For the same money, would you get a MIX 3 or a native PTLE?

[tufness]

for roughly the same amount of cash, here are my options regarding getting into a PT system:

A: a 16 channel MIX 3 system complete w/ computer, expansion chassis, 2 888's, drives, 3 farm cards, PT 4.2.
this system is 16 bit, 48k and obviously not very expandable, but it is TDM and it's already set up and reliable...

B: an 001 with a newish mac to run it on, and a decent converter like the octopre.
this system is 24 bit, 48k and gives me I/O options, but not really any more channels


i want to be able to use PT as a tape deck and mix in analog with 16 tracks if i want to. of course, i can always mix in the box if i want. my main concern is simplicity and SOUND QUALITY. i could care less about tons of bells and whistles as long as it SOUNDS GOOD. PT's cool editing features i would get either way. would the software update matter that much? i don't do any midi...
would anyone invest any amount of money in a 16 bit system? TDM is cool, but i can't afford to invest any more than about 3 grand, so advice about biting the bullet and going HD isn't going to help me. also, i don't want to start a "native vs. hardware" debate! if you want that, go to tron's thread about logic...

i know this is kind of a wacky comparison, but both these systems fall in my budget, so there it is. i could also go native with different hardware and software, but i really like PT...

thanks for any thoughts, everyone!

ryan

[tech_head]

The Mix3.

The Mix3 can be expanded, you can add extra farms.
If it is truly a Mix3 you have 18 DSP chips in the system. It's going to blow away anything you can do with a host based system. You also have 2 888 I/O which are pretty good.

So the question is, is this a PT3 system or a Mix system with 3 cards? If it is PT3 then go for the 001.

tech

[froyo]

Hello. I can see the value in both. On the one hand TDM has more features, which apparently you don't need, but it's always nice to have the options in case you need them. On the other hand, the Mix system is not being developed anymore. So it depends on how long you want it for. You could go with something that has no support.

As far as an 001, it's cheaper and you have the options to pick and choose the components (which you can also with TDM). And native systems are getting better every day.

Here is the advice I always give whenever anyone asks about buying gear. Test it out. Rent a TDM system, rent an 001 system. Compare. Decide. Good luck.

[edhamilton]

If its PT3 than forget it. Only 16 tracks and limeted DSP.
If it is a mix3 than grab it. Its far more powerful than a native rig and no latency issues.

[tufness]

tech head -

i'm not sure if it's mix3 or PT 3. probably PT 3.
it's on a nubus mac. why would that be the dealbreaker for you? what's the difference between MIX with 3 cards and PT 3?
you characterized the 888's as "pretty good". do you think they sound better than the interface on the 001?

froyo -

good advice about checking them out. unfortunately i live in NM where there's not oodles of pro tools happening, but i bet i can find a studio with a nubus TDM system somewhere.

thanks guys.
ryan

[tufness]

it's definately a PT 3. how is this system so limited in comparison to MIX? is it dsp power for plugins?...

ryan

[Johnny Jam]

PT3: 32 tracks max, only 16 bit, Dsp power barely equals Mix core, discontinued.

Mix3: 64 tracks, 16 and 24 bit, more than twice the Dsp power, still supported and sold by Digidesign.

Protools Mix replaced the PT3 about 4 years ago. I remember PT3 as much more unstable as Protools Mix.
I would definitly rather go Native than PT3

[Barnaby Bristol]

If it's on a Nubus Mac, forget it. Drives that work on that miserable Digi SCSI bus are hard to find. You'll be using old Macs (8100/7100... that are dying). You'll be running old software. That's second generation stuff. Digi is on 6th with HD; thinking of 001, Mbox, and AMx as lesser tier products.

It sounds like you're using it as a tape deck. Go 24-bit. The 001 isn't the greatest ADC/DAC, but probably on par with the old 888. Concentrate on getting a better clock. And maybe you can find a nifty analog interface to the ADAT port on the 001.

cheers

[pookadilly]

Just a note on the clock comment. Apogee will be shipping their new Big Ben (and it's not ridiculously expensive) in March 2003. That thing is going to change everything clocking wise. No more Aardvark recommendations from me. It's all Apogee Big Ben now. A truly incredible machine.

[tufness]

thanks for your thoughts, everyone!

i haven't gotten any recommendations to go with the PT3 from anyone. my gut agrees with all of you about getting into something that old, but i just wanted to test the waters...
feel free to chime in if you have other ideas, but i think i got the picture... thanks again, i know you have real work to do and i appreciate you taking the time on this.

ryan