It’ll be fine. Analog cables work both ways. (HDMI, USB, etc. are all different, but they’re digital)
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I really wanted to love my k-mix, and I’ve still got it kicking around if I need it as an interface, but it’s never been great to use.
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Thanks!
Only thing that is lacking for me are mic inputs / phantom power. Any idea if there is a small add on for this?
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Maybe just a small mic preamp that you then connect to one of the line inputs? That’s what I’ve thought about if I were to go with a Bluebox
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Is the manual for this up anywhere? Can’t find it on 1010music’s site, either on the Bluebox page or in the support section.
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Yep 
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Hey,
I’ve read the entire thread, and @circuitghost’s wonderful review on CDM (actually before I discovered the thread) and I’m wondering whether Bluebox is for me – maybe you can help me out.
My setup and interest in synths is probably a bit different than for the most of you: I have one good analog synth, and my focus is on playing and improvising rather than producing full songs – more like people who play a piano or a cello or so. However, I like the idea of recording and listening back to what I’m doing in order to improve. Also, I’m currently adding a pedal or two to my setup. As I’m very much in a “bedroom studio” (living room, actually) situation, I’m unfortunately only playing on a pair of (reasonably decent) headphones.
Adding the pedal means I cannot use the headphone out on my synth as I have before. This is the situation where everybody in the forums recommends to get a small mixer.
There are several things I don’t like about the small mixer idea:
- I don’t need mic preams or high Z guitar inputs.
- Even small mixers are somewhat large and mostly ugly (I’m not offended if you roll your eyes, but looks do count for me as my gear is in my living room).
- I’m not sure whether headphone amps in cheap mixers are really good.
In a way the Bluebox looks like total overkill but…
- I like the idea of recording.
- I can see myself using compressor and EQ. Delay and reverb not so much as my synth has a gorgeous delay and I’m getting a good reverb pedal.
- I LOVE the form factor.
- I might add another instrument in the future and actually mix - not 100% sure about it though.
I basically have two questions:
How good is the headphone amp on the Bluebox, and do you feel any “analog subtelty” is lost either there or in the AD-DA signal path?
As I said, I’m playing one synth and exclusively over headphones. I’m not an audiophile, but I don’t want the synth to sound worse than on its own headphone out. Maybe I’m totally stupid to be worried here, and I have never played the synth through an expensive dedicated headphone preamp let alone studio grade console, but still, I love the sound, I’ve trained my ear for the subtleties, and I don’t want to lose it.
Then, just generally, is it nuts to consider the Bluebox in this situation?
Thanks a lot for your thoughts!
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There are several things I don’t like about the small mixer idea:
- I don’t need mic preams or high Z guitar inputs.
- Ever small mixers are somewhat large and mostly ugly (I’m not offended if you roll your eyes, but looks do count for me as my gear is in my living room).
- I’m not sure whether headphone amps in cheap mixers are really good.
yeah. my current mixer is a simple, passive ROLLS mixer from Amazon. i actually do a lot of my mixing on device now (my DB01 goes to my Digitone line in, and my Digitone goes to my Tracker line in) but before that i had all my audio going to the ROLLS mixer via quarter inch/TS to RCA cables. maybe not immaculate sounding but i dont have immaculate speakers either. there’s no features, just a single volume knob per input. i use it because i have my gear on my computer desk and i want to listen to my synths and my computer on the same speakers without fussing.
if you really wanted to, you could get a TS-to-headphone adapter on Amazon right now for like 5 bucks.
if i were you id look at a simple mixer and some new cables. whole purchase is like, under $100 USD i bet.
In a way the Bluebox looks like total overkill but…
- I like the idea of recording.
- I can see myself using compressor and EQ. Delay and reverb not so much as my synth has a gorgeous delay and I’m getting a good reverb pedal.
- I LOVE the form factor.
- I might add another instrument in the future and actually mix - not 100% sure about it though.
i also preordered the bluebox to REPLACE my passive mixer. for similar reasons to what you’re describing…
-
i like not just the recording, but recording all lines individually. ill be able to route all my synths into the mixer and actually be able to mix them which is better than what i have now, where they are all chained together.
-
agree on the form factor part. i also find mixers in general to be so bulky, ugly, and my desk space is at a premium (keyboard, two monitors, pc, macbook, USB switch, Tracker, Digiton, Zoia, DB-01, mouse…) i just don’t have a good spot for a mixer of the usual size. the bluebox is perfect here.
your other points are for you to decide. i also probably won’t utilize the onboard reverb/delay but they’re good options to have. the inputs allows for a ton of instruments if you ever want to had 1 or 2 or 6, lol. supporting up to 12 mono lines is massive.
the thing that sold it for me ultimately was that i can finally “liberate” my ZOIA (in your case, your effects pedal). right now, mine sits in the chain between my Digitone and my Tracker, and occasionally i wish i had to more readily available if I’m not using the DN for some part, as an example. with the bluebox, i’ll be able to direct any channel directly to the pedal and back in. that means I can have whatever instrument i want going there, even… my phone, for instance, with the nice 3.5mm jacks 
there are a lot of feature in the bluebox i probably won’t use, or at least won’t use right away. but i’m really stoked that it will give my instruments some independence, and the ability to save takes without using a DAW. in your case, yeah, maybe the bluebox is a “bit much” to simply serve as a way to get your pedal output to your headphones… but whatever.
Thank you for your kind words on my review 
The Bluebox excels at recording multiple sources at once, as well as old school multi-tracking. And working it with an fx box is a great idea.
However, since you’re not into recording multiples at once, some of the Bluebox
points would be lost on you. It’d still serve its purpose but I wonder if maybe the 1010 Blackbox might be more appropriate. It does synced or free recording like the Bluebox, it has basic mixing features and its filter has a clear EQ character to it. Also, since it’s a sampler, it has all those tricks going for it and due to its multiple outs and clever routings, it works great with external fx boxes as well.
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@gradient and @circuitghost, thanks a lot for your input! Going for a Blackbox is an intriguing idea.
@circuitghost, would you mind sharing your opinion on the sound quality when working with headphones on the Bluebox? Would you say things get lost?
I remember from the thread that you own a highly reputable analog mixer.
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Sound quality is great, for a digital multi track recording device. But it’s easy to overwork the eq, compression and fx and quickly mess up your mix with even a slight move in the wrong direction (but of course, equally easy to get back to the right spot again).
I’ve been on the same headphones since 2014, so attached to them I’ve made sure to repair them whenever they break, rather than get new ones. In that context, I can tell the difference in a split second between the Bluebox and the SSL SiX and if you’re just going for the raw output, the SiX wins. The headroom and space you get in that mixer, doesn’t compare to much out there.
But that’s not necessarily what you always want, though. The Bluebox sounds great on its own, mix is plenty wide and especially when you apply external fx to it, you can tell there’s room to spare for that kind of thing. Six inputs that records, patch memory, options to switch between alternative takes - the Bluebox is a micro studio environment dressed up as a mixer, whereas the SiX is a mixer, only.
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I guess, if I would add to that, if you got a source that’s already right in its space, the Bluebox is great. You don’t actually want it much louder or wider than it is, you just want to distinguish it more.
But I tend to build all my tracks in the Blackbox, and the SiX opens up its outputs and sort of makes the room into a hall, where the elements really fall into place when I mix them.
@circuitghost Thanks for these insights!
My plan is to have a close look at Blackbox, make up my mind about the Bluebox and get a small mixer from a friend to get started with my BAM.
Can someone explain the main reasons as to why I should by the Bluebox and not a Behringer XR18 for my portable studio?
Main purpose is for mixing and not recording - I have a separate recorder for that.
XR18 is 2/3 of the price of the Bluebox in my country
I don’t mind that the XR18 is a bit bigger (on the BB you still have all the cables hanging from the back/front) and that you have to control it from a tablet/phone.
I can imagine a couple of reasons -
Bluebox runs on portable power source. Maybe the Behringer does too, but the Bluebox certainly does.
The internal fx have substantial depth in sound design. You can go very far with the delay and the reverb to completely alter your sound on the channels you use them.
Bluebox records, six stereo inputs at the same time, and also multitracks with midi sync. Which essentially means you can mix and master on the Bluebox, if the onboard fx, eq and compression work for you. And they’re good enough to work in this context, if the source material is right. You also got the option to load stems and wav-files, as well as switch between alternate recordings.
It has the 1010 onboard sound quality, which is on par with Pioneer’s gear, I’d say.
There, a couple of reasons that make the Blue a unique thing. Doesn’t mean you want these unique things and in that case, it might not be for you
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Thanks. That’s the kind of answer I was looking for!
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Alright. But what if the alternative is Tascam Model 12 vs. Bluebox? I know these two are different devices. But still the similar. I need a good mixer (3-4 sound source) and multitrack recorder.
I’m afraid I miss ”hands on feeling” if I choose Bluebox. But that smaller size interests me so much.
Edit: 3-4 stereo sound source (dn+dt+minilogue xd+something)
I run an SSL SiX as well and I certainly get what you mean as far as the hands on approach go. The Bluebox is efficient and well thought out, but there’s something to be said about the workflow of working with faders and knobs.
However, one of the things the Model 12 has going for it, is the multi-track recording specifically. And in that respect, it’s no longer the evident option seeing as the Bluebox does this better. If recording and mixing that recording is the primary need, I think the Bluebox is the better option. If hands on mixing is the primary need, then I’d say the Model maybe isn’t so relevant anymore.
I get that you might want both in one box, and if that combination is crucial, then you got no options, really but as far as recording and multitracking in an environment where you can mix and master the result, the Bluebox is the better choice, in my opinion.
But yes, be prepared that you’ll miss faders and knobs. My SiX isn’t going anywhere, for a good reason.
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