So, after 5 crashes with Pro Tools last night I downloaded the demo version of Reaper. So far it seems good, though i have a lot to figure out. What I am having trouble understanding is how everything sounds so much clearer using Reaper. I could here more detail in the raw tracks using the same interface (MBox 2 Pro) and headphones as before. Is Pro Tools just overloading my system? Could that account for such a large improvement, or do i maybe have a driver problem I should sort out with PT (I just used ASIO and MBox 2 Pro setup)?
Reaper vs. PT LE
- Thread starter iraobryan
- Start date
Erkan
mr-walker.bandcamp
I don't believe in this bullshit that any DAW has more clarity over another. I think it's a LOT due to psychological "tricks" being played on you. Since Amateur Tools has crashed on you a lot, you might be sick of it and frustrated, so when you switched to REAPER you probably instantly started "hoping" for REAPER to be the DAW of your dreams... thus, sounding better and so on and so on. I don't know, just a random guess =)
Anyway, about REAPER... you might have a hard time in the beginning but just keep doing stuff in it. For me atleast, I found that REAPER has a rather hard learning curve right in the beginning but then it really picks off and becomes a breeze to work in. Also beware of random free plugins... REAPER doesn't seem to like them too much. I've experienced quite a few crashes from free plugins (by free plugins, I also count Native Instruments free plugins such as Kontakt FREE, Kore Player, Guitar Rig FREE and so on, and Kontakt/Kore Player has also crashed REAPER).
Anyway, about REAPER... you might have a hard time in the beginning but just keep doing stuff in it. For me atleast, I found that REAPER has a rather hard learning curve right in the beginning but then it really picks off and becomes a breeze to work in. Also beware of random free plugins... REAPER doesn't seem to like them too much. I've experienced quite a few crashes from free plugins (by free plugins, I also count Native Instruments free plugins such as Kontakt FREE, Kore Player, Guitar Rig FREE and so on, and Kontakt/Kore Player has also crashed REAPER).
You're probably right, but man it seemed clearer. It could be that it had just been so long since I've heard the raw tracks. I was thinking that maybe there was a link between how hard PT was taxing my CPU (it bounces from 80-100%) and the sound quality. That's why PT was crashing, I believe, so either way it's an improvement.
I keep seeing posts regarding impulses on the forum and never had a clue what they would be needed for until last night. That's first on my educational agenda, since I'd like to try out ReaVerb. I'm sick of the Digidesign ankle weights (interfaces if you prefer) so I'm going to give that learning curve hell!
Thanks for the response and the free plugin tip!
I liked that Amateur Tools comment.
I keep seeing posts regarding impulses on the forum and never had a clue what they would be needed for until last night. That's first on my educational agenda, since I'd like to try out ReaVerb. I'm sick of the Digidesign ankle weights (interfaces if you prefer) so I'm going to give that learning curve hell!
Thanks for the response and the free plugin tip!
I liked that Amateur Tools comment.
If my Pro Tools crashed 5 times, I'd be trashing my DAE prefs, PT prefs, database folders etc etc, running disk utility checks and checking PACE driver updates. Have you deleted all unused regions from old sessions? I do this stuff every time I run into anything unusual. Also, you might encounter crashes if you save audio to the same hard drive as your operating system or if your audio hard drive isn't fast enough.
No comment on Reaper sounding better than PT - sounds like something Tad Donley would say...
No comment on Reaper sounding better than PT - sounds like something Tad Donley would say...
The sound improvement was probably psychological, or maybe the fact that I got to hear the song all the way through. Either way I definitely don't want to be compared to a guy named Tad. I'll gladly yield if it gets me off that boat!
I do probably need to go through and delete some files, but there shouldn't be that many since I lost all my mixes for my bands upcoming EP due to a mishap 1 month ago. Long story short..thought I had all the necessary files backed up, wiped hard drive to see if I could get rid of the crashing problem, only had original tracks and rough mixes saved (what a jack ass!).
I do probably need to go through and delete some files, but there shouldn't be that many since I lost all my mixes for my bands upcoming EP due to a mishap 1 month ago. Long story short..thought I had all the necessary files backed up, wiped hard drive to see if I could get rid of the crashing problem, only had original tracks and rough mixes saved (what a jack ass!).
If you don't know exactly what you're looking for use this: http://www.jcdeshaies.com/
This is mac only. I don't know if you're mac or PC-based so try searching the DUC for the PC version if you need it.
Are you saving audio to a fire wire drive? You'll run into some problems if you're saving to your operating system drive. In the PT manual it says that some damage may be irrepairable.
Even so - that prefs trasher should really help you out man! I can't believe you considered going to Reaper...Beat Detective
This is mac only. I don't know if you're mac or PC-based so try searching the DUC for the PC version if you need it.
Are you saving audio to a fire wire drive? You'll run into some problems if you're saving to your operating system drive. In the PT manual it says that some damage may be irrepairable.
Even so - that prefs trasher should really help you out man! I can't believe you considered going to Reaper...Beat Detective
John_C
formerly Skeksis268
Keep hold of both of them. Myself if i had the spare cash i'd track and comp in reaper, swap over to pro tools for editing, then back into reaper for mixing and mastering
Thanks for the link AEL89! I do run a PC, but should still be able to find the info. Actually I was just saying that I hoped Reaper had something as good as Beat Detective (which I've just started using). That would probably seal the deal on switching to Reaper.
"Keep hold of both of them. Myself if i had the spare cash i'd track and comp in reaper, swap over to pro tools for editing, then back into reaper for mixing and mastering" skeksis268
I have been considering this exact thing. A big plus to using Reaper, for me anyway, is the chance to try something other than an M/Digi interface. I'd probably end up getting a 2626 anyway, but the idea of having options is appealing.
"Keep hold of both of them. Myself if i had the spare cash i'd track and comp in reaper, swap over to pro tools for editing, then back into reaper for mixing and mastering" skeksis268
I have been considering this exact thing. A big plus to using Reaper, for me anyway, is the chance to try something other than an M/Digi interface. I'd probably end up getting a 2626 anyway, but the idea of having options is appealing.
Erkan
mr-walker.bandcamp
It just pisses me off that you have to use several programs to accomplish something in today's high demanding standards. Seriously, how fucking hard can it be for a company to listen to people and make ONE good software? And seriously, REAPER is almost there. If they would only stop fucking around with random bullshit features that are not going to be used by the majority of people and instead focused on the basic principles of editing behaviour and adding in something like Beat Detective or whatever, there would be no reason to use any other DAW. Instant profit for Cockos. Let's just hope they actually do all that sometime soon.
AudioGeekZine
arsehole know-it-all
PC Version of the Preference Trasher
http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=240118&highlight=trasher
http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=240118&highlight=trasher
madbutcher
Member
Besides what has been said already, I know mine has problems with lots of edits in a session, always have to consolidate.
I noticed this as well. Each track was consolidated after editing.
I appreciate everyone's help! I've got some things to look into...busy, busy.
Mutant
I hate that supercow !
You may render a clip using PT and a second clip with the same processing and mix using Reaper for us to compare.
I too find it hard to believe that PT is somehow degrading the sound even though i absolutely love Reaper.
Glenn Fricker
Very Metal &Very Bad News
Can't say I'm too impressed with Slow Tools. Man, that crossfade system... wow. Can actually feel myself aging.
I went back and compared my last mix from Pro Tools to the new mix I'm doing in Reaper (same tracks), and I think the improvement I heard was the result of hearing the raw tracks before I screwed them up! I need practice and using Reaper for practice has slowed things down, but I think myself and the mix will be better for it. So far I am enjoying the transition!
John_C
formerly Skeksis268
OT, but how do you approach drum editing in sawstudio, 100% manual? or is there some sort of beat detective clone?
darthjujuu
Member
the difference you're hearing is NOT psychological, its' real, BUT it doesn't exist once bouncing/rendering occurs. While scrubbing through a project, you can vary the precision of the summing matrix for basic mixing/playback purposes BEFORE bouncing/rendering... i.e, what you hear while editing/mixing, etc, or just when you hti the space bar in your project. In Reaper, it's the option for precision during scrubbing - it gives you 64pt by default, but can all the way up to 512pt precision which is...illogical, in most mixing environments. I generally bounce at 384. This, i believe, is the difference heard while scrubbing through a project between that and in protools, although in all likelyhood, once bounced, the end results are equal.
ANOTHER point-
this dude that went to school for engineering that I know kept saying that there's something about the protools summing matrix that adds a certain high end sparkle/luster. Something I believe he picked up from his old moonbat instructors. folklore, you say?? who knows, who cares.
ANOTHER point-
this dude that went to school for engineering that I know kept saying that there's something about the protools summing matrix that adds a certain high end sparkle/luster. Something I believe he picked up from his old moonbat instructors. folklore, you say?? who knows, who cares.
I have a question slightly off the original topic. Since I have a dual core PC, shouldn't I have 2 processors (RTAS) available for PT in the playback settings?
