MTRX Studio, Logic, Live and Pro Tools?

[Marsdy]

I’ve come to the end of the road with NI Maschine. I liked it because it gave some of the functionality of Abelton Live within Pro Tools. But it’s become unreliable. Latest issue amongst too many - multiple outs were broken for FOUR MONTHS!

So - the plan is to replace Maschine with Live and/or Logic Pro X. Super impressed with Logic 10.5 although I’ve had some Kontakt instruments overload one core on a 16 core 7.1 Mac Pro but DON’T in Pro Tools at the same buffer! Wasn’t expecting that.

I’m looking into getting an MTRX Studio and piping audio via Dante from Logic/Live into Pro Tools. I’ll try the Dante Virtual Soundcard but guess latency will be an issue so will probably need a (Focusrite?) Dante PCIe card.

Is anyone doing this? Is it working for you? What is best practice for sync’ing and inter app MIDI?

How is the fan noise on the MTRX Studio compared to an Avid HD I/O?

Also looking at a Focusrite Red 8 Pre. Half the price of the similarly spec’d MTRX Studio but only 32 channels of Dante.

[LukeHoward]

Originally Posted by Marsdy

I’ve come to the end of the road with NI Maschine. I liked it because it gave some of the functionality of Abelton Live within Pro Tools. But it’s become unreliable. Latest issue amongst too many - multiple outs were broken for FOUR MONTHS!

So - the plan is to replace Maschine with Live and/or Logic Pro X. Super impressed with Logic 10.5 although I’ve had some Kontakt instruments overload one core on a 16 core 7.1 Mac Pro but DON’T in Pro Tools at the same buffer! Wasn’t expecting that.

I’m looking into getting an MTRX Studio and piping audio via Dante from Logic/Live into Pro Tools. I’ll try the Dante Virtual Soundcard but guess latency will be an issue so will probably need a (Focusrite?) Dante PCIe card.

Is anyone doing this? Is it working for you? What is best practice for sync’ing and inter app MIDI?

How is the fan noise on the MTRX Studio compared to an Avid HD I/O?

Also looking at a Focusrite Red 8 Pre. Half the price of the similarly spec’d MTRX Studio but only 32 channels of Dante.

Can only speak to Live. DVS works, latency sucks though as you point out, so MADI or Dante PCIe would be a better option. You can send MTC or beat clock over IAC to sync the transports.

Or you can use ReWire, but that has a different set of limitations (can be a bit flakey, can't use third-party plugins within Live, can't send audio to Live, etc).

[uptheoctave]

The PCIE-R Dante card is a good option, but so are any of the Focusrite Red series thunderbolt devices, which you are more likely to find used.

They also have helpful things like more physical IO, mic preamps and headphone sends you can use on the Dante network.

I have a (non Studio) MTRX and a Red 16Line expanded with a pair of A16R's and an X2P, plus a load of other Dante devices.
The RED 16Line covers native apps, sent up to the MTRX's monitor section.
The MTRX of course handles PT HDX.
It is easy to re-patch IO as required, but I can also keep inputs patched to multiple destinations so in a lot of cases it isn't required for me to do anything

Everything clocks off the MTRX and works brilliantly.

[Marsdy]

Thanks Guys.

Luke, I’m a little wary of Rewire. Propellerhead seem to have passed it on to another company I’ve never heard of and whose website was down this morning. Plus what if Avid dropped support in Pro Tools? I couldn’t even find a download until I came across it in the Apple App Store.

James
Good to hear the Focusrite stuff is working well. The Red 8Pre looks very appealing as does the expandability, plus it all seems much more keenly priced!

[uptheoctave]

Originally Posted by Marsdy

Thanks Guys.

Luke, I’m a little wary of Rewire. Propellerhead seem to have passed it on to another company I’ve never heard of and whose website was down this morning. Plus what if Avid dropped support in Pro Tools? I couldn’t even find a download until I came across it in the Apple App Store.

James
Good to hear the Focusrite stuff is working well. The Red 8Pre looks very appealing as does the expandability, plus it all seems much more keenly priced!

Red 4 and Red 8 are great options.
Be aware they have a 9db IO alignment difference if you want to use hardware inserts.

I’ve got the Red 16Line because of this, it’s IO alignment matches.

[DetroitT]

Thank you. (from Focusrite Shopper)
"...the Red 16Line because of this, it’s IO alignment matches."
"...a 9db IO alignment difference"(Red 4 and Red 8)

[Marsdy]

Originally Posted by uptheoctave

Red 4 and Red 8 are great options.
Be aware they have a 9db IO alignment difference if you want to use hardware inserts.

I’ve got the Red 16Line because of this, it’s IO alignment matches.

Thanks James I’ll bear that in mind?

How are you finding the fan noise of the Focusrite units, especially the Red 16Line? Don’t have the luxury of a machine room here.

[uptheoctave]

Originally Posted by Marsdy

Thanks James I’ll bear that in mind?

How are you finding the fan noise of the Focusrite units, especially the Red 16Line? Don’t have the luxury of a machine room here.

Red 16 Line is silent.
The A16R's are not.

As funds allow I'll knock up the MTRX to 24 channels IO and sell at least one and maybe two of the A16R's.
But getting to 24channels of IO on the MTRX is knocking on £12k retail here so it might take a while.

I mostly have my analogue outboard on the A16's so it isn't mission critical to do this as I do have everything on analogue patch bays too, is I can always patch things into the MTRX IO for low channel counts.

[LukeHoward]

Originally Posted by Marsdy

Luke, I’m a little wary of Rewire. Propellerhead seem to have passed it on to another company I’ve never heard of and whose website was down this morning. Plus what if Avid dropped support in Pro Tools? I couldn’t even find a download until I came across it in the Apple App Store.

Rewire support is bundled with the applications themselves and works (subject to its architectural limitations) with current versions of Pro Tools and Live on Catalina.

[Marsdy]

Originally Posted by LukeHoward

Rewire support is bundled with the applications themselves and works (subject to its architectural limitations) with current versions of Pro Tools and Live on Catalina.

The limitations of using it in Live when Live is the device not the host put me off a bit but at the moment I’m leaning towards Logic.

Thanks Luke