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Pro Tools | First
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Pro Tools
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Pro Tools | Ultimate
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Audience and availability |
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| Ideal for... | Singers, songwriters, and musicians who are new to audio recording or Pro Tools | Pros who need an advanced set of tools to create music or sound for picture | Audio and post pros who need maximum track counts, performance, and surround sound |
| Availability | Available for free for anyone to download and use | Subscribe monthly or annually, or purchase and own a perpetual license | Subscribe annually, purchase and own a perpetual license, or get it bundled with a Pro Tools | HDX or HD Native core system |
Comparison
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Pro Tools | First
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Pro Tools
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Pro Tools | Ultimate
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|---|---|---|---|
Supported Tracks |
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| Maximum simultaneous audio tracks @ 48/96/192 kHz |
16/16/– (mono or stereo) |
128/64/32 (mono or stereo) |
256/128/64¹ (up to 768/384/192)² |
| Maximum inputs (hardware dependent) | 4 | 32 | 192³ |
| Audio recording (maximum simultaneous tracks) | 4 | 32 | 256 |
| Instrument | 16 | 512 | 512 |
| MIDI | 16 | 512 | 512 |
| Auxiliary | 16 | 128 | 512 |
| Busses | Unlimited | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Video | n/a | 1 | 64 |
1. Per Pro Tools | HDX or Pro Tools | HD Native card
2. With Pro Tools | HDX systems only
3. Pro Tools | Ultimate software supports up to 64 channels of I/O with HD Native hardware through DigiLink, and up to 32 channels of I/O through Core Audio and ASIO
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Pro Tools | First
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Pro Tools
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Pro Tools | Ultimate
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|---|---|---|---|
General |
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| Maximum supported projects/sessions | Three projects stored in the included 1 GB cloud; additional cloud plans available for purchase, providing unlimited projects and the ability to save projects locally (get the details) | Unlimited sessions stored on local or networked drives; unlimited projects stored in the included 1 GB cloud; additional cloud plans with more storage space available for purchase (get the details) | Unlimited sessions stored on local or networked drives; unlimited projects stored in the included 1 GB cloud; additional cloud plans with more storage space available for purchase (get the details) |
| Maximum sample rate supported (hardware dependent) | 32-bit, 96 kHz | 32-bit, 192 kHz | 32-bit, 192 kHz |
| Maximum I/O (hardware dependent) | 4 | 32 | 256 |
| ASIO, Core Audio, and EUCON support (for third-party interface and control surface integration) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Supported plugin formats (virtual instruments, effects, and sound processors) | AAX Native, AAX AudioSuite | AAX Native, AAX AudioSuite | AAX DSP (Pro Tools | HDX only), AAX Native, AAX AudioSuite |
| Bundled software | Xpand!2 multitimbral music workstation (hundreds of sounds), plus over 20 effects, sound processing, and utility plugins | Over 60 included virtual instruments (thousands of sounds), effects, sound processing, and utility plugins, with optional access to 17 bonus plugins | Over 60 included virtual instruments (thousands of sounds), effects, sound processing, and utility plug-ins, with optional access to 25 bonus plug-ins |
| Bundled loops | 500 MB loop library curated from leading producers | 2 GB loop library curated from leading producers | 2 GB loop library curated from leading producers |
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Pro Tools | First
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Pro Tools
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Pro Tools | Ultimate
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Features |
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| Composing, recording, sequencing, editing, and mixing tools | + | + | + |
| Loop record track comping | + | + | + |
| MIDI Editor | + | + | + |
| Sibelius Score Editor | + | + | |
| Elastic Time and Elastic Pitch | + | + | + |
| Avid Cloud Collaboration | Includes 1 GB of free cloud storage space for collaboration; additional cloud storage plans available for purchase, providing more space, unlimited projects, and the ability to invite others to collaborate and save projects locally (get the details) | Includes 1 GB of free cloud storage space for collaboration; additional cloud storage plans available for purchase (get the details) | Includes 1 GB of free cloud storage space for collaboration; additional cloud storage plans available for purchase (get the details) |
| Selective Project Sync | Requires any paid cloud plan | + | + |
| Soundbase | + | + | + |
| Revision History | + | + | |
| Track Freeze, Commit, and Bounce | Track Freeze only | + | + |
| Automatic Delay Compensation | 16k | 16k | 16k |
| Beat Detective | n/a | Multitrack | Multitrack |
| Clip FX | n/a | Playback only | Apply, edit, and play |
| QuickPunch | + | + | + |
| Retrospective MIDI recording | + | + | + |
| Track Presets | + | + | + |
| AAF/OMF/MXF file interchange | + | + | |
| Workspace | + | + | + |
| Batch renaming | + | + | |
| Clip Gain | + | + | |
| Export to iTunes | + | + | |
| Offline bounce | + | + | + |
| Timecode Ruler | + | + | |
| Full Import Session Data | + | + | |
| Variable stereo pan depths | + | + | |
| In-the-box dubbing |
+ Requires Pro Tools | HDX |
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| Field recorder workflows | + | ||
| Avid Video Engine | + | + | |
| Surround mixing | + | ||
| Dolby Atmos mixing workflows | + | ||
| Ambisonics VR workflows | + | ||
| Advanced metering with gain reduction | + | + | |
| Satellite Link | + | ||
| Extended RAM/Disk Cache | + | + | |
| TrackPunch / DestructivePunch | + | ||
| Input monitoring | + | + | |
| VCA mixing | + | + | |
| Solo bus AFL/PFL | + | + | |
| Advanced audio editing—Scrub Trim, Replace Region, Fit to Marks, Matching Channels, Back and Play, Auto Fades, and more | + | ||
| Advanced automation—Punch, Capture, Write on stop, Write to all enabled, Automatch, Preview, and more | + | ||
| Advanced video editing—multiple video tracks, multiple video playlists, and video editing tools | + | ||
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Pro Tools | First
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Pro Tools
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Pro Tools | Ultimate
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|---|---|---|---|
Hardware interface support |
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PRO TOOLS | HD SERIES INTERFACES |
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| Pro Tools | MTRX | + | ||
| Pro Tools | HD I/O | + | ||
| Pro Tools | HD OMNI | + | ||
| Pro Tools | HD MADI | + | ||
| Pro Tools | PRE | + | ||
| Pro Tools | SYNC HD | + | ||
AUDIO INTERFACES |
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| Pro Tools | Duet | + | + | + |
| Pro Tools | Quartet | + | + | + |
| Pro Tools | Eleven Rack | + | + | + |
| Pro Tools | Mbox (3rd gen) | + | + | + |
| Pro Tools | Mbox Mini (3rd gen) | + | + | + |
| Pro Tools | Mbox Pro (3rd gen) | + | + | + |
| Pro Tools | Fast Track interfaces | + | + | + |
THIRD-PARTY INTERFACE |
Any Core Audio- or ASIO-compatible interface | Any Core Audio- or ASIO-compatible interface | Any Core Audio- or ASIO-compatible interface |
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Pro Tools | First
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Pro Tools
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Pro Tools | Ultimate
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|---|---|---|---|
Console & control surface support |
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| C|24 | + | + | |
EUCON-ENABLED |
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| Artist Control | + | + | |
| Artist Mix | + | + | |
| Artist Transport | + | + | |
| MC Pro | + | + | |
| Pro Tools | Control | + | + | |
| Pro Tools | Dock | + | + | |
| Pro Tools | S3 | + | + | |
| Pro Tools | S6 | + | + | |
| S5 Fusion | + | + | |
| System 5 | + | + | |
| System 5-MC | + | + | |
ICON |
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| D-Command ES | + | ||
| D-Control ES | + | ||
THIRD-PARTY CONTROL SURFACE |
n/a | Any analog or digital surface that supports the HUI protocol | Any analog or digital surface that supports the HUI protocol |
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Pro Tools | First
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Pro Tools
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Pro Tools | Ultimate
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|---|---|---|---|
A/V interfaces and storage |
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| Avid Artist | DNxIQ | + | + | |
| Avid NEXIS | + | ||
| Avid NEXIS | PRO | + | + | |
Minimum System Requirements
| Pro Tools | First | Pro Tools | Pro Tools | Ultimate |
| Avid-qualified Mac or Windows-based computer (get the details) | Avid-qualified Mac or Windows-based computer (get the details) | Avid-qualified Mac or Windows-based computer (get the details) |