Pro Tools "Vanilla" vs HD
 

I just want to say real quick, that I hate when people say my non HD pro tools is "vanilla". I paid full price for PT12. It was like 800 bucks so to me that's not all that vanilla. I heard upgrading to HD was like 50 grand by the time you buy all the required hardware, is that true? What is needed to run HD? I currently use outboard preamps and such, and nice mics. So would going to HD really make that much of a night and day difference in sound quality? I rarely go over around 50 tracks currently.

Re: Pro Tools "Vanilla" vs HD
 

You are perfectly fine right where you are. The lines between HD and Vanilla have vastly shrank in the last few months. Unless you require more than 32 I/O, HD is a waste at this point.

Re: Pro Tools "Vanilla" vs HD
 

Depends on the scope of the studio you're building. The cheapest "official" way to get HD is a HD Native + Omni bundle that retails for $5000.

There are also opportunities to buy HD licenses on their own, for considerably less - $1200 or so, depending on where you buy.

The bare minimum is: nothing. You can run Pro Tools HD with a laptop and no external hardware, if you so choose.

The software itself makes no difference in sound quality. It's the same program as "Vanilla," the only difference is which locked features are unlocked by your license.

I'd say if you're not even aware of what the differences are, you're not at a point where the added features of HD would be at all beneficial to you.

Re: Pro Tools "Vanilla" vs HD
 

The term 'vanilla' isn't really meant in a derogatory sense ... after Avid dropped the LE branding (LE = Light Edition, which has much more of a derogatory feel about it) it simply became Pro Tools, or Pro Tools HD.

Of course now, they've made it more complex again, by branding them ...
'Pro Tools|Software', and
'Pro Tools|HD Software'.

We had a few confusing conversations here on the DUC after the LE branding disappeared, with some people using 'Pro Tools' to refer to the HD version and others using it to refer to the 'standard' version.

The use of 'vanilla' just came about to help us all avoid that confusion, and it just clicked with people. Everyone knows what is meant, and it rolls off the tongue (and fingers) easier than Pro Tools|Software.

And, yes, 'vanilla' isn't, and shouldn't be, thought of as HD's pale imitation anymore. The limitations are nowhere near what they were, 128 tracks of audio is plenty for most people, as are 128 busses.

In Pro Tools 7/8LE days, I paid good money for the Music Production Toolkit to boost track and bus counts, because I was running out, and then upgraded that to Complete Production Toolkit, to get even higher track and bus counts, among other things.

I forget the exact price now, but from memory, Music Production Toolkit retailed for around $800, and Complete Production Toolkit for $2000, yes you read it right, and that was after buying Digidesign/Avid hardware ... in my case a 003, retailing for around $2000 .... they 'gave' you Pro Tools LE when you bought the hardware. That's still true for HD ... buy the hardware, get the software thrown in, it's called a 'system'.

Having bought those toolkits on top of the hardware, everything that Music Production Toolkit unlocked was added to 'vanilla' for free when PT9 came out, and pretty much everything that Complete Production Toolkit unlocked is now in PT12.2. Many people were more than a little upset that their 'investment' in toolkits became pretty much worthless overnight.

The only remaining value of those toolkits are the additional plugin licenses that came with them ... the ones I still use today are Space (convolution reverb), Eleven (guitar amp sim) and X-Form (time compression/expansion algorithm).

So $2800 for a reverb, amp sim and time comorssor/expander ... how's that for value for money?

There are still a handful of HD only features, and the track and buss count is still higher in HD , but that's it. 'Vanilla' definitely no longer = 'Light Edition'.

I suspect it's probably too late to eradicate the term 'vanilla' now, after probably five years of use, but good luck trying ;-). I'm sure Avid would be very happy if you were to succeed in that quest!

Re: Pro Tools "Vanilla" vs HD
 

For me and my work, I agree ... but also Surround Sound, Field Recorder workflows and a few other things remain important for some HD users.

If I need more than 32i/o, or surround sound, and I do sometimes, there is a much cheaper solution than HD .... it's called Logic, or Cubase, or DP, or .... whatever other DAW takes your fancy.

Re: Pro Tools "Vanilla" vs HD
 

Would be better referred to as PT Standard and PT HD. Let's change it shall we?

Re: Pro Tools "Vanilla" vs HD
 

@Nigelpry

PT LE stands for "Limited Edition" not "Light Edition" just for the correct use of term :-)

Re: Pro Tools "Vanilla" vs HD
 

what's wrong with "Native"?

Re: Pro Tools "Vanilla" vs HD
 

That would get my vote for sure but then it will collide with "HD Native" :D

Re: Pro Tools "Vanilla" vs HD
 

What's wrong with "vanilla?" It's already established nomenclature.