HDX or A NEW MAC PRO WITH UAD SETALITE?
 

Hey y'all
So I am digging in my mind and maybe in yours.... For the past few days ...
I have an HD 3 Accel , protools 10 and Mac Pro quad 2.8 harper-town computer. I feel that I need some more juice... I mix and record in 44.1 but when I get sessions in 88.2 or 96... I know I have insufficient resources to mix freely...
I am in a cross road...: should I upgrade to HDX and a new quad core Mac Pro? - allowing me 60 more voices and judging from posts here and in GS... Better session handling , faster session opening... And over all better sound ... Ofcourse being ready for pt64 bit.... BUT and it's a big but... I am a waves user I have allot of waves stuff everything in TDM....and though I know allot of people praise HDX , I hear allot of other people saying it is not as stable and rock solid as HD accel...

Second option is to keep the HD 3 accel system , enjoy the new Omni interface I ordered which should arrive to my studio in the next few days ... Sell my Quad core for the new 12 core monster... That would make me benefit from the native rtas count and save the TDM power for voices and Heat and delay compensation. And adding The UAD 2 satellite for additional processing power.... Keeping my Waves plug in which are more then essential and my tc reverbs which are priceless ....

Both options are not cheap... But unfortunately I have to make a move... Either way... Would you help me make my mind.... I am tired from thinking about it all day long....

Re: HDX or A NEW MAC PRO WITH UAD SETALITE?
 

I use HDX and its great.
Something to consider about TDM being stable is , alot of people stuck at a version that worked well for them and didn't update PT.
HDX way have comment of not being stable and I myself have had a few hiccups but its the first instalment and not even a HDX specific instalment .
If WAVES is essential and TC really is priceless to you then HDX is not a option at this point.
HDX and NEW HD interfaces do sound better, in fact waaaay better then TDM with 192s or 96s . I had all in use when I first got my HDX and HD16X16 . After hearing the new HD interfaces and HDX I had no reservations on exchanging my old TDM and 192/96i/o stuff. It really does sound better. Stability for me is better but not for all.
I am able to do soooo much more now than I could before but the plugin crisis is becoming a epidemic . On the optimistic side most expect that when PT goes 64bit thats when the AAX plugs will start flooding in.
Waves and TC will work in HDX but only if they have a RTAS equivalent. They just wont run DSP and are not expected to be compatible with PT or HD11 .
With new MACs arriving soon I personally think it would be a complete waist to buy a new quad core MAC . But buying a new 12 core that wont be new in a month or two would be just a shame as well .

My opinion stay where your at until APPLE and more specifically AVID get it together and finally deliver on the promises they made exactly 1 year ago.
Which is specifically plug in support :(

Re: HDX or A NEW MAC PRO WITH UAD SETALITE?
 

Hey , as for interfaces- I have upgraded my 96 to an omni... I should be getting it in the next few days...
About waves.... They have stated loud and clear that they will not support AAX ... So that would not change even when 64bit gets here .
Tc plugs are TDM only....
As for the macs.... This recent generation of Mac Pro is the last generation that will support HD Accel cards... Once the new Mac Pro's are here Hd accel would be obsolete .....no chance avid would test and approve the new machines with HD accel.... That is a sure bet....then I will be forced to buy Hdx... And loses my TDM plugins...

Please explain what do you mean by saying you can do so much more with the Hdx ....and did you find good alternative for AAX plug ins?

Re: HDX or A NEW MAC PRO WITH UAD SETALITE?
 

If you are used to TDM and tracking with plugins you might be less than happy with the latency involved with a UAD DSP system. Make sure you read the documentation and understand the likely need for a 512 or even 1024 buffer size when working with the UAD plugins, and understate the TDM voice count hit you'll take. UAD DSP systems are really intended for mix time, not tracking. If you want UAD plugins while tracking the UAD Apollo interface is what you want to look at.

Personall I'd not look at any UAD solution (even the new 8 core boards) because "I need the processing power"... I'd look at them because I want/like the UAD plugins.

Darryl

Re: HDX or A NEW MAC PRO WITH UAD SETALITE?
 

I never use plugins while tracking .... Only when I mix...
I never tried UAD plug ins... But from what I hear the sound great and there are some plugins I'm missing from waves or others like the massive passive , the Harrison and disstresor.. Which I'd love to have....

Re: HDX or A NEW MAC PRO WITH UAD SETALITE?
 

UAD could be a great move for you then.

Personally native should be able to do the few things I need (but I'd prefer to have seen companies out testing their AAX Native drum VIs...) and PT 11/64 bit is really important for me. Its currently a frustrating wait for many of us until Apple gets its act together with the new Mac Pro...

Darryl

Re: HDX or A NEW MAC PRO WITH UAD SETALITE?
 

Basically HDX does everything better :D
More voices, and I don't think tracks eat voice count now either.
First off you get more tracks. more voices more DSP .
The ability to stay current in the ever demanding studio market share .
My opinion is .
Do you really want to spend $5000 to be stuck in obsolete format.
Sooner or later the UAD cards wont be producing RTAS since its no longer current. How do you explain to clients that your stuck in HD 9 or 10 when Im at HD15 . How are you going to market your studio as a professional service with professional tools when some kid is going to have TDM he bought off EBAY for $500 that he wants $10 hour for. Im not paying you $25/50 hr that kids got the same studio for $10hr. LOL :D
Bottom line its your decision its your money but for me to invest $5000 in a format that is obsolete is plain silly. Wanna buy a VCR or MINIDISK player or for that mater HD DVDs . non of that stuff is valid now (more or less)
The worst part of it is you will have a great studio that most people will consider old and junk and you will lose clients and money because of it.
I will be HD18 you will be HD10 . you better be a good salesman!!!!
Just my point of view. . Keep what you have save the money see how things work out. Thats what I would do.

Re: HDX or A NEW MAC PRO WITH UAD SETALITE?
 

Geez, what are you going on about? "... the UAD cards won't be producing RTAS"??? The UAD DSP code is wrapped/called from an RTAS, AU or VST host plugin today. The UAD card does not "produce RTAS", it does talk back to the invoking host plugin.

UAD have committed to providing free upgrades to AAX. Of all the companies in this space, UAD is one I'd tend to believe and rely on when they make commitments like this. They did the whole VST to RTAS thing before (and lived through some pain with that) and clearly have some serious in-house software chops given all their impressive plugin DSP and UI code and things like the Apollo console software. And they already have 64 bit plugins for non-RTAS environments which is somewhat reassuring.

My issues around UAD software is not really the company, more its users who don't understand the implications of latency to the UAD DSPs and assume they are going to get a HD/HDX like experience.

Again, my decision trigger for UAD would be if you really want the UAD plugins (not to try to add compute power) and your workflow can handle the latencies involved.

Darryl

Re: HDX or A NEW MAC PRO WITH UAD SETALITE?
 

OK, we get it. You've got HDX and you love it. No need to get arrogant about it. I and probably most people on this board would hardly consider HD systems (Accel, 192s, etc.) "junk" and most client's don't know the difference, aren't asking for it, and frankly, don't need it. BTW, have you checked out what most studio rates are doing lately. They are falling. If your doctor is not using the absolute latest equipment do you quit going to him? I doubt it. You trust him to use what is needed for the job. There's more to this business than just spending lots of money on the latest gear and boasting about it.

Re: HDX or A NEW MAC PRO WITH UAD SETALITE?
 

I dont consider them junk either!!!! you missed the point.

What is his cliental.
Established professional musicians who know the difference
College students wanting great for as little as possible
high school kids. That in 3 years will have never heard of TDM

My comments really hadn't much do with UAD especially if they are giving away AAX updates. It had everything to do with investing allot of money into something that will be considered antiquated in a few years by the two thirds of my list .

In a big city this might not be a issue but in a small town like MINE it would be.

I dont think anybody on this board is looking to rent his studio time or mine anytime soon.