This is a continuation of a series of quick reviews and overviews of some of the audio applications available for Macs.

You’ll remember from my previous article on the subject, some of the great features of Logic Pro 7– Apple’s pro-level audio and music production program.

It includes the features pros expect, and more, including– Surround sound support, distributed processing power across networked Macs, MIDI instruments, many plugins– from your standard reverbs and delays to more advanced filters, sound design & guitar amp plugins.

I would think that Logic’s power and appeal would lie in its usability, Apple-influenced design, extensive MIDI instruments for composing, and, of course, all those Apple Loops.

Logic 7 retails for $999 US, but there is an Express version that retails for $299 US.

Technorati Tags: apple, audio, howto, product review

My tool of choice is Digital Performer from Mark of the Unicorn. I even use their hardware – a MOTU Traveler preamp, which I really like.

Digital Performer has always been designed and built for professional use. For studio production, film scoring, live performance, remixing, and more, Digital Performer provides an easy to understand workflow, with all the features you need for full audio and MIDI production. You get unlimited tracks, unlimited undo, support for surround sound, 64 bit mastering tools, sample-accurate editing of audio and MIDI, automatic tempo calculation for film scoring, and much more.

I mostly like it because I’ve used it for many years and I can do everything very quickly– editing in DP is like second nature to me. I have also scored some films and done a bunch of music for picture, and DP handles a lot of the technical stuff, allowing you to work very creatively. The stock plugins sound very good– my favorite being the MasterWorks EQ, which debuted in DP 4.

As you probably might guess, I highly recommend it. MOTU Digital Performer 5 retails at $795 US.

On to ProTools-- (done bullet-style)

What is it?
The self-proclaimed industry leader of digital audio production software and hardware.

Who’s it for?
Pros, Prosumers and hobbyist alike, anyone that desires a high quality multitrack production. The less expensive LE line is great for mobile productions, set up with a portable I/O for microphone or instrument input. Protools M-powered series includes many compatible third party devices like I/Os, mixing consoles and midi keyboards. The HD series is geared for serious studio production, with a sample rate support up to 192 kHz. All versions of Pro Tools feature a 48 bit mixing architecture the delivers maximum fidelity.

Cost:
Good question. the cheaper versions can be hundreds of dollars and the more professional versions can set you back tens of thousands with hardware.

Pros:
Pro Tools is very stable, it has a very intuitive interface and high quality output, and there is much hardware to choose from, depending on your budget and production needs. There are also hundreds of plugins available that can really beef up your productions.

Cons:
With so many bundles available, you definitely have to pay more to get more, for example, the lesser versions have a limited number of audio tracks, no score editing capabilities, and have restricted hardware options.

MMC Opinion:
Definitely recommended, especially if you’re using Protools hardware to record sound directly and do multitrack mixing.

For more on Protools, visit Digidesign.com.

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Filed under: Audio, Product Review