Alan Evans
Producer, Musician, Engineer
“The low end is tight and punchy. The mids and highs are extremely detailed and musical. The stereo separation is incredible. I find myself using less EQ in mixes using the Dangerous SOURCE.”
Headphone Amp
Can I monitor all 4 sources (SUM, ANALOG, DAW, CD) simultaneously?
No. Up to 3 maximum. To monitor from up to three sources simultaneously (instead of the default single source), first enter setup mode. To enter setup mode press the mono and alt spkr buttons simultaneously. Both switches will flash alternately indicating that the D-Box is… READ MORE Can I monitor all 4 sources (SUM, ANALOG, DAW, CD) simultaneously?
Can I record the output of the Source’s DAC?
Yes, you can use the selected line output of the Source to feed the DAC output to another device for mixing, mastering, etc. HOWEVER, you cannot feed the final result out of your DAW and back into the speaker section of the Source, or you… READ MORE Can I record the output of the Source’s DAC?
D-BOX Downloads
Manuals
D-BOX Manual
Setup Documents
“Read This First” Document
Setting Up D-BOX with Apogee Ensemble
Setting Up D-BOX with Focusrite Saffire
Setting Up D-BOX with Lynx Aurora 8
Setting Up D-BOX with RME UFX
Setting Up D-BOX with UA Apollo
8-Channel Summing Example
Other
D-BOX Front Panel Drawings (PDF)
Cubase & Logic Summing Templates
Setup Diagrams
D-BOX / Apollo Interconnects
D-BOX / Apollo Setup
D-BOX 003 and Rosetta 800
D-BOX and Presonus FireStudio
D-BOX with Ensemble TB *NEW*
D-BOX with FF800 Diagram
D-BOX with Prism Orpheus
D-BOX with Symphony 8×8
D-BOX Analog Summing Setup for Focusrite Saffire Mix Control
… READ MORE D-BOX Downloads
D-BOX Press Kit
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Dan Black
Producer
“I noticed a profound improvement in detail when I added the SOURCE – being able to hear problems and overall a much more pleasant listening experience. I write mainly, so a lot of what I do is listen to the same thing a thousand times… READ MORE Dan Black
Dan Black
Producer
“I instantly heard lots of detail, the SOURCE made the music instantly a lot less fatiguing. I am also able to work at a lower volume and still be ‘into the vibe’ of the track.”
Dan Black
Producer
“I noticed a profound improvement in detail with the SOURCE, it was like a veil was lifted.”
Dan Black
Producer
“The SOURCE is doing a lot of stuff, it’s the speaker monitor controller and it’s bringing in sound from the Internet, iTunes, Spotify on the laptop – it’s multitasking.”
Do I need to leave blank rack spaces above/below my gear?
Dangerous gear does not get extremely hot. However, we always recommend leaving blank spaces anyway. More ventilation always equals longer gear life, no matter how hot or cool your gear runs. Do not rack your Dangerous gear next to very hot gear such as power… READ MORE Do I need to leave blank rack spaces above/below my gear?
Do I still use “Bounce to Disk” to record my mixes when using Dangerous Summing?
No- with Dangerous Summing, “Bounce to Disk” is unnecessary. Instead, record your mix into your DAW in real time by taking a pair outputs from your D-Box and plugging them into 2 line inputs on your interface. Once this mix has been recorded onto a… READ MORE Do I still use “Bounce to Disk” to record my mixes when using Dangerous Summing?
Does the Monitor ST sound better than the D-Box?
No. The D-Box has less features, but the identical, mastering grade sound quality.
Dominique Roland
“I was certainly not expecting such a result! I am extremely satisfied, this system can certainly challenge many hifi products much more expensive!
The sound is very neutral, sounding like a NOS DAC, but still very detailed and dynamic.”
Doug Doppler
M Magazine
“The SOURCE excels at delivering pristine audio. Two independent D/A convertors and just about every routing format and connectivity option you could imagine allows one to hear music as never before.”
How can I go from my interfaces’ S/PDIF out to the AES DAW input on the Dbox?
Connect a S/PDIF to AES cable and use the front panel controls to select the source (DAW or CD). The converter will recognize and lock to either AES or S/PDIF sources. Only one digital source may be monitored at a time. Purchase high quality cables!… READ MORE How can I go from my interfaces’ S/PDIF out to the AES DAW input on the Dbox?
How do I add the Source as an aggregate in ProTools?
Please view the Aggregate document on the Source product page, which details the steps needed to add it as an aggregate device.
How do I clock the onboard D/A converters?
The D/A is clocked by the pulse that is embedded in the AES or SPDIF source that you are inputing to the converter.
How do I get the output of the talkback mic by itself?
The talkback mic feeds the headphone output independently. This means that if you turn down your headphone output, but turn up your talkback level, you will hear just the talkback through the headphone output.
How do I hook up more than two pairs of headphones?
Each headphone output provides 20 watts of clean, high quality amplification. There is plenty of juice to feed headphone distribution boxes like the Redco Little Red Cue Box. Depending on the impedance of the headphones utilized, the headphone output can handle up to 16 sets… READ MORE How do I hook up more than two pairs of headphones?
How does the quality of the D-Box compare to other Dangerous products?
The D-Box is made with all the same components as all Dangerous Gear. The summing section is identical to the 2-Bus (but cut in half), and the D/A and monitoring paths are mostly the same as what can be found in our other gear.
How many channels of analog summing do I get with the D-Box?
The D-Box summing section has 8 channels, but can also be linked with a 2-Bus to expand the amount of summing channels.
Hugh Robjohns
Sound On Sound
“[The SOURCE] is an extremely high-quality and surprisingly flexible monitoring device that’s very compact and cost-effective.”
Hugh Robjohns
Sound On Sound
“The Source is, quite simply, superb. It easily matched the resolution, transparency and detail of my reference monitor controllers.”
I want to hear two sources at once, how do I do that?
To monitor from up to three sources simultaneously (instead of the default single source), first enter setup mode. To enter setup mode press the mono and alt spkr buttons simultaneously. Both switches will flash alternately indicating that the D-Box is waiting to set the input… READ MORE I want to hear two sources at once, how do I do that?
Ilia Kobrinsky
Producer/Engineer
“This has been the single most worthwhile piece of gear I ever bought.”
Ilia Kobrinsky
Producer/Engineer
“The clarity from the conversion and the low end just floored me. I don’t think I’d want to mix anything without monitoring through the DAC and signal path of this box.”
Is the summing amp the same for the 2Bus and 2BusLT and Dbox?
Yes! The Dbox is simply half the inputs (8 channels of summing vs. 16). Dangerous Music NEVER compromises your music. We may remove features to get to a price, but never sound quality.
Joe Mullen
Musician, Engineer, Writer (Professional Sound)
“The Dangerous SOURCE changes how you hear your work in a big way and reveals the information you need to create a truly informed and inspired mix.”
John Schirmer
Producer, Engineer
“My ears, my record player and my Dangerous D-BOX are the three most irreplaceable tools in my box.”
Joseph Fraioli
Sound Designer
“Whats really noticeable with the analog stage is tightness in the different frequency bands – more clarity in the sub and better detail in the highs and high-mids. The source D/A, I have to say, is a really pleasant listen. So musical.”
Joseph Fraioli
Sound Designer
“From the second I plugged it in I could tell it was very pristine and transparent. The low frequencies feel tighter and less intermingled with the other frequencies. The mids feel really lively in a good way, and the highs are clear and present.”
Joseph Fraioli
Sound Designer
“I am really impressed by the SOURCE. In fact, if you were to ask me how much this unit costs without knowing, after using it i would say at least double what it lists for.”
Mike Metlay
Recording Magazine
“[The SOURCE] delivered flawless audio quality to some half-dozen sets of monitors and countless sets of headphones.”
Ray Mchard
Producer/Engineer
“I bought a Dangerous 2-BUS LT and SOURCE, and now I am the happiest man in Glasgow! Amazing equipment!”
SOURCE Downloads
Manuals
SOURCE Manual
Setup Documents
How to Aggregate the SOURCE (MAC)
Setting Up SOURCE with Traktor
Other
SOURCE Chop Shop/Fact Snack
Windows USB Driver
Setup Diagrams
2-BUS LT with SOURCE
Antelope Orion, SOURCE, & 2-BUS LT (x2)
Apollo 16 with 2-BUS LT & SOURCE
Aurora 16 with 2-BUS LT & SOURCE
SOURCE Mobile Laptop Setup
SOURCE Simple Tracking Setup
SOURCE Speaker Options
SOURCE Talkback Options
SOURCE Press Kit
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Steven Miller
“I love the D-BOX. No other unit that I’ve seen accomplishes what it does. Between the monitoring, headphone amp and summing mixer, it makes my job increasingly easier; and the music I make sounds 100-times better.”
Thom Monahan
TapeOp Magazine
“One of these Dangerous DACs is worth the price of admission alone, and having two is almost ridiculous.”
Thom Monahan
TapeOp Magazine
“If you’re running around tracking on the fly, or you’re a touring DJ or electronic artist, this unit would be indispensable.”
Thom Monahan
TapeOp Magazine
“The SOURCE’s fidelity is open and uncolored but seriously musical. I loved listening to music through the SOURCE and just found myself wanting to crank it all the time. It has massive headroom and sounded great.”
Trent Thompson
Producer/Engineer
“Even my neighbor (who is a landscaper) commented on how much bigger and more open the sound was. The SOURCE is an absolutely amazing box and is also now my go-to D/A converter for mixing.”
What are the size measurements of the Source?
12 3/4″ Wide x 1 5/8″ High x 8″ Deep
What is the CD Input for? Can I plug in an iPod there?
The CD Input is a digital input (AES/SPDIF) that utilizes the D-Box’s mastering-grade D/A converter for monitoring. This allows you to listen to songs through the same converter and at the same reference level as your mix. You can plug in any device that has… READ MORE What is the CD Input for? Can I plug in an iPod there?
What kind of DAC chip do you use in the Source?
Burr Brown PCM1789PW
What kind of upsampling does the Source D/A utilize?
The Source D/A’s are 8x upsampling when playing at a 44.1kHz rate, 4x at 88.2 and 2x at 192. They run at either 352.8kHz (44.1, 88.2, 176.4) or 384kHz (48, 96, 192). The decoder detects the frequency and selects the upsampling mode automatically.
When I select the “analog” input, the signal is waaay louder than the other inputs…
The analog input can be set to either -10dBV or +4dBu. If the signal is too loud, you probably have it set to -10dBV when it really needs to be +4. To switch this, enter setup by pressing the mono and alt spkr buttons simultaneously,… READ MORE When I select the “analog” input, the signal is waaay louder than the other inputs…
When I select the “analog” input, the signal is weak…
The analog input can be set to either -10dBV or +4dBu. If the signal is too low, you probably need to boost it up to -10dBV. To do this, enter setup by pressing the mono and alt spkr buttons simultaneously, and then hit the analog… READ MORE When I select the “analog” input, the signal is weak…
Why do my buttons sometimes latch and other times they don’t?
“They function based on what we call “”momentoggle””. There are two modes: momentary and latching. In LATCH MODE, if a button is pressed and released quickly, it will lock. In TOGGLE MODE, if a button is pressed and held for more than a second, the… READ MORE Why do my buttons sometimes latch and other times they don’t?
Why do things get louder when I press the Mono Button?
Mono sums the left and right channels together. If anything is out of phase between the two channels, they will boost each other, thus making the mix quieter, or losing specific instruments. This button is there to help ensure that the mix is “in phase”… READ MORE Why do things get louder when I press the Mono Button?
Why do things get quieter when I press the Mono Button?
Mono sums the left and right channels together. If anything is out of phase between the two channels, they will cancel each other out, thus making the mix quieter, or losing specific instruments. This button is there to help ensure that the mix is “in… READ MORE Why do things get quieter when I press the Mono Button?
Why is the DAW button louder/softer than the SUM button?
When switching between DAW and SUM on the D-Box, you are switching between 2 different D/A converters- the converter in the D-Box, and the converter in your interface. Different converters will be calibrated to different reference levels, therefore one may be louder than the other.
Will the D-Box accept S/PDIF in?
Yes, just plug in a S/PDIF cable that is terminated to M-XLR on the D-Box end. This cable must be kept under a few feet long in order to not lose data.
Will the headphone amp work with my high impedance headphones? (300ohm, 600ohm, etc.)
Yes! The Source headphone amp is quite powerful, and can drive even 600ohm headphones. Just remember that you will not get the same amount of volume that you would with low impedance headphones.