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By David Aamodt

For more than the last two decades, Pro Tools has been a driving force in audio production software and digital audio workstations. Not content to rest on its laurels while new comers like Ableton and Reason gained traction and early competitors like FruityLoops evolved and expanded, Pro Tools has finally come full circle back to hardware with its specially-designed Pro Tools M-Powered edition, which brings Pro Tools LE functionality to the popular M-Audio devices.

There is obviously a very specific appeal for the Pro Tools M-Powered edition of the regular Pro Tools LE; i.e. M-Audio hardware users. Owning M-Audio USB, Firewire and PCI interfaces would likely mean that either a.) you have an enviable disposable income, or, more likely, b.) you have some experience behind the boards--likely M-Audio boards. So, why else might anyone else want Pro Tools M-Powered? Good question.

And the answer...

It's the same as Pro Tools LE; the interface, features and tools, that is. It simply has a very unique input/output architecture that is designed with M-Audio instruments and controllers in mind. The said instruments and controllers are among the better available, so Pro Tools isn't exactly marrying down. In fact,

Who Uses It?

M-Powered is very wise to have a producer/artist section. Ableton has become the gold standard in this regard, giving its potential and existing users program and production insight from the producers and artists that use them, many of which are very, very popular. M-Powered, too, does this to good effect. There aren't as many artist or producer interviews to lend the same amount of insight into Pro Tools M-Powered as Ableton Live. Still, the artist and producer list, and some of the accompanying interviews, are still pretty impressive. Some of the more well-known artists and producers include: