Should I attempt to set up the M Box 2 again?

[ndog1980]

I've got a new MacBook pro, running Sierra.

It's been a while since I recorded anything, but I wanted to try to get something down today. Garage Band wouldn't show me the M Box 2 as an available input.

Is there anything I can do to get the M Box 2 to play nice with my computer, or do I need to upgrade?

Thanks!

[DupleMeter]

check Avid's site for the latest drivers. I'm not sure, but last I checked Avid had not verified Sierra for their Pro Tools line.

Also, I haven't used Pro Tools as my main DAW since the TDM days, but I recall Digidesign went out of their way to make sure their interfaces didn't show up in other DAWs. Maybe that's no more...but you may need to be running Pro Tools to actually see the interface.

[Steev]

There's some discussion here
https://discussions.apple.com/thread...rt=15&tstart=0

They are lamenting that Mbox 3 won't work with El Capitan but scroll down and there's a few "fixes" that might be worth trying.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by ndog1980

I've got a new MacBook pro, running Sierra.

It's been a while since I recorded anything, but I wanted to try to get something down today. Garage Band wouldn't show me the M Box 2 as an available input.

Is there anything I can do to get the M Box 2 to play nice with my computer, or do I need to upgrade?

Thanks!

To clarify and so we are all on the same page
You went to Garage Band " Preferences" selected the "Audio/Midi" tab and the M box was not showing up in the input or output dropdown selections. correct?

If that is case then it could be a driver issue and the bad news is Avid is only showing driver support for M Box 3 for Sierra ( which does not mean that 2 will not work, only that Avid does not support that it will work) You might call or email M Audio support and see what they say about GB and Sierra on Mbox 2 .

Originally Posted by DupleMeter

check Avid's site for the latest drivers. I'm not sure, but last I checked Avid had not verified Sierra for their Pro Tools line.

Also, I haven't used Pro Tools as my main DAW since the TDM days, but I recall Digidesign went out of their way to make sure their interfaces didn't show up in other DAWs. Maybe that's no more...but you may need to be running Pro Tools to actually see the interface.

That is outdated info.
Sierra is actually qualified as of PT 12. 6

And since PT was unlocked version 10 or 11 you can run third party DAW's on Avid hardware , as well as PT on third party hardware
I have run both Reaper and Studio One 3 and still run Reason on my Avid Omni

[FrankHudson]

Simple things first: have you unplugged and re-plugged the USB cable from the Mbox to the Mac? Are you going in direct to the computer's USB port and not through a hub? Have you tried another USB cable?

[alohachris]

Aloha ndog1980,

Based on experience? NO DO NOT GET THE MBOX2 OUT. THROW IT OUT. BIG WASTE OF TIME!

Having been in the DAW home recording game since 2003, I think that the DAW itself & the interface are the two central parts of your recording signal chain that you must upgrade fairly often to be able to get consistent results. All the analog parts (mic's, external preamps, FX, cables, mixer's, etc.) you can carry forward. But you must upgrade your DAW version & interface as needed - or it won't work.

The more software upgrades & longer time passing for your editions/versions (Avid in this case), the less chance it will function, especially if you want to add external plug-in's, for example. To me, the ride is not worth the fare, ndog. I'd rather use one of the Zoom small recorders than anything MBox!

Additionally, MBox (all of the old models) hardware is novice quality. I owned Mbox's & the Digidesign 003 running the nightmare PTLE for a lost year of crashes & that's my conclusion. Example - the MBox2's onboard mic preamps suck (as in constricted, unbalanced, cheap & not very open sounding) and the units are noisier too. Move past it. The technology & products have flown past that relic.

With your MacBook Pro, you should buy a new or used Apogee Duet2 interface & combine it with the latest version of Apple's Logic Pro DAW. It's fully integrated with your Mac's hardware & software & offers stellar performance & pristine sounding Duet2 preamp's among other advantages. And they work perfectly with the latest version of Sierra OS10.

Add a Glyph external HD to that mix for storing your projects & TREAT YOUR SPACE PROPERLY. THEN, you're ready to make some consistent, great sounding recordings.

You will have zero problems with a Mac/Logic Pro/Apogee interface combo - with the potential for great sound (impossible w/ an MBox).

Jettison that old MBox2, ndog! It's programmed for extinction.

alohachris