Adding line inputs to my Mbox 3 Pro

[Ferrante]

I'm recording a lot of different hardware synthesizers & samplers through my Mbox 3 Pro and practically it would be great to have more channels so I don't have to switch the cables around the different synths all the time.
Let me point out, that I don't need to be able to record different synths simultaneously. I simple want it for practical reasons, to always have all my gear connected and ready to be recorded.

I'm thinking about an 8-channel mixer where I can hook up all the gear to and then just a stereo pair into my Mbox. Is that the best idea? In that case, what mixers out there can guarantee a true bypass signal that doesn't compromise the sound in any way before it reaches the Mbox? It should be a no-frill mixer without any effects but a no-compromising with sound.

Gimme some advice, please.

[cwsand]

Any additional components are technically going to change the sound, hopefully for the better, but not necessarily. I would think a decently made small mixer would work fine for you though, and I doubt you'd hear much difference in quality. Another option would be a small patchbay, but with so few inputs needed it might not be worth it. Check some of the online stores, you should be able to find a small mixer or patchbay that would work for you.

[Ferrante]

Looking at the patchbays, they won't make it any more practical for me. For example, If I'm connected with 8 channels IN to the patchbay and 8 channel OUT, I would still need to toggle the difference cables into my Mbox depending on which source I want to record.
So I guess a mixer is the way to go. I would go into the mixer with all my gear and going with a stereo pair out from the mixer into 2 channels on the Mbox. I only need to record one source at a time anyway. This would solve the annoyance of having to change cables every time I wanna change the sound source.

If anyone can recommend a high-end mixer for this purpose, I would be thankful.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by Ferrante

Looking at the patchbays, they won't make it any more practical for me. For example, If I'm connected with 8 channels IN to the patchbay and 8 channel OUT, I would still need to toggle the difference cables into my Mbox depending on which source I want to record.
So I guess a mixer is the way to go. I would go into the mixer with all my gear and going with a stereo pair out from the mixer into 2 channels on the Mbox. I only need to record one source at a time anyway. This would solve the annoyance of having to change cables every time I wanna change the sound source.

If anyone can recommend a high-end mixer for this purpose, I would be thankful.

Recommend a high end mixer, piece of cake: http://www.solid-state-logic.com/music/aws/

"Toggle different cables into your Mbox"???? In a patch bay, you change the patch cables, all in one easy to see/use place, you don't change around the cables between the interface and the patch bay.

For the price of even a mid-range mixer you can buy a whole new interface with more inputs/better quality/more features. Why not use a patch bay, this is exactly what they are intended for, and they are nice and sonically transparent as a piece of wire can be.


Darryl

[Stiff]

Hello,

Originally Posted by Ferrante

I'm thinking about an 8-channel mixer where I can hook up all the gear to and then just a stereo pair into my Mbox. Is that the best idea? In that case, what mixers out there can guarantee a true bypass signal that doesn't compromise the sound in any way before it reaches the Mbox? It should be a no-frill mixer without any effects but a no-compromising with sound.

Gimme some advice, please.

Have you used up all 8 possible ins (including digital)? If so, the mixer might be a good idea.

Originally Posted by Ferrante

If anyone can recommend a high-end mixer for this purpose, I would be thankful.

Absolutely. What's your budget?

Personally, I would go for something with nice color, probably labeled Chandler, but perhaps you want something transparent?

[Ferrante]

Originally Posted by Stiff

Hello,

Have you used up all 8 possible ins (including digital)? If so, the mixer might be a good idea.

8 ins? There are 4 ins that bypasses the preamp, and they are used.
The SPDIF is being used with an external preamp.

Originally Posted by Stiff

Absolutely. What's your budget?

If I can get a 12-16 channel transparent mixer for 2-300 dollars, that would be cool. I don't want any coloring.

[Ferrante]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

In a patch bay, you change the patch cables, all in one easy to see/use place, you don't change around the cables between the interface and the patch bay.

For the price of even a mid-range mixer you can buy a whole new interface with more inputs/better quality/more features. Why not use a patch bay, this is exactly what they are intended for, and they are nice and sonically transparent as a piece of wire can be.

Hey Darryl, thanks for the advice.
I'm still a bit confused why a patch bay would make things easier than they are now. I might be wrong, so I go in for details now:
In my setup today I have 2 stereo input pair for recording into my Mbox 3 Pro (only 4 inputs that bypasses the preamp). Synth1 goes into 1-2 and Synth2 into 3-4. When I want to record Synth3 I need to remove one of the stereo pairs in the Mbox to be able to record it.

After have been looking at the patch bays, I don't understand why it would be easier. Let's say I connect all 5 Synths into the patch bay into channels 1-10, and then they go out from the patch bay outputs 1-10. I would still need to re-route the different cable when I want to change the recording source, right?

Am I missing something? If there are patch bays that have some sort of stereo mix out of all the inputs, that would of course be the best choice.

I guess you can sort out my questions.

/Ferrante

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by Ferrante

Hey Darryl, thanks for the advice.
I'm still a bit confused why a patch bay would make things easier than they are now. I might be wrong, so I go in for details now:
In my setup today I have 2 stereo input pair for recording into my Mbox 3 Pro (only 4 inputs that bypasses the preamp). Synth1 goes into 1-2 and Synth2 into 3-4. When I want to record Synth3 I need to remove one of the stereo pairs in the Mbox to be able to record it.

After have been looking at the patch bays, I don't understand why it would be easier. Let's say I connect all 5 Synths into the patch bay into channels 1-10, and then they go out from the patch bay outputs 1-10. I would still need to re-route the different cable when I want to change the recording source, right?

Am I missing something? If there are patch bays that have some sort of stereo mix out of all the inputs, that would of course be the best choice.

I guess you can sort out my questions.

/Ferrante

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec9...s/patchbay.htm. Lots of other sources of information you can Google for...

Look at something like http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/NYSPP/ and buy a few nice quality TRS patch cables.

The patch bay makes any cable swapping very easy, its brought out to the open on top of a mix desk or in a 19" rack etc. If you get things organized with the right labeling and cable color coding etc. it is very easy to just switch the short patch cables around on the front of the panel. But its not automatic. There are usually no dedicated stereo pairs, you don't want them, just make it obvious with labeling/color coding

You can hook up an outboard mixer to do this, but do you want to spend $1,000, $5,000, $50,000, or more to do this that for the transparency (or deliberate tone change) you want? Would you hammer a nail in with a screwdriver? This is exactly what a patch panel is intended to do. And again if moving a patch cable is too hard then buy a larger interface and just leave things connected. there may be lots of reasons for using an analog outboard mixer, tracking more channels than you have inputs for, adding mic preamps, local monitoring options, etc. Nothing here sounds like that.

Darryl

[Ferrante]

Thanks for the input, Darryl!

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by Ferrante

8 ins? There are 4 ins that bypasses the preamp, and they are used.
The SPDIF is being used with an external preamp.


If I can get a 12-16 channel transparent mixer for 2-300 dollars, that would be cool. I don't want any coloring.

Not going to happen in this universe. Basically you're looking for an analog summing box and those can be expensive especially if you're looking for a no coloring solution. The Dangerous Music 2-Bus would fit here http://www.dangerousmusic.com/products/2-bus-0
not cheap at $2649 US


Then again there's an analog switcher like the SSL X-Patch. http://www.solid-state-logic.com/mus...gic%20x-patch/
which is less expensive than the 2-Bus but still not cheap at $1229 US.

For the kind of money you're looking to spend 12 to 16 channels and no coloring you're out of luck as you can see. A patchbay or swapping cables is the only way out unless you can find something used. A Mackie Onyx 1220 or 1620 (long discontinued) would work - there's bypass buttons on all the channels for the EQ. But like someone said any electronics in the path will add it's own character.