Pro Tools everyone?

[mojobone]

I think Casey forgot that non-native ProTools runs on Digidesign hardware, so there's a little more to the sound quality equation than just the software for those users-but yes, you can pretty much treat all DAWs as being equal, because converters have a greater net effect on what you hear than anything that happens inside the box. There is a slight disadvantage in the way that ProTools handles digital transforms like compression and gain changes because there are fewer floating-point calculations and some truncation of word-length that other DAWS handle better, but sonicaly speaking, it's an extremely subtle difference that I doubt anyone could hear, but maybe affects the feel, if ever so slightly. I won't pretend to understand it well enough to properly explain it, but there are some DAWs that appear to sound slightly better given identical converters: SAW, SADIE, RADAR, Tracktion, and maybe a few more I'm not aware of, particularly on the Mac side. All else being more or less equal, or close enough as makes no hearable difference, your sound ultimately comes down to your transducers and your room. Ultimately your DAW choice should be about workflow, because the REAL sonic bottlenecks are your microphones, your mic technique, your monitors and your noise floor/room modes.

[Casey H]

Nov 21, 2009, 1:22pm, mojobone wrote:I think Casey forgot that non-native ProTools runs on Digidesign hardware, so there's a little more to the sound quality equation than just the software for those users-but yes, you can pretty much treat all DAWs as being equal, because converters have a greater net effect on what you hear than anything that happens inside the box. There is a slight disadvantage in the way that ProTools handles digital transforms like compression and gain changes because there are fewer floating-point calculations and some truncation of word-length that other DAWS handle better, but sonicaly speaking, it's an extremely subtle difference that I doubt anyone could hear, but maybe affects the feel, if ever so slightly. I won't pretend to understand it well enough to properly explain it, but there are some DAWs that appear to sound slightly better given identical converters: SAW, SADIE, RADAR, Tracktion, and maybe a few more I'm not aware of, particularly on the Mac side. All else being more or less equal, or close enough as makes no hearable difference, your sound ultimately comes down to your transducers and your room. Ultimately your DAW choice should be about workflow, because the REAL sonic bottlenecks are your microphones, your mic technique, your monitors and your noise floor/room modes.Thanks for keeping me honest, mojo! As a non audio production guy I was out on a limb a little. When I was responding to the Pro Tools thing, I was thinking about people who assume that the most expensive software means the best recordings. But I learned something (Digidesign & PT) as I do every day here!! Overall, it does seem that it all comes down to the hardware (mics, front-end, etc), the room, and the skill of the user. Casey

[watksco]

Nov 19, 2009, 9:43am, thesongcabinet wrote:I wonder how many of you are Pro Tools users?I must admit getting an Mbox 2 is tempting. Right now there's an offer getting PT LE with it, and from that you get a free upgrade to PT8 as I understand it.So basically you get PT8 for the cost of an Mbox (I might be wrong).I'm perfectly happy using Ableton Live, though, so I wonder how much is gained by having PT too? The twain should work great together through Rewire, though.Not sure if the industry standard argument is valid anymore, as Live can handle both WAV. and AIFF, but of course not with BWF or OMF?I have a bunch of software that'll work in both DAW's, so thats not really an issue. Many say that PT has a great sound quality, though? I am concerned with the hassle of paying for the slightest effect and vst, that came with Digidesigns accessability politics, though.I DO consider getting PT, though for ease of sharing projects with collaborators, and perhaps for the potentially better sound quality, though.My main use are tracking country songs, as well as some tv/film stuff and occasional overdubs for collaborators w/Pro Tools.Any inputs?I've been using PT for years - it does NOT sound better - as has been mentioned - the digital stuff has really levelled the playing field where that's concerned.All Digidesign interfaces (MBox etc.) come with PT - and the current version is 8.x so if you're buying now - that should absolutely come with it.I think, from an audio (as opposed to midi) workflow point of view PT is hard to beat (IMO), BUT, it seems your main consideration is your last point - colaborating with other people who are PT users - that's where having the same DAW will come in handy - and having a different one may be painful.Scott

[mojobone]

Well, not painful; you simply render all the tracks with a zero start time, zip the files and off you go.

[jdhogg]

Having the same daw for collabs is much better because you can send the project files complete with all settings, levels, plugins...etc. ie you can amongst other things send your project settings to be edited/improved then get it back and see what has been done and then tweak it some more........If you are just sending tracks then it is easier.

[jdstamper]

I've been very happy for years now with Sonar itself, it's a great DAW. I haven't been so happy with the stability & support of the PC-Windows platform, the Tascam 1884, etc etc.I've never used Apple so I don't know if they are really that much more stable ... but couldn't possibly be worse than some of the extended outages and troubleshooting I've had with the PC ... and by the way my day-job required me and my helpful friends to be very knowledgeable about the PC and Windows platforms. Still I would hate to switch away from Sonar.Jim

[len123]

I agree with the comments about the a/d converters, they hit the nail on the head. PT is great as a standard, for collaboration or if you need to hire an engineer. There is also a better assortment of high end plugins available. The "cheaper" choices for interfaces are rather expensive though. I would rather spend the money on Lavry or prism converters, and a top quality large diaphragm condenser mic and mic chain. Of course if I had a government budget,lol, I would have it all!

[renips]

Nov 21, 2009, 1:22pm, mojobone wrote:I think Casey forgot that non-native ProTools runs on Digidesign hardware, so there's a little more to the sound quality equation than just the software for those users-but yes, you can pretty much treat all DAWs as being equal, because converters have a greater net effect on what you hear than anything that happens inside the box. There is a slight disadvantage in the way that ProTools handles digital transforms like compression and gain changes because there are fewer floating-point calculations and some truncation of word-length that other DAWS handle better, but sonicaly speaking, it's an extremely subtle difference that I doubt anyone could hear, but maybe affects the feel, if ever so slightly. Good point MOJO. Pro Tools runs on Digidesign hardware and on the entry level M audio (M box) I use Pro Tools. When I was looking for a software and hardware what sold me was the support and the DUC forum for help and information. I also new several other people who used Pro Tools and the help and support was there. In the end however the result is only as good as the persons experience and sophistication when dealing with the software. No matter which software someone chooses the journey of learning the craft of recording is all of the fun in getting to the destination.I won't pretend to understand it well enough to properly explain it, but there are some DAWs that appear to sound slightly better given identical converters: SAW, SADIE, RADAR, Tracktion, and maybe a few more I'm not aware of, particularly on the Mac side. All else being more or less equal, or close enough as makes no hearable difference, your sound ultimately comes down to your transducers and your room. Ultimately your DAW choice should be about workflow, because the REAL sonic bottlenecks are your microphones, your mic technique, your monitors and your noise floor/room modes.

[devin]

Cubase 5, MOTU 828 MKII A/D (<--getting harder and harder to upgrade firewire drivers, btw), Joe Meek Twin Q Pre's, UAD-1...running on a dual core PC.Even with collaborators running the same platform, plugins vary too greatly to just swap projects seemlessly anyway, so we just declare a session owner, and others fire in their wave files via YouSendit.As Mazz likes to say "it's not the gear, it's the ear"...so get cozy with what you bring home

[keithl]

Protools 8 user here....I agree with the ol "how you record the source and the quality is more important than the actual software used" line....tru' dat.