New to PTHD2 system; best advice to get most out of system

[[email protected]]

I have just made the jump to an HD2 system (from a 002/PT9 system -five year user) and would like to hear from those who could offer their best advice for getting the most out of the HD system. I have 192 I/O with the system.

I would be most interested in plugin advice/usage Rtas/tdm, any other advice on mix engine usage, and track count "voices." Main use of system is music/ multitrack mixing (up to 50 tracks some stereo), not recording.

thanks in advance ,

-SteveB.

[Drew Mazurek]

Just start using it til something doesn't work and then get back to us!!!

[drumster]

Congrats on the new system! You'll find it quite a step above the 002 with PT9. The first thing to be aware of is that voices are handled much differently in HD than they are in native. With an HD 2 system, you probably won't have enough processing to run all TDM plugins so I'd recommend running RTAS plugins on all individual channels and using TDM on Auxes to save on voices. If you do choose to use TDM plugins on individual channels just make sure they come after any RTAS plugins.

One of the biggest benefits of TDM is the ability to use TDM only plugins, so if you don't already have them, I'd recommend getting HEAT, Dave Hill's RA plugin, and the Eventide Anthology II Bundle. Also, if you use Waves plugins now is a good time to crossgrade to TDM for 50% off. The Studio Classic Collection and CLA Classic Compressors are great having in both formats.

[[email protected]]

Drumster,

Thanks for the input, may I ask why tdms should follow rtas in processing?

]-SteveB.

[drumster]

The reason for putting TDM plugins after RTAS is to conserve the number of voices going in and out of the TDM mixer. It's when you start mixing TDM then RTAS, then back to TDM ect. that you start burning extra voices.

[Barry Johns]

Forget TDM plugs for the most part, only use TDM if you feel compelled to track through the plug.

[kopper]

Then why bother having HD and TDM?
We only use RTAS when needed, such as when there isn't a TDM version.

kopper

[Dizzi45Z]

There are times in mixing large projects that I am very grateful to have my HD resources to take some of the load off the computer. It may not seem like a lot with an HD2 system, but it can be helpful in keeping you from having to increase your buffer size to a high amount.

[Barry Johns]

Originally Posted by kopper

Then why bother having HD and TDM?
We only use RTAS when needed, such as when there isn't a TDM version.

kopper

If you don't already know the answer to that, you probably don't own an HD rig right now.

Note my signature, and I use 95% RTAS plugs.

[drumster]

Originally Posted by kopper

Then why bother having HD and TDM?
We only use RTAS when needed, such as when there isn't a TDM version.

kopper

You must be running much higher than an HD2 then because 2 cards won't get you very far running exclusively TDM plugins. Like Barry, I run alot of RTAS plugins but mostly on individual channels. I save the TDM plugins for tracking as well as for using them on Aux sends and Masters during mixing. Even still though, there are certain native plugins that I have to use on Auxes because there are no TDM versions available i.e. Lexicon PCM Native Reverb.

On a seperate note, I just finished mixing a track recorded at a sample rate of 88.2, and I must say that if that happened more often I'd definitely want an HD3. My HD2 get eaten up twice as quick at that rate, even when using RTAS plugins because of the delay compensation engine. I've considered picking up another accel card, but the going rate of $1500 or more for a used PCIe Accel card is just too overpriced right now.