New Avid Pro Tools HD Series Makes A Breakthrough

A pioneer in digital audio and video technology has introduced a series of newly-designed hardware and software solutions designed to enhance the quality and performance of Pro Tools|HD, the industry's leading digital audio workstation.
The new Avid HD Series interfaces - HD I/O, HD OMNI and HD MADI offer customers flexible configurations to support a variety of analog and open digital formats for audio recording, mixing and playback. Additionally, new HEAT (Harmonically Enhanced Algorithm Technology) software allows customers to add the realism of vintage analog sound to the Pro Tools mixer via a single global control, eliminating the time consuming and complex task of managing plug-in changes across multiple tracks and allowing customers to remain focused on the craft of mixing.
HD I/O, HD OMNI and HD MADI interfaces for Pro Tools|HD enable customers to achieve the highest-quality audio with improvements to digital audio conversion quality, a variety of new configuration options and increased support for open digital standards like the popular MADI protocol. Features include advances in design, filtering and clocking and flexible digital I/O connectivity, which offers support for a variety of formats. Additionally, Curv, a new soft-knee analog limiter in HD OMNI and HD I/O, cuts the time customers spend re-recording and editing by tracking hotter signals when recording, preventing distortion when overloading inputs.
Designed in collaboration with digital/analog engineer Dave Hill of Crane Song, the HEAT software option for Pro Tools|HD systems is an innovation for mixers who value the warmth and sound qualities of tubes, tape machines and analog consoles, but want to eliminate the complications and expenses of using tape machines and vintage outboard processors, or managing plug-in changes across multiple tracks. Customers can now directly add the best sounding euphonic qualities to every track in the Pro Tools mixer using a single, global control, dramatically enhancing sound quality and improving settings management.
Dave Cooley, Producer for Silversun Pickups' Canavas and Swoon albums and mastering engineer for the Polyphonic Spree's Wait EP, among others, said: "I've been looking for a flexible software solution for years that could add some of the energy back that I get from using hardware and vintage equipment. HEAT brings me what I’ve been looking for – an analog sound that can be added quickly and effectively to get the job done. I can’t wait to start using it on mixes right away."
(BMcN/KMcA)