Mbox + Protools LE with Creamware Scope 3.1 and Gigastudio 96 ???

[waynesim]

Is anyone using these programs in there studio? I already have a very functional studio running Creamware’s Scope 3.1 and Gigastudio 96. I currently use the midi in Cubase and record in either Wavelab or Cubase (But I’d prefer to use Protools mainly for audio editing)

I’m looking to get an mbox BUT have great concerns about the Digidesigns approach to ONLY use Digi soft and hardware together. The reason I use Creamware is for FULL routing capabilities between any software and all my external hardware. No compromising on when and how I use anything!!!

Can I run the Mbox fully though the Scope software? Will Protools LE accept that Scope will rout everything to it? Can I still rout everything via software? What are the problems?

What are people using? Please tell me if you are using anything similar. Any problems? And btw I would be running this all on ONE super PC. Running both Midi and Audio.

Equipment list:
Creamware Pulsar 2, soundcard
Creamware Luna 2, soundcard
Creamware 2496 (8 I/O)
(plus all the other normal studio stuff… Pre-amps, mics, instruments etc…

Software:
Creamware Scope 3.1
Gigastudio 96
Cubase and Wavelab

What are my options if I add Digidesign’s Mbox to the line up. I just want protools to work without problems on all the soft and hardware I already have. Or is Digi going to lose yet another sale becasue of there "only digi idealistic view".

Please tell your experiences.

Thanks,
Wayne

[waynesim]

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[B.Ray]

Originally posted by waynesim:
Can I still rout everything via software? What are the problems?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Hi Wayne,

You can't run PTLE & SFP via software because PTLE doesn't recognize ASIO. You can still use SFP & PTLE together but only via some type of hardware interface.

For example: I route SFP synths & EFX into PTLE via my ADAT ports on PulsarII. I've been doing that for a while and it works purfectly. The only issue you'll encounter is the latency assiociated running EFX through an external hardware device (SFP is actually a H/W device as far as PTLE is concerned). For the synths and samplers, there's no latency at all.

If you're seriously planning to get into PTLE, I would recommend a 001 instead of an MBox because of the ADAT I/O on the 001 (gives you more routing options).

I love my set up:

• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">PulsarII Classic

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• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">PulsarII Plus (got it free at NAMM - won creamware drawing)

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">

• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">LunaII

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• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Korg OASYS PCI

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">

• <font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Digi 001

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[O.G. Killa]

Hi...

The head engineer at the studio I work for uses a maxed out scope system on his "portable computer" (it's really a midtower case, but he put a guitar amp handle on the top and brings it with him to every session he does). In the studio we have PT HD3 with few 192s and an ADA-8.

We've done a lot of testing lately to see what actually sounds best. And I hate to say it because I am a HUGE digi fan...but the Scope system sounds better. It's got a fatter bottom end and a smoother clearer top end. And the effects are much clearer sounding. But that's when we used it in Logic...the same exact stereo audio track in Cubase didn't sound as good through the Scope.

But... we use logic to record on the PC and logic is a not the most user-friendly program, and it is no longer PC friendly :-(. So what we've been doing for a while and getting good results is to track into HD. Then using lightpipe, send aux busses out of the 192s to the scope system for effects (reverbs, delays, etc) and any midi gets sent to the scope directly and we use all of their softsynths. When we do this we are not using logic at all...just the scope interface. Then bring the analog out of the scope back up on the mixing console as effects returns and virtual midi tracks.

It works pretty good...the one thing we have noticed and this might be why the scope sounds better...is that the faster the Pentium processor you use, the better the audio coming from the scope sounds. We're guessing it might be some sort of phasing issue with the mix bus or something...the faster the processor, the more in phase it can keep the tracks while still doing its processing??? who knows, your guess is as good as mine...but I can tell you that a Dual G4 is still much slower than a P4 3GHz processor and that might have something to do with why PT doesn't sound as transparent. *shrug*. Who knows...

but if we had to track and edit in Cubase or Logic I think everyone in the studio would kill themselves! LOL PT rocks.

We're probably going to buy another PTHD system for one of the other studios in the facility...we may put it in a PC first and see if it sounds better than it does in a Mac or at least closer to the fidelity of the scope system. If I find anything I'll post it.

[waynesim]

Thanks for the relpy B.Ray.

What sort of interface would I have to use? I can't see any Adat connectors on the 001.

So I'd be able to I/O 8 channels into PT LE via the Adat O/I on my Pulsar 2? So it basically runs though the scope software, I only difference is the connections are made though hardware from Pulsar-PT, PT-Pulsar.

I assume PT LE has hardware sends/returns. Therefore I can use creamware's effects and everything via the software anyway.

It's like I have two hardware setups talking to each other, right? Each setup is independent of the other. But the power comes from both running harware and software. But only the hardware talks to each other.

Does that make sence? correct me if i'm wrong.

Thanks

[waynesim]

thanks for the post O.G killa.

Yeah I really love the effects on the Scope platform. I just love the whole environment of rounting and pluging in any device anywhere.

I agree if everyone in the studio had to use cubase there would be choas. And that's where I'm at. I need the ease of PT. However I don't like it how PT's is not ASIO campatiable.

The only reason I wanted a Mbox was becasue it was the cheapest way to get Protools. My budget is not very high atm, so I'm really a bit stuck in the mud. All I really need is Protools LE with Adat I/O. I don't need a whole 001. And that is what it really comes down to.

You think they could sell me the card with Adat I/O and PT LE... LOL... I don't think so.

[Bastiaan]

Waynesim,

The ADAT connection is located on the back of the digi001 PCI-card, not on the breakoutbox.

In the digital domain, the digi001 has 10 in's and 10 out's (8 adat and 2 spdif).

PTLE indeed has hardware-inserts (5 per channel) routable to any in/output pair you want. But to use them, you obviously need a system with enough in and outputs. The mbox only has 2 ins and outs, so that will be a bit of a problem.

you are right aout the independent setup idea. And to sync everything together you can use midi (ptle does recognize other midi-interfaces including loopbackdevices or the midi-input from a softsynth.

Although ptle is not ASIO-compatible, the digi001 and the Mbox are. There are ASIO-drivers available wich will make all the in/outputs available for lets say logic.

I hope this answered some of your questions.

[B.Ray]

Originally posted by waynesim:
...All I really need is Protools LE with Adat I/O. I don't need a whole 001. And that is what it really comes down to.

You think they could sell me the card with Adat I/O and PT LE... LOL... I don't think so.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Yeah waynesim, as Bastian pointed out above, the ADAT connection is located on the back of the digi001 PCI-card, not on the breakoutbox.

No, I don't think you could buy a 001 PCI card without the breakout box. Besides, I don't think PTLE will run with the 001 PCI card minus the breakout box connected to it. I've read about people having problems because the breakout box connector wasn't seated properly. Ya' gotta' have both pieces connected.

If you check around, you may be able to find a used 001 kit for a modest price (ebay etc.,) if cash is an issue.

Good luck.

[waynesim]

Thanks for all the advise people.

It looks like I'll have to buy a 001 if I want to use Protools.

I worked out that with my current equipment, if I get a 001 I can basically use all 18 I/O on the 001. And the best thing everything (well most) can run via creamware's Scope software. The only thing I don't like about the whole thing is everything has to be done via hardware. And thus costing HEAPS more money, all becasue Digidesign aren't thrid party or software user friendly. That in in a nutshell is why I use Creamware.