Pro Tools/ Interface: What is everyone using?

[cstocker77]

I have recently upgraded from a Mac Mini, running PT 6.7, with a Digi002r.

I now use a MacBook Pro, 8 gigs of RAM, and Pro Tools 11. I didn't think I had to upgrade my interface, thinking that since PT now allows for 3rd party interfaces, why would there be a problem with their old interfaces running with newer PT.

I was wrong. PT won't work at all with my Digi002r. So, I un-installed PT 11, and in the bundle for 11, it comes with 10. So I have been running PT 10, with my Digi002r.

It still doesn't behave very well. PT is always crashing, and for some reason the Digi002 won't run properly at 44.1. It just blinks until I change the session to 48. And then when I want to bounce to disk, everything is fucked. It usually plays back a slowed down, pitch shifted down track. Nothing I do seems to fix this.

I'm fed up with trying to dumb down my software, to fit the archaic hardware.

I know many users of the UA Apollo. It's brilliant, but it's not quite in my price range, after spending about as much as it costs, on upgrading my software and computer. But now that I have done that, things don't want to work nicely.

So what else is everyone using with Pro Tools 11? Focusrite? M-Audio? Avid? UA?

Believe me, I want to just buy the Apollo, but i cannot do that. I need something cheaper, that is going to behave itself with PT 11.

I'm so fed up with this shit.

All opinions are appreciated.

[kslight]

Unless somethings changed, when you log into your Avid account I believe you can download the appropriate stuff for any version previous to the one you own?.I could be wrong but worth checking out anyway?might get you going until you upgrade to a new interface. I'm not sure exactly when Avid cut off the 002R but maybe you'd be able to get it going under PT9?

Alternatively, can't you now run Pro Tools with your internal soundcard? Hardly ideal?but it may work in the interim.

I'm still on Pro Tools 9 and I use a M-Audio Profire Lightbridge?more archaic hardware for ya lol?not aware of any reasons why it wouldn't work on a later version of Pro Tools.


Not to be snarky, but if you want meaningful advice it'd be good to know your budget (less than an Apollo is pretty vague?), how many I/O you need, and if it needs to be Firewire, USB, or Thunderbolt.

[cstocker77]

I think i could swing anything up to $1000.

I have downloaded the driver updates for PT 10, and the 002r. It works, but not ideally. Not as smoothly as I would expect. Again I am going from PT 6.7! Which worked good, never crashed on me, always did what it was supposed to do.

Im seeing the Apollo for around $1600, and that might be in the cards after all, but i might have to sell off some other things to make it work!

[cstocker77]

Also, I'm looking for 8 I/O, preferably something like what I have, maybe 4 pre amps on board, and 4 line ins. Also, I'd like the option of 8 outs, so I can mix out of the box in the near future. Also, optical extension is ideal, so I can get 8 more I/O also, an upgrade for the future.

[Sean Sullivan]

Chad - let me say I love your band the High Strung!

At the studio I use Avid HD I/O's but in my editing room I have a little Steinberg UR22 that works and sounds great with PT 11...it replaced my old Duet. Check out their UR824...(2) ADAT I/O's, 8 mic preamps, 8 line inputs...24 in/out max.

https://www.steinberg.net/en/products/a ... ur824.html

[ott0bot]

Currently I'm using a 003r, with a Lynx Aurora 8 via ADAT. In the process of replacing the 003r...since I really only use it for monitoring and headphone routing. On a similar budget. Here is what I was thinking:

You could pic up a Motu 828x if your Mac Pro has thunderbolt, or you could go with the mkIII if you want FireWire. It's only got 2 pre's, but the conversion is solid, it's got an internal mixer for headphone mixes with effects, and the I/O should accommodate.

For me...I may sell the Lynx too & get an Apollo...time for something new.

[digitaldrummer]

I picked up a used Apollo 16 and I'm liking it a lot. I'm still on PT9 (waiting for PT12 maybe?) and I replaced a 002 rack also (actually a BLA modded 002r). Of course I run Win7 too. BTW, UA is really good about transferring ownership on used gear. I've done it a couple times (buying and selling) and it was easy.

Still, I think the Apollo or Apollo 16 is a great step up from the 002r (especially one that is stock) even if you never use the UAD plugins - but once you start to use them they can be pretty nice to have.

Mike

[JGriffin]

I'm still using my 002, running PT9. At some point I'm probably going to have to change, but I'm not sure what to go to.

Mike, do the UAD plugs show up within PT? I've never been sure how that works.

[digitaldrummer]

Mike, do the UAD plugs show up within PT? I've never been sure how that works.

Yes, they are standard RTAS plugins. The only difference is they typically have a pretty long delay compensation (300+) but that's not really a problem with PT9 and later. And I use them along side other standard RTAS plugins with no problems. **

**ok, no unique problems to that combination.. Pro Tools (and plugins) will always have little "problems"...

[cstocker77]

Sean... Thanks for listening to my band! First time anyone on here has ever given me a shout out.

I like that Steinberg piece, it's in my $$$ zone, and it has a lot of name recognition, even though i know Steinberg to be funny looking guitars with no headstocks, but those pre-amps are Yamaha, and that name I know. Are those pre amps usable?

I still dream of Apollo. My bandmate uses the Apollo, without the Thuderbolt, and uses the DUO not the QUAD, and we made our last record with it. (Sean, did you hear it? "I, Anybody") Sounded great. Thats about as base as you can get with it, and it's still a brilliant piece of gear.

The Motu 828x seems like a very popular piece as well. I bet I can find that used for a reasonable price. Does it behave well with PT 11?

[numberthirty]

I'm so fed up with this shit.

All opinions are appreciated.

First off, also a The High Strung fan.


If we're talking "all" opinions, here's mine -

Keep your hardware. Download the fully functional demo of Reaper. See how the hardware works with it.

No real downside.

[Sean Sullivan]

Chad, I'll check out the latest album, haven't heard it yet.

The preamps are certainly useable. Clean, lots of gain, certainly won't keep you from making a great recording! I'm sure it sounds significantly better than the UR22 too. The Apollo is a nice piece but I bet the Steinberg is as good, just different. With the Steinberg unit it be easy to add some "nicer" preamps down the line if you felt something was lacking. And, it's still in production so drivers and such will continue to be updated

[idave]

have you tried downloading the 002r Driver update? It's on the Avid site & once you've updated I believe you can then use your 002r, the Driver needs to be installed before pro tools! I have used a BLN 002r for years but I'm in transition & have been looking at what to buy for my home system & I am currently using a FOCUSRITE Scarlett (2 x IO & is my 'travel' IO) I have decided to replace my 002r with an Audient i22 which is a tabletop unit (works for me) & has 2 pristine Audient Pre's & excellent converters (not used it personally but lots of users say this) It also has an adat light pipe Input & Output so if you want to use a strip of 8ch external pre's these can be connected via lightpipe giving you 10ch's. The best thing is it's available for $700 !!!

I have recently upgraded from a Mac Mini, running PT 6.7, with a Digi002r.

I now use a MacBook Pro, 8 gigs of RAM, and Pro Tools 11. I didn't think I had to upgrade my interface, thinking that since PT now allows for 3rd party interfaces, why would there be a problem with their old interfaces running with newer PT.

I was wrong. PT won't work at all with my Digi002r. So, I un-installed PT 11, and in the bundle for 11, it comes with 10. So I have been running PT 10, with my Digi002r.

It still doesn't behave very well. PT is always crashing, and for some reason the Digi002 won't run properly at 44.1. It just blinks until I change the session to 48. And then when I want to bounce to disk, everything is fucked. It usually plays back a slowed down, pitch shifted down track. Nothing I do seems to fix this.

I'm fed up with trying to dumb down my software, to fit the archaic hardware.

I know many users of the UA Apollo. It's brilliant, but it's not quite in my price range, after spending about as much as it costs, on upgrading my software and computer. But now that I have done that, things don't want to work nicely.

So what else is everyone using with Pro Tools 11? Focusrite? M-Audio? Avid? UA?

Believe me, I want to just buy the Apollo, but i cannot do that. I need something cheaper, that is going to behave itself with PT 11.

I'm so fed up with this shit.

All opinions are appreciated.

[alexdingley]

Hey man, that is a bummer story? but all too common when buying digi/avid hardware. There's always a point at which they force you to make a big leap with gear to enjoy the new software.

For the money, right now? I don't think you can beat buying an M-Audio ProFire 2626. They're so cheap, (used) these days, on ebay or even occasional un-sold units still on shelves at Sam Ash & GC. For the roughly $299 you'd pay, you could buy that & send it to BlackLionAudio to have it upgraded for about $700-ish bucks to sound absolutely incredible. All told, just about a grand (and it's not like you'd have to do it all at once).

I've been using a 2626 as, at first, a primary I/O and it was great with PT8, PT9, PT10, but I have not upgraded to PT11. I did search on a few threads, and folks seem to be having success with that unit in PT11 on Mac & PC. Honestly, the unit sounds pretty damn great out of the box (as good as, or better than a standard 002/003), and the upgrades that BLA are doing have been getting seriously rave reviews.

I have an Apogee Symphony Rig with the AD-16x / DA-16x running into a PCIe card in my Tower, but I have been hanging the 2626 off of the other units via LightPipe and it's a great extra 8 i/0. I also use it as my primary I/O when I do location recordings with my Macbook Pro. It's never let me down in a gig, and the recordings I've made through it sound great.