D command ES with PT BASIC question

[Whiteroomstudio]

Hi to everybody !
New To the forum... first post ... thanks already for your help
I am looking to buy à D-Command ES (i know about the support from avid etc etc )
I have a basic question : Would that work ONLY with protools Ultimate or working as well the regular Protools (not the first of course) ?
Now if I need the ultimate to run the command ES do I need an HDX card with it ?
I don’t think it is related but I can’t really find the answer anywhere.
I am running 2019.5 right now
The task would be 100% mixing .
My other option is an S3. But ... command es seems to have more possibility.
Thanks a lot for your help !

Phil

[Nistov]

Quite sure you would need Ultimate. HDX not required. I am running a D-Control with Ultimate, at times with HDX but most often just natively.

Gaute

[Whiteroomstudio]

Thanks gaute for thé super quick answer !
Stupid question would it work with a NON ultimate version anyone ?

[clivvy]

running my D command ES with a native card and Avid I/O no problems!

[Southsidemusic]

But he is asking if he needs an HD license to use the D-Command and the answer is yes! You need to get an Ultimate or an HD second hand license. Will not work with non HD like the PT you have now.

http://duc.avid.com/showthread.php?t=347817

[Whiteroomstudio]

Thanks south side music )

[reichman]

1.) I actually prefer S3/Dock compared to D Command. But they're both great.

2.) You don't need Ultimate to run Pro Tools on S3/Dock.

[reichman]

BUT... I'd much rather mix on Ultimate with a D-command than Regular with an S3.

[Whiteroomstudio]

Hi Nathaniel !
Thanks for your’kind reply...
Is the fact to have a iPad + a s3 is not more complicated than the command es ?
I was wondering about the plug ins integration ... the s3 seems less intuitive on the side ?
(Vu meter is NOT important for me btw)

Could you elaborate a bit more ?(I would really appreciate this)
What would be the positive/negative of each solution ...for you ?
Without talking about an old piece of gear / support and of course the Ultimate liscence I need to get )
Thanks !

Phil’

[reichman]

Everyone has their own workflow, and there are a generation of mixers who are wicked fast on the D-Command, so it's a great option. But some of my impressions:

Cons:

-D-Command wheel doesn't have "Move Sel" as far as I can tell, which is incredibly fast and useful on the Dock.

-soft key for Preview is buried, and if I remember correctly, "Write to selected" is not even on the same menu (wtf?)

-for tweaking plug-ins, there are more knobs on D-Command, but a lot less feedback. It's easy and fast to go through pages of plug-in parameters on Dock. Labeling is dynamic, feedback is better. iPad is more complicated, but it does A LOT. There are edit functions on the iPad that D-Command never dreamed of having.

-D-Command functions are pretty much fixed and not customizable like they are on S3/Dock.

Pros:

-D-Command is more rugged than S3

-D-Command has automatch arrows on each fader (which I desperately need on S3).

-dedicated Trim buttons per fader.

Tough call! It really depends on how you work and how important software updates and support are to you.

Originally Posted by Whiteroomstudio

Hi Nathaniel !
Thanks for your’kind reply...
Is the fact to have a iPad + a s3 is not more complicated than the command es ?
I was wondering about the plug ins integration ... the s3 seems less intuitive on the side ?
(Vu meter is NOT important for me btw)

Could you elaborate a bit more ?(I would really appreciate this)
What would be the positive/negative of each solution ...for you ?
Without talking about an old piece of gear / support and of course the Ultimate liscence I need to get )
Thanks !

Phil’