For discussion about setting up your studio and advice on the gear and equipment within it.
By TheBsK Thu May 06, 2010 7:50 pm
Hey all,

I'll try to keep it brief, but thanks for reading/ehlping up front. So, long story short, I am moving from PC to Mac and dropped my 2kXL and 2500 (briefly had one) for an MPD32. I have Pro Tools LE 6.4 with an MBOX original. Additionally I have Motu BPM and Reason 3. There are a few other little pieces of gear like a Novation Remote25 and Mixer, Mics, etc. but the crux of my question/issue is this...when going to Mac with Leopard I can't use the MBOX and 6.4. Its outdated and no longer supported. So, I need to change my audio interface and potentially software too.

I am comfortable to some extent with PT, but I know it is at 8.3 or whatever and I don't like the idea that digidesign forces you to use their products in order to use PT. So, if I go to M-Audio Fast Track Pro, I have to get PT M-Powered and thats more money. But (at least from what I gather) I can keep my old work that way...not the end of the world if I lose it, but I'd like to keep it. I'm a hobbyist but eventually I might do some scoring for films so I think that PT8 supports that.

Seems like if I went MBOX2 that would make sense, but drawbacks are that it is old (released in what 05?) so its already old and its probably the more expensive option around in order to do that plus PT8. I dont want to get squeezed by digidesign in a year or two if they release something else and phase it out. I am reading up on other audio interfaces like Focusrite saffire, Presonus firebox, e-mu 0404 usb, lexicon offerings, Echo audiofire 4 looks good too. A 4x4 is good enough from an I/O standpoint. (I'd like to have at least what my MBOX offered with spdif 2x2, phantom power. I just don't know what to do with the gear I have, to make it work the best and hopefully future proof it for 4 or 5 years. Money is beyond tight, so I am trying to do this as cheaply as possible, but my PC won't run BPM and I have Mac now so I have to make the transition. I am really looking forward to getting started with my Mac, BPM and the MPD which have been sitting around for months already since I moved. Your experiences, thoughts and comments to assist are greatly appreciated. Thanks and peace.
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By fasttrackpimp Thu May 06, 2010 8:42 pm
Well if you get the mbox 2 and stay with that version of pt 8 where it's supported, if digi does decide to remove it in the future updates(I don't see that happening for awhile), you'll be fine as long as you don't upgrade. I really wouldn't sweat that.
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By Coz Thu May 06, 2010 8:50 pm
Seems like a lot of effort for minimal gain, but I hope you get it sorted.

Definitely consider another DAW though... Cubase, Logic, Sonar and Reaper are all equal to and better than PT in my opinion.
By TheBsK Thu May 06, 2010 10:20 pm
Coz, are you referencing moving to Mac? The issue is that BPM won't run on my older PC. I already have two Intel Macs, so buying a new/updating a PC is kind of out of the cards. I agree it is a ton of effort, hence I want to know as much as I can before I make the plunge. I guess the surest thing is the MBOX2, but I do fear their constant updates and the fact that the MB2 has been out for so long already. I am so tight financially unfortunately. There are newer and cheaper options, but then I lose countless hours of previous "work" which is a major pain. The PC serves no purpose if I can't run BPM on it, now that I have dumped my MPC for this newer set up (right or wrong, I can't look back anymore -and I know many would have said to just leave well enough alone but its too late for that for me financially and otherwise - my gf bought me the two Macs (and particularly the first desktop iMac for the specific purpose of moving my music work to the Mac, so I better use them).
By TheBsK Thu May 06, 2010 11:46 pm
Coz-This is a reasonable point without question, but one only the experience of having to learn new things and make such changes, one can answer. Given all that has happened, I probably would have done things differently (the stress and time put into it are probably not worth it), but now I am on my way and simply want to make the right choices going forward. Any other suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I find that the MBOX2 is only is not 24/96. Has the MBOX2 made any improvements physically/quality since it dropped in 05 or is it merely the Pro Tools that has changed. I guess it ships with PT 08 but there is also a PAID upgrade to 8.2 for $150. This is the sort of thing that becomes headache inducing and cost prohibitive. If I am ~$500 just to update its saddening... hence I am considering some of the other options PreSonus, Focusrite, Echo.
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By fasttrackpimp Thu May 06, 2010 11:53 pm
-EDIT-

:lol: Well damn, **** those upgrade prices. No the mbox 2 hasn't made any improvements, just pt upgraded. I guess cubase or logic would be cheaper in the long run because of the free upgrades, but at upfront costs it's alot more($interface+cubase/logic $500).
By TheBsK Fri May 07, 2010 2:35 am
ftpimp, you might be on to something. This transition is a pain. I didn't know Cubase or Logic provides Free upgrades. For life? I would probably do Logic if I knew I could buy it once and never have to pay for an upgrade again. Thats the first I have heard of that though.

Part of me is thinking I should just go get an MPC2500, sell the MPD and use the 2500 with BPM. Of course the fact that I could have already done this and didnt blows. Plus, I have nowhere near that kind of money now and may not any time soon. I think BPM is gonna be dope but I haven't been able to even use it since I put the cart before the horse (which happens often). I honestly dont know wtf I will end up doing. In the meantime, creativity and my gear sits dormant and that sucks. Any other options/thoughts/opinions?
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By fasttrackpimp Fri May 07, 2010 4:53 am
TheBsK wrote:ftpimp, you might be on to something. This transition is a pain. I didn't know Cubase or Logic provides Free upgrades. For life? I would probably do Logic if I knew I could buy it once and never have to pay for an upgrade again. Thats the first I have heard of that though.

Part of me is thinking I should just go get an MPC2500, sell the MPD and use the 2500 with BPM. Of course the fact that I could have already done this and didnt blows. Plus, I have nowhere near that kind of money now and may not any time soon. I think BPM is gonna be dope but I haven't been able to even use it since I put the cart before the horse (which happens often). I honestly dont know wtf I will end up doing. In the meantime, creativity and my gear sits dormant and that sucks. Any other options/thoughts/opinions?


No I didn't mean free upgrades for life, but like free updates if you have cubase 5 and they put out a, for example, cubase 5.2 update. If they come out with cubase 6 it'll be like $150 to upgrade. A friend of mine has cubase is the only reason I know that cause I'm using protools 7(and an mbox 2 :lol: ).
By ntalec Sat May 08, 2010 12:59 pm
fasttrackpimp wrote:-EDIT-

:lol: Well damn, **** those upgrade prices. No the mbox 2 hasn't made any improvements, just pt upgraded. I guess cubase or logic would be cheaper in the long run because of the free upgrades, but at upfront costs it's alot more($interface+cubase/logic $500).



???
He went from PT 6.4 to PT 8, that type of upgrade cost real money in any DAW.
That covers several real PT major changes.

I almost forgot, for the original poster you are jumping through hoops for no real reason.
All you had to do was download PT LE 8.0 and use that since it works with the original mBox.
PT 8.0.3 is the one that doesn't work with the original mBox or PPC Macs.
By TheBsK Sat May 08, 2010 6:25 pm
ntaleac..Thanks, but as far as I understand it, that is only partially correct. You can do what you said about the upgrade, but it will not run on the Intel iMac. That is the issue. It will run with the Mbox original though, just not on the Intel iMac. That is what my research has shown to be the case. I am still going crazy over what to do. A lot of regret over my numerous changes, but in truth, I also wouldn't mind cutting down on an extra computer since space it tight as it is.
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By fasttrackpimp Sat May 08, 2010 6:36 pm
ntalec wrote:
fasttrackpimp wrote:-EDIT-

:lol: Well damn, **** those upgrade prices. No the mbox 2 hasn't made any improvements, just pt upgraded. I guess cubase or logic would be cheaper in the long run because of the free upgrades, but at upfront costs it's alot more($interface+cubase/logic $500).



???
He went from PT 6.4 to PT 8, that type of upgrade cost real money in any DAW.
That covers several real PT major changes.

I almost forgot, for the original poster you are jumping through hoops for no real reason.
All you had to do was download PT LE 8.0 and use that since it works with the original mBox.
PT 8.0.3 is the one that doesn't work with the original mBox or PPC Macs.


I get that, but last time I upgraded my protools it was only $75. They blew those prices up since then it looks like.
By ntalec Sat May 08, 2010 7:53 pm
TheBsK wrote:ntaleac..Thanks, but as far as I understand it, that is only partially correct. You can do what you said about the upgrade, but it will not run on the Intel iMac. That is the issue. It will run with the Mbox original though, just not on the Intel iMac. That is what my research has shown to be the case. I am still going crazy over what to do. A lot of regret over my numerous changes, but in truth, I also wouldn't mind cutting down on an extra computer since space it tight as it is.


You just need to run 8.0./8.0.1 on Leopard instead of Snow Leopard.

What you are going through is why I'm alwyas cautions about upgrading my PT LE Installations.
I own way to many plug ins to just jump without knowing what the cost of any and all plug ins will be.
Upgrading my plugs will typically be the most expensive part of an upgrade.
It usually will cost more than new Digi hardware or a computer in most cases. :(
By ntalec Sat May 08, 2010 7:56 pm
fasttrackpimp wrote: I get that, but last time I upgraded my protools it was only $75. They blew those prices up since then it looks like.


They went to $99 then $149 as they started adding more to it in the way of VI's and plugs.
They added more standard stuff to be more competitive with Logic and also used a price point more along those lines.
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By jaem Mon May 10, 2010 4:55 pm
I tried the BPM/midi controller thing for awhile....didn't like it at all

Now I'm using an ASR/2kxl combo which is about to get upgraded to an asr/mpc 60ii combo later today


gl though.....