Specifications

Chapter 4: Mbox Hardware and Connections 29
Mbox Front Panel Features
The Mbox front panel has the following fea-
tures:
48V LED
This LED, when lit, indicates that 48V phantom
power is active on the Mic/Line inputs. These
inputs provide phantom power for micro-
phones that require it to operate. Phantom
power is activated by the switch labeled 48V on
the top of the back panel of Mbox.
About Phantom Power
Dynamic microphones (such as a Shure SM57)
do not require phantom power to operate, but
are not harmed by it. Most condenser micro-
phones (like an AKG C3000) do require phan-
tom power to operate.
If you are not sure about the phantom power re-
quirements for your microphone, consult your
microphone’s documentation or contact the
manufacturer.
Source Selector
These switches select among three types of in-
puts:
• Mic (microphone) for XLR inputs
• Line for line level signals on TRS or TS in-
puts
• Inst (instrument) for other 1/4-inch TRS or
TS connections
For more information, see “Analog Audio” on
page 34.
Gain Controls
These knobs adjust the input gain levels of the
Mic/Line inputs.
Figure 3. Mbox front panel
48V LED
Source
Gain
Peak
USB
S/PDIF
Mono
Mix (Ratio)
Headphone
Headphone
Selector
Gain
Peak
Source
Selector
LED
LED
LED
LED
CH 1
CH 2
Gain
Output
Although phantom power can be used
safely with most microphones, it is possible
to damage some ribbon microphones with
it. Always turn off phantom power and
wait at least ten seconds before connecting
or disconnecting a ribbon microphone.