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Pro Tools' interface has been given a facelift.

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Pro Tools 8 is a cross-platform DAW that's available in three basic forms – M-Powered, LE and HD. Each version is designed to match specific hardware, and M-Powered and LE rely solely on your computer's CPU for processing.

In contrast, Pro Tools HD uses bespoke 'TDM' processing cards for DSP and signal steaming, making it a more expensive, though more robust and professional system.

Pro Tools has its own three specialist plug-in formats: RTAS, which use the computer's CPU for real-time processing; TDM, which are specific to HD systems using the on-card processing; and Audio Suite, which enable you to process audio files in non-real time.

This adds complexity and potentially expense, as TDM plug-ins cost more. Even so, you'll find that sessions transfer well between different versions and even between platforms. Compatibility is a big Pro Tools selling point, particularly if you plan to transfer work using an HD rig.

In Pro Tools 8 LE and M-Powered still have track count limits, but the audio track limit has been increased to 48 stereo (note, HD track limits depend on how many cards you have).

Instruments

For some time now, Digidesign's Advanced Instrument Research (AIR) team has been turning out some impressive instruments (Strike, Structure, Hybrid and so on). Unfortunately, these have been and continue to be 'pay for' extras. However, Pro Tools 8 includes six completely new AIR instruments and an associated sample and loop library (8GBs worth).

Boom is the new beat box. Taking its lead from classic drum machines, you get ten kits, a 16-step sequencer and 16 patterns per kit. Next up, DB-33 is a single-manual tonewheel organ. Variable percussion, drawbar selection, tube preamp and rotary speaker emulation produce the traditional Hammond-style sound.

Still in 'classics' territory, Mini Grand provides seven different piano presets – soft, ballad, real and so on. With adjustable parameters including room, dynamic response, tuning scale, note polyphony and even an economy mode, quick and easy is the name of the game.

Pro Tools 8 includes two new synths: the Vacuum monophonic tube and the Xpand! 2 multitimbral workstation. The first is a virtual analogue style monophonic synth. The latter includes 1.5GB of content, covering typical workstation territory (pads, basses, keyboards, drums and percussion). There are hundreds of patches, and you'll also find plenty of loops to work with.

The final bundled AIR instrument is Structure Free. This slimmed down version of Digi's Structure sampler includes an 885MB starter library. It allows drag 'n' drop region import and also supports SampleCell, Kontakt 1 & 2, EXS24 and REX 1 & 2 formats.

Effects

Pro Tools 8 sees the AIR logo appearing on a new set of 20 effects designed to complement the existing DigiRack set. These include two EQs (KillEQ and Vintage Filter), three reverbs (Reverb, Nonlinear and Spring), two delays (Multi and Dynamic), six modulations (Chorus, Ensemble, Flanger, MultiChorus, Phaser and Filter Gate) and six harmonics (Lo-Fi, Distortion, Enhancer, Frequency Shifter, FuzzWah and Talkbox).