how do i record simultaneous channels with mbox?

[sethbrand]

Hi everyone,

I want to know if it is possible to hook a mixer to my mbox and run mics through the mixer into the mbox and then into pro tools putting them on individual tracks?
Ex. mics---> mixer---> mbox---> pro tools software onto individual tracks. I have a 16 channel mixer so does this mean that i can record 16 mics simultaneously through my mixer and into my mbox and then mix them all individually in pro tools le? Any advice on this would help. I haven't yet bought the mbox and want to make sure this is possible first. I need to be able to record full bands and songs with this thing and currently have a boss br 1600cd digital workstation. Would it be a good switch to pro tools le mbox?

Thanks,
Seth

[MDog]

You'll probably get a better faster answer by posting this in the Pro Tools LE forum. This is the TDM forum and we use different systems than an MBox.

You can jump there at the bottom of this page, or return to the Main Index page and scroll down.

[steve at Your Heaven]

MDog is correct about using the LE forum. But I do have an answer for you, which is that an Mbox only has two channels of A/D input, so you could only record two tracks at a time. You can MIX 32 tracks once in the computer (along with another 96 'alternate' tracks available, and some large number of midi tracks). Thus, if there is a way for you to transfer individual audio tracks from elsewhere (eg, your Boss device) into the computer as WAV files (or AIF files), you could use the Mbox to mix with Protools.

To simultaneously record 16 mono audio tracks using Protools (by the way, does your mixer have 16 direct outputs?), the least expensive Digidesign interface is the 002 Rack. This has 18 inputs as 4+4+8+2= 4 mic/line inputs with volume controls, 4 line inputs, 8 channels via a single ADAT lightpipe connector, and 2 channels via a single spdif connector. The Digidesign 002 has the same I/O as the 002 Rack, but adds mixer and other features (and costs more).

Go to the home page above (digidesign.com), and check your options out there. Also be sure to check the 'Compatibility' link at the top of this page, to make sure you have the right computer (much info about that will be on the Windows LE forum mentioned by MDog).

To go from a 16 channel analog mixer, you would use the 4+4 analog inputs, and you would need some 8 channel A/D converter with an ADAT output. Two inexpensive units I have used are the M-Audio Octane and the Behringer ADA-8000, both of which have both line and mic inputs.