Naturally, if you're working entirely 'in the box', all the hardware you need is your laptop and an audio interface.

The 'portable power' modus operandi of a 500 series rack has enabled musicians and producers to easily ferry their favourite hardware hither and, when necessary, thither, instead of relying on whatever equipment a fellow collaborator or recording studio might already have installed. The 500 series 'lunchbox' hardware has proved very popular over the last decade, with the diminutive proportions of each module making a full 500 rack much more portable, but in no way less powerful, than a traditional 19'-wide multi-unit FX rack. MixBox works excellent as an FX toolkit – it’s a quick and easy way to apply compression, delays, reverbs, saturation, etc.MixBox is IK's virtual 500 series-style FX rack. It integrates well with AUM (my go-to sound design app), and I can use it to process my favorite iPad plugins. I often use MixBox (the full version) as a sound design tool on my iPad. Saving multi-FX presets is a useful workflow optimizer if you have some go-to FX combinations that you use often. It sports a semi-modular interface that lets you mix and match different FX modules to create custom FX chains. MixBox works both as a standalone app and an AUv3 plugin in all compatible hosts. The included FX modules are based on IK Multimedia’s desktop music production software like T-RackS, AmpliTube, and SampleTank. The complete FX collection (72 audio effect modules) can be unlocked via an in-app purchase (for $79.99).

Music producers can use this starter kit without any limitations.

The free edition of MixBox comes with eight audio effects: Flexi Amp, Channel Strip, Digital Delay, Distortion, Limiter, Filter Phaser, Chorus, and Digital Reverb. The latest version of MixBox for iPad is a free app, but only some of the content is available. MixBox was initially priced at $79.99 (read our MixBox review for more info). IK Multimedia offers the MixBox multi-effect app for the iPad as a free download.

Ik mixbox