Another Huge Studio Ditches ProTools!

[jclark5093]

Sorry for the ClickBait title, but that's what I see every time I come on this forum.

I've been an AVID customer for about a year. Has it always been this way? I've been nervous and keeping a toe in the Apple water, MOTU, and even researching others in case PT becomes a bad choice for my own studio that I've recently started. I'm non-HD so I don't have loads invested, but it's a lot for a small business to invest in new plugs, time to learn software, keep sessions future-proof, etc.

If there are always people whining and moaning about AVID then fine, that's how customers are about every company. But if this REALLY IS about the current financial situation and there really is true fear for the future of AVID and PT, then maybe I should find a more long-term solution and call it a day.

Any advice?

Thanks!

[Wall2Wall]

Avid had dire, and worse, financials when everyone was happy during the PT HD 7.4, 8, 9 days. For as long as there have been audio internet forums, Avid has been going out of business soon.

The rest u can decipher for yourself

[jclark5093]

Originally Posted by Wall2Wall

For as long as there have been audio internet forums, Avid has been going out of business soon.

The rest u can decipher for yourself

Thanks for that, the more people chime in the better I'll feel, I guess.


I've noticed since joining forums (first joined PropellerheadUserForum in 2004), no Reason users claimed PH was going anywhere, same for Logic once Apple got it. Been a MOTU customer since 2004 too, and nobody on MOTUNation cries that the sky is falling, even when they implement 1/20 of things that loyal customers cry about every release - they, of all people, seem to appreciate MOTU like its a family (or cult?).


Of course if I paid HD costs every year for 10 years I might be complaining too.

[albee1952]

I've been with PT since 6.1 and went from 002 to 003 and last year I moved to HD/Native and could not be more satisfied. In 7 years of running a studio for hire in Nashville(where there are several Nuendo, DP and Logic users), I have only had a single client bring me wave files from another platform. I have always done self-built custom PC's based on info from the DUC(with 1 attempt that strayed from the recommendations, which was a complete disaster) and each has been more potent than the previous. My move to 11 was delayed by a few things(plugins moving to AAX, unfinished projects and poor performance on the quad-core I had at the time). Once I finished up projects and built the current PC, 11 has been very good. I still have minor issues from time to time, but those may well be caused by me. My advice to you is the same as I always offer; use the platform you prefer(Mac or PC) and use the DAW that does things the way you like(they will all get the job done, all the way down to Reaper for $69), and, these days, its no longer about the gear so much....its about the operator. Give a hack a million dollar studio and you will get a crap recording. Give a talented/skilled/experienced engineer an Mbox and a good mic, and you will probably get a solid recording(and I would rather hear a decent recording of a great song and performance, over a perfect recording of crap)

[jclark5093]

Sure, I'm not unhappy with the PT workflow, especially for tracking and editing audio. In fact, that old technology "Beat Detective" actually changed my life recently when I discovered how it works. Got me through an entire album with a drummer who refused to play to a click.

I'm worried about relying on technology that might become unstable to a point where I'd be better of with Reaper (which I loathe, for the record... Love the concept and the fact it exists, just hate using it).

[Bob Olhsson]

I was one of Digidesign's most vocal critics before Avid bought them during the '90s and they cut way back on releasing stuff that only sort-of worked. Today I sound like a fan boy because I know how bad it could be and how bad some of their competition can be. If you look at the big picture of Avid beyond Pro Tools, it's pretty obvious that they aren't going away anytime soon. I do think they could triple both their sales and their stock value if they upgraded their web site to the point people could see who they are and what they do. I only know because of my friends in post production and broadcasting.

[jclark5093]

That's how you know they could increase value through an updated website, or that's how you know they aren't going anywhere?

Of course ProTools name is too valuable as IP to go away, but AVID might not be the ones holding the torch in the morning, and who knows what kinds of headaches that could create for a semi-closed ecosystem of AAX plugins that could become worthless or worse incompatible with the new version of PT like RTAS all over again (which I wasn't here for).

Bottom line, for all the cries that the sky is falling, everyone is going to eventually settle down and upgrade to new boxes and move on with their lives after people like me have paid them enough attention?

[Bob Olhsson]

My friends are how I know they aren't going anywhere. They just ought to make it lots easier for the general public to understand who they are and what they do.

[M-ManLA]

Originally Posted by Wall2Wall

Avid had dire, and worse, financials when everyone was happy during the PT HD 7.4, 8, 9 days. For as long as there have been audio internet forums, Avid has been going out of business soon.

The rest u can decipher for yourself

I second this motion!

[Emcha_audio]

Originally Posted by jclark5093

That's how you know they could increase value through an updated website, or that's how you know they aren't going anywhere?

Of course ProTools name is too valuable as IP to go away, but AVID might not be the ones holding the torch in the morning, and who knows what kinds of headaches that could create for a semi-closed ecosystem of AAX plugins that could become worthless or worse incompatible with the new version of PT like RTAS all over again (which I wasn't here for).

Bottom line, for all the cries that the sky is falling, everyone is going to eventually settle down and upgrade to new boxes and move on with their lives after people like me have paid them enough attention?

You're talking about a company who comfortably sits presently on a a 32 million cash flow cushion. Who just made a substantial acquisition that is already bringing millions in revenue, and that is moving into a subscription service model for the globality of their softwares which will result is stable revenue throughout the years. I'm not trying to sound like a fan boy at the moment, but what I read from their financial release, and the fact that their accounting turmoil is now over and those expenses are paid. Plus the fact that they are hiring new software engineers to be located in Poland, means that it's a company that has quite a clear understanding of their path ahead. Much more than any one of us here at the same time. Pt is but a fraction of the company revenue, and it's the smallest fraction now, and that's including the Audio hardware as the S6, S6l, converters etc. The major chunk of their future revenue will be from broadcast (and has been from broadcast) which just got embellished by the acquisition of Orad, which just got them a better footing in anything that is sport, news and events related.

So the future of Avid?

My thought is that to the dismay of many people who dislike the company and their ways of doing things, Avid is not going anywhere (disappearing) and since PT is already well implanted into the work flow of the broadcasting industry, Avid is not soon to sell it either. Can they do worst, sure. Can they Do better, obviously. Nothing is ever set in stone.