Home Studio: How Does ProTools Stack Up These Days???

[jokerjkny]

kinda wondering aloud,

with stuff like Cakewalk's Sonar and Apple's Logic Pro 7, is ProTools still the best for the home studio?

i know everyone and their dog's studio uses PT, but in terms of use, stability, and tech, etc., how does the ol' GOP of the recording world stand up to newer programs?

 

[MichaelK]

Depends on what you want to do. For straight ahead audio & MIDI recording, editing and mixing IMO PT is the most intuitive and easy to use. If you want to run a lot of simultaneous synths or want to get deeper into soft synths, Logic and DP are more capable.

Downside of PT: PT LE is limited to 32 tracks and you are limited to using Digi hardware interfaces. Not all plug-ins are available in PT's format (RTAS). None of the above bothers me, but some people prefer higher track count and more compatibility with different hardware and plug-ins.

I happen not to like Windows programs, so I'm unfamiliar with their strengths and weaknesses.

 

[Play by Tone]

PTLE 7 is a nice step in the right direction...multiple core (processor) support, some optimization. Eventually they will cave in to the 32 track limitation. But I do mostly rock and roll anyway, so I've never had a problem with the limit.

 

[LSchefman]

What Michael said, plus...

Pro Tools is set up to do some things more easily and better than DP or Logic, and Logic and DP are set up to do certain things better and more easily than PT.

Logic and DP will also do certain things better and more easily than one another, depending on what that thing you want to do happens to be.

I'm going to way overgeneralize, but bear with me, mavens -

For cutting and mixing band tracks, it's hard to beat Pro Tools for speed. For scoring to picture, using a combination of MIDI and audio, DP may have the edge. For features like the sheer number of soft synths, samplers, and plug-ins that come with the program, Logic is pretty cool, and a downright bargain.

 

[tonefreak]

I love the ProTools LE 7! 32 tracks is more than enough for me... I think the most I've ever used never exceeded 24.

For what I do, PT LE 7 is perfect!

 

[nickdahl]

I have Pro Tools 7 LE for the PC. I've had no complaints: like others, I don't get close to 32 tracks. It was very easy to learn and far more stable than the nTrack playware I was using before I got PTLE 6.9 with the MBox. After collecting some VST plugins, I got FXpansion's VST to RTAS wrapper and the VST plugins work fine with PT. BFD works fine with PT as well.

FWIW: I have 4 GB of RAM and a pretty fast processor.

Now, if I only had time to record stuff.

Nick

 

[elambo]

ProTools is still king, and with Ver. 7 that has been reconfirmed.

 

[Member 995]

I'll reiterate the point about commercial studios having Pro Tools. I'm not sure what plans you have for your recordings, but I was able to take my home recordings into a commercial studio earlier this week and mix them in a "real" studio with a "real" engineer on an HD3 system. I'm sure I probably could have done the same with the other software platform options, but this was as easy as plugging in my Firewire drive and getting to work. That kind of compatibility is wonderful to have, but (obviously) only if you need it. If you are only using your studio to mess around with song ideas, then you should use whatever you are comfortable with.

Bryan

 

[justicetones]

All of the above stated are completely accurate. I much prefer Protools. I too think PT will cave on the 32 track limitation. I will say that V7 has addressed many of the lesser parts of Protools in respect to Logic's midi capabilities i.e (instrument tracks and other midi features). I can see why some like Logic better. For soft synth work Logic comes much more outfitted with usable synths and sounds. For Protools you must buy some good soft synths. If you are mainly recording audio I think Protools is much easier to work in. IMHO, I also think Protools has better plugins options than Logic. Not only in ease of use but also sound.

 

[jokerjkny]

(...)
I'm going to way overgeneralize, but bear with me, mavens -

For cutting and mixing band tracks, it's hard to beat Pro Tools for speed. For scoring to picture, using a combination of MIDI and audio, DP may have the edge. For features like the sheer number of soft synths, samplers, and plug-ins that come with the program, Logic is pretty cool, and a downright bargain.

interesting...