Recording - September 2019 - 20

REVIEW
Dangerous Music D-Box+
and even talkback through your smartphone or tablet! The app is
free of charge for your smartphone, tablet, or desktop computer.
D-BOX+ internal/secondary functions address switch and button behavior, fixed output level and dim settings, routing options
and more. Download the manual from Dangerous Music to learn
more-it's actually a humorous, informative and entertaining read.

Summing

The 8-channel summing section provides eight small green signal LEDs, one for each channel, and a master trim control. The
channels are set up as four stereo pairs, with a mono button that
sets inputs 7 and 8 to fixed centered mono-a welcome departure
from the original unit that only had panning on channels 7 and 8.

Master Volume

The master level control is a true rotary encoder with 21 LEDs
that indicate level selection. It features a push button audio
dimmer as well as a user selectable reference level, and this encoder also performs secondary programing/selection duties.

Getting In and Out

Ins and outs on the back are: USB, XLR in and thru for AES/
SPDIF digital, and XLR 1/4" balanced combo jacks for the stereo
analog inputs. The summing input is on a DB-25/D-Sub connection.
These are followed by twelve balanced 1/4" outputs for summing
(2), assignable line out (2), and L/R speaker outs (6). A final set of
TRS headphone outs, both control room and phones, can be used
to feed an external headphone distribution amp or just an extra set
of cans. Power is handled by a standard 3-prong IEC cable, and
there is also a fixed low-profile Bluetooth antenna on the back.

In Use

I set up the D-BOX+ in the lower left-hand rack of my studio
desk, at the perfect height to push selection buttons and twirl
the level knob. For audio interfaces I use both a Universal Audio Apollo x16 and an x8p (reviewed April 2018). I sent the
main stereo outs of the x16 to the D-BOX+ analog ins, channels
9-16 of the x16 went to the summing ins, and I sent the digital
AES out from the x8p to the D-BOX+ AES inputs.
This gave me a healthy set of options for monitoring my mix: fully in the box over the digital outs, an analog mix from the Apollo
x16, or a stemmed bus mix which I set up as drums, instruments,
backing vocals/fx in stereo and lead vocals and bass in mono on
channels 7 and 8. I also hooked up the D-BOX+ over USB to my
iMac for playback of iTunes and Tidal. This fed two to three pairs
of monitors depending on what I was reviewing at the time.
In all instances the D-BOX+ functioned flawlessly with impeccable sound quality. Source and speaker switching are seamless

20 RECORDING September 2019

Price: $1999
More from: www.dangerousmusic.com
and smooth, with no clicks, jumps or thumps. While I know
that the D/A conversion of the D-BOX+ is not identical to the
company's industry-leading CONVERT 2 (reviewed October
2018), it lives in the same family and utilizes the same circuit
architecture and sonics as all Dangerous converters.
What I appreciate most about D-BOX+ in use is how it integrates into a modern studio set up. I was initially concerned
by the unit only offering a single analog input, and figured a
second would be handy for cue mixes and the like, but you can
cheat this by assigning a stereo cue mix to two channels of the
summing mixer when tracking, or digitally through the use of
aggregate devices on your computer which is the route I chose.

Wireless

In the past I always had a small 1/8" mini cable at the ready
for clients wanting to play me mixes off their phone or laptop.
Here, the dirt-simple setup and use of Bluetooth is a much better
solution, and whatever Dangerous did to integrate high quality
Bluetooth audio, they did it well and it sounds great.
I also found the control app handy and used my iPhone frequently for controlling the unit. The extra added feature hinted
at above is that your phone can be used as the talkback mic!
I only found one omission that I personally like in a monitor
controller. That is, the option to turn off the left and right speakers individually when listening in mono. Having said that, this
feature is not found on the majority of current monitor controllers, so it's a personal wish and not a design flaw.
The last little thing to be aware of is that there are no relays
on the output of the unit as it relates to powering down. This
means that if you do not turn your monitors off first, the D-BOX+
will send a loud low thump into them.

Conclusion

D-BOX+ makes fast and seamless work of analog summing,
source selection, and speaker selection, all conceived and designed
with today's modern studio workflow in mind. The fact that all of this
happens in a 1U rack space device with great sound quality is truly
impressive, and don't forget the flawless integration of Bluetooth for
audio and remote control. Dangerous Music might just be a tad dangerous to your pocketbook after you demo a D-BOX+.

http://www.dangerousmusic.com

Recording - September 2019

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