pro tools

The Mbox is a hardware device you use in conjunction with ProTools to download your audio from a minidisc recorder to your computer. You then open and edit the audio using the ProTools software.

The Mbox is connected to the computer via a USB cable.

The back of the Mbox looks like this:

Connecting an Mbox to a Minidisc Recorder

To connect the Mbox to a minidisc recorder you need a 1/8 inch minijack to RCA audio cable (these cables usually come with the minidisc recorder).

You connect the 1/8 inch minijack end of the cable to the "headphones" or "audio out" plug on the minidisc recorder.

The two RCA audio male jacks on the other end of the cable connect to the Source plugs on the bottom back of the Mbox. You'll need two 1/4 inch to RCA audio adapters, as depicted above, to plug your RCA audio prongs into the Mbox's two Source plugs.

Connect the black prong on the RCA audio cable to the Source 1 socket.

Connect the red prong on the RCA audio cable to the Source 2 socket. (Tip: In the audio world RED is always the RIGHT channel, which is expressed as an EVEN number).

At the top of the back of the Mbox, make sure the tiny button labeled 48V is not pressed in (the 48V setting is for providing power to some microphones).

Now check the front of the Mbox. It looks like this:

Locate the area at the top labeled Source 1, which has small button with a light just to the right of it. Press the small button and switch the input mode to Line setting.

Repeat this for the Source 2 area just below, pressing the small button and switching the input mode to Line.

The knobs in the Source 1 and 2 areas on the front of the Mbox adjust the volume levels of the audio going in to the computer from the minidisc recorder.

Use the Source 1 knob to adjust the volume of the left channel of audio (in the case of mono audio from a minidisc recorder, the Source 1 knob will control the audio from odd numbered tracks). Turn the knob clockwise to increase the volume of the inputted audio and counter-clockwise to decrease the volume.

Use the Source 2 knob to adjust the volume of the right channel of audio (in the case of mono audio from a minidisc recorder, the Source 2 knob will control the audio from even numbered tracks). Turn the knob clockwise to increase the volume of the inputted audio and counter-clockwise to decrease the volume.

Note - You should first adjust the audio output level from the minidisc to change the volume of the audio going into the computer. Then use the Source 1 and Source 2 knobs to fine tune the audio input levels.

Turn the Mix knob - the third knob down from the top - counterclockwise all the way to the input setting. Later, after you've imported the audio and want to edit it in Protools, you turn the Mix knob clockwise all the way to the playback setting.

If you're inputting a mono source of audio, press the Mono button on the bottom right, just above the bottom knob, to turn on the yellow light.

Plug a set of headphones into the jack labeled headphones.

Use the bottom knob to adjust the volume of the audio you hear. This will not affect the volume level of the audio going from the minidisc recorder to the Mbox, just the level of the sound you hear in the headphones (use the Source 1 and Source 2 knobs to adjust the input sound level as described above).