Avid Pro Tools Carbon User Guide
PRO TOOLS | CARBON FAQ
I am…
I get…
If I choose option 1, after my
license expires…
New to Pro Tools
1-year Pro Tools subscription with a
“perpetual parachute”
My 1-year subscription to Pro
Tools becomes a de facto
perpetual license. I can
continue using Pro Tools with
Carbon, I retain access to all
premium plugins included with
Carbon, but lose access to the
Avid Complete Plugin Bundle,
UVI Falcon, and HEAT.
A current subscriber
The choice to either:
1. Receive a new 1-year subscription
to Pro Tools with a ‘perpetual
parachute’
2. Extend my subscription or
Updates & Support term by 1-year
A current perpetual license
holder with an active Updates &
Support plan
A perpetual license holder but
my Updates & Support plan has
expired
1-year Pro Tools subscription with a
“perpetual parachute” (you keep your
expired perpetual license)
Q: What version of Pro Tools comes with Pro Tools | Carbon?
A: Carbon comes with a 1-year subscription to Pro Tools software, which includes access to the
Avid Complete Plugin Bundle, HEAT, UVI Falcon 2, a 5.4 GB sound library, and Standard
support, renewable annually. If you choose not to renew your subscription, your Pro Tools
license includes a “perpetual parachute” that allows you to continue using Pro Tools at the last
version you downloaded (it won’t ever expire). Please note that you will need to renew your
subscription if you’d like to continue receiving access to the latest Pro Tools updates and all
bundled items noted above.
Q: What happens to my active Pro Tools subscription (or perpetual license) when I activate the
Pro Tools license that comes with Carbon?
A: Whether you own Pro Tools or Pro Tools | Ultimate, if you are on an active subscription or
perpetual plan, you have two options when you register Carbon. One, you can choose to
receive a new 1-year subscription to Pro Tools with a ‘perpetual parachute.’ In this case, you
will have two licenses in your Avid Master Account—your existing license and the new Pro Tools
license. Or two, you can choose to extend your existing license by 1 year. In this case, you will
not receive the 1-year subscription to Pro Tools with a ‘perpetual parachute.’ This is how it
works:
Q: What other products and add-ons are included with Pro Tools | Carbon?
A: In addition to the 115 plugins and 5.4 GB of sounds that come with Pro Tools, Carbon also
comes with gifted premium plugins from our partners. These include:
• Arturia Rev PLATE-140
• Brainworx bx_console N
• Brainworx bx_rockrack
• Brainworx bx_masterdesk
• Brainworx bx_Purple Audio MC77
• Embody Immerse Virtual Studio
• McDSP 6050 Ultimate Channel Strip HD
• Native Instruments Vintage Organs
• UVI Model D
PRO TOOLS | CARBON FAQ
Q: Do the premium plugins that come exclusively with Pro Tool | Carbon still work if I don’t
renew my subscription after the first year?
A: Yes. The premium plugins and sounds that come with Carbon are perpetual licenses.
Q: What is the standard warranty that comes with Pro Tools | Carbon and how is it different
from the Pro Tools | Carbon Extended Hardware Support option?
A: Carbon comes with standard 1-year hardware warranty. During the term of the warranty, if
your interface needs service, you can elect to ship it to Avid for repair. If your unit needs
replacing, it can be a significant cost. The Pro Tools | Carbon Extended Hardware Support
contract is a three-year contract ($399 USD) that includes zero-downtime advance
replacement of your Carbon unit. It is available to all Carbon users within 90 days of
activation. For any product failure, Avid will ship you a loaner Carbon unit overnight, so that
you don’t miss a beat while your Carbon is being repaired.
Q: Do I need to connect Carbon to an Ethernet port—what if I don’t have one?
A: If you do not have an Ethernet port, or if you would prefer to use a different connection, you
can connect Carbon to a Thunderbolt 3 port on computer using adapters. For example, daisy
chain Apple Thunderbolt 2-to-Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 2-to-Ethernet adapters. To learn
more about supported adapters please visit avid.com/carbon-requirements.
Q: Do I need to connect Pro Tools | Carbon to an Ethernet router or switch?
A: No. While Carbon uses a proprietary implementation of AVB to achieve a high-quality
connection into Pro Tools, it requires a direct connection to your computer. It does not
currently work with other AVB devices and routers and switches are not necessary.
Q: Can I connect multiple Pro Tools | Carbons together using the second Ethernet port?
A: No. Currently, Carbon does not daisy chain with other devices (including other Carbon
units) over Ethernet. The Ethernet connection directly connects Carbon to your computer.
Q: Will Pro Tools | Carbon run on my Windows system?
A: Because AVB is not natively compatible with Windows, Carbon currently is Mac-only. We
are working on Windows compatibility, which will be available in the future.
Q: What version of Pro Tools do I need to use with Carbon?
A: Carbon requires Pro Tools 2020.11 or later.
Q: What version of macOS is required for Carbon?
A: Carbon requires macOS Catalina 10.15.6 or later. Pro Tools and Carbon are not yet
qualified to run on macOS Big Sur.
Q: Can I use other core audio apps at the same time as using Pro Tools with Carbon?
A: Yes, because Pro Tools | Carbon utilizes the core audio driver for connecting into Pro Tools,
other applications can simultaneously use Carbon as an interface.
Q: Can Pro Tools | Carbon be used in Audio Post Production workflows?
A: While Pro Tools | Carbon has enough I/O to support surround monitoring, it does not yet
support it with monitor control. And while it can technically be used in a Post Production
environment, Carbon does not support frame edge syncing, which is required for many audio
post production workflows.
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