33 day countdown! Time to stick?
 

I've been a long time Pro Tools user. I bought pretty much every version since v5. In fact, at one time I was paying for the updates of both the TDM and LE versions! Since the TDM rig went I have stuck with vanilla.

Anyhow, I've been thinking about my options for a long time. The yearly Avid tax was more than enough at nearly £100. When it went up to £200 I thought it was time to leave. I purchased another upgrade before the price doubling and that took me to September of this year.

The updates I have received in the last year or so have confirmed what I suspected. Sure, folders is nice but I can't bring to mind much else save a slew of bug fixes. The later are not inconsequential. Pro Tools is the most stable it has been for a good many years. However, I of course do not wish to pay £200 a year to fix things which don't work as they should.

As I have said repeatedly, for £200 I can buy Logic Pro X and receive free updates until a new major version arrives. That money is far better spent elsewhere. Sure I love Pro Tools but it is probably time to stick with what I have, even bearing in mind the punitive policies Avid have in place to return to the fold?

Stephen

Re: 33 day countdown! Time to stick?
 

Maybe perhaps one more time, with Apple Silicon right around the corner..? You might kick yourself if you skip 200 and find yourself in a 600 situation soon

Re: 33 day countdown! Time to stick?
 

Good point, understood!

Then again I'm also growing weary of the Apple tax so I have been sticking there too. Things have been going downhill there since Steve Jobs died. Lack of innovation and yet prices and monetisation seem to be sky high.

Stephen

Re: 33 day countdown! Time to stick?
 

Don't you think Apple Silicon is innovation? They "promise" desktop power with laptop power consumption, sounds good to me. With first models being introduced late 2020 we should get benchmarks soon enough (but too late for your decision)

Re: 33 day countdown! Time to stick?
 

200/yr is WAY too much. Win 10/PTools 2020.5 is working pretty well. I'm also considering simply letting my perpetual license lapse, and just running 2020.5 for the foreseeable future. I've got about 3 weeks to decide... Thoughts?

Re: 33 day countdown! Time to stick?
 

At least with Logic he can be sure to get native support for ARM & Big Sur from Day 1. ;)

Re: 33 day countdown! Time to stick?
 

... or minus X days if he buys that developer box :D:D:D

Re: 33 day countdown! Time to stick?
 

Stephen, I've been using the lockdown time to learn Logic Pro X. Like you I've been a Pro Tools user for many years. Logic is a wonderful DAW. I don't know what your work flow is like or the nature of your sessions but I find I can do anything that I did in Pro Tools with Logic. Some things even better.

If you're a sound designer and do a lot of heavy editing in the Edit Window, I can see sticking with PT. If you're running a big studio with lots of engineers using lots of inputs, PT is still likely the langua franca that is common to all.

But if your operation involves making music, both with audio and especially with MIDI, Logic Pro X delivers amazing value. And you'll spend far more time getting work done and less time being an IT guy.

My Avid renewal comes up in December. They won't be getting my money.

Re: 33 day countdown! Time to stick?
 

These are all valid points and I concur! I have the latest Ultimate and Vanilla versions and my renewal ends in December and I will NOT be renewing either versions. I will be using Studio One 5 Pro as my main DAW now. I must say I haven’t tried Logic yet. Now a days there are so many other options. It’s all just a matter of preference. I don‘t see Pro Tools as the industry’s standard anymore just those who have invested so much into it and can’t afford to get out. Some even have to defend Avid to justify there position. There are expectations of course. I also agree there progress has been purposefully slow. Boy they are really milking that cow! I have been using multiple DAWs for sometime now and I have no problem working mainly in another DAW and freezing Pro Tools for when I needed it. I was at this point several times before but kept giving Avid a chance to be the company they should be. People will always inject the fear of but what if? I waited last time for almost 3 years before I jumped back in and save a bunch but still got little for it.

Re: 33 day countdown! Time to stick?
 

The whole Apple ARM thing is an interesting point but that said I haven't bought any brand new Apple Macs in years. They too are wildly overpriced and not really made significant progress.

The Avid policy seems like it will backfire. To try and force everyone to subscription and heavily penalise those who don't keep up with the updates is disastrous. Treating longstanding customers (or indeed short and mid term customers) like this is not only disrespectful but also fatal.

Now it seems much of the world has gone subscription loco but the best companies keep favour with the customers and their buying preferences. Plugin Alliance for example have offered subscriptions to those who want them and kept the same type of deals for customers like myself who prefer to purchase. Slate on the other hand have tried to strong-arm everyone to subscription. They have lost my business. Avid have gone the same route but they also look set to loose my vote.

Stephen