Blackbox vs Bluebox. What is the difference?

We get this question a lot so we thought we should create a video to help answer the question: "What is the difference between the Blackbox and Bluebox?" (Hint: you need one of each!)

Our Customer Happiness Enforcer gives a brief overview of each device in this video.

0:00 Intro

0:24 Blackbox
Blackbox – Compact Sampling Studio
Take music creation beyond your computer with Blackbox, a compact sampling studio with intuitive touchscreen control. It’s a complete music creation workflow—at your fingertips.

2:18 Bluebox
Bluebox – Compact Digital Mixer/Recorder
Bluebox is the portable digital audio mixer that integrates your electronic music gear. Connect your eurorack, sampler, drum machine, and synthesizer outputs to 6 stereo, 3.5 mm TRS inputs and map them to 12 mono or 6 stereo tracks – all with independent control for recording and playback. It’s that keyboard mixer with live performance features that you always hoped someone would make.

[ajmccarthy]

These two devices are really incredible. I went through a dozen different combos of samplers/mixers/recorders and none ever made me feel like I was creating/enjoying the process. These boxes are so well thought out and easy to understand that they are like instruments as opposed to "studio tools". Really amazing stuff.

[AdamsBrew]

Bluebox looks like it would be a perfect complement/extender for Octatrack

[phild]

PLEASE start building a tape style looper and a fuller suite of high quality fx into the Bluebox. It will really become a no-brainer for every studio given it’s flexible i/o and form factor. There are so many great people to collaborate with on fx, bluebox feels very out of date in that regard

[ΟρσιαΑθανασιου]

Helpful for all people that they haven't a 1010 bitbox project

[falkheintzscherfler]

The narration reminds me so much of How It's Made haha

[osten]

Good overview. Could you post a tutorial video for the song mode on the Blackbox?

[ΟρσιαΑθανασιου]

I'm still dreaming a module bluebox it is not necessary to have all the abilities of the hardware just like micro that i'm in love

[istvantoth]

This is all just too good to be true. I am wondering where the catch is... 🤔

[adrianferrer]

Which is the best unit to use multitracks for a live band. I have seen both units used for that purpose. It would be nice if in the future you can do loop in and out feature for full songs or scene selection for parts of a song. Thanks
Also which unit will you continue to software upgrade and add new features?

[garrettleaf]

What brand of trs cables are you using in the initial shot

[followyourpassion]

How does the recorded audio quality of the bluebox compare to a Zoom R-12 or Zoom L-8? A sound devices Mix Pre 6 II with Musician Plugin is sadly in a different price category altogether.

[yezdk]

Hi thanks for the overlook... I got both, so I know the difference :) but I like to know which firmware version you have on Bluebox?
I love the timeline in Edit! Missing in my firmware

[DropoutSound]

Can I use the Black Box as a multi layered sampler player just like an "hardware" NI Kontakt program? (I'm not speaking about NKI format that is' proprietary, just the concept of having an entire sample instrument playable form a midi keyboard). So to summarise I'm looking for a kind of "Kontak-like" (no matter the format as I create the instrument myself) player hardware to avoid the use of a PC when live.

[romoloborra]

Do you have any recommendation for a tested powerbank for those boxes? Thanks in advance 1010music

[SameMan]

The name of the Little black Midi Controller ?

[followyourpassion]

Is it possible to build (record) a song one track of audio after another on bluebox?

[zerberk]

Hello! Can the bluebox take midi note info from my usb midi keyboard and send it via midi out to my synth? This feature is what I’m looking for to justify my purchase. Looking forward to hearing back!

[astrofreq]

Has anyone tried going from the Bluebox outs directly into the input of a power amp using 3.5” to XLR converter cables? I know this has unbalanced outs, so will that cause the Bluebox to be noisy going straight into the power amp?

[Ipsissimus]

If only the BlueBox was an audio interface and could be used with a DAW. Would have been perfect.