DISCLAIMER: An audio professional who doesn't like Pro Tools? Right here. I don't like anything Apple either. And guess what? I have zero problems in my sessions, because my non-Pro Tools, PC rig is so stable. I have an intimate knowledge of Pro Tools, as I feel every audio professional should, but I would never recommend it be used and I would never opt to use it myself. Anything PT-related in my studio is a project sent to me and if at all possible I always bounce the files to another DAW.
When building a new DAW or looking to purchase one, many people ask me "Why is PT the industry standard?"
My response?
"...because it's the industry standard." Let's start at the beginning...it's a warm summer's night in ancient Greece. Maybe not that far back...
The truth of the matter is that this whole digital audio thing has really only become plausible in the past few years. There have been some great advancements in the technology, but pretty much up until recently Avid (formerly Digidesign) had a total head's-up on the market. This has drastically changed.
This is how they were able to control the hardware market. Until recently, you had to have Avid hardware in order to even open PT, they've since realized the dire situation in the economy and fixed this. This is where the previous question of how PT became the industry standard gets answered. Studios have spent thousands, and sometimes hundreds of thousands, into their PT HD and other rigs. Despite any amount of technological advancement, no one is just going to abandon a huge investment like that for the newest, unproven incarnation.
So aside from the hardware aspect there is another little piece of pertinent fact...PT just isn't that intuitive. By this I mean that PT is just NOW getting capabilities that other programs (Reaper...cough...cough) have had for years, or even since V1.0! This is probably the biggest check mark in the con column against PT for me...why would something that costs hundreds to thousands of dollars to get going be intentionally designed to be so under-functioning?
The reasons for this could be many. Obviously, Avid wants their customers to be totally subservient to them. Newest unproven and bug-ridden update? Gotta have it. Expensive tech support when your system inevitably and inexplicably fails? Maybe Apple has something to do with it...
Now down to the actual end user operation of the Pro Tools DAW...
Have you ever tried to use it? The constant switching of tools and grid modes is beyond tedious. Not only is it the tedium, the frequent switching of these necessary applications to do anything at all in Pro Tools leads to an even MORE round-about and sloppy editing process. Other DAWs allow you to perform the switching of editing tools, etc. through keystroke shortcuts and macros, essentially only requiring you to use one tool (the mouse cursor).
The way that PT handles plug-ins is another issue entirely. You mean there are only a few type of Pro Tools-specific plugs that I now have to acquire and master? TDM? Audiosuite? RTAS? Why should you allow Avid to dictate which plugs you use, and not the power of your computer? Complete nonsense.
"So, what does PT do right...?" you may be asking. Not a whole lot, comparatively. While I do like PT for editing audio for video, it is a huge problem that it's only possible to export Quicktime movies (there comes Apple again, rearing its unwanted head). Quicktime movies are not a professional file extension by any means. Whether or not the exportation of higher-quality video files is a feature of better versions of PT (like HD) is unknown to me. I have only done foley in PT to an already edited video file. If I were to have to edit together the video in PT, I would probably find a new line of work. I can only imagine how that workflow would be...
I think the worst part of the whole Pro Tools argument is their blatant disregard for the customer. Instead of really trying to make a solid product that needs few updates, they intentionally cripple and neuter the program, so that the constant updates and frequent upgrades in hardware and software just become unmanageable. This might mean nothing to the million-dollar studios (of which there are very few left), but it means everything to the musician(s) trying to record in the bedroom, basement, or garage.
Those are the people who are really investing in Pro Tools, and the ones that Avid cares about the least.
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