Some thoughts about the new PROTOOLS io

While unboxing the new AVID MBox3 Pro it slowly dawned on me what it was I had actually bought – my motive revolved around one simple feature (editing 192kHz audio in ProTools) but these thoughts are what came along with it. Every ProTools audio interface I have bought before this one was destined to be put in a rack or on a shelf – set & forget. I don’t mean that in any derogatory sense, just that all their immediate functionality was via software or visually via metering. But this new MBox 3 Pro isn’t designed to be buried in some rack – its now taken the spot where the little mixer I used for monitoring used to sit, and the mixer has been shunted onto a shelf…..

AVID has obviously thought about how contemporary computer-centric studios work and has created something I didn’t know I needed until it arrived. The big volume knob on the right of the front of the Mbox3 controls my monitoring level and right beside it is a feature borrowed from the larger Euphonix consoles (Dim/Mute) as well as a mono button and two headphone outputs each with their own level control – perfect for overdubs. I suspect once I get used to managing all the inputs (2 mic/line inputs on the front and 2 mic and 6 line inputs on the rear) the Mackie may no longer be needed at all…. But maybe the biggest little feature on the Mbox3Pro is the multi button, a softkey on the front which can be assigned to three software tasks via press&release, press&hold, press_for_duration. Typical uses could be to add a new track, drop in/out of record etc… I cant help but think this feature is not intended for someone sitting in front of the computer, its meant for when you are in the thick of it and want to keep away from the computer screen/keyboard etc….

Of course if you already have an investment in a desk or mix controller these features are of little use, but if you are starting or evolving an edit studio they make perfect sense – now I want an Omni interface for my HD2 rig at my work studio! More info on the MBox range here and the Omni here

And while on the subject of monitoring, this article by Mix Online is worth a read re the new implementation of io setup in PT9.

Lastly, one “feature” in ProTools 9 (& previous versions) that annoys the hell out of me is this one:

Thats a 192k session and I am not allowed to work with audio in a timeline longer than 3 hours!? WTF? At 96kHz the max session length is 6 hours, which means you can only just fit all reels of a film into a session (ie if R1 starts@01.00.00.00 R2 starts@02.00.00.00 etc) but thats no real use since as soon as you come to conform you need to move a copy of all reels down to 07.00.00.00+ so as to conform the new version back to the original timecode. So without a messy workaround this bug is prohibiting us from editing on films at 96khz. I still do design & manipulation/processing in 96k or 192k sessions but have to then export back to my 48k edit session… Or work in one reel per session mode which I stopped doing years ago, as there are so many advantages to working in a super session (ie all reels in one session)

Anyway enough complaining, if you use ProTools for post please go vote up my bug fix on Avids IdeaScale here – I’d love to know why this feature/bug exists? Anyone at AVID care to enlighten us?