M-Box to M-Audio upgrade - Advice Needed

[nobbynobbs]

Hello there folks, my first post, I'll try to be brief!!

Currently using MBox2, but am now looking to upgrade so I can record my full band live...

Been trying to research what's out there, and have gotten excited at discovering the world of M-Powered Pro-Tools...

Am very interested in the ProFire 2626, but have a few naive questions if I may... Please bear in mind i've come from a 'guitar into Mbox, Mbox into ProTools' simplified way of thinking..!

The 2626 has 8 XLR inputs and 8 jack inputs from what I can make out, so using these, how many simultainious tracks can you record live into ProTools? I'm hoping the answer is 16, but have my doubts, due to the front panel only having 'dials' for 8...

As you can see, I have very limited knowledge on this sort of thing...

Any help would be gratefully received...

Thanks in advance,
Regards Craig.

[jpleong]

M-Powered is capable of (I believe) 18 simultaneous inputs.

The Profire 2626 has eight analog inputs (line or mic), sixteen ADAT inputs (up to 48k or eight up to 96k), and stereo S/PDIF. All of these are accessible. For your purposes, this means you'd have eight mic preamps to start but you would also need to acquire additional preamps with ADAT output to achieve your desired track count. That's the bad news. The good news is that it gives you a bit more flexibility in selecting whichever preamps you want for the next eight or sixteen preamps you wish to add. Something like M-Audio's Octane or Presonus' Digimax series or (if you have the money) the Cranesong Spider would get you to your track count.

JP

[nobbynobbs]

Thankyou for the quick reply. I've been and had a look at the products you've recommended, and am finding this very interesting indeed. I've had the evening to gather my thoughts, so I could follow up with more questions!!!

So am I right in thinking then that for my purposes, the 2626 has 8 inputs, (either XLR or Jack), and then the Octane goes into the 2626, (Octane 'ADAT out' to 2626 'ADAT in'?), giving me another 8 XLR inputs? I hope I'm on the right track!!

If this is the case, I would guess then that in ProTools, as I would with the MBox, I would just select which input (1 to 16) for my instrument?

Also, I know I'll need to add a FireWire port to my PC, but was also wondering: My PC uses the MBox as a soundcard, have I got that right? If I upgrade to M-Powered/2626, would I need to install a soundcard onto the PC?

I know these are probably very daft questions, but really appreciate any advice you could give. Again, please remember I need this in laymans terms!!

Kind Regards, Craig.

[JA]

So am I right in thinking then that for my purposes, the 2626 has 8 inputs, (either XLR or Jack), and then the Octane goes into the 2626, (Octane 'ADAT out' to 2626 'ADAT in'?), giving me another 8 XLR inputs? I hope I'm on the right track!!

If this is the case, I would guess then that in ProTools, as I would with the MBox, I would just select which input (1 to 16) for my instrument?

Correct, connecting the Octane to the 2626 via ADAT would give you 8 more Mic/Line inputs; and in Pro Tools, you would select the corresponding inputs for your tracks.



Also, I know I'll need to add a FireWire port to my PC, but was also wondering: My PC uses the MBox as a soundcard, have I got that right? If I upgrade to M-Powered/2626, would I need to install a soundcard onto the PC?

The 2626 is a soundcard and would replace the MBox. Make sure you get a FireWire card with a Texas Instruments (TI) chipset.

[nobbynobbs]

Ah, okay!! Thank you very much.

I think then that at the end of the year I shall be getting myself ProTools M-Powered, the 2626 and a FireWire Card, to get myself started. :)

Thank you very much for help with this, a fuzzy area is now clear!!

I'm sure I'll be back asking more daft questions soon enough, :rolleyes:
thanks again,
Craig.