Avid announces a new interface and HDX Hybrid platform "Carbon"

[jim1960]

Over at the DUC, Avid just announced that all Carbons will now come with a Pro Tools Ultimate Perpetual License. They're not describing this as a promo so I think the intent (for today anyway) is that this will be the case moving forward. I think it's another good move on Avid's part. I think that's two in a row... unusual for Avid. But if someone is going to plunk down $4200 for the interface, give 'em the dang software. Avid will still get their yearly update money so it's not like they're going to take a bath on making Ultimate part of the standard Carbon package.

[DupleMeter]

It seems like Avid has been making the right moves lately. I think they realize that they have to play ball as the music industry dilutes, and more & more recordings are being done at home. They still own the commercial studio world & Pro audio post (Netflix even has Pro Tools session listed as a deliverable).

But most music is being made at home & not on Pro Tools. They need to appeal to that market. The introduction of Pro Tools Artist & the new MBox Studio shows that they know they need to appeal to this market.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by DupleMeter

But most music is being made at home & not on Pro Tools. They need to appeal to that market. The introduction of Pro Tools Artist & the new MBox Studio shows that they know they need to appeal to this market.

They do seem to have come to their senses but I think they have quite the uphill climb ahead in trying to reclaim part of a market (one they essentially owned in the early 2000s) after ignoring that market for about a decade.

[DupleMeter]

Originally Posted by jim1960

They do seem to have come to their senses but I think they have quite the uphill climb ahead in trying to reclaim part of a market (one they essentially owned in the early 2000s) after ignoring that market for about a decade.

Yes. The damage has been done. And it’s harder to regain market share than to keep it.

I am impressed with their new focus though. I have contacts at Avid & I’m very encouraged by what they’re saying. I have done beta testing for them & find their attitude is much better about the home market.

Will that be enough? Is it too late? Only time will tell.

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by DupleMeter

Yes. The damage has been done. And it’s harder to regain market share than to keep it.

I am impressed with their new focus though. I have contacts at Avid & I’m very encouraged by what they’re saying. I have done beta testing for them & find their attitude is much better about the home market.

Will that be enough? Is it too late? Only time will tell.

I'm a very happy camper with my Carbon and I have zero regrets about dumping my X16 to make the move. If Avid releases a 16-channel expansion box (sans preamps), I'll be over the moon.

[KevWind]

As a side note for us Carbon owners .

AVID announced (as of Dec 1st.) that all new Carbon purchases and previous owners will receive a Pt Ultimate Perpetual license which should appear in the account "Products Not Yet Downloaded" page .


IMO a smart move on Avids part to encourage Carbon owners in to Ultimate.
I supposed it could be mixed bag given the annual renewal for Ultimate is $400

[DupleMeter]

If anyone's interested, we just did a review of the MBox Studio at Production Expert. We spent a good month playing with them before delivering our verdicts.

https://www.pro-tools-expert.com/pro...-expert-review

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by DupleMeter

If anyone's interested, we just did a review of the MBox Studio at Production Expert. We spent a good month playing with them before delivering our verdicts.

https://www.pro-tools-expert.com/pro...-expert-review

Very cool Steve , I will read it ,,I have followed PE since sometime back when they were just PT Expert
That new MBox seems like a great value piece for anyone who does not need a lot inputs but wants DSP tracking ability ... And I just read somewhere you can actually get up to 8 inputs using the digital connections ?

I can say I find the Carbon mic pre's to be really very good,, enough so that I just traded in my A Designs MP2A and have a new AEA RPQ2 coming mostly for my N22's ..... But I wonder ? it says that the M Box pre's are the "same design" as Carbon pre's ,,, but does that mean the same actual pre's ? or the same design with possibly lesser cost components ? And can we assume the converters are not as good as the Carbon?


Just curious I thought all those PE chaps were Brits !! Do you have to effect an accent to converse with them, or is your NE accent sufficient ?

[jim1960]

Originally Posted by DupleMeter

If anyone's interested, we just did a review of the MBox Studio at Production Expert. We spent a good month playing with them before delivering our verdicts.

I read it yesterday or the day before. It confirmed what I suspected. When I read the first description of the unit some time back, I thought it sounded like quite a bit of kit for the money. I was glad to see all three of you agree with me for the most part. It's good to see Avid back in the home recording market. It's even better to see them making decisions that don't leave us all scratching our heads.

[DupleMeter]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Very cool Steve , I will read it ,,I have followed PE since sometime back when they were just PT Expert
That new MBox seems like a great value piece for anyone who does not need a lot inputs but wants DSP tracking ability ... And I just read somewhere you can actually get up to 8 inputs using the digital connections ?

I can say I find the Carbon mic pre's to be really very good,, enough so that I just traded in my A Designs MP2A and have a new AEA RPQ2 coming mostly for my N22's ..... But I wonder ? it says that the M Box pre's are the "same design" as Carbon pre's ,,, but does that mean the same actual pre's ? or the same design with possibly lesser cost components ? And can we assume the converters are not as good as the Carbon?


Just curious I thought all those PE chaps were Brits !! Do you have to effect an accent to converse with them, or is your NE accent sufficient ?

It is a good deal for the price. I will say that. We all liked it. To answer your questions:

We found that the line in (5, 6, 7 & 8) had more than enough gain to use with dynamic mics. I was able to use an SM7b. Plus, yes, you can add inputs via ADAT or SPDIF.

I don't have a Carbon to test this against, but Julian said he couldn't discern a difference between the pres on his Carbon & the pres on the MBox. That doesn't mean they are the same, component for component, but it does mean that they hold their own, and if there are any differences they aren't enough to matter.

As far as the converters go, I can't answer that. I was the only 1 of the 3 of us who felt the conversion was not as good as I was used to. That's not to say it was bad. It just wasn't as good as the $4k converter I'm used to...which i would expect. I mean, the MBox is 1/5th the cost.

PE is a British company. They include a few non-Brits (like me) for our experience & background. It's funny when I'm the only non-Brit on the podcast, they pick on my "mispronunciations" at least until we roll.

They're actually all a great group of people. I enjoy being a part of it.

[DupleMeter]

Originally Posted by jim1960

I read it yesterday or the day before. It confirmed what I suspected. When I read the first description of the unit some time back, I thought it sounded like quite a bit of kit for the money. I was glad to see all three of you agree with me for the most part. It's good to see Avid back in the home recording market. It's even better to see them making decisions that don't leave us all scratching our heads.

That's what we all said. It was a long overdue product from them to serve a tier of user they were largely ignoring.

I really do think they are trying to right things. It's just that they are so big it takes time to make changes. It's one thing to make a hard turn with a Boston Whaler, another to do it with the Queen Mary.