MusicRadar

The Mbox 2 Mini respresents an affordable route into the world of Pro Tools.

1 of 3 » View in gallery

• Related News
• Review
• Manufacturer's Description

Until recently, the very cheapest way to get hold of a Pro Tools system was to buy a copy of the M-Powered version of the software and a compatible M-Audio interface. However, thanks to the launch of the compact Mbox 2 Mini, it’s Digidesign themselves who, based on current recommended retail prices, now provide the most affordable option.

This new device sits below the standard and Pro versions in the Mbox 2 range, and, like them, ships with a copy of Pro Tools LE. What this means is that the Mbox 2 Mini is very much an all-in-one solution. What’s more, it’s extremely easy to set up: simply install Pro Tools LE, plug in the hardware and you’re ready to go. Although a registration code is required, it’s really the interface itself that acts as the copy protection device.

Features

The Mini is packaged in a suitably compact box and ships with the Ignition Pack software bundle and a USB cable. There’s no paper manual, but clear quick-start instructions are included and full-on documentation is provided in PDF format. You also get a copy of Digi’s Method One tutorial DVD, so there’s very little room for confusion, whatever your level of knowledge.

So what does the Mbox 2 Mini offer? Well, you’ll have gathered already that it’s USB (version 1) and it offers 2-in/2-out audio functionality. What it doesn’t have is any digital connectivity, and, surprisingly, there’s no MIDI either. The main input is presented as both an XLR (with phantom power and a 20dB pad) and a separate jack for line/DI signals. Input 2 is just a simple line/DI jack (again with pad).

The twin jack outputs (labelled as monitor outs) tie in with the front panel Level and Mix controls. The first knob controls the overall output level (including the headphone level), while the second blends the input signals with the main output (software outs 1 and 2). This gives you basic hardware monitoring when overdubbing. There are also two input level control knobs. Thankfully, like the standard Mbox 2, the Mini is powered over USB. This means that on-the-go musicians won’t have to worry about carrying a power supply or - more importantly - finding somewhere to plug it in. We should also mention that the Mini installer includes CoreAudio, ASIO and Wavedriver audio drivers.

What works

It’s very easy to transfer Pro Tools sessions between the different software versions, so the Mini will probably appeal to existing Pro Tools users who want to work on their laptops. However, it’s worth remembering that LE is limited to 32 tracks of audio (48 if you buy one of the Toolkit expansions) and that the Mini hardware supports a maximum sampling rate of 48kHz. This being the case, our 88.2kHz sessions simply wouldn’t open when we tried them.