Digidesign Transformation

[vikingwiz]

I hope with the migration over to Avid, folks take a deeper look at making ProTools LE run better and Windows (and OSX). ProTools is hands down the best DAW but it's bugs really make it extremely annoying and the experiance should not be drastically different on different computers which both exceed the specs for the product. Example, on Windows it tends to hang constantly upon start-up (and the troubleshooting steps are ridiculous) and even on top of the line OSX machines it's terribly flaky and needs to be reloaded constantly while I have projects open. I would imagine HD doesn't have these issues as it's a studio standard and that would not be acceptable, but there is a lot of money of to made on the digi003 line and spending a little bit more time making this rock solid would definitly win me back from Cubase (it doesn't have any type of crash/perf issues on recommended HW, but their UI is terrible compared to ProTools.). I hope you guys can take this feedback as not me ragging on your product, but really just wanting to see it get better so I can buy whatever is coming down the line. Thank you and I look forward to see how this acquision transforms products.

[subbasshead]

hear hear Electric Nick!


I would suggest watching a documentry called The Corporation to appreciate what this open letter means….

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0379225/

“the filmmakers discover that if the corporation were indeed a person, the person would be considered a psychopath”

[mano111]

Originally Posted by Keybeeetsss

I was noticing the same thing...

and another one

[netnoggin]

Originally Posted by gjfontenette

What does that mean for the customers that forked over 30K for expanded HD systems, with all this "DigiDesign" hardware? My guess is that we will be forced to shell out thousands of dollars more for the same hardware with a different name on it. These upgrade paths are simply unfair and getting very tiresome. I am fed up with this constant upgrading every 2-3 years when it means absolutely nothing in the end.

If you are doing records, it all gets played on systems that can't/won't represent the bit depth adequately, or will be compressed to mp3's which has been no friend to audiophiles or the industry in general.

Back in the day, if you bought an SSL or a Neve, or even something you loved and it was able to create the sound you were hearing, you stuck with it. There was no reason to go out and purchase the latest SSL, Neve or whatever just to keep up with an industry and a company that devalues it's own innovation only after a couple of years. Digi abandoned TDM and HD users when they started to sell LE systems, and I don't see them suddenly changing. This is about making HD customers spend another wad of cash for hardware with a different company brand on it. There had better be some fair exchange program announced with this new line of hardware that does not gouge loyal customers or you will lose many including myself, and I will be leading that charge to boycott using this gear. There are plenty of affordable alternatives, and I am sure many producers, musicians, Universities, etc. will see it just like I do.

You seem to make contradictory statements, so I'm not clear on your point. SSL and Neve have upgraded their hardware, but as you said, "There was no reason to go out and purchase the latest" - nobody was forced to change. The same could be said of the Digidesign hardware. Nobody is forcing you to upgrade. If it works today, it will work tomorrow. Is this not true?

The only difference is reliance on a computer, but that too is not required to be upgraded if it's a dedicated machine. Eventually, parts may get hard to come by, but that's true of the old consoles as well.

[John_Toolbox]

I've worked in many industries, for companies big and small. One thing that I always notice when a company becomes too big: there are many levels of wasted labor, people's jobs become so superficial that most of them have no idea what the company even does to make money... they just know that they need to get x amount of work done in a week and that they need to be there from 9 to 5. Don't make this same mistake, keep everyone in the loop and make sure that all of your employees understand the big picture.

From my perspective consolidating everything into one brand name should probably be the lowest of your priorities. Instead, consolidating products and eliminating redundancy are probably better things to focus on. Hopefully this is already a bigger part of your rebranding strategy. This means Mpowered and LE software should just become the same software, why confuse your customers with this? They are essentially the same price point and very similar feature sets. I really think the software should be the same on all platforms, HD included though I understand that the TDM architecture creates a few gotchas that will require differences in workflow. But with all of the other DAW software out there, if people buy your entry level product to see if it's better than the DAW they have been using, and form their opinion based on the limitations of LE or m-powered software that the competition does not have....

Hardware wise, you need to go through the LE and M-audio line and take a closer look at the feature sets of these interfaces. Why are the 2626 and pro fire lightbridge able to achieve more inputs with your competitor's software but not your own? Why is the i/o routing on the 2626 more flexible than the 003, even with the artificial 18 i/o limitation? Why is the 2626 capable of a higher sample rate than the 003? All these hardware advantages, yet the m-audio interfaces arent able to take advantage of some of the LE-only software features? All of these things just scream that your company is full of people that don't know why they do what they do, and just do as they are told.

The only other advice I can give you is the simple statement "Read the trends."

And as other's have said, definitely keep the duc intact as it is, this is one of the few online audio communities that has this many pros donating their time, it's a great group of people. That being said, you have some of the best customers your could ever have, there are a lot of talented and brilliant people using your products and this is an asset you can not afford to lose.

[gjfontenette]

Originally Posted by netnoggin

You seem to make contradictory statements, so I'm not clear on your point. SSL and Neve have upgraded their hardware, but as you said, "There was no reason to go out and purchase the latest" - nobody was forced to change. The same could be said of the Digidesign hardware. Nobody is forcing you to upgrade. If it works today, it will work tomorrow. Is this not true?

The only difference is reliance on a computer, but that too is not required to be upgraded if it's a dedicated machine. Eventually, parts may get hard to come by, but that's true of the old consoles as well.

Please name me one person that has upgraded with an SSL and/or a Neve console every 2-3 years sir, please do so. It is not practical, even as a business person. There are still parts to classic SSL and Neve gear that can be purchased for 10-15 year old consoles; however, try to find a computer part for a 10-15 year old machine and you will have some serious problems. Digi's software is still dependent on computer manufacturers, so they get a break there, but on the hardware side, they have no wiggle room when it comes to customers that shelled out tens of thousands of dollars. Upgrading is inherent with every system now that computers are used with these systems, we all understand and are willing to absorb those (software) costs. But to go from a TDM3 to an HD3 and now to a AVID Super HD3 or whatever the next thing is, and to shell out 6-8 Thousand dollars per upgrade on top of the initial 30K investment is just criminal. This is just for DIGI hardware! On the other hand, the alternative is to keep a 10 year old computer running old software that new software versions do not recognize, and old hardware that no longer is supported by a soon to be defunct company. You must work for Avid, because that alternative is not acceptable and your argument for it is complete BS. We are free to do a lot of things, including supporting another company that hasn't left it's customers out to dry and are now attempting to raise new capitol by reintroducing the same old brand with a new name and new hardware.

Digi or AVID will no longer support Digi hardware within a year of this new launch, and all those with old systems will be FORCED to comply or face the specter of having invested time and money in a defunct company that could care less about their company or project concerns. The paradigm shift has already begun, and Digi got fat and arrogant. Too arrogant to ask this of thus far loyal customers.

[necjamc]

Since Avid bought Digi in 1994, this to me seems like formalities more than complete restructuring. I for one have known the pro tools name and avid name since then. This does open up opportunities for certain ends of their line that will work in some users favors for sure more than others. I truly am glad that I moved away from Cakewalk and into the avid/digi family. Of course I have a day job outside of music. So I can afford to hang around and I'm content with PT now enough to enjoy it as Avid PT. And on a side note I live about 40 min from Avid's corporate office in Tewksbury Ma. so I can go knocking on their door when I want answers, cause you know they would listen

[airon]

Originally Posted by mverta

Whenever a corporation in the midst of growing tells you they have something special for you, don't turn around. At least not without a towel to bite on.


There is an alternate universe where companies set goals based on quality and customer happiness, for which they're willing to compromise on profit maximization and growth. They're healthy companies that do extremely well, they just have different priorities; the sort of priorities companies in this universe like to pretend they have in press releases.


I'm sure I represent a decent chunk of Pro Tools users who will continue to use the product so long as it does what I want it to they way I want it to, and couldn't give a crap about the parent company. If it folds, it's not my fault, and if it succeeds at the expense of the product, I'll move on. The only thing I could possibly care less about is what logo you slap on the hardware. But please don't tell me any of this is in my best interest; this is in the company's best interest. This will go better if you don't think of me as an idiot.


_Mike

I am one such user as well and concur.

[Keybeeetsss]

Originally Posted by necjamc

And on a side note I live about 40 min from Avid's corporate office in Tewksbury Ma. so I can go knocking on their door when I want answers, cause you know they would listen

As much as u talk, they'd hav to listen

[necjamc]

Originally Posted by Keybeeetsss

As much as u talk, they'd hav to listen

HA You know its bad when I have to agree.
But I'm Positive and upbeat!