Pro Tools Vs Nuendo?

[matt]

Hey Tape Oppers,
I'm in the process of designing my own project studio and was wondering what y'all had to say about the pros and cons of using Pro Tools over Nuendo (or vice versa). I've only ever worked on Pro Tools before, so I'm fairly familiar with and appreciate that program on a basic level. Nuendo I am not so familiar with. In fact, about the only thing I know about Nuendo is that it's cheaper (oh yeah, and someone once mentioned how it's incredibly easy and intuitive to work with). If Nuendo is indeed cheaper, and works just as well as Pro Tools -- or even better -- than I'm all for it!

PS: I know that this topic has probably come up many times before, but I'm new here so bear with me! (I did try to find this topic in the "Best Of" section and it wasn't there).

Thanks!

[adoigi]

Ahem!! Nuendo is 900+ sterling for the software alone(no souncard, nothing) You would in fact probably spend up to the same price as a oo2 to get the i/o to go with Nuendo!
But it is very cool- 10.1 surround, 382Khz sample rates (its not very Le) & proper surround encoding)Looks a lot like cubase too!! But Pro Tools is less hassle more to the point

[wing]

nevermind it... traktion is under $100 and just as great (if not better and more fun to use) than both, IMO.

http://www4.mackie.com/products/tracktion/

[elementsound]

I have been considering for some time switching from PT to Neundo. I have been using Cubase or DP for my midi programming on another computer and then had that chasing my PT rig and I am tired of the upkeep of 2 different programs.

Pros to Nuendo that I know of....

1. Midi
2. Score printing
3. more possibilities of different soundcards and interfaces directly interfacing
4. DEBATABLE-but I hear from many many sources that have recently switch over that it just sounds better in Nuendo. Using the same hardware...strange isn't it?
5. cheaper
6. different plugs that arent available to PT

PT

1. current industry standard
2. Procontrol if you use it
3. A/V option if you need it (I use it)
4. TDM plugs ..although you need dsp cards
5. IF using a tdm or HD system you prolly wouldn't need as stacked of a computer, although it would be nice.


off the top of my head..

james

[matt]

Thanks guys for your responses thus far!
Wing, thanks for the tip on Traktion. I'd never even heard of that program before (but then, there's a lot I don't know). Definitely gonna check out that link. So I take it you have no qualms with that program?

James -- thanks for your input as well!

Anybody else...?

[wing]

Thanks guys for your responses thus far!
Wing, thanks for the tip on Traktion. I'd never even heard of that program before (but then, there's a lot I don't know). Definitely gonna check out that link. So I take it you have no qualms with that program?

James -- thanks for your input as well!

Anybody else...?

well every program has its ups and downs. the reason it's so cheap is because it was originally developed by a guy who was just not happy with the stuff out there. not looking for a buck, he priced it pretty low to share it with others. mackie just recently bought it out.

it's actually the most friendly, fast, and fun to use audio program i've ever used. protools was a headache, just didn't make music fun for me. it's not hard necessarily... it's just that traktion was a much less obtrusive program to me and just let me record and not think of it.

in any event, try out the free demo, you have nothing to lose... you may think i'm an idiot in the end, or you may really love it.

[inhumentor]

I've been using DP4 for a while now at my school, and have started messing with Pro Tools, and I keep saying to myself "Where is Everything?!" Pro Tools may be the current standard, but it's a standard of dumb in my oppinion!(You have now witnessed Casey being immature) After DP I just really don't understand why ProSchtool gets so much credit. What gives?

[signorMars]

what do you want to do with it? if you're mixing outside stuff, or sending stuff out for mixing... protools is more universal, and it is a pain converting between nuendo and protools... or cubase and protools like i have to do.

[thenumber]

i use protools constantly at school, and im always amazed at how many little things it lacks in comparison to nuendo. I do wish nuendo had a tab to transient command though... but thats small potatos

[the dice]

hey !


thx for the traktion tip!!!

[T-rex]

I have been struggling with this myself. I have Nuendo and love it, fast flexible and very intuitive to use, IMHO. However, I am mainly using it in my project studio working on my bands, some friends bands and a few smaller paying projects. I would like to branch out and start working on more projects and making a little more money doing something I enjoy and to do that I feel like I have to have Pro-tools.

Most of the musicians I work with are very happy with the finished product but everytime I say the word Nuendo they just give me a blank stare. Does anyone ever experience this? Or lose work due to not using Pro-tools? It would be a selling point for the bands to know they could take their session to pretty much any studio in the world and rework it, add more overdubs or use a very nice room and analog gear for mixing.

I feel like getting the 002R would be a step down - no surround, not able to customize it like Nuendo and I could be spending that $1200 on better outboard gear like a really nice preamp. Although I don't know if there is any way around it and still grow as a studio?

[cornsound]

protools is the industry standard only because they have been around since the very beginning and basically have a good stranglehold on things. so they got everybody hooked in early like a good crack dealer and they keep everybody coming back for more.

protools is ok and all, but you *have* to use the proprietary digidesign hardware/cards etc... want to upgrade your system in the future? bend over and prepare to be violated. in stock form protools isn't any better than any other DAW platform out right now. but if you get the really nice apogee AD/DA converters for it, you're good to go. having good outboard/front end really makes a difference too. i'm talking more about the full-blown mix+/HD systems here, as i know jack shit about that 001/002 crap.

on to Nuendo...doesn't need any particular hardware to run, i think you can even run it on a cheesy soundblaster card. very intuitive interface, whereas you look at protools and go "wtf" - maybe i'm a little biased because i've spent the last few years solely on PCs. compatibility between protools and Nuendo isn't that bad, we transfer stuff here at work all the time. i could ramble on here feature-for-feature, but Nuendo is a great alternative to protools, will run on anything with a few tweaks and won't kill your bank account in the long run. i'm running an ancient version at home and it runs like a champ.

hope that helps.

[24Farrington]

I have Pro-Tools LE, and Nuendo 2.1 on PC. I use them both quite often.

If I'm tracking, I'll use PTools. With my personal experience and my current computer setup, it just runs more stable. No hiccups. Also, I find that I can edit much faster in PTools, as well as manage my files. I love consolidating sessions so that there's no extra audio clips. To me that's the most beautiful thing in the world.

I do all of my mixing in Nuendo. In Ptools LE, I'm limited to 32 tracks. Nuendo, I think, has a capacity of 200-infinite. I forget, but if you're mixing more than 200 tracks, GOD DAMN! The main reason I love Nuendo is the bussing. This is basically what sold me. It's like, who needs an SSL anymore. Every channel has 8 inserts, 8 auxes, you can create fx channels, group busses, submixes, it's just super flexible/easy and I love it. Unlimited undo, 32bit floating point, and NO LATENCY ISSUES! It automatically adjusts for plugin latency. (Big issue for me.) The stock plugins that Nuendo do come with are pretty crappy though. If you do go with the Nuendo route, definately plan on investing in waves/uad. Also, if you've hardly used Nuendo, there will be a learning curve, but you can pick up the basics in a few hours.

If you have any questions, or if I could help out in any way, feel free to pm me.

[matt]

I love this fucking place...

Thanks 24Farrington and EVERYONE who has chimed in so far!
Lots of good info, tips, and food for thought.

Again, thanks!

--Matt

[audioboy6]

I think the main question you need to ask your self is how much you need to be abel to interface with other studios. Sad to say Pro tools does run the show so if you need compatibility with other studios you will want PT. OMF works most of the time but can be a pain some times. I got sick of the fact that PT has control of most of the market so I started using DP. I still have an Mbox for quick editing (I'm still a much faster editor on PT than DP) and the occasional overdub from a PT session. The more I use DP the more I"m starting to really like it. I've never used Nuendo but I hear good things.