Pricing and availability
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Average Price: $4,936
High-end/Boutique
$100
$501+
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Budget
Standard
High-end
Price History
Based on price data from 4 merchants for "Manley VOXBOX Combo Standard". Prices shown reflect NEW condition. Tracking began Apr 2, 2026.
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Description
Experience the powerful audio processing capabilities of the Manley VOXBOX Combo Standard, the ultimate tool for musicians and audio engineers who demand the best. This all-in-one unit combines a 1-Channel tube preamp, an electro-optical compressor, and a de-esser/limiter with an L2A character to offer unparalleled sonic fidelity.
Boasting a 3-Band tube Pultec EQ, the VOXBOX allows for detailed sound shaping, ensuring your recordings sound the way you intend. The transformer-balanced XLR outputs and comprehensive connection options make this unit a versatile addition to any studio setup. Plus, the VOXBOX features a classic VU meter, allowing you to monitor your levels with precision.
With its robust construction and top-notch components, the Manley VOXBOX Combo Standard promises to be a long-lasting addition to your studio gear. Whether you're recording vocals, guitars, or any instrument, this unit is designed to deliver professional-quality results every time.
Key Features:
- 1-Channel tube preamp with electro-optical compressor
- De-esser/limiter with L2A character
- 3-Band tube Pultec EQ
- Transformer-balanced XLR outputs
- VU meter for precise level monitoring
- +48 V phantom power for use with condenser microphones
- Extensive connection options: 1 Microphone input (XLR), 1 Instrument input (6.3 mm jack), 1 Line input (XLR and 6.3 mm jack), 1 Preamp output (XLR and 6.3 mm jack), 1 EQ output (XLR and 6.3 mm jack), and Stereo link de-esser/compressor (RCA).
Owner's manual
Manley VOXBOX Combo Standard User ManualProduct specs
| Preamp Type | Tube |
| Number of Channels | 1 |
| Phantom Power | Yes |
| EQ | Yes |
| Compressor | Yes |
| Other Processing | De-Esser |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz-20kHz |
| Analog Inputs | 1 x XLR (Mic), 1 x XLR (Line), 1 x 1/4" (Line) |
| Analog Outputs | 1 x XLR (Preamp), 1 x 1/4" (Preamp), 1 x XLR (EQ), 1 x 1/4" (EQ) |
| Other I/O | 2 x RCA (De-Esser/Compressor Stereo Link), 1 x XLR (Insert Input), 1 x 1/4" (Insert Input) |
| Rack Spaces | 3U |
| Height | 5.25 |
| Depth | 10" |
| Width | 19" |
| Weight | 14 lbs. |
FAQs
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What makes the Manley VOXBOX Combo Standard unique compared to other channel strips?
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The Manley VOXBOX Combo Standard combines a high-fidelity tube mic preamp, vactrol optical compressor, Pultec-style passive EQ, and a de-esser/limiter, all in one 3U rack unit. This integration offers a comprehensive signal processing solution ideal for vocal recording and processing.
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Is the Manley VOXBOX suitable for recording vocals?
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Yes, the Manley VOXBOX is specifically designed for vocal recording, featuring a tube mic preamp and integrated processing tools like EQ, compression, and de-essing, which enhance vocal clarity and warmth.
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Does the Manley VOXBOX provide phantom power for condenser microphones?
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Yes, the Manley VOXBOX offers phantom power, making it compatible with condenser microphones that require external power to operate.
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What type of compressor is included in the Manley VOXBOX?
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The Manley VOXBOX features a vactrol optical compressor, known for its smooth and musical compression characteristics, ideal for dynamic control in vocal recordings.
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Can the Manley VOXBOX be used for instruments other than vocals?
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While optimized for vocals, the Manley VOXBOX can also be used for various instruments, thanks to its versatile processing capabilities and high-quality tube preamp.
Videos
manleylabs
Processing Male Vocals with the Manley VOXBOX®
Reviews
PROS
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Delivers professional, pleasing sound quality
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Preamp, compressor, and EQ sections highly praised
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Works magic on less-than-ideal instruments, e.g., drums
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Clean preamp with tons of headroom
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Versatile: great for vocals, drums, and various instruments
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Built like a tank, durable over years
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Excellent for both live and studio use
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Can achieve optimal results quickly
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Integrates well with DAWs as an external effect
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Enhances recordings with a distinct Manley quality
CONS
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Lacks subtractive EQ options for bass and high frequencies
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De-esser performance found disappointing by some users
Owner Insights
We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Manley VOXBOX Combo Standard.
Features and functionality
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The VOXBOX’s optical compressor can be adjusted for attack speed, which is atypical, as optical compression usually follows faster attack compressors like FET or VCA.
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The VOXBOX is preferred for its built-in optical compression, especially when paired with a mid-grade condenser mic for vocal processing.
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The Manley VOXBOX is considered valuable for its unique ability to add a "breathy" quality, achieved by using its opto compression with slow release settings.
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Use cases and applications
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Users experiment with placing the VOXBOX in the Unison slot for preamp impedance matching, enhancing mic performance.
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C-Suite C-VOX is effectively used in "noise" mode to address channel strip noise, especially when the room isn’t acoustically treated.
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Users often employ the VOXBOX as part of a multi-stage compression setup, particularly favoring its opto characteristics for rootsy, indie rock, and singer-songwriter styles.
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The VOXBOX is integrated into chains with fast compressors like the 1176, to manage peaks before applying its distinctive opto compression for sustained dynamics.
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Software and compatibility
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Distressor's "dist 2" setting is favored for adding even-order harmonic distortion without compression, potentially before or after the VOXBOX in the chain.
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5.0 out of 5
Based on 1 Review and 6 Ratings
424
Best Tubes!
I have 2 of them to make the stereo and sounds amazing! As a pre-amp, DI, mixing and specially mastering. Lot of headroom, that magic box is essential in my studio.
Artist usage
Add artist
Kaskade routes vocals from the mic into the Manley VOXBOX. He says "I think the Manley is cool because it can sound like not a lot is there, but you can easily add just a little bit of color. This combination is light, airy, has some character but isn't overbearing, and I always feel like the most important thing is to get a nice, clean sound that I can mess around with a little bit later."
Tyler, The Creator can be seen using the Manley VOXBOX Combo Standard in his outboard setup at the 5:03 mark (and throughout) in the video, which captures the creation process of "Chromakopia".
In a YouTube video by TC Electronic, starting at the 1:00 mark, Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode discusses the use of the Manley VOXBOX Combo Standard in their setup.
Used for vocals on the Dynamite tour, as stated by mix engineer Rick Pope in this January 1, 2006 Mix Online interview.
Despite reservations, Pope mixes the show sans feedback on a Yamaha PM1D Version 2 digital system, and records both shows to Kay’s Pro Tools rig, which he bought when the band began work on Dynamite. “We’ve been recording every show since 1999, so we have about 250 shows on either DA-88 or Pro Tools,” says Pope. “Most of them we may never even listen to, but Jay likes to have them on file.”
Pope mixes Kay’s vocals, which are sung through a Sennheiser 935 wireless mic, through a Manley VoxBox and an Eventide H3000. Save for an occasional nod to a Lexicon PCM81 or 91, all other processing comes through the Yamaha desk.
By the time of this Britannia Row article from the Automaton tour, Pope had retired the Dynamite-era setup in favor of a Yamaha PM10.
"For Jamiroquai, everyone knows Jay Kay drives a Ferrari. He’s my boss and this is the Ferrari of desks. But consider this, I used to use a TC6000 off board, a Manley Vox Box and an H3000 – they’re expensive bits of kit. Not anymore. The on-board processing and effects are as good or better than anything else out there.”
In a Facebook video, Malaa showcases his sample pack in collaboration with Unison, where he visibly utilizes the Manley VOXBOX Combo Standard.
"For the old “Mood Swings” guitar sound it was basically 2 parts. There was an amp and there was a direct sound. The direct sound was made from a ROCKTRON PRO G.A.P. and a Marshall preamp. I forget the name but it was a single space solid-state rackmount preamp. We ran both of them through Hughes & Kettner RED BOXes and then molted the sound together onto one track. And that is how the main direct part was done. The amp sound was a 50 watt Marshall head with a regular Marshall 4×12 cabinet. Quite simple. It was mostly direct. A lot of that sound was direct. As far as on the new album, I’ve been using a FRACTAL unit, they are an awesome machine. I love it. This one in particular on the record was an “ULTRA”. I now have the AXE-FX II, but the AXE-FX ULTRA is what I use for the whole “Mood Swings II” recording. It’s got everything, all the effects…It ran through a Marshall, I believe it was a 20 watt power amp into a Boogie 2×12 and it was mic’ed. I did not go direct at all this time. All the guitars were recorded with a ROYER ribbon mic through a manley VOXBOX right into Protools." Pete Lesperance
Used on the 2Sides Tour, as mentioned in this November 12, 2018 article by Meyer Sound.
Wright mixes Derulo behind a DiGiCo SD7 augmented by his hand-picked outboard gear, including three Midas XL-48 preamps and Universal Audio Apollo interfaces. The vocal chain for Derulo includes a Neve 1073 preamp, an Empirical Labs Distressor and a Manley Vox Box. Derulo currently favors a Telefunken M81 capsule on his Shure wireless handheld, though Wright has experimented with an SE V7 capsule and is also considering a DPA d:facto capsule.
In the YouTube video "Make Beats Not War: Episode 1 - The Art of Making Beats," Naughty Boy is shown using the Manley VOXBOX Combo Standard at the 2:10 mark.
Album Usage
The Manley VOXBOX Combo Standard has been featured on the following albums:
Genre Usage
Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.
Used With
Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Manley VOXBOX Combo Standard, it is most commonly used with the following gear.
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