They all have two switches: the first one to switch between the front inputs 1/2 (mic and instrument) and the two rear line inputs, and the second one to activate the soft limiter (which is a very rare feature on interfaces in this price range). The front panel is also very comprehensive: a pair of XLR/TRS combos for mic inputs 1 and 2 and the two instrument inputs. The only regret of the connections is the lack of an ADAT connector! A 1/4" footswitch jack will allow you to punch in and out while recording or start playing back audio - very practical! Finally, a D-Sub port provides you with a MIDI in/out on 5-pin DIN connectors, a coaxial S/PDIF connector and a BNC to feed it a wordclock signal using the provided breakout cable. Notice that the interface must be connected to its external PSU because it cannot be powered via the FireWire bus of the computer. On the right corner there are two mic inputs (3 and 4) on XLR connectors, while on the left corner you have a pair of FireWire ports. You also get a stereo Aux input on RCAs or minijack. The effect send and return are in the same TRS jack (tip=send, ring=return, sleeve=ground). The inserts are placed between the preamp and the A/D converter in the signal path. You also get four inserts on 1/4" TRS jacks. On the well-equipped rear panel you have six analog outs and four analog ins on 1/4" TRS jacks with switchable +4dBu/-10dBV sensitivity.
Now, let’s have a look at the front and rear panels… However, it’s important to point out that the three interfaces don’t have the same specs (S/N ratio, dynamic range, etc.), so the differences between the three models are not limited to the number of connections. In that case we recommend the Mbox and Mbox Mini, which are lighter and ought to be enough if you don’t need many ins/outs. However, mobile sound freaks will find that the weight and bulky dimensions of the Mbox Pro are no advantage. AVID did a very nice job compared to former versions. The look of the new Mbox generation is pretty convincing. The knobs are made out of plastic but seem quite rugged. With such a weight, you can be sure it wont slip down from your desk! The dimensions are also generous: 13.7" × 7.6" × 2.3".
It looks quite sturdy due to the fact that it has a metal housing and not less due to its heaviness (6.2 lb!). The design is very appealing, professional but not austere. Inside the nice black box with the AVID logo is the interface itself, which makes a good impression at first sight.
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