I was talking to the original poster, but I guess, different people prefer different approaches to the whole thing.

He ( original poster ) seems to be in a similar situation I am, mostly recording real instruments and outboard effects, and for that reason I think may be better off doing everything in Vegas, especially since his video is already there. Composing and sound in a situation like that usually happen way before actual recording takes place. I certainly don't need any plugins or anything that isn't already in Vegas.

By the way, Vegas started out as a DAW, and I would not say its audio side is inferior to its video editing side.

deusx,
Ahhhhhh....okay fair enough. And I didn't know that Vegas started out as a DAW. Thanks for the insight!

I first learned about Vegas when I started researching what NLEs were out there, and it "came up" with all the others (FCP, PP, Avid, etc).

I've been using it as my primary NLE for about 4 years and absolutely love it.

>>So if we can, let's not debate about Digi as a company and just talk about what the topic began as... Thanks.<<

I'm sorry, but to dismiss the aspects and reality inherent with company would be foolish, especially when we're talking media work. The point being digi is THE WORST in terms of support, service, and quality for the dollar (HD systems especially). If you need to contact digi for any update issues (7.4 is BARELY beta imo), ...even the most basic of questions....well, i wish you good luck.
Their support is stuck in the dark ages in terms of phone support (which you will PAY FOR eventually).

This isn't just me saying this - this is nearly every studio eng I've known who's had to deal with digi.
They are the very definition of the word AWFUL in regard to service.

If you want to utilize any VST instruments/fx, you better be willing to fork over the $ for FXpansions vst-rtas wrapper (that introduces an added performance hit inherently).

As for reasons why I first reccomend to users nuendo/cubase/sonar/vegas (well use the example of vegas in this case, we're on the sony forum), well the reasons are many.

#1. UI in vegas (and acid if you're doing midi/vst insts work) = get to work and GET WORK DONE.

I don't need to go setting up mix/group profiles left and right as it is in PT 7.3/.4 to "help" get down to business in Vegas. Most everything you need is right there in the vegas UI - no need to swap between the mix/edit windows all day as in Pfools.
dock or float a mixer window onto a 2nd monitor - done. Viewable and access to master fx and all buss fx. bamm. Video mon - no problem.
volume/pan, trck fx, bussing, assigning I/O - bamm, it's all right there. Cut/splice/paste/overdub/duplicate...a snap. The list just goes on.
Back to back test of the same project, I can smoke the experienced PT operator in terms of a finished mix and length of time it took to complete - from setup to finished master. I'm willing to say in less than 1/2 the time it takes to work thru PT (ymmv).

#2. editing audio (and video) tracks is a breeze, allowing for easy crossfades, manipulation of vol/pan/fx envelopes, fx automation.
Splits at the touch of a button. Again, it's the vegas UI that makes all of this a breeze - it's all there in front of you (or some items can be hidden if you so choose). No mock-up of a cheesy mixer to swap to as in PT (man I hate those soft-mixer lookalikes).
Don't overlook the simplicity vs. features (because elastic in PT is BETA-BETA-BETA baby), you want to get to work then simplicity and design is your new best friend.

#3. VST? no need for a wrapper (which does offer a performance hit which accrues per instance) such as fxpansion vst-rtas in PT if you want to utilize your vst fx or instruments. Now I HAD to buy that adapter but I doubt most won't if you avoid PT altogether...and why force PT anyway? the vegas/acid UI are superior in nearly every way.

#4. No RIDICULOUS track limitations - you're limited by your sys, I/O but NOT by the company/application nor the hardware choices you have. Another 80's style ploy digidesign will not let go of.

#5. Media support. Depending on your a/v hardware, you can bring nearly any audio format/rate/etc. (plus a wide array of video formats/etc.) right into vegas/acid and GET TO WORK.
It's a no brainer...it's 2008 and PT is behind - way behind. Vegas/Acid has PT beat down like a narc at a bike rally in regard. while Digi is stuck in some egotisitcal dreamland in comparison.

HOW THEY REMAIN IN THE GAME IS BEYOND ME (and many an engineer).

#6. We're still "bouncing to disk"? Really Digi? If this doesn't shout MORONIC I don't know what does.
Not only did they adopt the old term raised when we used to use our fostex 4 track cassette recorders....they CONTINUED it's "process" on up to today.
Why sure Digi !! - it makes TOTAL sense to have to playback the entire piece just to render to a 2-trk file. i love transferring that cost to the clients.
* (oops I used the word "render"...where "rendering" is now reserved for acid/vegas and others, in which you can render your work - with JUST AS PRISTINE OUTPUT QUALITY if you so choose/setup - but in a fraction of the time.

Oh and you can render to a multiude of output formats and settings with vegas (and sonar/cubase/etc..etc).
But PT does offer the whopping "MP3 option" ;)
* (again, i hope it comes with more than a "kiss" - i want that sucker POLISHED at that DIGI price $$$).

#7 Midi/vst inst work in PT is hitrocious and tedious. Just try it once - please. It will show you why I say this within seconds. Now Acid could use some tweaking with midi as well, but it is no way as painstaking as working with insts/midi in PT. Whoever says the opposite is flat out lieing (sorry).

PT making things EASIER and faster? Wrong.
PT is flexible? nope!
Digi service is outstanding in comparison to the mentioned? HELL NO!!
PT still assumed the professional choice and default for many studios. Yep - and it's a problem that NEEDS to be addressed.
It's hard to look at that digi bill and then take an honest look at the matchups...many just can't. they assume they're getting what they pay for - and sadly this is not the case.

I own mpowered here at the home studio, and we have HD systems at the larger studios. Only ...only because so many morons have been trained to look for the PT label. Hell they don't care or know squat about the types of pre's used, mics in house, sound of the room or quality of engineers...no, once they know it's PT they feel safe. What a scam and it's gone on far too long.

When I have the say, I only use PT to get clients PT sessions OFF of PT and into an application that makes more sense. That's the truth.

amen. no no, I mean. now now ..

They've just got elastic audio. (coughs *audio warp from steinberg* cough). ANd more midi functions (slowly catching up).

ProTools was losing market share rapidly, it's why Avid (parent company) grabbed M-Audio and out came PTools M-Powered. Saved the bacon of PTools.

BUt the hardware is seriously overpriced,

And not going 64bit either? Oh well..

Wow JFJ,
I typically don't like to get into off-topic banter, but...you ALMOST make me feel like a complete idiot, moron, unprofessional, unknowing "pfool" for using an application that I particularly like, and one that works fine for me. I certainly am NOT going to belittle anyone for what they choose to use in their creative capacity.

The notion of wanting (and/or demanding) everyone to use the application that you deem appropriate seems contrary to what artistry and creativity is all about; being open minded; being open to diversity; appreciating and fostering individualism.

Many a musician/artists would be outraged if they were chastised just because their favorite axe wasn't the same as someone else’s.

Quite honestly you make some good observations (i.e. "bounce to disk" doesn't compare to the speed/efficiency of file rendering) ...unfortunately your delivery and insinuations detract from the usefullness of the content.

Just my 2 cents of course...and likely all that some will find it to be worth.

Frank, easy man...i'm not talking to you at all as if you're an idiot for likeing/using it. Go to town and best wishes and all that, seriously. Hell, i STILL HAVE to use it at times (granted it being due to the same idiotic premise that PT = pro audio with some clients).

I however am too old to sugarcoat the reality that is digi/PT...I'm sorry.
It's their bed, they'll eventually make it (or break it). If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck....guess what? But if you enjoy it, go to town.

I am utterly amazed at how they've lasted so long in the game given the facts. It's not just a sham, it's a rather constant sham that goes unchecked to this day. Disgusting to me as a person who's not only had to deal with the many incarnations of PT/hrdwr but the service that comes with it - unchanged after years and years. Amazing.

My suggestion (which contained no platform-centric bias) seems to have been missed, so I'll do it again with more detail:

Options|Preferences|Audio|Preferred audio editor...

I edit one of the ubiquitous cable-TV fishing shows. In that world, my biggest audio challenge tends to be noise. So for those jobs, I change the above field to iZotope RX. But you can use any editor you want.

Then right-click on the audio clip in question and choose Open Copy in Audio Editor.

Edit as much as you want (but do not change the length of the file!)
Close the editor. It asks if you want to save. Say yes, accepting the default file name (the one Vegas gave the copied file).

Now you're once again looking at the clip on the Vegas timeline, but the modified clip is there instead.

No rendering/exporting involved, and the original clip remains untouched.

This all assumes that ProTools 6.4 will live up to its manual, which says it will accept .WAV files.

De nada.

I've just finished 2 weeks of sound design work for a feature film using Pro Tools. Not a pleasant experience! Using Vegas I could have easily completed the job in less than half the time. To make things worse, it was a Mac I was working on.

Lots a varying location sound meant lots of crossfades. Now this is what drove me crazy. Why does Pro Tools create new audio files for crossfades? It's ridiculous! End fades too. If I had $1 for every time I tried to drag the end of a clip, but couldn't because of a 1ms fade at the end, I'd probably have more money than what I'll be payed for the job. With Vegas you just drag the end of the clip, adjust your fade. It's simple, effective and doesn't create an extra audio file. To adjust the level of a clip in Vegas you just drag down the top of it. Nuendo and a few other programs let you do this too. Pro Tools? No, of course not. Your only option for this is the automation. But this usually means a lot more dragging and drawing of envelopes so you don't mess up the audio on either side of the clip you're adjusting. I could go on and on here. The key focus mode, well, it's nice, but most of the commands are for things you could easily handle much quicker just using the mouse in Vegas.

Also, why doesn't Pro Tools have a 'Trimmer' editor like Vegas just for extracting small clips from a larger file?

Elastic Audio. It looks amazing what they do with it in the video demos on the Digi website. In real life though, it doesn't come close. Which leads me to believe they must have faked a lot of the audio in those videos. Stretching the 808 kick drum... I tried that in Elastic Audio and it doesn't sound anything like how it sounded in those videos. Even after making adjustments to all the settings. I've tried it on vocals, drums and a bunch of other stuff. With vocals, all I end up with are clicks, no matter what settings I use. Maybe I stretched the parts too far, but how would you know? Avoid it! In less time than it takes to adjust the settings of an Elastic clip, I could easily stretch some audio in Vegas by simply crossfading a few tiny fragments without any clicks. Drums can sometimes sound good using Elastic, but no better than Acid.

For anyone using both Pro Tools and Vegas and looking for the best workflow, unless you're locked into using a bunch of RTAS or TDM specific plugins, my advice would be to just dump Pro Tools. Vegas lets you work with audio and video flawlessly in the one package. Once you're familiar with all the shortcuts and features, you won't even need to think about using another package. I have Nuendo 2 also that I mostly just use for MIDI based stuff with virtual instruments. For editing I think it's still much better than PT also, but Vegas still lets me work so much quicker. Combine it with Soundforge for finer editing of clicks and so on.