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Manley Labs Voxbox
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Manley Labs Voxbox
moosers moosers
Published on 01/16/10 at 16:41
Manley Langevin’s Voxbox is an all in one channel strip designed for use with vocals, as the name states.<span> </span>However, the mic preamp, compressor, EQ, and de-esser here I think it can be used for a variety of other applications.<span> </span>Having said this, this review will focus on using this with lead vocals, as this is what the original intention of this box was and is what it is best suited as.<span> </span>In terms of characteristics, the Voxbox has XLR connections in the back and has a ¼ inch input in the front in the mic pre section.<span> </span>It also has built in phantom power.<span> </span>The Voxbox will take up three rack spaces in a traditional rack.

UTILIZATION

<p class="MsoNormal">At first look, the Manley Langevin Voxbox certainly has a whole lot going on.<span> </span>However, everything is broken up into neat sections and once you break it all down, it is really quite simple.<span> </span>The mic pre section has parameters for phantom power, a high pass filter, a mic/line selector, and both an input and gain leveler.<span> </span>The compressor has parameters for threshold, attack, release, and a switch to either bypass or to compress at a 3:1 ratio.<span> </span>The EQ section is pretty basic, consisting of three bands, each of which has parameters for frequency and gain.<span> </span>Lastly, the de-esser has a threshold knob and a fixed frequency selection knob.<span> </span>Since there is a lot going on here, if you don’t have much experience with channel strips and their individual parts, it is probably a good idea to have the manual around.


SOUND QUALITY

<p class="MsoNormal">Like most of the gear made by Manley Langevin, the Voxbox sounds incredible.<span> </span>Across the board, this is a top notch channel strip, with each piece sounding as good as the next.<span> </span>The mic pre and the compressor are probably the most impressive parts of the unit as far as recording vocals goes, but the EQ and de-esser are no less important and sound great as well.<span> </span>This is a versatile enough piece of outboard gear that it can be used for just about any type of voice, ranging from low males to soprano females.<span> </span>Since you’ve got so much versatility, it makes it the perfect box for recording any type of vocals…

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OVERALL OPINION

I first used the Manley Langevin Voxbox about a year ago, and was immeadiatley taken back by the amazing sound that I was able to achieve with it.<span> </span>Of course the most important thing when recording vocals is the singer, but if you’ve got that in place, the Voxbox will take care of the rest.<span> </span>With great sound quality comes a large price, but for those looking for perfect sound quality regardless of<span> </span>price, the Voxbox is one of the best on the market for recording vocals.<span> </span>Beyond vocals, you can definitely extend the use of this to other applications as well, making it the perfect all in one channel strip for recordings of all types.