Avid Pro Tools 12 - Upgrade from Pro Tools LE (download) Reviews

Still can't believe I got this deal.
After having V 8 LE for so many years. V 10 is awesome.
I can't wait to get some updated hardware.
To run 11 then 12
Pro Tools is so intuitive for an old school recording eng.

My Windows 7 CPU was always tacked out with PT8. With PT12 I don't have that problem anymore. Dynamic Processing is a dream for my system… and you can't go wrong with the new fast bounce. Again, much improved and my workflow is much faster and streamlined. No more, stopping and removing bothersome plugins, bouncing tracks to reduce plugins,etc,.. I can just do my work.
Love it.

I have been using Pro Tools since ver.5 and this release is the best ever. 11 is just not an upgrade, it's a complete rewrite. They have done amazing things with the DAE to make it extremely efficient! You won't go wrong with this version.

I'm liking my crossgrade from 8LE to PT 11, but mostly I'd like to credit Sweetwater for going the extra mile to get me hooked up. I tried to purchase this from Avid's website without understanding that I had missed the cutoff date. I came to Sweetwater to buy it third-party and there was confusion with my authorization numbers and a bit of a mess getting my refund from Avid. It all worked out due to the diligence of my Sweetwater contact working with Avid to straighten things out and get me running. Plus, i've used Sweetwaters phone support for a few issues that presented themselves and commend them for prompt, knowledgable, and courteous service. Thanks, Sweetwater!!...oj

love the new setup real easy to use and the sound is much richer

It a great product

Going from Pro Tools LE 8 to Pro Tools 11 has been a life-changer. The offline bounce has sped up my entire process. Well done Avid!!!

I was very reluctant to upgrade from Pro Tools 8 because I thought I had missed the bandwagon on v10 and keeping all my RTAS plugins. Luckily, Avid thought of this and included a license for both v11 AND v10 and they work seamlessly, side by side. Very fast, very stable. I love it!

I've been using protools since I was 15 starting from version 5.7.
This one is really cool. Has some dope new features that facilitates my production work.

One disadvantage is 11 version that uses AAX format plugins only but good thing is that PT 11 is delivered along with version 10 which still works well with RTAS so you can use those versions interchangeably.

Upgrade from LA is also really fair deal as I was able to save my old license for PT 8 LE and still be able to use my old setup with old computer and Digi 003+ / or give it to my friend who needs it.

And ... the price !!!! Couldn't find any better bargain than this. $199 for brand new PT 10 and 11 without loosing my old license. Better then enywhere else !

PT 11 Make my STUDIO LIFE to much EASY! Thks a LOT!!!

Got the LE to 10/11 upgrade on sale, service from Sweetwater was amazing, follow up phone calls and emails even though the upgrade process was well explained and I didn't require any assistance. This was my first Sweetwater purchase, but it won't be my last!

As for the product itself, the addition of delay comp in this upgrade is awesome. Otherwise it's the same ProTools we all know.

Since OI had worked with Pro Tools 8, PT 11 came naturally. It is a hugely fun software for the aspiring musician and professional. Sure, there is a learning curve, but with anything this cool there always will be. Put in the time and let the good times roll...

I'm loving so many things about Protools 11. i love the off line bounce - I love the clip gain - the fader look - I'm enjoying recording and editing and mixing a whole lot more now - I Love It !!!!!!!

Great software, once you get it properly downloaded.
The required ilok dongle is a major pain to deal with in every respect.

I am very happy with this upgrade ! They kept the operation the same but made some improvements like being able to level out tracks with the volume icon on the track itself ! It is fast as can be and easy to use because everything is laid out so intuitively.

My voice sounds good and the levels are also much better.

First off, I am very new to recording, so for anyone looking for a legitimately helpful review this might not be it. Either way, I absolutely love this program. I'm running a really simple setup with a 2013 iMac 16GB RAM, 1TB Hard drive, Intel core i7 processor, a Scarlett 2i2 interface, Akai MPK25 MIDI Controller, pair of M-Audio BX5 monitors, a Bluespark $200 Condenser Mic, SM57 mic, Line-6 amp, Epiphone Les Paul Ultra-III, and Hofner 6-String Acoustic guitar. Obviously, not a very proffesional setup. Personally, i like making electronic music mixed with acoustic instruments. Take Avicci's music for example. That's basically what im aiming for. The base plug-ins and setup for this program are really great for all that. It's extremely simple to use, and the help center is very helpful in any aid and can answer any question that you could possibly have, even if it is very unusual or obscure. The only connotation that I find is that it is not yet configured for the 10.8.5 software (Mac users only), so there's no guarantee that everything will work perfectly, but for me, i've explored this program quite deeply and everything works fine for me. So, really, not really a complaint. And they are planning to configure Pro Tools 11 for this software by the winter holidays this year so once again, not a big deal. Overall, i think this program is fantastic for beginners and professionals alike (not that i'd know what a professional needs) and i would definitely suggest buying from sweetwater, as they have the best customer service over other big market names.

What an upgrade for me to experience and learn…… this is great for me and my work here at my studio and to execute my projects…….And thank you Sweetwater for always being there with your knowledge and support!!!

I tried the 30 days free trial when they first launched protools 11 and it blew me away . I never wanted to upgrade because of the plugins manufacture was not moving fast enough for me to buy a daw with out any access to AAX plugins. Anyway I decided to make the purchase rite after wave announce the AAX shell and I was still blown anyway on how much of my resources protools actually uses. Don't get me wrong I have a i7 930 with 24 g ram with prottols 9 and 10 for 2 years now and I just was not impress at all, but now am happy.

Absolutely awesome DAW!!!!! Be sure it's compatible with your computer! This isn't power point or word. The native plug-ins sound amazing. Loving it!

DEF . DOPE FOR A CLEAN PRODUCTION ! Made simple and effective.

Just can say that it´s a big, cool next step and definitely worth the money IMO! Though we have to wait for a lot of plugs to be converted to AAX it´s worth the wait actually as it definitely works better, feels better and IMO sounds just better than version 10 (after having compared a number of identical projects, but that´s only my personal impression ;-)-opinions vary on that of course) . I have never looked back so far (PT user since version 7).. A big thank you to Sweetwater too as the purchase worked perfectly. Thanks to Andy Miller too for his really kind, friendly, professional and accommodating support!

This is the best software ever!!! Does everything I want and more great stuff!!!!

Yeah make sure you have a piece of HARDWARE to upgrade this. You can't just upgrade from PT software. I did not read the fine print and wasted $200 dollars. hahaha whoops.

First off: Sweetwater: Amazing service. So far, everything seems to be running smoothly and as expected. The only reason why I didn't give all 5 stars is because the expected problem of having to update every single plugin I have to an AAX format. As nice as it is to have a 64bit infrastructure inside Pro Tools, it ended up being a couple of days off of work and several hundred dollars to make all of the necessary upgrades. At the end of it all: Very little to complain about. Thank you Sweetwater. Looking forward to the next order.

Great software. Easy to share files with studios anywhere.

I'm using the new Pro Tools 11, upgraded from Pro Tools 8 LE, and I'm very pleased with the easy transition and some of the new features, which I'm still exploring. One of the best features: the faster-than-real-time bounce. That's really awesome!

I've been working with Pro Tools 8 since it came out which I also purchased from Sweetwater. I couldn't pass up the cross grade opportunity for both 10 and 11 combined . Pro Tools 10 has some excellent features that I did not have in 8... clip gain and multi track beat detective come first to mind... But 11 is a Serious improvement in performance and power. I always enjoy dealing with my sales professional TJ Walstrum. Thanks again for excellent professional service.

I was still on Win XP and PT8 when Win XP stopped being supported. With a gaggle of plug ins to can't be used with a 64 bit system, I was real skeptical that old recordings could be brought forward and worked. Well it all works real well under the circumstances. Files were opened and assigned some current plug-ins and were close enough to the original settings to give me a good place to start. Hopefully, I am good to go for a few years.

Major performance improvements if you were using protools 9, sue to feel at home and the added features of offline bouncing the biggest improvment.

Needed to upgrade my Pro Tools, I was having trouble getting info from Avid, I looked in my email in box and there was an email from Sweetwater. I called, they helped, I purchased, it's all good. . .

I have Pro Tools 10,11,12, . I upgraded from 8 to 10 , but can not use 11 or 12 until i upgrade to a new
operating system on my mac pro . I am enjoying some of the new features in version 10 . The elastic audio, and quantize feature is quicker to edit . I am still learning ver.10 , and will need more RAM .

I recently upgraded from pro tools 7 to 12... A much needed, long overdue upgrade. Version 12 is pretty much the same operationally, there are some obvious appearance, design, and layout changes. The only thing that annoys me is the fact that only about 1/4 of my old plug ins were available to upgrade to the new AAX format. It's dissappointing to know that I will be unable to revisit my old sessions without having to entirely remix them because of the cricial missing plug ins. It's upsetting to know that these plug ins which I paid good money for and worked perfectly fine until this upgrade will no longer be available in my arsenal of post production tools. Also, what is the deal with the new d-verb? Although it's a plug in I don't use very often, I do sometimes like the church setting for certian things, and now there is this very noticeable pitch bending that happens when the reverb trails off. It turns nice sounds into to horror movie soundtrack! Other than the whole plug in issue, I am happy with all the other features, especially all of the available tracks I have to work with.

Was stuck at PT LE 8.0.5 because I was using the mbox 2. Basically using for vo so this program is overkill for me. But the upgrade to a Focusrite box demanded a PT upgrade, and 11.3.1 works great. Easy install and register (don't like having to use an iLok-but...) and the algos on the plug ins I use like normalize are much more powerful. Wouldn't have jumped without the cross grade offer, but at that price well worth it. BTW tried many other daws before committing, but just didn't feel like (too old to) slogging through the learning curve, so part of my satisfaction is simple attrition.

Not a fan of the Avid website, can be quite maze-like when trying to find the appropriate download links and such, but the upgrade to PT11 is well worth the headache brought on by the Avid site.

Having been a longtime user of the LE version, I expected the leap to PT11 to be cumbersome and anticipated a sizeable learning curve, but was pleasantly surprised by ease of use -- also very happy that the improvements to the software have greatly improved the speed & ease of my workflow.

Only negative is that PT11 is a memory hog, if you're not running with at least 8GB of RAM, you may encounter some frustrating performance issues if importing video. Other than that, four stars.

it's better. figure out how to end the latecy pos and you got it made. fun to use. wtf, it's working okay except for all those songs that got blown away, my bad, have to make more of em with this groovy thing.

I upgraded from 8 to 11 and I have to say I really like what they've done. The new meters are great! I think this will really help everyone not to record everything so hot and have less gain issues. I also love the Dynamic Plug-in processing. Sessions that would take all my system resources before, now run with ease. A really great feature. Overall, as much as I like to dog Avid for some things, I think they really did a nice job with this software. My only issues is that all plug-in's have to be 64bit AAX (this wasn't an issue for me, but I feel others pain on this) and that it's just plain expensive. But I really do think it is a worth while upgrade if you are thinking about it.

Iwould have given this 5 stars save for the fact I have been having a few carry over issues after upgrading from PT LE8 . I am just a home recording musician / enthusiast , not a tech nor all that DAW savvy but the first thing I notice is at how fast the software boots up , major improvement over PT 8 . The move to AAX format plug ins versus RTAS and a completely overhauled engine make this worth the expenditure alone . 64 bit means you can run a lot more plugins without overloading your CPU . I have not had one DAW error or buffer size message since upgrading . No more stoppage in the middle of recording or playback because the computer can't keep up . Awesome job guys and I have just scratched the surface , only having this new software for a few weeks . Loving it so far !

Still getting used to not having my normal plug-ins but overall I am very satisfied. I love being able to unplug from my studio set up and do some editing on my laptop without having to be tied to an interface. The learning curve to move from 8-11 was not an issue. Wish I would have upgraded earlier

4 stars for the new "Offline Bounce" feature alone.

Sweetwater has been my best internet shopping experience bar none! I upgraded from PT9 to 10 knowing that the technology is changing. (RTAS to AAX, 32bit to 64bit). I love the program and the new plugins. AS always PT is not the easiest program to install and set up. But thanks to sweetwater's support, I was able to do it with their help. AVID support leaves a lot to be desired. If you're not on PT 10 at this time get on it or you will be passed by. PT11 coming 5/29 ENJOY!

Awesome software. Unfortunately I have to purchase some of the plug inns that I used to have in pro tools 8

I have used PT for about 5 years. I decided that I wanted to upgrade my audio interface from the MBox2 to the Focusrite Scarlett. I had some issues with the playback that was unresolved from Tech Support from both Avid and Focusrite. I switched to the Saffire and it worked.

So overall PT 11 is a great program, and I recommended it to anyone who is serious about audio engineering. Having said that I caution you that you may encounter issues if you are using an Audio Interface by another manufacturer.

Crossgrading was relatively painless. Going through and downloading all my plugins (twice, one for 11 and one for 10) was the hardest part. I was using 8LE with the CPTK before, so I have some catching up to do. Clip Gain is very nice. The Channel Strip plug-in is a great addition.

VERY disappointed that PT11 doesn't support the Complete Production Tool Kit. Most of the features of the CPTK are standard in Pro Tools now, but I don't think I should have to switch over to PT10 (included) to get higher track counts, access to VCA's, and the ability to mix in surround. I paid for those features before. Why do I need to pay for them again?

Overall, I'm satisfied and don't regret it.

After years of moving from open reel to ADAT to Roland VST to Cubase and then to PT 8, I've always enjoyed every new experience and learned how to use the tools I'm given. I have recently moved to the Mac world just to also have Logic Pro X at my disposal.

There will be a time when the next Mac OS update no longer supports PT 11 - and this is where I bail out on ProTools completely! There is absolutely no reason for a 1 man operation to keep upgrading ProTools, especially with this subscription crap they're pulling with PT 12.

All of my fellow writing team uses Logic exclusively, so I need to keep up in that respect. I'll keep using PT11 for live recording - MAYBE. Since all my Waves plugs are no longer useful it makes it frustrating.

Don't get me wrong, I've created some amazing MIDI ideas in PT 8 using mostly Xpand. And there may be some different dynamic stuff in PT 11 which I need time to investigate. But overall I will never upgrade beyond 11!

After years with PT 8 LE I decided to upgrade to a 64 bit version of Windows. That meant upgrading my Pro Tools version too. After getting it all working, buying a new Ilok 2, etc l have a working installation. The Sweetwater online help resources were a great aid in making things work. Now thal the dust has settled I have mixed feelings about the value received for all the money spent. The Avid plug-ins that came with PT seem to be ok but I wound up buying spending more money on other plug-ins from Waves. Under the hood it's probably a big improvement but in day to day use I don't see much gain.

Your mileage may vary.

Extremely complicated and time consuming to set up. You will need MAC OS 10.85 or higher and must purchase and set up an i-lock account which takes time. After all of that you will be extremely disappointed to learn that any Pro Tools files that were previously recorded in Pro Tools LE with midi tracks using plug-ins (Xpand2, etc) won't work- all of the plug-ins are missing when you play them back in PT-11, you have to download a creative suite from Avid that takes 5-6 hours to download and uses an enormous amount of memory. this should have been included in the core software. Also, you have to update your M-box interface. Avid should have continued to support Pro-Tools LE with upgrades even if we had to pay a little extra. My LE system worked fine but Avid has tried to create extra revenues by forcing you to upgrade to PT-11 in order for you to be able to update your MAC OS. I was told PT- LE was not supported past OS 10.76 or higher so if you updated your Mac OS, Pro-Tools LE would not work (this was not true in retrospect, its just not supported by Avid.). If you have a full time job and do this as a novice on weekends, be prepared to be on the phone with Sweetwater and Avid a lot, however Avid is not available on weekends!!! This was a terrible experience and it's still not working properly. Hours and hours of troubleshooting.

This product advertises that it can work with any DAW but that is not true...the hardware interfaces with your DAW as the plugin Arsenal which when downloaded is installed as an AU, VST or AAX plugin...therefore Pro Tools users beware that you must be running at least PT 10 to use all the software for this product.