Pro Tools M-Powered vs. LE, what differences?

[J.DavisNJ]

Hello gents,

The time has come that I would like to familiarize myself with Pro Tools. The hardware is kind of secondary right now as I'm not recording full bands or anything. I simply want a stable system to learn the software on.

My options:

-M-audio Profire 2626. This woud provide me with the option to record full bands in the near future, so I'd be killing two birds I suppose. Is M-Powred Pro Tools that much more limited than LE?

-An Mbox of some sort to learn the program with.

Last question: Can I use external conversion with either of these? I want to invest in some better converters and a couple of nice preamps in the near future.

Thanks

Joe

 

[::XeS::]

Protools 8 has no differences between M and LE. The only difference is that with M-powered you can't install the Complete toolkit.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

AFAIK the biggest difference is that you can't get DV Toolkit for M-Powered. Other than that they're pretty much identical.

None of the MBoxes have ADAT I/O (correct me if I'm wrong), so if you want different converters, your only option would be S/PDIF, which isn't found on the MBox2 Mini. Profire 2626 has two ADAT I/O's.

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Thanks for the info dudes.

Maybe the Profire would be the best overall investment.

-Joe

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Thanks for the info dudes.

Maybe the Profire would be the best overall investment.

-Joe

That's the conclusion I came to when I was choosing

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Good stuff, cheers!

Also, I heard that w/ M-Powered and the 2626, you can only have 18 simultaneous i/o. Truth?

If so, what other outputs would I really need other than my monitors? Also, this wouldn't effect track count, yes? Meaning, I can use thw 17 or so inputs for drums, then when finished tracking drums I can use them for whatever else I need? sorry for such newb questions.

Also, what is the max track count within m-powered?

spaciba,

Joe

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Good stuff, cheers!

Also, I heard that w/ M-Powered and the 2626, you can only have 18 simultaneous i/o. Truth?

If so, what other outputs would I really need other than my monitors? Also, this wouldn't effect track count, yes? Meaning, I can use thw 17 or so inputs for drums, then when finished tracking drums I can use them for whatever else I need? sorry for such newb questions.

Also, what is the max track count within m-powered?

spaciba,

Joe

I can't check right now, but if I recall correctly, yes, the simultaneous I/O limit for both LE and M-Powered is always 18 channels max. Naturally you can record the drums using 18 inputs and then record something else.

ProTools LE/M-P 8 allows playback of 48 mono or stereo tracks at one time. You can have more tracks in your session at once, but only 48 can be active at a time.

 

[J.DavisNJ]

I can't check right now, but if I recall correctly, yes, the simultaneous I/O limit for both LE and M-Powered is always 18 channels max. Naturally you can record the drums using 18 inputs and then record something else.

ProTools LE/M-P 8 allows playback of 48 mono or stereo tracks at one time. You can have more tracks in your session at once, but only 48 can be active at a time.

Ah, I see. Thanks much for the info!

What is the general concensus of the pres on the Profire?

-Joe

 

[::XeS::]

18 i/o limit. But if you use M-Powered/LE they are enough.
I track drums with no problems and I usually have 2 or 3 inputs free.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Ah, I see. Thanks much for the info!

What is the general concensus of the pres on the Profire?

-Joe

From personal experience they're better than the Firepod pres (at least for me), and the general opinion seems to be they kick the 002/003 preamps asses. Definitely usable anyway.

 

[Trevoire520]

Is M-Powered Pro Tools that much more limited than LE?

With M-Powered you can only get the Music Production Toolkit, not the DV Toolkit or Complete Production Toolkit. No worries to myself as there's no way I'd be spending about £1000 on CPTK or £700 on DVTK

Last question: Can I use external conversion with either of these? I want to invest in some better converters and a couple of nice preamps in the near future.

You can use external converters on any interface with SPDIF or ADAT inputs. I'd highly recommend the PF2626 as you can get up to 26 ins and outs once you've bought all the other pre's etc (you'd need to use another program like Reaper instead of PT for more than 18 though)

Also, I heard that w/ M-Powered and the 2626, you can only have 18 simultaneous i/o. Truth?

Yep, probably my biggest gripe with Pro Tools. You can easily record in another program and then transfer audio tracks into PT for mixing or overdubbing.

If so, what other outputs would I really need other than my monitors?

Typically I would use outs 1 and 2 for monitors.
Then a couple of pairs feeding my headphone amp for any headphone mixes the musicians need. Your second headphone output will mirror outs 3&4 so that can be used if you don't have another headphone amp and only need a mix for the drummer and have the guitarists with you in the control room.
You can also have a output hooked up to a reamp box for any re-amping you might be doing.
Also if you have any external processors you want to use you'll need an output for them.

What is the max track count within M-powered?

LE and MP are limited to 48 audio tracks. Music Production Toolkit/Dv Toolkit will allow you to have up to 64, Complete Toolkit will allow up to 128.

Also, this wouldn't effect track count, yes? Meaning, I can use thw 17 or so inputs for drums, then when finished tracking drums I can use them for whatever else I need? sorry for such newb questions.

You seem to be getting yourself confused between inputs and tracks here man. PT is limited to 18 simultaneous inputs, so you can record your drums using all 18 inputs onto 18 tracks in PT, then make some new tracks for bass/guitars/vocals and record onto them using whatever inputs you like.

 

[Trevoire520]

Ah, I see. Thanks much for the info!

What is the general concensus of the pres on the Profire?

-Joe

Clean and quiet. Having a 20dB pad on each is very useful imo. Certainly better than the 002 pre's.

 

[Metaltastic]

IMO the most important reason to have more than 2 balanced line-level outputs is so one can be dedicated to send the DI to a re-amp box!

 

[::XeS::]

I use out 1-2 for monitors and out 3 connected to my RedEye

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Typically I would use outs 1 and 2 for monitors.
Then a couple of pairs feeding my headphone amp for any headphone mixes the musicians need. Your second headphone output will mirror outs 3&4 so that can be used if you don't have another headphone amp and only need a mix for the drummer and have the guitarists with you in the control room.

You should note that if you have the monitors hooked up to outs 1 & 2 and use the Master volume on the Profire, it also affects the first headphone output since it automatically plays back outputs 1&2.

This easily prevented by connecting your monitors to outs 7 & 8, for example, routing the mixer out to them and then making 1 & 2 independent from the master volume.

 

[Trevoire520]

Oh I forgot to mention, with a certain version of PTMP 7.3 and a Profire Lightbridge there is no input limit. So potentially you could us all 34 in's simultaneously.

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Ah, much good information...and yes I was confused! Looks like I will pick one of these up very soon. Thanks bros.

-Joe

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Hey guys,

I'm gonna make this purchase soon, but will probably go with pro tools 7.3 since I'm still on Tiger and trying to keep my budget low at the moment.

Are there any significant disadvantages between 7.3 and 8? Would it be an ok platform to learn on until I upgrade my system?

thanks

Joe

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Crap, seems that I need at least 7.4.2 to run the Profire 2626. Argh, I guess regular Leopard wouldn't be a bad investment for now.

-Joe

 

[006]

The pres and converters on the 2626 are really good for the money, love mine sooooo much. I still need to sell my MBox Micro so I can get M-Powered for it though...