2 MTRX Studio - Which version of PT needed?

[patmaki]

Hi, I've got one MTRX Studio and and HD I/O w 16 Analog I/O. Found out that I need PT Ultimate to use the HD I/O. As i have PT Studio only at the moment, considering my options to get to 32 AD/DA (at 96khz).

Will I be able to use two MTRX Studios with PT Studio, or will I still need to buy PT Ultimate?

Also, current MTRX Studio has TB3 card, but would i be able to link the MTRX Studio units with the mini digilink cable?

Many thanks, Pat

[its2loud]

You cannot use digilink without HDX or HD Native. You also need Pro Tools Ultimate to use either of those options.

[creativecontrol]

To add to the conversation...

Pro Tools Ultimate:
DigiLink IO via HDX HDN engine
TB3 IO via TB3 engine
IP Audio via Dante engine (assumes software or hardware host interface)

Pro Tools Studio:
TB3 IO via TB3 engine (one or multiple MTRX devices)
IP Audio via Dante engine (assumes software or hardware host interface)

best,


Jeff

[RobertDorn]

Originally Posted by patmaki

Hi, I've got one MTRX Studio and and HD I/O w 16 Analog I/O. Found out that I need PT Ultimate to use the HD I/O. As i have PT Studio only at the moment, considering my options to get to 32 AD/DA (at 96khz).

Will I be able to use two MTRX Studios with PT Studio, or will I still need to buy PT Ultimate?

Also, current MTRX Studio has TB3 card, but would i be able to link the MTRX Studio units with the mini digilink cable?

Many thanks, Pat

Hi! See HD 16 analog I/O as a converter only, it's not an interface. The MTRX Studio by itself can interface with a computer through Dante Virtual Soundcard but I would not recommend that since the latency DVS works at is no fun to record audio with. You can make the MTRX Studio quite a low latency interface by adding the TB3 module. The HD I/O doesn't have this option and always needs an interface to connect it to your computer. You'll only have 2 options here to interface the HD I/O: a HD Native thunderbolt core or an HDX PCI card that you have to put in a PCI to Thunderbolt chassis on in a Mac Pro. HDX will give you the option to use AAX DSP plugins upon tracking , HD native does not. Both HDX an HD native interface with the MTRX Studio and HD I/O so that way you can have 32 analog I/O


On the software side: Pro Tools Studio will work with a MTRX Studio with DVS as playback engine (too much latency for tracking audio) or if it has the Thunderbolt3 module installed, with the MTRX Studio Thunderbolt3 as playback engine. You cannot use the HD I/O with Pro Tools Studio because the HD I/O needs HD native or HDX to interface with and HD Native and HDX are only selectable as playback engine in Pro Tools Ultimate when there's also a digilink license present on your iLok


So, if you want to use the digilink ports on both units to have 32 channels of analog I/O you can only do so by using Pro Tools Ultimate, having an HDX card or HD Native thunderbolt interface present and also you need to have a Digilink license on your iLok.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by RobertDorn

...when there's also a digilink license present on your iLok.

Lots of good info there but Digilink licenses are no longer a thing and have not been required with current versions of Pro Tools for some years now.

---

Since the OP is asking how to get 32x32 physical I/O with these systems and Pro Tools Studio, the answer there depends on exactly what you want to do. Be careful of getting stuck with complexity with hardware routing/monitoring and introducing latency differences, including if you want to use these boxes with hardware inserts.

You could span two systems systems together with say Dante and DADman (I'd not) but again depends on what you want to do this for, as you'll see latency there over Dante. You could use macOS aggregate I/O and two MTRX studio connected to a Mac via thunderbolt. But if there are problems there with aggregation you'll likely on your own. And at the point of purchasing two MTRX studios you are maybe just better off buying a MTRX II and adding $$$ preamp/line modules, or maybe looking for alternative options like a Lynx Aurora (n) 32x32 with Thunderbolt card (caution there on the number of folks who seem to have hardware insert/ADC latency issues with the Lynx Aurora (n)). Or since I'm an RME fan boi I'd consider a MADI card set/interface and a M32 Pro AD and M32 Pro DA. Prices for some of these very nice boxes might make you reconsider purchasing Pro Tools Ultimate and going with used HD I/O.

But with HDN being past end of sale life and the problems that Avid has with HD Driver support I'd personally be moving away from Digilink unless I really needed HDX/DSP for tracking.

[RobertDorn]

ah! wasn't aware that digilink licenses have become a thing of the past:)

Thinking out loud, but I've never tried this because I only have a MTRX, can you hook up a HD I/O to the digilink port of a MTRX (studio) and patch it to Dante or Thunderbolt (if TB3 module present) ? Or, and I guess I remember reading this somewhere long ago, does usage of digilink ports always at least require 1 digilink host (so HDX of the current available options) to receive proper clocking

[patmaki]

Originally Posted by its2loud

You cannot use digilink without HDX or HD Native. You also need Pro Tools Ultimate to use either of those options.

Thank-you for confirming!

[patmaki]

Originally Posted by creativecontrol

To add to the conversation...

Pro Tools Ultimate:
DigiLink IO via HDX HDN engine
TB3 IO via TB3 engine
IP Audio via Dante engine (assumes software or hardware host interface)

Pro Tools Studio:
TB3 IO via TB3 engine (one or multiple MTRX devices)
IP Audio via Dante engine (assumes software or hardware host interface)

best,


Jeff

Appreciate the insights! Ultimately, if i have to get PT Ultimate to get the setup i want, then that has to happen. But, I'd like to stick with TB3 between the MTRX ST and Mac if possible. What i like about the MTRX ST is how tightly it integrates with PT, especially being able to control channel Arming and Input monitoring directly in PT (was a 14 year Apollo user and got sick of having to control inputs via the UAD Console app 'behind' the DAW). In the setup where i keep the MTRX ST connected to Mac via TB3, are there AD/DA boxes that will integrate seamlessly into the above described workflow? I don't use plugins during tracking as i go through a large format console and outboard gear. Also I do use hardware inserts during tracking.

[patmaki]

Originally Posted by RobertDorn

Hi! See HD 16 analog I/O as a converter only, it's not an interface. The MTRX Studio by itself can interface with a computer through Dante Virtual Soundcard but I would not recommend that since the latency DVS works at is no fun to record audio with. You can make the MTRX Studio quite a low latency interface by adding the TB3 module. The HD I/O doesn't have this option and always needs an interface to connect it to your computer. You'll only have 2 options here to interface the HD I/O: a HD Native thunderbolt core or an HDX PCI card that you have to put in a PCI to Thunderbolt chassis on in a Mac Pro. HDX will give you the option to use AAX DSP plugins upon tracking , HD native does not. Both HDX an HD native interface with the MTRX Studio and HD I/O so that way you can have 32 analog I/O


On the software side: Pro Tools Studio will work with a MTRX Studio with DVS as playback engine (too much latency for tracking audio) or if it has the Thunderbolt3 module installed, with the MTRX Studio Thunderbolt3 as playback engine. You cannot use the HD I/O with Pro Tools Studio because the HD I/O needs HD native or HDX to interface with and HD Native and HDX are only selectable as playback engine in Pro Tools Ultimate when there's also a digilink license present on your iLok


So, if you want to use the digilink ports on both units to have 32 channels of analog I/O you can only do so by using Pro Tools Ultimate, having an HDX card or HD Native thunderbolt interface present and also you need to have a Digilink license on your iLok.

Thank-you for the inputs. Using TB3 btwn Mac and MTRX ST and would like to avoid HDX/Digilink path if at all possible. I don't use plugins during tracking, but do track large sessions (hence needing 32 AD/DA). I also have headphone cue's fed directly from large format console, so the performers have real-time monitoring (the old skool way! (-. But latency is a consideration during mixing where i employ a fair bit of outboard gear. i'm fine with dealing with this on the MTRX ST, but the unknown is getting the right addition AD/DA and not running into issues between it and the MTRX Studio. Lot's to consider! (-;

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by RobertDorn

Thinking out loud, but I've never tried this because I only have a MTRX, can you hook up a HD I/O to the digilink port of a MTRX (studio) and patch it to Dante or Thunderbolt (if TB3 module present) ? Or, and I guess I remember reading this somewhere long ago, does usage of digilink ports always at least require 1 digilink host (so HDX of the current available options) to receive proper clocking

Nope that will not work. These boxes are the interface end of a Digilink connection, you need HDN or HDX to drive Digilink.