Pro Tools 10

Recently, Avid has released Pro Tools 10, a digital audio workstation used for recording and post production. This has come as a shock to many people. Just last ear, Avid released Pro Tools 9. This new version seems to have come out of nowhere.

Though this new release comes with a lot of interesting and very useful things, I feel it is not the smartest business move for Avid. The new software costs $699. If you’re not lucky enough to be one of the people that has bought Pro Tools 9 recent enough to get a free update, it’ll run you close to $300, if not more. I don’t see many studios, large or small, wanting to fork out the money to update. With the economy the way it is at the moment, I think Avid should have waited to release this update. They could have done a lot more with it, especially with the introduction of the new Native and HDX systems.  Cross grading to the new system can run from $6,000 to almost $8,000.

The new systems and cards allow for much bigger sessions on fewer cards. This, in the end, will make it cheaper to have big sessions than previously before. However, if you already have a system, it is still going to run you a lot. Upgrading to the new system will take a huge hit on any company’s budget.

It is very important that Avid has opened up Pro Tools to other software. With the release of Pro Tools 9, the software became open to interfaces not made by Avid. This extra step may be a good selling point for Avid. Though the new additions to Pro Tools are certainly helpful. I think Avid still just has it’s timing a little off.  It’s too soon to be putting out a new program. 

Resources:

Avid releases pro tools 10 and aax plug-in format. (2011, October 21). Retrieved from http://www.kvraudio.com/news/aes-avid-releases-pro-tools-10-and-announces-aax-plug-in-format-17524

Introducing the biggest advancement in daw recording since pro tools|hd [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.sweetwater.com/feature/protools10/