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  #11  
Old 10-09-2009, 01:16 PM
RussUK RussUK is offline
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Default Re: Check the box before buying Fast Track Version of PT Essential!

OK I've done some asking around and there's 2 different versions of that package:

1. For the Best Buy customer who probably won't want to use phantom power.

2. A version with phantom power that you get from a Music seller like Sweetwater etc. Aimed at the musicians market.

The rational being that the Best Buy kind of customer may just use a basic dynamic mic whereas the MI customer may well use a condenser.

Hope that clarifies it for you.

BTW: Bilco got your song - watch this space.
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  #12  
Old 10-09-2009, 01:31 PM
bilco bilco is offline
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Default Re: Check the box before buying Fast Track Version of PT Essential!

Thanks Russ
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  #13  
Old 10-10-2009, 12:59 PM
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Avid Avid is offline
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Default Re: Check the box before buying Fast Track Version of PT Essential!

If you do a search for "Fast Track" at Sweetwater, you will see both of these listed. The original "Fast Track USB" and the new "Fast Track" (which is also USB). If you take a look at the pictures and specs, you can see the difference.

The new Fast Track model comes with Pro Tools M-Powered Essential included.

The new bundle named "Pro Tools Recording Studio" at Best Buy includes the previous model interface, the "Fast Track USB" and also includes Essential software.

I'm not in marketing, so I don't know whether Best Buy is planning on distributing the new Fast Track as well, but they don't have it listed at this time. I also wasn't asked if naming 2 different USB interfaces "Fast Track USB" and "Fast Track" might confuse anyone, or I would have perhaps ventured an opinion.
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Old 10-10-2009, 04:42 PM
bilco bilco is offline
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Talking Re: Check the box before buying Fast Track Version of PT Essential!

Thanks for finding a source online; I appreciate it

bilco
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  #15  
Old 02-09-2010, 05:50 PM
bilco bilco is offline
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Default Re: Check the box before buying Fast Track Version of PT Essential!

I got the Fast Track (Mk II) at GC. As the Digidesign rep wrote, it comes with PT Essential. It is a pretty sweet little rig. It has a lot more gain than the old Fast Track did, on both the mic preamp and the DI. I recorded a vocal track with an SM7b and it has enough gain for that mic to sound pretty good. I really like the one button method for selecting direct monitoring. (It would be even cooler if pushing that button in also muted the track that is armed to record, just sayin.......) I recorded Pbass direct, acoustic guitar with an SM81, SM57 and PR35 and vocal with those same 3 mics. All of the tracks are usable, with a minimal amount of tweaking. I did not notice any problem with the high pitched whine that I get from my first generation Mbox sometimes.

I like the straightforward simplicity of PT Essential, reminds me of PT Free in some ways. In a way, being forced to keep it to 16 audio tracks and being limited to the plugins that it comes with (which are pretty much all I need) keep me from overproducing and help me stay focused on writing the song. I am not as tempted to get pulled off the task of songwriting to try to tune a vocal or line something up with elastic audio.

Low overhead for resources too.

If you want to record one track at a time or a vocal with a mic in one channel while you are simultaneously recording a guitar or bass plugged into the DI for the other channel, this is a pretty cool little unit for songwriters. I am definitely keeping it.

bilco
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