Done with Pro Tools. Need new Interface/DAW!

[chrisrulesmore]

After adding an analog 24 track to my studio, I quickly realized that my current Pro Tools M-Powered setup (1814 interface w/ unbalanced line inputs) was not going to cut it.

I know that ideally I would be purchasing a console right about now, but at the present I prefer to keep mixing in the box. The problem is that I'm so sick of having to get new software everytime I want to switch interfaces that I have decided to be done with Pro Tools once and for all.

At the moment I'm thinking of going with an RME Fireface 400/Ableton Live 5 full combo. A tad unconventional I suppose, but I'd rather not drop 2k on Nuendo and I happen to already own a full version of Live 5. I understand the RME is a great sounding box and a definite cut above Digi, Motu, and the like. I'm already using Ableton as a sequencer and it has delay compensation as well which Digi seems intent on keeping within the realm of the HD line.

Any thoughts on the feasibility of this setup? Other recommendations?

-Chris

[shanabit]

Personally Id go with Nuendo but Id wait till version 4 comes out in the last quarter.

Take a look at SAW STUDIO as well. Nice payment plan there.

i havent messed with LIVE for awhile as it didnt have real audio recording back then, it was loop stuff only.

[Neve8128]

I have used many DAW softwares and have always gone back to Cubase. If you don't have a commercial studio and will only be doing your own music there's no need for protools. RME's are great interfaces and with either Nuendo or Cubase running on a solid built computer you should be a happy camper.
having said that, I personally believe that nothing beats a good analog console. If you already have the 24 track tape you are half way there.

Good luck!

[C.Lambrechts]

Originally Posted by chrisrulesmore

After adding an analog 24 track to my studio, I quickly realized that my current Pro Tools M-Powered setup (1814 interface w/ unbalanced line inputs) was not going to cut it.

I know that ideally I would be purchasing a console right about now, but at the present I prefer to keep mixing in the box. The problem is that I'm so sick of having to get new software everytime I want to switch interfaces that I have decided to be done with Pro Tools once and for all.

At the moment I'm thinking of going with an RME Fireface 400/Ableton Live 5 full combo. A tad unconventional I suppose, but I'd rather not drop 2k on Nuendo and I happen to already own a full version of Live 5. I understand the RME is a great sounding box and a definite cut above Digi, Motu, and the like. I'm already using Ableton as a sequencer and it has delay compensation as well which Digi seems intent on keeping within the realm of the HD line.

Any thoughts on the feasibility of this setup? Other recommendations?

-Chris

hmmm ... no disrespect I open a thread called 'done with Pro Tools .... ' and I see you are using an M Powered ? I'm sorry but that's not really high end to start with.

But you have a 24track. which one if I may ask ? 2inch ? Heads in good shape ? good condition allignment tape ?

Hard to say something about the feasibility of the setup your aiming at. What is it you want to do with it and what kind of quality do you expect.

Hard to tell from the info you provide.

[NathanEldred]

I remember you were shopping for 24 channels of i/o (Bayview thread)....


Skies the limit on 24 i/o and to get quality it's going to cost.


There is Apogee, Mytek, Lavry, Prism, RME, Lynx, Radar Iz...24 i/o is going to run you anywhere from $5K up to $25K. That doesn't include the interface card (you'll probably want to run a couple of Lynx AES16's or RME AES32's).

Word of advice from one analog user to another (I'm running the fat daddy Ampex MM1200 2" 16), if you expect it to retain the sound of the analog machine, don't skimp on conversion, get the absolute best you can afford.

[s.d.finley]

Whatever software solution you may get, you will still need a "pro" audio interface....

M-audio is not this...I guess HD is not viable?

sdf

[chrisrulesmore]

Originally Posted by C.Lambrechts

hmmm ... no disrespect I open a thread called 'done with Pro Tools .... ' and I see you are using an M Powered ? I'm sorry but that's not really high end to start with.

But you have a 24track. which one if I may ask ? 2inch ? Heads in good shape ? good condition allignment tape ?

Hard to say something about the feasibility of the setup your aiming at. What is it you want to do with it and what kind of quality do you expect.

Hard to tell from the info you provide.

Here we go again...the ole not quite high-end enough reply!

Looks to be my lucky day as my 24 track might allow me to sneak a question in here, so to clarify, the machine is a Studer A80 Vu Mk II 2" with very low hours. Heads, alignment, etc...are all in good order.

Going back to what I actually wrote, the purpose of this thread was to inquire about upgrading from an M-Powered/LE rig. Granted, Done with Pro Tools should have read Done with Pro Tools (non-HD). You've got me there.

Judging by the replies, it sounds like the RME Fireface 400 is not considered a high-end unit. Basically, I'm looking for a good software monitoring/routing setup for tracking, at least 16 i/o including ADAT, and some decent converters/clock. The RME seems to be the best choice given these requirements. I'm on a PC platform at the moment, so my software choices are a tad limited.

Hope this clarifies the question.

[pkautzsch]

+1 on Nuendo. Easier than ProTools, and lots better than non-HD. Not only because there are lots of (actually good!) free VST plugs on the web.
Many also like Samplitude which I don't really know but the project window looks familiar to a Nuendo user.

RME seems a good choice, never heard anything bad about it. I use MOTU and sometimes experience small clocking problems.

[NathanEldred]

Samplitude, there is no other.

[Zwinter]

What will you be doing with the software? Are you a song writer, or do you only record musicians?

[oceantracks]

Originally Posted by pkautzsch

+1 on Nuendo. Easier than ProTools, and lots better than non-HD. Not only because there are lots of (actually good!) free VST plugs on the web.
Many also like Samplitude which I don't really know but the project window looks familiar to a Nuendo user.

RME seems a good choice, never heard anything bad about it. I use MOTU and sometimes experience small clocking problems.

The RME is a nice interface. Re Nuendo vs Pro Tools, let me say that I used Pro Tools for MANY years, finally wanted more tracks than LE would give and went to Logic.

What a mess. Very powerful, very dumb at the same time. And buggy.

I'm now using Nuendo. Some absolutely wonderful things about it, no doubt. But don't rush into Steinberg thinking it's a simple switch. Digi has the best tech support in the business. They rush out updates that fix problems. Try that with Logic, or Nuendo.

And once you get into Nuendo, you start getting REALLY irritated at the "There Has Been An Exception in the Module" messages, you get bugged when the VU meters stop working and you have to quit and relaunch for them to work again. Or when you find you can't hide tracks in the main Project Window. Or you can't move tracks around in the Mix window to arrange them the way you want. Or you can't add multiple inserts or move them around. Or you can't hide any more than ONE TRACK at a time. That's right, 50 tracks and want to hide 15? Get your mouse ready. And don't try dragging two mono tracks down to a stereo track cause Nuendo has no idea what you are doing. And if you freeze a track, you just might hear a new midi track playing through it, for no reason. There is more but you get the idea.

I really like Nuendo best of all compared to Pro Tools, but the more I play around with other platforms, the more I see why PT is number one. It isn't hype. They just have thought things out (for the most part) really well. Everything but their pricing policy, that is....

Soundwise it gets down to converters so comparing one platform to another and saying one interface sounds better than the other is silly. If you are serious, you aren't going to be using the converters in an 002, an RME, or a MOTU, you are going to have outboard converters. The only exception to that are the HD converters, which I have heard are very good.

JMHO

TH

[rids]

Wait, Nuendo costs 2K and you can't even do that? Wow, that is truely messed up.

Personally I think PT and Logic are the most powerful, but actually compliment each other. PT is more powerful for audio (editing), and Logic is more powerful for midi sequence (editing). They both can do audio and midi well, it's just that they both excell at differetn things.

Logic is less than half the price of Nuendo.

Just some food for your belly.

[not like this]

Originally Posted by rids

Logic is less than half the price of Nuendo.

But then he'd have to get a mac. So add $2499.

[AlexLakis]

Can't go wrong with an RME 96/52 and Nuendo. Most rock solid system I ever ran.

I wouldn't choose Ableton Live as your main recording software. It's good for live stuff and some looping, but I've found it to be very buggy. The automation sucks on it too. I'm sure others may have had better experiences with it, but I've been dealing with Ableton Live for years now on several different systems and that's what I've found.

[oceantracks]

Originally Posted by AlexLakis

Can't go wrong with an RME 96/52 and Nuendo. Most rock solid system I ever ran.

IF....you are on a PC, I hear.

Not on the Mac.


TH

[pete murray]

if you don't need midi, soundscape is a great daw.
if you go with something like cubase, the sydec sound cards and converters
are very good . they have a 24 in 24 out converter that is great value .
www.sydec.be

pete

[oceantracks]

Originally Posted by rids

Wait, Nuendo costs 2K and you can't even do that? Wow, that is truely messed up.

Personally I think PT and Logic are the most powerful, but actually compliment each other. PT is more powerful for audio (editing), and Logic is more powerful for midi sequence (editing). They both can do audio and midi well, it's just that they both excell at differetn things.

Logic is less than half the price of Nuendo.

Just some food for your belly.

I liked Logic better for midi in some ways, in other ways, it was really dumb. For instance, when you add a Virtual Instrument like Stylus RMX in Logic, you have to create an AUX track and make one for EACH OUTPUT of the plug in. Insane. You call up the same thing in Nuendo and tracks for each output automatically appear.

Here's the other scary thing. Those no brainer problems with Nuendo...think about this....this is NOT a new program. It's been out there....a long time more if you consider Cubase. So they have NEVER addressed these dumb things like the ones I've mentioned. DigiDesign would have been on that stuff in a heartbeat if that many people were complaining (and they are, go check out the Nuendo forum...ain't just me). So this tells me that while it's overall a really neat program, I wouldn't count on fast action from it's makers

TH