For those of you not sure which version of Pro Tools to get, Avid have published a neat little Pro Tools family chart to help you compare the different version.
Pro Tools HD 11 |
Pro Tools 11 |
Pro Tools Express |
|
| Ideal for... | Pros who need maximum track counts, the highest performance, scalability, and surround sound for demanding music and post production | Pros who want to compose, record, edit, and mix music or sound for picture with a complete set of tools and advanced workflows | Aspiring music and audio pros on a limited budget who want the best sound quality possible and the essential features of Pro Tools |
| Availability | Comes bundled with Pro Tools|HDX and Pro Tools|HD Native systems only; can be used with or without hardware | Can be purchased alone or as part of a Pro Tools software/hardware bundle; can be used with or without hardware | Comes bundled at no charge with Mbox, Fast Track Solo, and Fast Track Duo interfaces only |
Supported Tracks |
Pro Tools HD 11 |
Pro Tools 11 |
Pro Tools Express |
| Maximum simultaneous audio tracks @ 48/96/192 kHz | 256/128/64 1(up to 768/384/192) 2 | 96/48/24(mono or stereo) | 16 / 16 / –(mono or stereo) |
| Maximum inputs | 192 | 32 | Hardware-dependent |
| Audio recording (maximum simultaneous tracks) | 256 | 32 | 4 |
| Instrument | 256 | 128 | 8 |
| MIDI | 512 | 512 | 16 |
| Auxiliary | 512 | 128 | 8 |
| Busses | 256 | 256 | 16 |
| Video | 64 | 1 | 1 |
General |
Pro Tools HD 11 |
Pro Tools 11 |
Pro Tools Express |
| Maximum sample rate supported (hardware dependent) | 32-bit, 192 kHz | 32-bit, 192 kHz | 32-bit, 96 kHz |
| Maximum I/O (hardware dependent) | 256 | 32 | 4 |
| ASIO, Core Audio, and EUCON support (for third-party interface and control surface integration) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Supported plug-in formats (virtual instruments, effects, and sound processors) | AAX DSP (Pro Tools|HDX only), AAX Native | AAX Native | AAX Native, RTAS, AudioSuite |
| Bundled software | Over 75 virtual instruments (thousands of sounds), effects, sound processing, and utility plug-ins; 8 GB sound library | Over 75 virtual instruments (thousands of sounds), effects, sound processing, and utility plug-ins; 8 GB sound library | Three virtual instruments (hundreds of sounds), plus over 25 effects, sound processing, and utility plug-ins |
Features |
Pro Tools HD 11 |
Pro Tools 11 |
Pro Tools Express |
| Composing, recording, sequencing, editing, and mixing tools | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Loop record/track comping | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| MIDI Editor | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sibelius Score Editor | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Elastic Time and Elastic Pitch | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Automatic Delay Compensation | 16k | 16k | 16k |
| Beat Detective | Multitrack | Multitrack | n/a |
| QuickPunch | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| AAF/OMF/MXF file interchange | ✓ | ✓ | |
| DigiBase Pro | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Clip Gain | ✓ | ✓ | |
| MP3 option | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Export to iTunes | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Export to SoundCloud | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Offline bounce | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Timecode Ruler | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Full Import Session Data | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Variable stereo pan depths | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Field recorder workflows | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Avid Video Engine | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Surround mixing | ✓(up to 7.1) | ||
| 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) | ✓ | ||
Hardware interface support |
Pro Tools HD 11 |
Pro Tools 11 |
Pro Tools Express |
| Pro Tools HD Series interfaces | ✓ | ||
| Mbox family (2nd and 3rd gen) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ (Mbox and Mbox Mini 3rd gen only) |
| Eleven Rack | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Fast Track interfaces | ✓ | ✓ | ✓Fast Track Solo and Duo only |
| Third party | Any Core Audio- or ASIO-compatible interface | Any Core Audio- or ASIO-compatible interface | n/a |
Console and control surface support |
Pro Tools HD 11 |
Pro Tools 11 |
Pro Tools Express |
| C|24 | ✓ | ✓ | |
| EUCON-enabled | ✓ | ✓ | |
| ICON | ✓ | ||
| Third party | Any analog or digital surface that supports the HUI protocol | Any analog or digital surface that supports the HUI protocol | n/a |
| Upgrade Now | Buy Now |
- Per Pro Tools|HDX or Pro Tools|HD Native card; track counts for Pro Tools|HD systems remain unchanged.
- With Pro Tools|HDX systems only.