PTLE (Powerhouse or Teaser Toy) ??????????

[lavant]

When comparing PTLE to PTHD does the software itself have most of the same capabilities? I understand the obvious differences (track count , sample rate , hardware DSP processing , TDM vs RTAS) The reason i ask is that i see in the new production toolkit for LE and M-Powered they have included higher track count and a multi track version of beat detective. I understand that digi's "flagship" product is PTHD with the DSP cards and consoles ie the high end and expensive products. On most other message boards PTLE is always being bashed as being a joke/afterthough to get you wanting to "buy" an HD rig. Since all the other software out there is native processing logic, cubase, cakewalk etc and they are considered "top of the line" I would expect PTLE to at least be competing with them and the whole "HD rig thing" be about expected track count DSP processing and reliability. I have an Mbox 2 myself and would hope that i did not just by a "teaser" to get me to go into huge debt on a "HD rig". For a home studio just seems like HD is overkill. Any thoughts would be appreceiated from Digi included. I have some friends that are trying to decide what DAW to purchase and i would like to help them decide.

[rockrev]

The Mbox 2 is a perfectly functional piece of hardware. PTLE is, in many ways, a "freebie," not a teaser. If you don't like PTLE, use your Mbox with another software.

rockrev

[gdx]

When comparing PTLE to PTHD does the software itself have most of the same capabilities? I understand the obvious differences (track count , sample rate , hardware DSP processing , TDM vs RTAS) The reason i ask is that i see in the new production toolkit for LE and M-Powered they have included higher track count and a multi track version of beat detective. I understand that digi's "flagship" product is PTHD with the DSP cards and consoles ie the high end and expensive products. On most other message boards PTLE is always being bashed as being a joke/afterthough to get you wanting to "buy" an HD rig. Since all the other software out there is native processing logic, cubase, cakewalk etc and they are considered "top of the line" I would expect PTLE to at least be competing with them and the whole "HD rig thing" be about expected track count DSP processing and reliability. I have an Mbox 2 myself and would hope that i did not just by a "teaser" to get me to go into huge debt on a "HD rig". For a home studio just seems like HD is overkill. Any thoughts would be appreceiated from Digi included. I have some friends that are trying to decide what DAW to purchase and i would like to help them decide.

PT LE is an not a teaser to me,I've been useing my mbox for the last year or so & the only problem that I have is memory.I can open a sh-t load of instruments & samplers in those other programs but never that many in PT7.That's the only reason why I almost gave up on PT,but all is well now & no its not a teaser & I'm begining to like PT again.

[IntelDoc]

I have been running a home studio for 3 years and will eventually go HD. I can work just fine with LE. HD has better converters, the 192's are top notch! The software processes higher and it is definitely much more powerful than LE. It is really a whole new ball game when you go to HD. Expensive yes, but if you are at that level, you can get the bands in, you are doing it all the time, and it pays for itself. THe highend HD plugins are awesome, and really worth it when you go that route. Sonically it is just NICE!

Lots of other stuff too. Do a search for LE versus HD on here and you should find alot.

Pro Tools is definitely a leader in the industry though. LE might not have all the bells and whistles, but it is really nice, and effiecient if run properly.

Good luck and welcome,
Doc

[spkguitar]

does the software itself have most of the same capabilities?

Yes. Most. Closer and closer with every release.

Search the Reference Guide (which is the same for HD and LE, btw) for "HD only" and you will find most of the major differences.

The other huge difference is the mix engine: 48bit fixed for HD as opposed to 32bit floating point for LE.

Bottom line:
you can make great music with an LE system and a powerful computer.
you can make great music with the other softwares.
you can make great music with a 4 track recorder.
It's all up to you and what you like/want/need. "The best" is all subjective and up to personal taste. Some things do certain things better than others, and vice versa.

You're also asking in a user's forum where most of the people here are either a)using and liking the system you're questioning or b)having trouble setting it up and looking for answers. Most answers you get here will be kind of biased one way or the other. ( ) A question like yours is better off asked in a forum that is not.

I've used all the other native softwares; my personal preference is Pro Tools. I recommend Pro Tools. But that's just me.

[Shan]

On most other message boards PTLE is always being bashed as being a joke/afterthough to get you wanting to "buy" an HD rig.

This statement has been around for years. And when you put some business thought behind it, you'll quickly realize it's %100 crap.

The bottom line is that the demographic for HD and the demographic for LE are not the same at at all. The honest truth is that most LE users and owners will never have the funds for HD and quite simply it would be overkill as you mentioned. Trying to get the LE user to 'move up' to HD is not a realistic marketing plan for any business.

I never understood that argument. It is very doubtful that 'teasing' the LE owner to 'move them up' and 'force them' to purchase HD is part of the Digidesign business plan. That would not be viable and it would fail. It's the wrong demographic.

Now after saying that, I can tell you that LE is a very professional platform and is not a toy. I see it all over pro enviroments everyday. Every major studio I have been in has LE based workstations for pre pro. An HD 1 rig would be overkill for something like that even in a big studio. The main HD rigs are found in the control rooms and the LE rigs are usually found in the workstation areas and edit rooms. I'll also usually see an assistant engineer with an LE rig set up in the control room ready to do any edits etc that may be needed as the mixer works away.

I just recently spec'd out a computer for a brand new FM radio station. And guess what they use? An Mbox and a 002. 5 years ago this probably would have been a TDM Mix3 system. That's just another example of LE being used in a professional situation.

I myself have a mid sized studio based on the 002 and Control/24. I do alot of pre pro for some of the bigger studios. My Quad Opteron computer easily gives me slightly more power than an HD3 rig. All my jobs and clientel are very pro and I have had many projects reach top 40 on mainstream radio. I may move up to HD and I may not. And I can tell you that if I do, it wont be any thing past an HD1 system. In my opinion, HD1 and below is all you need for music production these days. The gap between LE and HD is closing everyday. And these multi-core computers make me wonder how much longer TDM hardware can survive. In another 6 months we will see quad-core single CPUs. Two of those on a mother board will give you the power of an HD 7 to HD 8 rig for around $3500-$4000 usd.

LE is very pro and can easily compete with HD these days. The remaining 'HD only' features can easily go native if Digi wanted to, and with todays multi-core systems, can easily compare with the TDM hardware systems. But that's up to Digidesign and their future business plan.

Bottom line, LE is very pro, not a toy, and can even compete and rival some TDM based systems. My quad based LE rig smokes any TDM Mix3 system I've ever worked on.

Host based Pro Tools is getting very powerful now and is here to stay.

Shane

[lavant]

Well i just want to thank all who took the time to respond. I'm just getting started in the music world. I am a network engineer so the comp stuff like spec's , firewire , ram and all that stuff i am familar with. I appreceiate the info and since i am getting ready to "dive in" to protools full force (ie purchase books online training etc) just want to make sure i'm investing in software i can grow with. For example in my working world its all about Cisco Routers there is other stuff out there that is just as good if not better but to work in this field you better know Cisco. I get the same feel here in the audio world that you better know ProTools since it sounds like alot of the major studios use it. I'll also tell my friends to check more into protools. With the speed of today/tomorrows computers seems like native processing should work out great. I see Digi is getting into VI's maybe they see that soon home computer cpu's will be able to provide as much DSP as dedicated DSP's (ie 2 quad core cpu's with 7 cores for DSP etc) and will provide ALL features the same for PTHD LE and M-Powered. Who knows ?? thanks much

P.S. is anyone familar with www.grooveboxmusic.com for online PT video training or could suggest good starting points for self training (not ready to pay for a school at least not yet)
Thanks

[spkguitar]

P.S. is anyone familar with www.grooveboxmusic.com for online PT video training or could suggest good starting points for self training (not ready to pay for a school at least not yet)

Yep, I highly recommend Groove box.
I'm pretty sure that they're ones responsible for the new Pro Tools 7 Quick Tip Videos (I could be wrong about that, though)

[Jsswtpmp182]

I've worked with a few Pro Tools HD rigs and let me tell you... GET CUBASE SX!!! With a high end computer (and I mean very high end) Cubase can match, if not surpass Pro Tools HD. You may drop a few big ones on a nice computer, soundcard, and the Cubase program, but you'd be spending 5 times that for HD. Pro Tools HD is meant for integration to big consoles. Yes, it is used as a computer editor, but its strong point is the integration it provides for Console and Computer. What "home studio" has a Neve or SSL? Programs like Cubase offer all of the same editing tools (plus more), and way better user friendly functionality. Cubase is made for editing using a keyboard, mouse, and control surface. I've been using Cubase for years, and comparing it to the HD rigs that I've used, hands down Cubase wins. I know I'll get slammed by "Pro Tools Junkies" who eat, sleep, and breathe Pro Tools, but people need to know there are other programs out there. I AM NOT SLAMMING PRO TOOLS!!! I use Pro Tools le 7 and Cubase at my home. I have worked with Pro Tools HD rigs at various studios and schools. I do not mind Pro Tools, but I prefer Cubase SX3. Please.... Be gentle...

[lemix]

A; I've worked with a few Pro Tools HD rigs and let me tell you... GET CUBASE SX!!!
B; Be gentle...