PALO ALTO, CA — Avid (www.avid.com) is at the AES show in San Francisco with Version 9 of its Pro Tools software. The new version lets users work with a number of Avid audio interfaces, third-party audio interfaces, thanks to Core Audio and ASIO driver support, or with no hardware at all when using the built-in capabilities of a Mac or PC.
Also new is support for the Avid EuCon open Ethernet protocol, which enables customers to expand control surface options. Audio pros can take advantage of Avid’s Artist Series and Pro Series of audio consoles and controllers, which were formerly available through Euphonix.
A number of features formerly available as add-ons are now includes right out-of-the-box. Automatic Delay Compensation, for example, gives V.9 users the ability to mix and record with increased alignment and phase accuracy, without the need to manually compensate for latencies from hardware I/Os, internal and external routing, and plug-in algorithm processing.
More audio tracks and busses have been added, with support for 96 mono or stereo voices in the new software-only version, and 192 voices with Pro Tools HD systems.
Collaboration is made easier thanks to the implementation of OMF/AAF/MXF interchange and MP3 export. A built-in timecode ruler enables users to achieve greater accuracy when syncing audio to video in post. And an updated 7.1 surround panner allows for easily mixing multichannel surround for film projects.
Version 9 will be available on November 12, with prices starting at $599.