Great pre-amps. I use this to record rock music.

Lots and lots of plug-ins.

I gave it a 7 because of the learning curve. I am using a Macbook, late 2008 model and this is quit a step up from Garageband. I heard a lot of people say it is hard to learn Pro Tools (PT) and although the learning curve is high, if you are motivated it's not that bad. In Garage band I just hooked up my interface and was off and running. In PT, you need to learn how to setup your settings before recording. Now you can use the presets in PT but you will not learn anything. So far it has been fun and exciting to learn PT. I haven't used it that long to tell you pros and cons but if your coming from Mac Garageband and you are serious about taking a major set up and want to use the industry standard in your audio recording then check out Pro Tools.

so far so good. Only had it about a month.

This unit is very expensive. I originally wanted the Presonus Fire Studio Mobile but since I really wanted Pro Tools you have to pay for the best. Also, for the price it would have been nice for it come with 4 pre-amps. Now I will be buying a 2 chnl preamp to record 4 chanls of drums. In the end it would still be cheaper then buying the Digi 003 rack which has 4 pre-amps and runs for $1,500 bare bones.

I gave it a 5 because I have not needed it yet.

A bit bigger then other mobile audio interfaces but it does the job. I wish the would have made a bracket accessory to mount to a rack.

Mobile Home Recording Studio, Active Musician

Pop Rock, Pop Punk, Punk Rock, Dance Rock.

I don't have the best monitors in the world or the best room acoustics, but my tracks seem to be sounding better with what I've got.

I'm reviewing this product on the fact that it is a hardware software combo. The software is an integral part of the whole finished sound. Of course LE is a 'light edition'? but that is only comparative to a HD system. For most folks it is far more hardware and software than you need for a portable high quality songwriter / composer set up. It has surround capability and a good selection of ins and outs, and enough tracking ability to satisfy most hobbyists / pros on the road.

I'm crossing over from 13 years working with another DAW software and it is hell. I have Pro Tools 101 and I am working through it and all the material that came with the unit. I can't understand some of the reviews.... unless you are familiar with and have been trained with PT it is a big learning curve! But I think it is worth it. Other DAW software does just as much (more in many some cases) but if you are young and want to get into the business you need to know Pro Tools and you have access to RTAS plug ins and PT instrument synthesis. It's not as intuitive as it could be but the new PT8 GUI is nice.

Seems like Digi did not let themselves down. Some of the plug ins just sound dang sweet... DB33 / X pand 2 / mini grand / boom... I haven't even opened the factory stuff yet!

I got a killer deal on the Factory Bundle, good value.

Haven't needed them yet, hope I don't

I GOT IT!

Hobbyist

Rock, Blues, Acoustic

This is what I really don't like about this product: The sound. Yes, it is transparent... it is detailed... But it is also really too "thinny" for my taste. Maybe it is fine for classical or jazz music, but not for me. I would be more forgiving to everything else, if the sound was what I expected.

When I first opened the "Box", I was really impressed. The interface is well built and you have everything you may need and even more. You also get a fantastic tutorial DVD, an iLok key, Ableton Live Lite 6, and registration cards for every other extra plug-in they give you with the Factory Bundle. The problems start WITHIN the software itself: Although I got the "Factory bundle", there was not the SansAmp PSA-1 plug-in (the one I mostly wanted). I think you only find it in Rack 003 Factory Bundle or higher. :-( You get a limited number of channels per project. Too limited in the case of audio channels. There is not automatic delay compensation. So composing a song is practically impossible there. You have to pay extra money to export in mp3 format!!! You only get one general purpose virtual synth. (plus Arturia's Analog Factory SE in the case of the "Factory bundle" but with rather few sounds) The effects you get -even though they may impress you at first sight- when you actually start using them, they are NOT top notch.

Ease of use with PRO-TOOLS? Yes... this is really a good JOKE! Not only it is one of the most -unlogically- confusing interfaces, but even the process of installing everything properly is a pain in the @$$! Tell me this: since the interface also works as a dongle/lock/key for the software (you cannot run Pro-Tools unless you have the specific hardware)... What is all this fuzz about then? Come on people... relax a little and give us a break You even have to restart your computer every time you install or uninstall the software or an update. Hey... this 2007 and we are using Windows XP, remember?

The quality is really good. Better than you would expect for the money. Sturdy, well built. Many features packed in a portable I only wish the PreAmps where better.

It is not cheap. But if you consider that you get both a firewire audio interface and a "professional" DAW for the price it is OK. The problem is in the software, when you have to pay extra for features that come "out of the box" even in shareware DAWs!!!

Ok... the site is helpful and with a lot of updates and upgrades online. But the whole process of installing the software is really annoying -at least. Moreover, when I wanted to install Pro-Tools 7.4 or higher in Windows XP, I got a message that I needed a specific patch/update for Windows. But not WHICH one!!!!!! You cannot find it in Digidesign's web page either... and you cannot find it anywhere It was one of the COUNTLESS you find in Microsoft's site. Thank Gods my retail store knew exactly which one it was.

I wanted it very much. It is true. And when I first opened the "Box" I was even more excited. But now I am thinking seriously of selling it and go back and buy an M-Audio interface again.

Hobbyist musician and composer, sound engineer student and part-time worker.

Rock, metal, industrial, electro

You can hear your heart beat(with the gain all the way up)

Went ahead and sprung for the factory bundle... lets just say my jaws are hurting from smilling so hard

It was an adjustment period for me, of about 2 days then i was good

This is a great interface/hardware, i love it

The price is a bit much, i only recomend it if you are serious, this is not a purchase it is an investment

Haven't called

Firewire...nuff said

Recording Engineer

Hip Hop, R&B

the sound is fine if you get it working tips? steer clear of pro tools! There are better, easier and more intuitive daw's out there.

I guess the features were good if you can get everything unlocked and registered! That was one maddening feature. Actually, three of the plug ins didn't work including BFD! So much for getting some bed tracks laid down! Pro tools wouldn't support it because it's third party and FXpansion wouldn't support it because it's made for pro tools! Great one guys!

Never ever have I seen such convoluted logic in a DAW. I've used plenty from my four track days on an apple II in the 80's and I've never seen anything this absurd. Especially in this era! I want to make music you dummies! And usually right away when I've purchased software!

the actual I/O box is really nice, the problem is, it doesn't work with just any DAW software so even though I don't use my pro tools anymore, I needed to get a new I/O to use my other software.

worthless to me because I don't use pro tools anymore. As I said, over $900 invested total and not one song is finished in pro tools.

steer clear of pro tools support. those jokers at Sweetwater Music with their lifetime support - Ha! That right there should tell you something about a product of you're going to need support for the rest of your life! Just think about that for a minute! Oh they love to sell you DVD after DVD to try to solve your problem too. Watch out for that. $900 invested and I din't get one song recorded.

Like I said the box itself is good - the software stinks. steer clear of pro tools. pro tools has problems.

active musician, professional,

Sound is accurate, clean and just awesome! Why all the bad-mouthing about this thing? I love it. Sluggish audio?? What sytem are you running it on dude? Me, I have an Intel based mac and it screams!

All the basics are included, kinda wish I sprung for the factory bundle, but the ignition pack was cool.

I was recording within 20 minutes!!! It came with the method one instuctional dvd! didn't even have to watch it untill I started doing more complex operations.

Mbox seems to be made well, looks nice in my studio, doesn't heat up at all during use. I've only had it 4 days but so far, save for an occasional freeze I'm very impressed

A little pricey, but absolutley worth every penny in the long run, I never buy that industry standard crap, but this program is hot!!

Haven't had to use them just yet, tried to called for the hell of it once, was on hold so long I hung up.

Ever since I the firewire version came out, I wanted it bad, now I have it, and I'm in love!

Producer/Songwriter 4 years

Hip Hop / Rap

The Mbox 2 Pro ships with both Mac & Windows installation discs, A fairly long 10-12 foot Firewire cable and an tiny AC Adaptor. Accessories aside software Ver 7.1 is actually more stable than the 50 dollar uprgade that Digi charges for updating to 7.3. sluggish audio, no real start/end time loop editing points, non-existant MIDI editing, no Score editor, Oh yeah and up to 32(*) audio tracks

Active Musician, Recording Engineer

Electronic

Poor sound quality, needs to be heavily helped with a preamp or equalizer. Very fussy with headphones like Senn HD650, Akg 701 and Sony 7509, same story with loads of active monitors so using the box is near imposible. I had better M-audio and Edirol interfaces. Will consider switching to something more serious like RME and forget about the Protools myth.

1 firewire cable :) and power supply. the unit needs to be connected to pc to work so no standalone operation. Pro tools LE 8 very unstable.

works well with windows media player, winamp and itunes :) works well with Steinberg's Cubase, Nuendo, Wavelab also with Logic but not with ProTools LE.

quality wise the box looks okay, it has plenty of knobs, switches and LED's all useless if the box doesn't perform well

The price tag makes it a expensive useless box.

Dead slow customer support from Digidesign.

Recording engineer

The Quality of ProTools is the best you can get, it is even used worldwide in Record Label studios, (i.e. Ardent Records) Used by Skillet, Nine Inch Nails, and many many more.

It has a nice design and doesnt take up much room at all!

It took me a little while to figure it out, but if you just read the directions they give you then you can figure it out. (that is what directions are for).

The Best of the BEST!!!!!!!!!!! Cant get any better than ProTools.

It is really expensive, but it is completely WORTH IT!!!!! I had to save for a few months but I am SO GLAD that I did! It is ALL WORTH IT!!!!

I havent had to use the support at all!

I HAVE IT!!!!! =)

Currently setting up a studio / Recording

Christian Rock