Migrating to pro tools...

[[UEAK]Clowd]

So with the recent fry-age of my audiofire12, I think I have decided that it is time to make the jump to pro-tools. I've long been jealous of the audio-editing capabilities as opposed to cubase, not to mention the routing capabilities and other workflow differences.

However it seems daunting to make the jump. I'm thinking of a getting a 96 i/o and a core1 card on ebay to start... is one card enough? I do tend to run a lot of tracks and a lot of plugins. Does pro tools count effects tracks(or whatever pro tools call them) as audio tracks? 96 tracks is not enough for me if it includes FX tracks and whatever else. Also, what are the differences besides samplerate of the 96 i/o and the 196 i/o? I don't record at 196 anyway.

Is 7.4 still available anywhere? I can't seem to find it and I really want to avoid 8 if possible. I'm looking at doing this for windows because that's what I know and that's what I have.

Does it come with a respectable collection of plugins? With cubase 4 I could comfortably mix an entire record with the stock plugins, with the exception of autotune and an extra compressor or two(plus my hardware)

Any other pitfalls to avoid?

A lot of questions haha but hopefully the pro tools gurus around here can help me make the transition a smooth one.

edit: oh yeah and I've heard a lot of woes about the lack of auto-latency compensation? Is this in HD or just LE?

 

[AudioPhile777]

Unless you can justify dropping the cash on HD, LE will do just fine... some adjustments will have to be made, things will have to be learned... and you will probably hate it until you start liking it.

That being said.

Welcome aboard... PT is a fickle bitch, but I love her.

 

[[UEAK]Clowd]

Unless you can justify dropping the cash on HD, LE will do just fine... some adjustments will have to be made, things will have to be learned... and you will probably hate it until you start liking it.

That being said.

Welcome aboard... PT is a fickle bitch, but I love her.

My main problem with LE is all the interfaces suck... 4 inputs? no thanks.

Can I somehow hook up another interface to the LE interface to give me more inputs? I need at least 10 at a time for drums.

I don't really mind dropping the extra couple grand on HD as long as my ebay method works.. the 96 i/o plus a core card, then I just have to track down the software itself. Am I crazy for thinking that would work? haha

 

[AudioPhile777]

Yeah, You can get any 8 channel preamp with an adat out and it'll hookup to the 002/3 series... thats what I'm running... Presonus Digimax LT... I haven't used the actual digi preamps in a while (since I stopped tracking drums)...

 

[fade_2_black]

If youre looking at a getting a LE system, you can get more tracks via ADAT or thru the lines if you have more pres.. Total 18 simultaneous ins possible.
HD has delay compensation, LE and M powered do not - I think you can get a plug for this though, however I may be wrong..

 

[NickL]

My main problem with LE is all the interfaces suck... 4 inputs? no thanks.

Can I somehow hook up another interface to the LE interface to give me more inputs? I need at least 10 at a time for drums.

I don't really mind dropping the extra couple grand on HD as long as my ebay method works.. the 96 i/o plus a core card, then I just have to track down the software itself. Am I crazy for thinking that would work? haha

first off, the only way to get the HD software (moslty) is to get it with the purchase of a core card. You really should have multiple cards to run a good amount of plugins. Then you need to make sure you have enough outboard preamps to work with the system. My boss recommends a starting budget of at least 10 thousand USD in order to warrant the high price of the main system. No use having an HD rig with shit preamps.

Or you could do what I'm trying to do and find a small m-audio interface like the firewire 1814 that has ADAT and then run something like a focusrite saffire pro or a MOTU 8pre into it.

And then theres always the option of the M-audio 2626, which has 8 preamps and also has ADAT in so it can be expanded quite a bit.

I agree the LE interfaces suck. I'm trying to do what I can to get into m powered because I can't deal with the LE interfaces anymore.

 

[Joshua Wickman]

You can score a 002 pretty cheap used these days...

 

[NickL]

By the way, welcome to Pro Tools. There are a lot of issues but its worth it for beat detective, the smart tool, the brilliant key commands, the sound of the mix engine, the simple I/O setup, etc. You'll love 90 percent of it and completely loathe the other 10 percent but that's life.

 

[AudioPhile777]

You can score a 002 pretty cheap used these days...

True

 

[greyskull]

getting an hd system that soon Is a pretty big jump, but if you can afford it go for it. The 96 had 16 INS but only 2 outs. The 192 comes stock with 8 in 8 out and sounds a bit better. The 96 is waaaay better than le interfaces
sonically.

That bring said. For now , grAb a 002 or 003 and a decent Adat converter

In fact hd sounds a he'll of a lot better

 

[[UEAK]Clowd]

first off, the only way to get the HD software (moslty) is to get it with the purchase of a core card. You really should have multiple cards to run a good amount of plugins. Then you need to make sure you have enough outboard preamps to work with the system. My boss recommends a starting budget of at least 10 thousand USD in order to warrant the high price of the main system. No use having an HD rig with shit preamps.

Or you could do what I'm trying to do and find a small m-audio interface like the firewire 1814 that has ADAT and then run something like a focusrite saffire pro or a MOTU 8pre into it.

And then theres always the option of the M-audio 2626, which has 8 preamps and also has ADAT in so it can be expanded quite a bit.

I agree the LE interfaces suck. I'm trying to do what I can to get into m powered because I can't deal with the LE interfaces anymore.

Yeah I suppose you are right about the software, I could have sworn I saw version 8 for sale standalone but upon closer inspection it appears to just be the upgrade package.

However, I already have a decent collection of preamps and outboard gear so really all I need is a way to get them into protools. Getting LE seems like a good idea at first, but I will need the complete production toolkit (the 48 track count of the music production toolkit is not enough. ), which makes the price difference pretty much a moot point... plus I would have to figure some way around the delay compensation. more $$$ I am sure.

I wish I could find some solid specs on how much I can run with just one core card.

I'm beginning to hate digidesign already hahah

 

[oscillat0r]

Well it sounds like the course is set but have you tried any other non-pt solutions lately? I think Sonar is fantastic if you're a PC user.

 

[beyond dead]

a lot of people around here (myself included) are very happy with the m-audio profire 2626. it stacks up favorably against its competitors ( motu 8pre, saffire , firestudio) in its price range. you cant beat it for the money IMO. for me m-powered compatibility is a bonus.

 

[oscillat0r]

My main problem with LE is all the interfaces suck... 4 inputs? no thanks.

Can I somehow hook up another interface to the LE interface to give me more inputs? I need at least 10 at a time for drums.

I don't really mind dropping the extra couple grand on HD as long as my ebay method works.. the 96 i/o plus a core card, then I just have to track down the software itself. Am I crazy for thinking that would work? haha

Would m-powered be ok? If you don't like their pres, you can always use lightpipe and its cheaper than an 002, etc

(Bd beat me to it)

 

[Joshua Wickman]

getting an hd system that soon Is a pretty big jump, but if you can afford it go for it. The 96 had 16 INS but only 2 outs. The 192 comes stock with 8 in 8 out and sounds a bit better. The 96 is waaaay better than le interfaces
sonically.

That bring said. For now , grAb a 002 or 003 and a decent Adat converter

In fact hd sounds a he'll of a lot better

BLack lion audio can fix that and make the 002 sing!!

 

[[UEAK]Clowd]

Would m-powered be ok? If you don't like their pres, you can always use lightpipe and its cheaper than an 002, etc

(Bd beat me to it)

Is m-powered more powerful than LE?

Money isn't the hugest concern here, I won't be doing it tomorrow. But that doesn't mean I want to spend $14,000 on the full out HD3 rig either haha.

Why don't they just make a simple interface that you can use your own pres on?


oscillat0r-
I have tried sonar, perhaps it was only because I'm so used to cubase, but I didn't like it very much.

 

[Joshua Wickman]

Do I need to repeat myself

Just get a 002 used and then if your feeling like spending more get a black lion audio signature mod done to it. You will have a interface that is as good or better than most. Nuff said....

 

[oscillat0r]

Is m-powered more powerful than LE?

Looks like as of v7.3, the biggest difference was support for Digi control surfaces.

http://www.audiomidi.com/assets/7354_ptle-ptmp.pdf

Jesse

 

[[UEAK]Clowd]

Do I need to repeat myself

Just get a 002 used and then if your feeling like spending more get a black lion audio signature mod done to it. You will have a interface that is as good or better than most. Nuff said....

yeah I just checked out that black lion mod and it sounds amazing! I would get the 003 cause I don't need some big mixer taking up space on my desk.

however, it still leaves the problem of only 32 tracks or 48 with the production toolkit... not to mention the delay compensation issue... plus, can I use those other 4 channels on it for my own preamps and outboard gear?

edit: I guess the 003 Rack+ looks pretty good, 8 pres, but I can't tell if (a) it has more line inputs for my own outboard stuff, and (b) if black lion mods these as well.

 

[Joshua Wickman]

002 has a rackmount version!

I scored the production toolkit Ilok license on ebay with no plugins for like 100.00 and that gives you multi track beat detective and also 48 or 64tracks (i don't remember) By the way I never need that many anyways.

And yes you can use outboard preamps as the 002 has 4 extra line inputs just for outboard preamps plus it has 4 built in preamps. Then you can get a 8 channel adat preamp setup like the behringer ada8000 and have 16 inputs/mic pre's going.

For delay compensation look up "ata time adjuster" plugin by melomuse i believe is the maker. Or you can slide tracks around manually if needed as well. Its a small headache but you get used to it.....