M-Powered Vs. LE

[phriq]

Hey Everyone,

I have been looking to get an Audio Interface as I have been slowly been trying trying to build a better recording room at home. I currently use Cool Edit Pro, but am borrowing a friends Mac with his Digidesign 003 Rack interface with Pro Tools LE.

However, I have now been researching between M-Audio and Digidesign interfaces. I have been thinking about going with a M-Audio Fast Track Ultra as it has ASIO support so I can use it with Adobe Audion, Cubase or Pro Tools M-Powered. I like that I have the options between using many different DAWs. however, I am curious as to how PT M-Powered is compared to LE. I am big on options and I like the idea of being able to use many different DAWs including PTs.

I have done some research and heard that LE is a stripped down version of HD and that M-Powered is better. Is this true? Are M-Powered sessions able to be opened in LE or HD? Does M-Powered look and operate like LE does (as I have used LE but never used M-Powered). I am planning on utilizing these on PC and not Mac as well.

Any advice on this and information between M-Powered and LE would be VERY MUCH appreciated!

[pezking]

All versions of Pro Tools (M-Powered, LE and HD) are operated and look very much the same.

The sessions are easily swapped between the three versions. The session file (.ptf) is compatible with all three.

All Pro Tools LE interfaces support ASIO and Core Audio so can be used with third party DAWs.

M-Powered is very similar to LE but I wouldn't say it is necessarily better. There are a couple of main differences: DV Toolkit 2 and Complete Production Toolkit cannot be used with M-Powered, M-Powered requires an iLok for authorisation, M-Powered has no SMPTE support. There are a couple of other small differences which I will post when I remember but otherwise they are the same.

At the end of the day it really comes down to what interface you want to run. The other thing to consider is that when you buy a Pro Tools LE interface, the software is included. If you want to run a Pro Tools M-Powered system then you purchase the hardware and software separately. I think the software is around $400 US on top...