preference panel.