Pro Tools Digi 003

[Martin]

have been playing with it a little, but issue of most plugins down sampleing makes it seem a bit of waste..

if we are doing something that doesn't require effects or plugs i'll use 96k and whatever outboard i can...

[Luke Garfield]

I'm with you Kris. I have only ever used 48k for any music project. My understanding of higher sample rates are for SACD recordings or similar type formats and post production and sound design so you can adjust speeds & pitch without artifacts (but this may be due to ignorance as well on my part - maybe I should google it :P)

The word "refresh" sounds like "rip off" to me (to be completely blunt). It's good marketing and business to release a product that is esentially the same but has some enhancements and well written press release if you want to make some more $$'s from your loyal following. Sounds like an article I read about re-issuing records in different formats ... Actually I particularily like the comment Brad Watts made when reviewing the mbox mini which went something along the lines of people would buy the mini even if it had no I/O because it's Pro Tools. Bingo!

Now this is the bit where I saw the legs off the high horse. I was recently going to purchase an mbox2 - which I didn't really want to buy but felt I needed to because it is "industry standard" and apparently I'm in the "industry". So submitting to pressure I began that little journey which finally ended up with me (thankfully) forking out considerably more $$ to purchase a new Macbook and Logic Pro 7.? (it hasn't arrived yet) because I use Logic Platinum 5.5, I like Logic, it works which means I work and I earn $$ and so I take those dollars and invested them wisely in a product that I believe will make me more $$. It's business really. Anyway I'm not sure why I really said that - I guess I really don't like spending money on gear for any other reason that it will help me get the job done.

Anyways.

[Henry]

They had to build a 003. The 002 has crap preamps and crap converters and everyone knows it. The only reason to buy it was the software. Well hey, there's better software out there, much better in fact, that makes the 002 an overpriced piece of turd if your a noob just getting into audio.

You can buy an 8 channel discreet Presonus FS with superb conversion and discreet preamps and Samplitude and you've still got plenty left over for a controller in fact you'd prob save a few hundred dollars. What's more, you'll get stella results and all your plugins are fully compatible with any software except rtas Protools.

Newcomers aren't scared to bypass Protools LE etc anymore, in fact almost all the Forums are saying it's an overpriced Lemon. And it's true your better off not buying in.

[toddd]

I hear you about newcomers not being afraid to bypass 'tools anymore Henry.

I had an interesting conversation today with a producer/electro guy, with me saying, 'i'll probably get an mbox mini just to have 'tools coz it's the standard' (i run Logic Pro 7); wiser head than me said, 'Is it...?' my reply, 'well, it is for the really big boys running HD, but for the rest of us, shit, not at all.'

we just have to be a bit cleverer about passing projects around to each other...

[davemc]

Funny M-audios lightbridge is what people thought the 003 would be. I heard the lightbridge does over 18i/o? not 100% sure, although seems to be the word on other forums.
Although seeing the lightbridge was already out, I thought they might go either a HD card with limited DSP or 96io firewire card or a Firewire DSP box. The 003 does fix a lot the problems (hopefully) that the 002 had. Crap pres, convertors and no W/C.
I think Digi is big on trying to keep HD and LE as a gap, although you can record and mix in LE pretty easily. I used Mix systems for years so ADC is something I was used to not having, a few automation dumb down annoyed me though.
When I sold off the HD system I thought of going back to mix, although a lot of the new plugins do not work in mix systems.. I had the same mixing power with a G5 2gig as I had with a HD3 (no RTAS).

I just prefer to work in Pro Tools, just like friends like Nuendo etc..

[mfdu]

yeah davemc - the lightbridge will do 32ch's at up to 48khz, or 16ch's at 88.2 / 96 khz s/mux. all into a neat little firewire cable thingy.

and protools m is crippled to 18 i/o, regardless of sample rate. not a problem if you're using the lightbridge at 96khz.

that's a decent little unit. i'd be tempted, but as i've said before - if i upgrade, it'd be to go to a stand-alone unit like the HD24. then i'd use protools pretty much as a GUI wave editor . . .

and yeah - protools works for me, because i've been working with it for so long. i know i can make everything happen (audio and midi), without additional bling getting in the way.

but i don't want to start a flame war or nuthin.

chris
mfdu

[smash]

I would love to be able to use a Mix Plus system....

But unfortunately, they are not compatible with either

a) My Current Computer, and

b) Any project that comes into my studio that someone has worked at
at home on their LE V7.

Digi have already stated that they will be bringing out a "middle of the road"
product, to fit between the 003 and a HD1 system, this is the product that I am really looking forward too, not the 002.5