Anybody want to throw a number?

Personally I think I'm going to do the upgrade, because the numbers look good - even though I'd rather wait another few months myself.

Because you are doing it later this summer, you should have plenty of time to see how the prices settle out on places like E-bay and Pro-Audio Marketplace. That should give you a good idea of how much to ask for.

Danny,

I would be cautious about waiting. I have a hunch that the Mix stuff may go down $2k after the June 31 cut off date. I don't know but it is something to consider. If the $2k doesn't matter and convenience is more important, then don't worry about it.

Just a thought

Darren

Darren do you have any hunches about what the upgrade will cost after the June deadline?
I'm going from Mix Plus to HD2 and the current upgrade prices are excellent -but I'm planning on upgrading later. Do you think they will really jump? :eek:

Thanks

Renie

Renie,

I was told upgrades will increase $2000 on core systems and $200 on interfaces.

Darren will know better.

The reason it's tough to upgrade right now is that we're finishing off an album project. I don't want to go swapping gear until it's done.

Yea, me again...3 in a row.

SO the used market will even dip after June 30th? I checked ebay. People are getting pretty fair prices for their Mix equi.pment

Danny

We're in the middle of a project too and I feel reluctant to change at this point. I need a new Mac too for the HD system. I think the next round of spending will be some of my weakest links, which means monitors -the BM6A's, a nice selection of BF plug's and the Garritan Akai string library when it comes out. $2000 dollars isn't great news, it's not too bad either.
It's a hard call.
Also I'm tempted to skip a step as Jules suggested and wait for the next Digi upgrade which I think will be more comprehensive somehow, but I doubt I'll last feeling "left out" that long!! ;)
I expect the HD systems will look better and better as the software improves with it. And if I upgrade later the Mac's will be even more powerful and hopefully OSX and PT will be friends. It's a win win really. But tricky...because the current upgrade deal is marvellous.

Renie

Just read the new Mix article "Mixing in a Pro Tools World"

Renie, when you say wait till the next upgrade do you mean wait a few years till they come out with the system that will replace HD as the flagship? (Maybe less than a few years with the way technology moves these days)

Digidesign probably gave those HD engineers a two week vacation and said "Back to work Monday to think of the next thing."

I'm with you, with Mac, OSX, all those things it seems like I want to wait till all that gets hashed out.

Or here's an idea. Put out some releases, work our asses of, get fans, sell records and buy a new rig! Holy crap that actually sounds like a business plan! Well I love gear but I love music more, so music comes before gear. That's why I love the gear, it helps me make music! It's very hard but you know, it's the right thing.

What you want ain't always what ya need.

We'll see what happens this summer. That HD stuff is tempting.

I hope those Mix prices on ebay don't drop too much after June 30th. There still seems to be demand for the Mix gear.

Like you Renie, we probably should upgrade things like mic pres.

Originally posted by Danny K.:

Renie, when you say wait till the next upgrade do you mean wait a few years till they come out with the system that will replace HD as the flagship? (Maybe less than a few years with the way technology moves these days)
Digidesign probably gave those HD engineers a two week vacation and said "Back to work Monday to think of the next thing."

Yes I do mean wait 'til the next hardware upgrade..."wait" in the sense of : stop upgrading and get on with work!!!
and I don't think it will be too long either, as you say they at Digi are probably working their socks off, as we write, taking us the next level of audio perfectionism. What will it called next I wonder, after Mix to High Definition to ??? I'm not too keen on those plastic blue boxes either :)

Oh well we'll just have to see, I think a lot of people are probably cogitating this dilemma too. So we're not alone!

Renie

posted April 27, 2002 11:15 PM                      
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Renie,
I was told upgrades will increase $2000 on core systems and $200 on interfaces.
Darren will know better.

Danny do you mean the prices will decrease $2000 on the core systems, or that upgrades will cost the end user $2000 more? I guess you meant the second.

I haven't heard anything official but like I said earlier, I have a hunch.

When you are dealing with technology it is in many cases better to wait... if you can. Becuase you will ultimately get the same thing for cheaper later. The question is will you make more money with the new gear enough to offset this? I think it is a timing thing. In my oppinion if you know you are going to get something like an HD rig get it when it comes out so you will have more time to make money with it before the next thing come in. The HD rig's price will stay the same until the next thing comes out IMO. The mix systems are more dated, I expect to see their prices continue to drop (slowly) until it rests in the price niche inbetween the 001 and the HD systems.

I think Digi is just trying to make an easy transition for is user base. The sooner you can get out of the Mix systems the better. Don't get me wrong the Mix systems are still great, and they have their place. The Mix systems are great for Video facilities. Most video guys still work in 48k 16bit anyway, so with those guys the value will stay up there.

For Audio productions HD is the way to be ASAP. HDCD is coming. The more I learn about it the better I like it. Especially since I'm working with Pro Tools|HD now. It helps me to stay a cut above, or at least up with the times.

If you are cool with what you have keep it. If you are not then get what you need.

HTH

Darren

Darren

If I could pick your brains for some recapping and clarification.... conversion quality aside and in the case of tracking and mixing at 44.1 kHz does the HD system actually sound better than a MIX system??

Also not sure if you're saying that you concur with Danny's "guess" that the HD system upgrade price will be somewhere in the region of an increase of $2000 post June 30th

Thanks

Renie

Renie,

If I could pick your brains for some recapping and clarification.... conversion quality aside and in the case of tracking and mixing at 44.1 kHz does the HD system actually sound better than a MIX system??

Yes

Also not sure if you're saying that you concur with Danny's "guess" that the HD system upgrade price will be somewhere in the region of an increase of $2000 post June 30th

Well, that is kinda confusing the way it is worded. Let me restate it. I have a hunch the "price" on the mix systems will go down $2k after the June 30th date. I don't know if the retail will go down and/or the "upgrade value" on the traded in gear. Does that make any sense??

HTH

Darren

The $2K number comes from this:

On the Pro Tools upgrade info it says "Mix users save $2000 on core upggrades and $200 on intefaces before June 30th." Something along those lines, I'm not looking at it right now so may not be exact, but I remember.

I know HD won't go up, but I'm guessing Mix rigs will go down after June 30th. How can they sell 888/24s for $3K now that the 192 is out, and even the 96??? However, I'm thinking that the demand for Mix Cards won't go down too much with all those MIx users still looking for DSP???? Just guessing here.

Renie, you got me thinkin about waiting till the next upgrade. I dunno. I'm 22, there's going to be a lot of technology to come out before I go to the studio in the sky! (Kocking on wood) I don't do gangsta rap, so my life expectancy should be longer :) . No diss, I own all those records and love'em.

My focus right now is getting this album out and moving projects. And you know what??? I can honestly say that I have NO complaints with my Mix Cubed other than wanting that new mixer and the extra DSP of HD. It's kind of good for me to have to "print" those productionplug-insbefore mixing to free up DSP. It makes me commit and get things right quicker and move on. If I screw up I can always reactivate the track with the Amp Farm or Pitch Blender.

We'll see what happens. I'm on the fence, and not hurtin either cause my studio works! Makin music and lovin every minute of it!

Danny

The real dilemma is due to the fact for me that the upgrade deal is so good! I'll be sick if I miss it!
But then again like you I'm fine with my MIX Plus and feel I need more quality at my next step not just MORE fullstop.

I feel like this just thinking about it
:) :( :o ;)
I've got to stop.

....how many of us are there now....oops there goes another tumbleweed....

Renie

I've been wrestling with the same issues, but decided to do the upgrade even though I plan to continue recording at 44.1:

1) The trade-in incentive (pre June 30th) seems very attractive.

2) Better converters

3) Staying ahead of obsolescence: I'm assuming that eventually various upgrades,plug-ins and 3rd party products will start to carry the caveat "requires HD system".

4) Built-in ADAT interface. (I've been doing my ADAT dumps "analog" up until now. Shhhh!!! Don't tell my clients!)

I will not make the swap until all theplug-insI regularly use are compatible, as i am also in the middle of projects, plus i need to be able to recall/remix sessions from the past on occasion. This means I may have talk Digi into letting me pay for the upgrade before 6/30. but hold off making the physical swap until everything is ready. One of their reps implied that shouldn't be a problem, but we'll see. Have you considered doing something like that?

No I haven't thought of paying first, just for the discount and then waiting. Thanks for the idea littledog. See, we have to save our change to put out and promote our album. It's tough, it really is but I really don't see us being able switch before June 30th. That's why my dealer told me it might actually be better so sell the rig and buy a new rig (core/interfaces) then we get teh free plug-in pack and that is a nice incentive. I just hope that after 6/30 We'll be able to sell our rig for a good enough price.