Well, you can't really characterize the sound of the DAW, its all based on the D/A conversion from the interface. However, with an iLok PT9 can operate as a stand alone edit/mix/master DAW and the sound coming out of my monitors directly from my computer's audio out is pretty good, I'd still like to trust the conversion from my interface rather than from whatever driver PT uses between it and the computer's audio out, I'm using a Macbook Pro's 1/8th" headphone out as the line into my monitors for this example. Typically my interface is an Echo Audiofire 8 into my monitors and there is certainly a higher level of clarity when the interface handles the conversion. This Product COMPLETELY helps me to achieve the sound I'm looking for. I've been using ProTools since 7.2/ 7.4 HD and LE. My home studio (LE) is really hooked up with PT9, backwards compatible with all of these versions of PT and it works with everything flawlessly, edits, mixing, mastering. I love it. still getting used to multitrack Beat detective but its great great great! one of the questions is how does it sound Live versus a recording... its a DAW...but with a digi002/003 console you actually could just make all aux tracks and use the ins from the digi and route audio to other aux's that have reverbs and compression and parallel processing...so long as your comp can handle that...you could actually do some great live mixing with ProTools 9 and an interface with line ins/outs and a multichannel power amp. I've used PT9 in two different rooms with monitors (same echo audio interface, different sets of monitors) and with some sony headphones and just the laptop speakers, works well across all platforms. my only tip to make this product to sound better is more of a complaint with the Echo company, PT9 only recognizes the outputs of my interface as valid outputs, which makes sense. but my audiofire won't route the signal out through the headphone jack so monitoring overdubs of some solo guitar stuff or what have you has become a tedious task. I've had to route signals to my other outputs of the audiofire to a mixer and then sub mix that stereo signal to an aux for headphones...which actually wound up being a good way to get multiple headphones to do tracking live....again all of this is mostly due to the feature of the Echo not having the Headphone out being recognized as an "output" in PT.... nbd

ProTools is the best. Thats why its called Professional Tools...its the best

Its protools. Mix window- Mixer! edit window-(if you will) Tape deck, for edits

PROTOOLS! thats all there is to it.

Worth it.

Never needed it. there was a hang up with getting the ilok authorization. Don't use Chrome ilok's website doesn't support it just us Safari or IE

always have to stay on the up and up with technology these days....especially with music production... if you're a musician, learning the language of protools helps when you get into a real studio, if you're and engineer than this is a must have.

Very Active Musician (3 bands, one wedding band), Recording engineer (almost done my degree and my home studio!)

Everything except Dubstep