Avid released new HD interfaces today, replacing the standard 96 and 192 interfaces. The new HD interfaces are a significant upgrade from the original 96 and 192 interfaces. The HD I/O features upgraded AD and DA converters. As engineers have known for years, the AD/DA converters in Digidesign hardware left something to be desired. This forced many Pro Tools users to go with a competitor’s convertor. It appears with this new upgrade that Avid has made a huge step forward in releasing the new interfaces with truly great converters.
Besides better conversion, the new models also offer a newly designed soft-knee limiter that grabs fast transients, allowing the user to track hotter signals without clipping. Not to mention a slicker-looking design that comes with 3 different I/O configurations.
• 8x8x8: 8 analog I/O and 8 digital I/O
Avid also released the HD OMNI, which is a great new product that addresses something Pro Tools users have been requesting for years, an all-in-one Pro Tools HD interface. It comes with AD/DA, a monitoring section, and two mic pres, along with analog and digital I/O up to 8X8 in and out of Pro Tools with two more outs for the cue. It also has the ability to monitor for surround sound up to 7.1. This is a wonderful unit for the home studio that still wants the power of HD and the convenience of LE.
The last interface that Avid is introducing is HD MADI which allows Pro Tools users 64 channels of madi in and out. Madi is common in broadcast and post-production facilities. This interface helps those users more easily connect there studios to Pro Tools HD.
The most exciting news from Avid was the introduction of Heat. Heat (Harmonically Enhanced Algorithm Technology) is new analog modeling software designed by Crane Song designer Dave Hill. It is meant to emulate tape-based mediums and analog consoles. Heat is not a plug-in, but integrated into the Pro Tools mixing environment universally on every channel. It does give you the ability to bypass Heat or send it pre-fader if needed. It only comes with Pro Tools HD as does the Phoenix plug-in by Crane Song. According to Avid, Heat is modeled off the Phoenix plug-in and the HEDD 192 by Crane Song. Heat only has two knobs, a tone control and a drive. The drive control adds odd harmonics to the material and the tone adjusts the balance between high and low frequencies and the level of brightness in the material. Although we haven’t heard it, we will get some samples up here in the next couple of weeks once we have a chance to compare the two plug-ins in our studio. Overall an exciting new development from the first generation of Pro Tools products under the Avid name!
