Digidesign Pro Tools LE Reviews

[brandondrury]

Digidesign Pro Tools LE Description
Pro Tools LE provides everything you need (and then some) to compose, record, edit, mix, and master audio for music and desktop post production projects—with truly professional results.

[bilco]

Quality: 9
I'll give this a 9 because it doesn't have notation or the awesome MIDI features of some aps and it does not have ADC. But dollar for dollar, I don't think you can find a more powerful set of editing tools for audio. It is compatible with many (I want say all) pro recording studio facilities. A PT LE session recorded in my bedroom will open up seamlessly in a PT HD studio in Nashville or anywhere.

It is intuitive to use for a newbie that just wants to lay down some tracks in a hurry, yet it goes as deep as the most experienced audio engineer could want to go when it comes to editing features. You don't have to understand or use all of those features to get good quality recordings, but they are there if and when you need them.

I like that they have kept the view in the windows consistent from PT 5.0 all the way up through PT 7.X. I like that consistency (unlike the move from Cakewalk Pro Audio 9, which I liked the layout of to Sonar, which I don't like at all.) Not everyone has to have or needs to have or should have Pro Tools, but I maintain it is a GREAT audio recording and editing application.

Reliability: 10
Of course PT LE Users are locked into using Digidesign hardware, but because they are, the reliability of this software should be very high. For me it has been. 5.1, 6.4 and 7.3 have all been very reliable and stable, even 5.1 on Win 98SE was solid. I don't think it ever crashed in and of itself. Now that I have moved to the Mac side, I have machines that literally never have crashed for me and the software is just as stable, reliable and consistent on the Mac as any software can possibly be. The reliability issues that folks run into are in my opinion caused by:

1. The bandwidth limitations of USB for the Mbox1 and Mbox2 series. Same thing with Firewire; it's better than USB, but nothing else is going to have the bandwidth or stability of a PCI card. The Audiomedia III card and Digi001 that I had and have given to friends are still rock steady pieces of hardware that will last a long, long time and PT 5.1 and 6.4 software that went with them is pretty much crash proof in my experience.
2. Problems are caused because someone did not RTFM!!! I know there are legitimate complaints about Pro Tools LE, but most of the pleas for help I see about PT LE (or ANY audio software!) are the result of people being in too much of a hurry to read the documentation, research the compatibility documents and setup the software and hardware in EXACTLY the order and way that it is specified in the installation guides. I mean, I even got PT Free to work on a PC because I specifically went out and bought a machine that Digidesign recommended. PT LE is picky about the configuration and it takes following the instructions to get it done, but I have never had the hiccups and stuttering and dropouts in PT that I used to have in Cakewalk.

Overall Rating: 9
I have to preface this by saying that, just like the Borg, I have been assimilated. I am a dyed in the wool PT fanatic now and I really can't see ever needing to move to a different recording ap. I had been a fairly contented user of Cakewalk, Cool Edit Pro, Sound Forge and n-Track, but none of them accomplished exactly what I wanted. Cakewalk Guitar Tracks Pro was very intuitive to use out of the box, but the editing was limited and I really object to the whole "you can't sell this to anyone or we excommunicate you forever" concept. I bought the damn software. I should be able to sell it if I feel like it. Plus, it was really glitchy and unpredicatable. So, I began looking at Pro Tools. I started with a download of Pro Tools Free and in spite of its many shortcomings, I had fun using it and got hooked, which was of course, the intention they had in mind by giving it away for free. I looked for the cheapest way to get into LE and found a used Audiomedia III card on ebay and paid Digidesign $50 for a CD of PT LE 5.1. That combination still works great, is rock solid and I just recently gave it to the son of a friend who needed a recording rig and doesn't have money to get one. Digidesign lets us tranfer the ownership of the hardware and software and sell it to whoever we want to. Fax in the paperwork and they register the new user. Civilized and a big plus in my book. Hear that Cakewalk?

[youngpic]

Pro Tools bussing architecture lacks what Nuendo has. Group channels to insert effects on several tracks through one bus. Pulling up MIDI is time consuming and what should be one mouse click away takes several. The work flow sucks.I wish it had EQs on the channel strips like Nuendo. I admit it does have a great sound engine and pretty good editing tools. The beat detective is nice and easy to use, but all around it is as good as Acid Pro. I only use my Pro Tools DAW when clients ask for it. I would give it an overall rating of a 6 or 7.

[youngpic]

Quality: 10
If you are using a Mac or PC buy FXpansions VST to RTAS Adapter. Download free plugins like SSL Mic Compressor , Classic plugins , or buy some and wrap them. Pro Tools will recognize them then. It will even wrap VSTi and VST stock plugins from Steinberg or Cakewalk.

Reliability: 10
I have no problems with my wrapped plugins.

Overall Rating: 10
will damn near convert any VST or VSTi plugin to RTAS.

[Yoel]

Hi. Yoel here. Just checking in to say hi. I teach Music Tech and recording studio techniques at two Colleges here in Atlanta. I enjoy reading the threads that come in. I am an avid Pro Tools user as well as Reason (why was there no review of this software?) and Finale.

[Charlie_M]

I started on PTLE 7.3 and I've kind of moved away from it. It has only been about a year since I first hit the red button.

It's nice to learn on because lots of people know the PT way of doing stuff. I moved away from it for 2 reasons:

1. with PTLE you're shackled to the hardware. That's a pain for me as a travel a lot and want to be able to call up an entire session on my laptop and (for example) play with the drum track, or effects, other midi programming, etc... Obviously I'm not looking to drag my 002 around with me everywhere I go so that was a pain. I like using laptop+headphones on the road sometimes to work with a rough idea. Couldn't really do that with ptle. The offer a device now that allows you to do that. There was a time when I considered it but to me that whole concept just seems very "last century".

2. I still use my digi hardware and like it but it bugged me that I was locked into that. If I decide I want to use a different box tomorrow I want to be able to do that without having to change horses on the software side and potentially lose a lot of work.

3. It doesn't offer latency compensation. I use a certain amount of outboard stuff and having to manually undo the latency associated with that really got old in a big hurry.

If those things aren't going to bug you it is a nice program. I can see where there would be value to it if your plan is to send your sessions to a PT HD studio to finish up. If you have that kind of arrangement it may be worth dealing with the shortcomings mentioned here - each person kind of has to decide that for themselves.

For me, today I mainly use Reaper. If I got to a point where I wanted to send my output to another studio, it allows me to render to stems very easily (I think it's one button). I would think anyone could pull those in and be on their way to doing whatever magic they're planning to work on those pretty easily.

Charlie

[youngpic]

Quality: 8
My mistake, Pro Tools does not have group channels, but aux sends that other tracks can be sent too. I guess you can call those the group channels.

Reliability: 8
No crashes

Overall Rating: 8
pretty good but an ugly interface

[Charlie_M]

You can create groups of channels in ptle. It's a very handy feature. You can use groups for mixing and also for editing.

[youngpic]

I know that you can group tracks, I was talking about the feature on Cubase and Nuendo. GROUP CHANNELS. In Pro Tools you need to create an Aux Send and put the input to whatever stereo bus you want( 1-2 stereo, 3-4..etc.) Then assign the output of any track to that bus to affect it with plugins or as a master fader for certain tracks as a whole. So it is similar to Steinbergs GROUP CHANNELS. Just a few more steps are required in PT.

Well. I am on PT LE 7.3.1 went back to 7.3.1 because of the problems with the newer up grades.

I can't go against it because i like it but i have been on my fighting road to get "past the stock sound"I bought it not knowing my other choices. couple years ago.

it is good. I had only few tiny problems like increase buffer etc. all little learning thing back then .

It always works .I had my digi 002 console type sent to black lion audio to get a mode on it. wow , it really helped out and totally blew my friends new 003 "away"

With th mode it gave me more pushing head room. new pres. master clock and some.

I feel the dig 002 is good but i have out grown the sound in a short time. it did take a lot of time to really know how to really know how to use it to the max. Not that much time for regular recording but to know and push it it takes like a solid year.then plus to keep going on there is no limit to adding on to it.

i had to stack on past and over the mode meaning even at the mode point i needed more. I had 80% of ALL the waves plug ins which cost me thousands to go after the sound of a larger studio or in my mind i wanted to "get next to an HD set up.

Well after about 8 grand over the stock 002 i am almost at the pieced price of an HD although i know i would have to still buy the cards.

The sound is good and great in head phones and even thru monitors. all sounds really good but when put up against bigger studios the LE has a duller flat sound. Now this is not anything to do with any eq or anything , plugins that can be used. i have the extra from waves too. all the v series ssl400. api. L3-16 over the regular bundles. it just has a funny (not funny ) but it has its own sound to it.

Now i do like it and wont get rid of it. unless i hit the loto that i dont play. well someday i plan to get to hd.

The pieces i had to buy to get closer to an HD sound meaning "what can be done to totally take the 002 into a higher quality getting closer to an better quality.

I had to get an outboard presonus ADL 600 pre amp. this is a stereo but can be used as mono . really good on about 3/4 of everything with several of setting. A plus. really helped to the max with a more cleaner clarity over all sound on vocals . bass. gi=uitar. plus.

I also picked up a Avalon 747 sp stero compressor. its good but i hate to lock the compressed sound on the track and not be able to change it once recored. plug ins are great but no waves plug in can touch the compressor for bass.i use it as i need it.

Then i had to stack a lynx aurrora 8 and card on it . it is a A-D D-A convertor now that helps. but at the end i still want more. so i had to put out about 8 grand over the stock 002 board to really get it to a better level. plus a U 87 neumann in with the price for vocals.

The 002 PT is really great for home recording i can say that but for me. I had stopped for 15 years married and family etc and gave up performing and band playing if you know what i mean but have i good little studio home with some many things not listed. I am out for real sound.

Now having to piece things one at a time and hoping it will be another step is a tough call on what to really buy.

All that i have bought i can use with an HD set up when the day comes. ( the pre amp. compressor,eq,and lynx, my plug ins i guess i will have to leave in my LE.

But over all to home recording i give it a 9 and as to a home recording that want to compete with the larger studios that have things like PT HD and RADAR and like a sony dbx console ( now i know that board is out dater and good but some say its old but i heard the sound with the combo of radar , HD etc. ) well to compete against that sound as an example i give it a 6 and if it hits 7 that is the max from a LE. i like my 002 and know it and can't tell you how many uncountable hours i sat with it but i myself must move on to getting this LE right next HD sound per sound or i will someday get HD.

I have read so many topics on LE AND HD sounds being so close but so close is not close enough when the LE had that dull home studio sound.

My only problem is i don't like how digi design comes out with newer upgrades and there is nothing but a non stop of sites that tell about why it doesn't work. what i am trying to say is that i am at and went back to 7.3.1 because the newer versions STILL have problems and all that can be done is to check around the world and read and read on how to try to fix it and if not sometimes it best to go back to the version one may have been at.

so dig design i say how about making sure the product is flawless before putting it out on the marker. That can be a real negative thing with pro tools.