Upgrade from PT LE to PT HD? Needed?

[ilduce456]

All,

First I would like to start off by saying I hope you know about the limit time offer of upgrading from PT LE to PT HD. The discounts are unbelievable! Insane! Bananas! lol...With that being said im thinking about upgrading to HD.

My current set up is as follows. Macbook Pro 2.53ghz...Pro Tool 8.0...Digi 003 mixer...Apogee Rosetta 800...Apogee Big Ben Clock...Manley Voxbox mic pre...Bricasti M7 Reverb Unit....Universal Audio 2-LA-2 compressor....Presonus Central Station montior manager and Dynaudio BM5A monitors.


Being that I have an external clock, an external AD/DA converter, and an external mic pre...would there be any benefits to upgrading to PT HD sound wise? Im really going after that pro sound. If I dont need PT HD is there anything else i can add to my existing rig to make is sound better?



Thanks

[drgamble]

I use LE myself and it definitely isn't "pro". However, you shouldn't just be thinking should I upgrade to HD, you should also be thinking; am I ready to upgrade to a Mac Pro? This stuff is similar to suping up cars, once you upgrade one thing you have to upgrade everything. Then you have to actually buy all of the HD hardware. If you got that kinda cash, how could you go wrong? I guess you don't really have to buy a Mac Pro, but the laptop isn't going to cut it. Check out the recommended setups for Pro Tools HD on the Digidesign website.

[ilduce456]

Originally Posted by drgamble

I use LE myself and it definitely isn't "pro". However, you shouldn't just be thinking should I upgrade to HD, you should also be thinking; am I ready to upgrade to a Mac Pro? This stuff is similar to suping up cars, once you upgrade one thing you have to upgrade everything. Then you have to actually buy all of the HD hardware. If you got that kinda cash, how could you go wrong? I guess you don't really have to buy a Mac Pro, but the laptop isn't going to cut it. Check out the recommended setups for Pro Tools HD on the Digidesign website.

You didnt answer my question my friend, but thanks! Im well aware of Pro Tools HD setups. My sells engineer from Sweetwater informed me on this information. Im just on here trying to get others opinions TO MY QUESTION! I already have a quote for the following gear: HD3 Accel, 192 I/O, AD expansion card, Apple Mac Pro,and C24

[garageband]

I use LE myself and it definitely isn't "pro".

It's nice to see the evil work of Digidesign and its minions advances unabated.
There is zero difference in the actual program itself between LE and TDM. The difference, because of the TDM cards, is mechanical - similar to the difference between Cubase for Mac or PC. The "upgrade" comes from "letting" you use overpriced hardware to run your audio through. You have a Apogee Rosetta 800...Apogee Big Ben Clock...Manley Voxbox mic pre...Bricasti M7 Reverb Unit....Universal Audio 2-LA-2 compressor....Presonus Central Station montior manager and Dynaudio BM5A monitors. What do you need with 12 grand worth of TDM boxes?! Makes me sad I don't still work at Sweetwater (5 years gone now). What is TDM really buying you? Slightly lower latency than you can get natively. If you vocalist really really really needs reverb of themselves in their cans, buy an Alesis Quadraverb to feed it in.

It does make me laugh that an honest opinion of Pro Tools (you probably are experienced with many different other programs from other disciplines ) is that "it definitely isn't 'pro'".

Based on the gear you have, my best advice is to get off the PT money train, buy Digital Performer or Logic and sell the 003 for something that sounds good (the 003 doesn't) like the Metric Halo, the RME or the new Steinberg. I thought this was about recording not giving all your money to Sweetwater for the privilege of running "The Industry Standard". If you still have huge wads of cash burning a hole in your pocket, buy a cool console. You don't need a zillion channels so get something nice. You can put that expense toward sating your preamp lust.

[ilduce456]

Originally Posted by garageband

It's nice to see the evil work of Digidesign and its minions advances unabated.
There is zero difference in the actual program itself between LE and TDM. The difference, because of the TDM cards, is mechanical - similar to the difference between Cubase for Mac or PC. The "upgrade" comes from "letting" you use overpriced hardware to run your audio through. You have a Apogee Rosetta 800...Apogee Big Ben Clock...Manley Voxbox mic pre...Bricasti M7 Reverb Unit....Universal Audio 2-LA-2 compressor....Presonus Central Station montior manager and Dynaudio BM5A monitors. What do you need with 12 grand worth of TDM boxes?! Makes me sad I don't still work at Sweetwater (5 years gone now). What is TDM really buying you? Slightly lower latency than you can get natively. If you vocalist really really really needs reverb of themselves in their cans, buy an Alesis Quadraverb to feed it in.

It does make me laugh that an honest opinion of Pro Tools (you probably are experienced with many different other programs from other disciplines ) is that "it definitely isn't 'pro'".

Based on the gear you have, my best advice is to get off the PT money train, buy Digital Performer or Logic and sell the 003 for something that sounds good (the 003 doesn't) like the Metric Halo, the RME or the new Steinberg. I thought this was about recording not giving all your money to Sweetwater for the privilege of running "The Industry Standard". If you still have huge wads of cash burning a hole in your pocket, buy a cool console. You don't need a zillion channels so get something nice. You can put that expense toward sating your preamp lust.

So are you saying theres no point in upgrading to a HD system or are you hating because you cant afford one yourself? Im just curious! Did Sweetwater fire you?? Sounds like you have bad customer service skills my friend

[garageband]

So are you saying theres no point in upgrading to a HD system or are you hating because you cant afford one yourself? Im just curious! Did Sweetwater fire you?? Sounds like you have bad customer service skills my friend.

It doesn't sound that like that at all, unless you define that by blowing smoke up a customer's ass and telling him what he wants to hear so you'll write a big order "good customer service skills". I can afford one, but that would be a foolish purchase.

As far as "hating", take a minute and re-read my original post. It was obviously written out of love for you. I have neither love nor hate for people who just want to hoover out your wallet. I do get angry with those who do it and leave you little in return.
Bottom line: It's your dough. Spend it like your house is burning and you're trying to put it out with hundred dollar bills, it really doesn't affect me. Just trying to help you.

[ilduce456]

Originally Posted by garageband

It doesn't sound that like that at all, unless you define that by blowing smoke up a customer's ass and telling him what he wants to hear so you'll write a big order "good customer service skills". I can afford one, but that would be a foolish purchase.

As far as "hating", take a minute and re-read my original post. It was obviously written out of love for you. I have neither love nor hate for people who just want to hoover out your wallet. I do get angry with those who do it and leave you little in return.
Bottom line: It's your dough. Spend it like your house is burning and you're trying to put it out with hundred dollar bills, it really doesn't affect me. Just trying to help you.

Well im here asking for an opinion...will the HD give me a better sound...or am i good with the LE system and all the outboard gear i have?

[garageband]

Originally Posted by ilduce456

Well im here asking for an opinion...will the HD give me a better sound...or am i good with the LE system and all the outboard gear i have?

I gave you my opinion on everything you asked about in my original post, including what I think the 003 itself sounds like.

[ilduce456]

"The difference, because of the TDM cards, is mechanical"

Does this mechanical difference produce a better sound?

[richiebee]

Originally Posted by ilduce456

Well im here asking for an opinion...will the HD give me a better sound...or am i good with the LE system and all the outboard gear i have?

Tell us more about your studio. How many tracks do you use in a typical set up? How well treated is your studio? What kind of things do you record?