Pro Tools 10 Review of New Features

The secret is out. Avid has announced the latest version of their flagship Digital Audio Workstation, Pro Tools 10! And this version is packed to the brim with new features and improvements that, although targeted primarily at the post-production crowd, should appeal to the entire Pro Tools user-base. 

Over the coming days we'll have some free (written) Pro Tools 10 reviews, tips, interviews and tutorials here on The Hub. And stay tuned for some exciting news on the new range of macProVideo.com Pro Tools 10 tutorial-videos. More info coming soon!

OK. Let's run through the best new features in the tenth incarnation of the most famous DAW on the planet...

New System Capabilities

• Naming changes mean: goodbye "regions", hello “clips”. Regions are now called clips, Regions List becomes the Clips List, etc. File and path names spell an end to “Digidesign” in favor of “Avid”.

• Increased track counts for Pro Tools HD and Pro Tools with Complete Production Toolkit. This means 768 audio tracks and 512 Auxiliary Input tracks!

• Low Latency Monitoring with Core Audio and ASIO Hardware that have a built-in mixer (e.g. RME Fireface or MOTU 828).

• New Session file format (the new extension is .ptx). It's not possible to share this format with earlier versions of Pro Tools, although you can save sessions to the legacy format still.

• Support for 32-bit floating point audio files. This will virtually eliminate clipping and dithering issues when sharing 32-bit audio files between sessions. A big feature!

• Interleaved audio file support finally eradicates the need for interleaved files being imported as multiple mono files. 

• Mixed audio file formats can exist within the same session. So, no need to convert them during import. (The same applies for mixed bit-depth files which can also now be used in the same session).

• RF64 audio file support does away with the 4GB file limitation in Pro Tools 10.

• Built-in web browser. This will include easier access to plug-ins (you can now buy or rent plug-ins online via new Marketplace feature), support and training, upgrades and a whole lot more!

Enhanced Import and Export 

• Export Selected tracks as a new session makes it simpler than ever to collaborate on parts of your session. The exported session has be re-incorporated back into the original, too!

• Bounce mix to iTunes and share via SoundCloud.

• New AAF and OMF import and export features include: real-time fades, multi-channel audio support, clip-based gain automation, rendered audio effects, volume automation and the 24-hour timeline (see below).

Editing

• Real-Time Fades does away with the rendered fade files from previous versions. This improves disk performance and session opening times.

• Overlapping Crossfades view does exactly what the name suggests: waveforms for both clips can be seen in under the crossfade.

• Clip-Based Gain is an awesome new feature to help match the gain/volume of two different clips. Watch out for a tutorial on Clip-Based Gain coming soon to The Hub.

• 24-Hour Timeline allows for a session's SMPTE start frame to be set at any location in the Timeline.

Mixing 

• New visual indicators for solo & mute status, Automation Follows and Sync Status (HD with SYNC peripheral only) in the Edit Window.

• Select/Show tracks based on input, output, send or hardware assignment.

Control Surface and Worksurface

• D-Command Multi-mode a single D-Command console access two PT systems on a network.

• Over 500 Pro Tools commands and shortcuts are available to map in the EuControl software.

Plug-in Formats & AudioSuite

• New AAX plug-in format supports real-time processing, AudioSuite (non and) real-time rendering processing. The new AAX plug-ins are described below:

• Avid Channel Strip includes EQ, dynamics, filter and gain effects based on the Euphonix System 5 console channel strip.

• Avid Down Mixer can automatically mix surround sound tracks to stereo (HD and production kit only) or stereo to mono.

• Mod Delay III is a multi-channel modulation & delay effects plug-in.

• The AAX plug-in format has been opened up to 3rd-party developers. There are reportedly almost 50 new AAX style 3rd-party plug-ins ready to go.

• AudioSuite can now open multiple plug-in windows, preserve fades post render, reverse delay and reverb plugins and select parts beyond the current edit selection using the new “handles” feature.

Storage & Disk Performance

• DAE Playback Buffer Size is gone thanks to the new Disk Engine which improves performance for audio playback and recording.

• System Usage window shows two new meters; Disk Cache and Timeline Cache.

• Support for all OSX and Windows 7 network attached storage and RAID for playback and recording.

• Increased track counts and streaming support for Avid Unity MediaNetwork and ISIS shared storage.

... and the price? Pro Tools 10 Starts at $699 with upgrades from $299.

Read this interview with Bill Burgess and Scott Freiman where they talk about their favorite new Pro Tools 10 features.

macProVideo.com is an AVID LEARNING PARTNER Online. So, if you're interested in learning all about how the new & existing features in Pro Tools 10 work check out these video tutorials.