Pro Tools got an update at the end of August. A number of readers have pointed out that this is a milestone for what it includes, what it doesn’t include, and what it represents.

What’s in 8.0.1

If you’re an existing Pro Tools 8 owner, you’ll want 8.0.1:

• Improved interface performance (“snappiness”!)
• Improved selection drawing in audio
• Workflow improvements, fixes

Those of you who grabbed the update in the last week or two, I’ll be curious to hear what you’ve found in some of those subtler improvements. Avid, to their credit, does do a lot of work on these point releases, not only in bugfixes but in other improvements, as well.

Software update for 8.0.1 (LE + HD + M-Powered)

End of the Line

Pro Tools 8.0.1 is the end of the road for quite a range of "legacy" hardware. 8.0.1 (in one or several of its LE, HD, and M-Powered flavors) will be the last version to support:

• Original Mbox
• Expansion|HD Chassis
• Macintosh PowerPC Computers
• Pro Tools MIX-era Peripherals

I know some people were wondering about this – it’s now official. Digidesign reports Pro Tools 8 is actually shipping now, with the integrated MIDI edit window, score notation editor (via recently-acquired Sibelius) right in the DAW, bundled instruments and synths, some amp simulation, “Elastic Pitch,” and additional insert slots.

None of this is huge news to users of competitive products, with the notable exception of Sibelius notation integration. I’m very keen to hear how people actually use that, because the score facilities in tools like Logic aren’t competitive with favored tools like Sibelius and Finale, in my experience. On the other hand, many people are perfectly happy keeping their scoring and audio editing workflows separate from one another – particularly if you’re using Pro Tools for audio editing and Sibelius to write that new string quartet. So as this ships, do let us know how you’re using it, or if it’s a non-starter.

So, what does it cost to upgrade?

Pro Tools HD 8 Upgrade: $249 US
Pro Tools LE/M-Powered Upgrade: $149 US
Pro Tools M-Powered Full Version: $299 US (for use with M-Audio audio interfaces)

If you bought Pro Tools systems or upgrades since October 3, the new release is (rightfully) free.

Of course, that still means you might still be tempted to just go buy one of the cheaper Mbox products with Pro Tools LE included. There are also upgrades for the Music and DV bundles.

Note compatibility: Vista SP1 (32-bit only, still no 64-bit) is supported, as is Mac OS X 10.5.5. 10.5.6 isn’t ready yet, and Vista requires Business or Ultimate, which as I said in the past I still find pretty odd given that Home Premium is basically identical from a support standpoint. (Digi’s choosing to be a bit literal with that.) On the other hand, only Leopard support is available, whereas on Windows XP Home and Professional remain supported with XP SP3.

Once this arrives, I’ll be curious to hear about you. I’m happy doing my work in SONAR and Live at the moment, so I don’t think I’d be a fair judge, but someone who uses Pro Tools daily would be. Be in touch.

Pro Tools 8 Shipping [News @ Digidesign.com]

Digidesign has gradually helped Pro Tools users unchain themselves from the bulky interfaces the software once required. (Anyone remember the days of hooking up an entire expansion card chassis to a laptop, back in the day? Yipes!) But until recently, you still needed an Mbox to lug along. The Mbox2 Micro has a novel twist: it packs an audio interface into an anodized aluminum USB key. You get just one audio output: an 1/8″ stereo output jack, upgrading your laptop’s headphone out jack to 24-bit, 48KHz monitoring. But that also means the Micro is all you need to carry to run Pro Tools. (In other words, it’s a dongle with a headphone jack.)

The “Mbox dilemma” continues: for new users, the Micro is a great bargain. You get Pro Tools LE, 45 plug-ins (Bomb Factory + DigiRack), and Xpand playback and synthesis, for US$279. Or, anyway, it’s a good deal if you’re not planning to record … this is an output-only interface, with no input. (It’s well worth considering Pro Tools M-Powered for use with M-Audio interfaces or the rest of the MBox line for mobile recording.) But for existing users — the ones who, according to the press release, are “seeking a greater degree of portability when using Pro Tools on the road” — you’ve got to spend $279 for what amounts to an extra dongle. Bummer. So, I’ll say again: Digidesign, why not give your existing LE (or Pro Tools HD users) an option to buy this thing for $49 or something? (I’m guessing the answer to “why not” is because it’d allow people to easily pirate Pro Tools LE, but that’s going to be little comfort to users who have invested in Digidesign’s stuff.) By comparison, Apple’s Logic Pro is $500 and doesn’t require any USB dongle at all; their entry-level $200 Logic Express includes far more built-in plug-ins. There are similar deals from Cakewalk’s SONAR on Windows, which also requires just serial numbers, not specialized hardware. Both of these will work with your existing headphone out jack or other mobile interfaces.

At the same time, I think the idea of a USB key that gives you higher-quality monitoring is a terrific idea, and I’d love to see ASIO/Core Audio-compatible alternatives. And on the Digidesign front, if you’re looking for an affordable mobile Pro Tools companion, the Micro looks promising, for those who don’t yet own LE.

Digidesign Mbox2 Micro