Mbox Vs. Digi 002 Rack Options

[JPSpecial]

I'm wondering which audio interface would be better for my needs. I'd like to record voice and acoustic guitar using two different mics and afterward doing some harmony vocals and perhaps a second guitar track and some bass. The real problem I want to avoid is major latency. Will I have substantially less with the firewire digi 002r than with the mbox. Some users have said that the latency with mbox is not a problem while others have said it is a true annoyance. Just wondering what some of you users of either audio interface have to say. Also, how many audio inputs can the digi 002r take at a time? I know the mbox can only take two, which of course is pretty limited.

[Barb]

I own both the MBox and the digi002. I use the MBox in the school MIDI Lab with an iMac and the 002 in the recording studio with the Titanium notebook. I don't have latency problem with either one. I would recomend the 002 if you can afford it. The controller is WAY cool and it gives you many more possibilities than the MBox as far as numbers of tracks (8 at a time- 4 XLR & 41/4"). I wish it had 8 XLR instead so I need to go thru a mixing board or preamp for the other mics. A drag but not too bad. You may need to fiddle with the EQ to match mics but do that AFTER the recording. ProTools is non destructive so you might as well start with clean tracks. The XLRs on the 002 and the MBox are Focusrite preamps so if you get a preamp try the Focusrite. It's a good product.

If you have a PC, don't forget to check out Steinberg products. The Ardvark is a smoking interface although it doesn't have the faders and I have only heard great things about Cubase SX. Steinberg might also have a controller for Cubase but the Hui will probably work although I am not too fond of Mackie products for a pro level application.

Good luck!