Why PROTOOLS HD? Why not firewire MOTU or RME?

[entice77]

Hi all,

I am sure most of you know that there are many interfaces on the market to choose from that provides the end user with smaller scale and compact audio solutions.

But what has always baffled/confused me is that I can never figure out what's the damb difference between a PROTOOLS HD system and a smaller fireface interface such as the MOTU traveler or the RME?

I mean the price is MASSIVELY different between the 2 systems but....... IS THE SOUND DIFFERENT? IS THERE MORE HEADROOM ON A PROTOOLS HD SYSTEM AND ARE THE A/D CONVERTERS BETTER THAT THE FIREWIRE INTERFACES? BASICALLY...IS IT IN ONE'S BEST INTEREST TO GET A PROTOOLS HD SYSTEM? AND CAN ONE USE LOGIC PRO WITH HD HARDWARE?

Most of the top acts in America I know have done their records on a PROTOOLS HD systems, the Shakira and Wyclef Jean, "hips don't lie" single for example was recorded and produced on the protools HD system....why? What are their reasons for picking Protools?

Also i have often noticed that the American products just sound a little better. Is this due to the HD system or experiece, maybe both?

Please someone explain to me why protools charges so much for their system and does their hardware audio solutions really offer a better sound?

I know that they do their DSProcessing on a PCI card that slots into your PC or MAC but if that's the only difference, then that can't mean a thing, only that a guy with a firewire and MAC setup can maybe take a bit longer to produce a song than a guy with the HD PCI card slot into the computer.

Let's talk about it here?

WHY protools HD?

[frenchman]

IN (very) brief,

HD can behave functionnally like a full blown production studio :

-Ability to have many dozens of channels with top grade EQ and Dynamics on EVERY channel.

-VERY low latency (4 samples on most plugins) plugins on playback and record. This means that you can monitor the stuff you are recording through plugins, while recording with no EQ on.
Try that while on a native system...

Most people I know who work professionally with native system, end up one day or other to switch to DSP based system.
One specific point with Pro Tools is that Digidesign controls both the hardware and the software, so if you follow the compatibility guidelines (computer, OS) it works.

Apart from that I know musicians who are perfectly happy with a native system, so it's all about what you need, and how you like to work

[Matt_G]

IN (very) brief,

HD can behave functionnally like a full blown production studio :

-Ability to have many dozens of channels with top grade EQ and Dynamics on EVERY channel.

Most modern native systems with the latest quad core or 8 core systems can do this too.

-VERY low latency (4 samples on most plugins) plugins on playback and record. This means that you can monitor the stuff you are recording through plugins, while recording with no EQ on.
Try that while on a native system...

4 samples on most plug-ins? I wouldn't say most, perhaps the free digirack plugs maybe but anything worth it's salt introduces more delay then this. The other thing is that you need to be very careful recording with TDM plugs inserted because there is no delay compensation on the track you are recording with ADC turned on. This can mean phase issues if you are using multiple mics. Also RTAS inserts are bypassed in record mode on a HD system.

Most people I know who work professionally with native system, end up one day or other to switch to DSP based system.

It really does depend on your requirements, I only sold my LE system to get more digital I/O at 24bit-96k, at the time this wasn't possible with an LE system so I bought HD with a 192 digital I/O. Sonically I prefer the native floating point headroom of the LE mixer & RTAS plugs to the TDM plugs. Now that M-Powered is available with M-Audio interfaces I am actually thinking of going back to a native LE system again as there is an interface that does 18 channels of 24-96kHz audio that would more then suit my needs & with the new MacPro's there is enough native power to do all I would need & then some. If I need additional tracks I can buy the Music Production Toolkit.

Matt

[tomhartman]

I would not base any professional system on Apple's coreaudio. Been there, done that with Logic, and Nuendo. I'll take HD any day of the week.

TH

[Touchwood Studios]

I just finished a 48 track reomte project we mutitracked plus did a live 2 track mix for broadcast at the same time. 20 hours of recording and mixing not one hickup or crash. Almost zero latency was need for the live mix and the ability for 48 channels of I/O.
All with zero stress on the CPU.

[acmost]

>>>Also RTAS inserts are bypassed in record mode on a HD system<<<

Really? On all tracks or just the channel you're recording on?

[Matt_G]

>>>Also RTAS inserts are bypassed in record mode on a HD system<<<

Really? On all tracks or just the channel you're recording on?

Just the channel you are recording on.

[25ghosts]

...The other thing is that you need to be very careful recording with TDM plugs inserted because there is no delay compensation on the track you are recording with ADC turned on. This can mean phase issues if you are using multiple mics. Also RTAS inserts are bypassed in record mode on a HD system.

no really true - You can enable ADC on rec armed tracks simply by clicking ADC with a key command...


IMO - native recording/Production can be done just as it can be done DSP based with digidesign. It's hard to explain why TDM is better... From my experience most people doing native and at some point turn TDM wont ever wanna go back... For me: I would NEVER go back to core audio and native since I've tried TDM and digidesign..

[georgia]

just a side note.... Jerry Wonder and Wyclef use large format SSL consoles in their studio. All of the protools rigs feed the console and they use the SSL's to help mix on. So their material is not "in the box" mixes... I know, I spent some time there showing the Wyclef, Jerr and guys at Platinum how to mix for 5.1

I also mix on Protools for all the reasons listed above. But I use SSL converters and Euphonix Converters for my protool rigs (no Digi interfaces), and then use my Neve Capricorn with protools for mixes, both film and music.

This just adds to the issues revolving around what system to purchase, as a lot of pros don't completely mix in the box, regardless of what "box" it is...
I know that a lot of DJs and re-mix engineers, like Eric Morillo use various formats ( Eric uses Protools/digi interfaces and Logic/firewire IO )...

To me it's more a matter of what color and size hammer is best for the job at hand.


FYI


Cheers
geo