When working with audio, the first thing that pops on my mind is Pro Tools. Yeah, it’s been industry-standard for quite some time now, and the reasons for that are very clear. It was an “exclusivist” (if I can call it that!) piece of software, that could only be used with specific hardware, like Digidesign or M-Audio.
I say was, because the new version of Pro Tools allows you to use it on any computer hardware configuration you want – It’s a software only type of deal.
“Get the flexibility of using Pro Tools 9 with your favorite Avid audio interface or third-party Core Audio- or ASIO-compatible interface—or use Pro Tools 9 completely standalone for easy on-the-go creation.” – Says Avid, the makers of Pro Tools
What’s new?
- Unified Pro Tools Installer
- iLok USB Smart Key Authorization
- Core Audio Support (Up to 32 channels of I/O)
- ASIO Support (Up to 32 channels of I/O)
- New Playback Engine Settings
- New Hardware Settings
- Increased Number Of Audio/MIDI Tracks and Internal Mix Busses
- New Track/Send Output Collector Commands
- Variable Stereo Pan Depth
- 7.0 & 7.1 Surround Formats
- EUCON (high-speed ethernet protocol) Support
- Advanced Import Session Data Options
- Avid Interplay Support On Mac
- Export as MP3 & Text
- I/O Setup Improvements
- Advanced DigiBase Features
- Editing Features & Enhancements
- Automatic Delay Compensation
- TimeCode & Sync Features
- PRE (up to 9 different mic-preamps) Support
- Complete Production Toolkit 2
Full changelog is available here. (digidesign.com)
I think lifting that specific-hardware-only barrier will open new horizons for Pro Tools. It’s an amazing piece of software, and I know it will gain even more popularity amongst users now that you don’t need some specific soundcard/hardware to run it.
By the way, I forgot to mention, Pro Tools M-Powered and Pro Tools LE have been discontinued.
Pricing & Availability
Pro Tools 9 will be available to purchase from November 12.
Pro Tools 9 Crossgrade from LE/M-Powered: €249.95 – €653.90
Pro Tools 9 (Full Version): €606.95
Pro Tools HD 9 Software Upgrade: €350.95 – €653.90
