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I'm looking into buying a computer, probably a Mac Laptop of some sort, and ProTools. I don't know shit about either though, and was wondering what you guys recommend. I want to be able to make good qaulity recordings, but not spend too much money.

Pro Tools requires a separate hardware interface, doesn't it?

If so, I will get it. I guess that's probably part of my question too, what do I need?

This is probably a bit out dated, but as basic overview.

To run pro tools you need an external interface. For a long time Digidesign made them exclusively, but now you can buy something M Audio and use that.

Your options extend to (prices are way off, but just to show the relative prices)...

Mbox (?300)
Digi001 (discountinued, and doesnt work with later than about Pro Tools 6.7)
Digi002 (?1000)

Or, if you want to go balls to the wall professional
HD(?20,000+)

Mbox only has 2 inputs, so if you want to record more than 2 things at once, you should look at a digi002. If you can stretch to the funds, you should do that anyway, its quite a bit better, and can record at higher resolution.

With a 002, you can record 8 (i think) at once, and you can use an SPDIF input to make this 16 (you would need something with 8 preamps on to do this, say an ADAT machine).

Pro Tools is a great piece of software, and I highly recommend it. If you've only used Stienberg products before (nuendo or cubase) it'll be like the first time you used broadband after years of dialup (once you get used to the change i guess).

Where do I buy this stuff, I'm not seeing any of it on music123...or I'm just confused.

You also want Pro Tools LE, which is basically the version that everything but HD uses.

MF link

I've never used an MBox 2, but i've used an MBox an awful lot, and theyre pretty decent.

Protools FTW!

its real easy to use, and there is ton of help on digidesigns website and thier answerbase is the shit.

d00dz.

REAPER:
http://www.cockos.com/reaper/

Protools won't necessarily sound any better than other products--it's all in the interface (mic pres/converters). The stock mic pres and converters in the mbox and 002 are decent but not great.

Also keep in mind that just about every major studio in the world uses protools for something, so if you record some kool as shit at your house before your band goes to a studio for a recording session, you can bring the file with you and use it in the studio.

Thanks for the help guys. I'm probably going to get the M-box.

my friend has the mbox and my brother has one too, they're cool.

My friend works for digidesign. I'm getting a pretty good discount.

If you can, track down an old MBox as opposed to one of the 2's. The clock in the 2's isn't as reliable.


In fact, just get a Digi002 or a Tango!

Blazin420ChronicSkunk wrote:I'm looking into buying a computer, probably a Mac Laptop of some sort, and ProTools. I don't know shit about either though, and was wondering what you guys recommend. I want to be able to make good qaulity recordings, but not spend too much money.

If your gonna be buying a mac and you don't know an awful lot about digital recording I'd save your money, buy a decent firewire audio interface and use Garageband, it's got more than enough for your needs. It's a stripped down version of Apple Logic, so the sound quality and plug-ins are very good...
For home recording Pro Tools dos'nt perform any better than any other audio sequencer, it's only Pro Tool's high end stuff that's worth getting excited about...

I'd be tempted to say that the software interface is reason enough to go with Pro Tools, but then i havent used logic quite enough to make that a definite opinion. The PT one is bad ass though.

I use garageband and a line6 toneport, and its great!

bob wrote:I'd be tempted to say that the software interface is reason enough to go with Pro Tools, but then i havent used logic quite enough to make that a definite opinion. The PT one is bad ass though.

Yeah it's good to use, altho I must say I've not used it for years, the last time I had the Pro Tools software it was on OS9...
I've spoke to loads of people who want to do recording on thier computers and want to use Pro Tools because it's 'Pro Tools', thinking it's merely just a piece of software thats better than the others, when in fact it's a intergrated audio solution for professional studios that costs thousands...

I agree with what youre saying here. When I have the cash to get some recording gear, I'll be going with Pro Tools because I've learnt to use the interface quite well already.

Pro Tools HD is indeed bad ass though, I wish I could've used it more than I did.

Yeah it's great. I tried out a whole rig once a few years ago at a Digidesign seminar in Manchester...

The demonstrator had somehow got hold of the original tracks of Bohemian Rhapsody and coverted them to digital audio to show off HDs features...

I had loads of fun putting Freddy Mercury's vocals through a vocoder etc
It was also kind of wierd listening back to the unmixed tracks and hearing them talking in the studio before each take...

I must say though, I couldn't actually tell any difference between 96 kHz and 192 kHz...