We at Montesa Audio get asked a lot if we use Pro Tools. The answer is no and I will explain why here. As you may have noticed from this site I have 30 years production and recording experience, of which 10 were lecturing and teaching at Northbrook. Over the years I have recorded and taught on many systems, both hardware and software. This includes Pro Tools, Cubase and Logic along with hardware systems including 2 inch tape, Adat and Tascam digital tape and dedicated hard disk recorders.

Ok let’s be clear the software is just the user interface and does not affect the sound quality. Reliability and features are an issue as is the compatibility with audio interfaces and software plug-ins. The main issue with the software is how well the operator (the engineer or producer) understands and can work with it.

Many engineers like the Pro Tools software because it is simple to understand, and has only two main pages - the arrangement and the mixer page. Cubase has many more pages for editing functions and can get a bit complex. I personally like to have the extra options and in any case if you wanted to you could just use the mixer and arrangement pages in Cubase, both of which are just as good as the Pro Tools counterparts.

Hardware

Pro Tools will only work with a limited selection of hardware, the M box or the Digidesign HD system. This is not a bad thing as it means that the software is developed along with the hardware and makes for a reliable set-up. The M box is good but not good enough for a professional studio and the HD system is (in my opinion) over priced compared to other equally specced audio interfaces.

The Cubase or Logic software will work with a much wider selection of audio interfaces or sound cards which of course means a better choice, but on the downside can mean some development problems. It’s hard for software writers to test compatibility with every audio interface.

When planning out the main recording system I had to consider a vast number of factors. Compatibility or a way to get the best from equipment already owned, a good selection of options for the varying needs of the audio world and most important the best possible audio quality and reliability from a large but not unlimited budget.

 Cubase / Yamaha

I spent over a year looking at all the options and was very keen on a firewire system from Tascam. During this time Steinberg merged with Yamaha and together worked on a dedicated hardware software system, the MR816 CSX soundcards designed to work with the Cubase software. The result is of course hardware and software developed by the same company, as with Pro Tools. After investigating this system in depth I was pleased that it ticked all the boxes: top quality pre-amps, a large selection of audio inputs and outputs ideal for using outboard equipment and analogue desk if required, digital ins and outs for compatibility with 24 track hard disk recorder, and very importantly it works as one with the Cubase software, which I have been working with since the Atari computer days of 1990. This new system was not cheap but much better quality and specced per pound / euro than the Pro Tool equivalent.

What this system offers you, the customer

Top quality audio recordings, quick and reliable set-ups. Versatility of Cubase, top midi specs, vast number of audio features and VST instruments plus compatibility with analogue desk and outboard. All audio is recorded as Wav files and can be imported into a Pro Tools system if needed so there are no problems with compatibility with other studios.
The claim is that Pro Tools is the industry standard but both Cubase and Yamaha have been big in the professional audio world since the eighties and I really believe that this is a recording system that betters the Digidesign / Pro Tools system of many studios.

Ian Clayton

Demonstration of the MR816 CSX