On Saturday we ran a survey to see how users were responding to the release of Pro Tools 11, you can see the results so far above from, click here to vote.

As is inevitable when a new product is shipped the internet lights up with opinion and counter opinion about the validity of a new product, Pro Tools 11 has been no exception. Of course opinions are like buttocks, we all have them but that doesn’t mean we should always get them out in public, however we thought we would take the most common reasons people are suggesting one should not buy Pro Tools 11 and respond to them with our own advice.

1. “A lot of plug-ins are not ready”
   That’s a relative statement based on what plug-ins you use. If you are someone who uses the stock plug-ins then you are ready to go. If you are someone who relies heavily on third party products, particularly virtual instruments, then you are correct, right now most of the large VI companies have not shipped working 64 bit AAX plug-ins. You have 3 options, use Pro Tools 10 and 11 and get the best of both worlds, host them in Vienna Ensemble Pro or wait until all plug-ins you need are ready. We have good relationships with all plug-in manufacturers and know that many companies will be shipping in days or weeks. If you want to see where most companies are then check out our AAX database for timing and any cost implications of AAX versions here. We also have a post with a list of plug-ins tested and working in Pro Tools 11 here, this is being updated hourly.
2. “It might have bugs”
   There’s no “might” about it, every piece of software on the planet has bugs, some more than others. Are there show-stopping bugs? Not that our team have come across, but there are annoying bugs which will start to get ironed out as CS releases come over the next weeks. What we ALWAYS say and will reiterate again, we’ll use caps to underline the point IF YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A PROJECT DON’T UPDATE, it doesn’t sound different, it simply has better workflow enhancements.
3. “I understand iLok has issues”
   This is true, there have been some issues with iLok syncing on their new platform. It is perhaps unfortunate that Avid released Pro Tools 11 in the middle of the iLok issues and perhaps not wise to do it on a Friday either. We know for a fact that both PACE and Avid staff have been working all weekend to iron the issues out. What we will say is that the scale of the iLok issues are not as great as some would have you believe in terms of how many users are affected. What is true is that those who have been affected have been dealing with major headaches, in other words it’s been a huge problem for a small number of people and not the other way around. In our most recent survey around 8% said they were having technical issues when trying to update to Pro Tools 11. If you have any concerns about downtime then our best advice is to wait until you feel more confident and have a space in your working calendar to be able to deal with any issues that may occur - typically this would be around 72 hours to be on the safe side. Check out the helpful articles from Mike on dealing with iLok issues here.
4. “My version of Pro Tools does everything I need”
    Good, carry on using it - again we will reiterate there is no sound difference in Pro Tools 11, to get this you would need to improve your hardware with either Pro Tools HD Native or HDX. If your system works then carry on using it. One of our favourite business expressions is “profit is what you don’t spend” If you don’t need any of the features in Pro Tools 11 then don’t buy it.
5. “I can’t afford it”
   Don’t ever get into debt trying to keep up with the relentless stream of new products hitting the market, only buy what you can afford for your studio. If you are short of money and want to make great sessions then check out our FREE plug-in database and Russ’ series on “Mixing With FREE Plug-ins” from Groove 3.
6. “There are other DAWs that do things Pro Tools doesn’t”
   If you think there is a better DAW on the market then buy it. Many of us use Pro Tools because it works for us and is the standard that all of the studios and engineers we work with also use, this makes it essential for our workflow. When it comes to who makes the best DAW, the best DAW is the one that is best for you.
7. “I’m not sure I need it or will like it”
   Download the FREE trial, it can co-exist on your machine with Pro Tools 10, take it for a test drive and see if the workflow enhancements really help. 
8. “I hate Avid”
   We suggest you move on then. If you have issues with Avid and can use other products then vote with you wallet, we are not here to change the mind of those who don’t like Avid, we are here to support the users who just want to get the best out of Pro Tools.

At Pro Tools Expert we are Pro Tools fans, of course we are! Our team love Pro Tools 11. However you need to make choices based on your needs, budget and workflow requirements. 

We hope this post has laid out all the possible scenarios and given you helpful advice in what to do.