Avid Mbox 3 Pro

Digidesign has long been hailed as the “best in class” in terms of home and portable recording. Recently, the brand was bought and renamed “Avid”. So has this had any effect on the quality or reputation of the Digidesign brand? We evaluate this by evaluating the Mbox 3 Pro, the top-of-the-line Mbox model. The ‘3’ series of Mbox products is the first to carry the Avid brand.

Digidesign fans will be happy to know that Avid’s rebrand has not had a negative impact on the quality of Mbox’s audio interface and recording products. In fact, it could be argued that the Avid acquisition has resulted in a gets better in the quality of the Mbox line. The Mbox has had a radical makeover, with a sleek, modern-looking streamlined design. A significant improvement on the “square” design of Mbox 2.

In addition to this, Avid has significantly improved device compatibility. It still ships with Pro Tools, Digidesign’s flagship recording product, but unlike previous versions of Mbox, Mbox 3 is compatible with various recording programs (now including Reason, Cubase, and many more). Previously, the device SOLO interacted with Pro Tools. This is a significant improvement and will make the upgrade to the Series 3 line worthwhile, even for those who use and are happy with their Series ‘2’ devices.

Past Mbox users will be happy to know that the ‘3’ series continues the tradition of ultra-high-quality sound, offering 192kHz 24-bit sampling, FireWire, quality smooth limiters on the inputs, and reverb and tuner. built-in guitar. The excellent MIDI support of the ‘2’ series carries over to the Mbox 3 range as well.

The Avid Mbox Pro has a very solid build. It has an aluminum casing (instead of a plastic one, like the Mbox 2) which makes it slightly heavier than the previous model. This can be a problem for those who want to use the device as a portable recording solution.

The range of I / O options on the device is impressive, with 4 analog input channels offering DI, Line and Microphone inputs. The device also supports digital I / O through a coaxial cable. The device has its own power supply, which can break the deal for those who want a USB / FireWire-powered solution.

Overall, it’s safe to say that Avid has done the Digidesign range justice with the ‘3’ series. Sleek design, great features, incredible sound, and extensive compatibility options will keep recording artists of all experience levels and recording backgrounds happy. Long live Avid.