Possibly taking a dive into PT HD

  • Thread starter Thread starter samth3mancgp
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samth3mancgp

samth3mancgp

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I'm thinking about taking a leap forward and going HD. Here is my idea:

I want to start off with just one 96 I/O because I have no Idea how the inputs and outputs work on the 192 I/O with those crazy connectors that look like parallel printer ports! How am I supposed to get my XLR cable into that thing!? :eek: I hear that the 96 I/O has a bad rep as being a slight step down from a 192, but how much worse could it be?! Is it going to be a step up from an M-Audio Project Mix I/O, or even the interface I was planning on replacing it with; the Steinberg MR816x? I can't imagine it would be a BAD sounding interface considering the price! :confused:

I will also be getting one of the older PCI-x process cards to start off. I'm running Windows so I wil still be able to use the older cards with my motherboard I think. Having extra power from the DSP will be relaly nice to have as well!! It's another big reason for me thinking of going HD.

I will be picking up the PT 9 HD crossgrade by using the hardware serial # on the 96 I/O when it arrives.

I think that if I play my cards right (no pun intended ;)) I can get started with HD and have all the benefits of DSP, while also upgrading to a much nicer interface than my Pmix for under $2000, and maybe under $1500 If I'm lucky! Are there any un-foreseen drawbacks that I should consider? What do ya think? :)
 
You can't get the PT 9 HD crossgrade by using the hardware serial # on the 96 I/O, you need the serial number from your HD core card.

Those "parallel printer ports" are in fact the same hardware as is used for computer serial ports; a DB25. And they're just a convenient way of squeezing more connections into less space. They use a standardized "Tascam" pinout.

You can buy cables to connect to the DB25's and convert them to XLR, TRS, and other connector types.
 
Sorry I was away from this forum for ahwile

Hey dude thanks for the reply. Most everything you said was answered
 
Last edited:
Sorry I was away from this forum for ahwile

Hey dude thanks for the reply. Most everything you said was answered by some folks at the GearSlutz forum in this thread. I ended up just staying on that thread because I got some very swift replys.

They seemed to get me pretty psyched up about an HD upgrade, and I know that it will be a drastic improvement over the ProjectMix.. but I can't help but think how much that money could possibly be better spent on some of the very capable new native interfaces that I bring up in this thread

If I make the dive into HD.. I will need: the Core card and the 192 at the very least. (If you read into that GS thread at all, it was unanimous among all of the guys there that the 192 was a much better investment than the 96. They also really pushed me towards getting an Accel card to boost to an HD2 rig.) I would also need a Digi-link cable and a few of those DB-25 snakes that you mentioned, with the crossgrade to PT HD 9 to put the icing on the cake. This would be one hell of an investment!!

If I find a good argument to keep using native firewire interfaces like this.. I will be able to save quite a bit of money and be able to put the difference that would have gone towards the HD setup on adding more preamps to my Seventh Circle Preamp rack, or buying a few more mics.

Basically all of my research and constant indecision about the interface upgrades is fueled by me not being happy with the sound I get from my ProjectMix I/O right now. I thought it was the coolest thing ever when I got it, and for the longest time I dismissed all of the bad reviews of it (especially regarding the interface section of it). It has taken me a whole two years to realize and come to terms with that. I feel that even the Presonus Firestudio that my friend has gives clearer sound than my Pmix overall.. even with it being slaved to the BLA microclock and using much nicer mics.
 
samth3mancgp said:
Basically all of my research and constant indecision about the interface upgrades is fueled by me not being happy with the sound I get from my ProjectMix I/O right now.
Click to expand...

Look into Samplitude 11...it has one of the best audio engines around, not to mention features that even some of the PT crowd is envious of... :cool:
...and they have great cross-grade prices.
It's PC-based though...not sure if that works for you...?
 
My main workstation for my larger tracking sessions is a PC, but I'm really looking to upgrade my hardware, not the software. ProTools works plenty good for me, it's the program that I am the most fluent with. I feel the A/D-D/A on the Pmix is what is holding me back.

I want to upgrade to HD, or upgrade to one of the many CoreAudio/ASIO interfaces that are now compatible with ProTools 9. Right now I'm pretty dead set on moving up to HD, but I haven't gotten as much first hand experience suggestions from people regarding Native interfaces. Perhaps there is Native stuff from Steinberg, Presonus, etc that are as good as HD rigs? Maybe not. If so, a lot of money would be saved that I could spend on other things.
 
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