Is it possible to play my records through Mbox 3 with PC turned off?

[Snafu]

Hey guys, after 20 years or so of using Pro tools i wonder if there's a way to play my records without having to turn the pc on every time. If not I guess I could route the Mbox through the mixer to the Adam A7s but worried about extra colouration coming from the mixer. Any ideas I'd be obliged!

[Darryl Ramm]

Some clearer details would help.

Confirm if you mean Mbox 3 or Mbox 3 Pro or Mbox 3 Mini?

IIRC only the Mbox 3 Pro supports a standalone mode.

You should be able to work this out for yourself by reading the documentation for the interface, looking if it has a standalone mode and hardware mixer/routing capability you need. But Avid do not always have great documentation for their consumer products and in some of this Mbox doc do sloppy things like confuse folks talking about "stand alone drivers" which are nothing to do with standalone mode.

Records? You mean vinyl records... so you have a turntable? What is the output from that turntable? Stereo phono or line level analog output or USB digital? And you currently bring that into what exact input on the Mbox 3? Using what exact cable? Giving make/exact model for the turntable etc. may help.

Or by records do you mean something else? What *exactly* in what audio format stored where?

[Snafu]

Appreciate the reply Darryl!

Its and Mbox 3 Pro, I see the power light flashing with the PC off too.

I do mean vinyl records. I go through the Technics 1200s to a vinyl preamp into the mbox through RCA cables, then from there into my active monitors (AdamA7X). Normally i have to turn my pc on, load pro tools enable record to get audio it would be AMAZING to just play vinyl with the PC off.

[Darryl Ramm]

Ah the ubiquitous 1200. I was just stirring up my ex for buying a cheap copy of a 1200 and not the real thing.

You should be all set with a Mbox 3 Pro. It has a standalone mode and that is described in the documentation. Start with the computer connected and the control app open, but not Pro Tools or any other DAW, and get the hardware mixer in the control app to route audio from the line input you are using to your monitor outputs. Save that config. It should then work without the computer. You may need to disable that mixing or switch to a different saved setting when working in Pro Tools.

Again be sure to read the documentation. Just about any question will already have been answered on DUC back in the day, so Google with the site: duc.avid.com qualifier. Here is one great thread... https://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=294158

[Snafu]

Big thanks again I did find that thread after our conversation! My decks are annoyingly out getting serviced for the first time ever after 30 years so can't check right now but can't wait, this is gonna be huge for me if it works! Will update here!

[Snafu]

PS: What's the control app?

[Darryl Ramm]

The control panel/settings thingy you control the Mbox 3 Pro with.