What is Pro Tools | S3?
Based on the award-winning Pro Tools | S6, Pro Tools | S3 is a compact, EUCON-enabled, ergonomic desktop control surface that offers a streamlined yet versatile mixing solution for the modern sound engineer. Like S6, S3 delivers intelligent control over every aspect of Pro Tools and other DAWs, but at a more affordable price. While its small form factor makes it ideal for space-confined or on-the-go music and post mixing, it packs enormous power and accelerated mixing efficiency for faster turnarounds, making it the perfect fit everywhere, from project studios to the largest, most demanding facilities.
Features
Take complete control of your studio
Experience the deep and versatile DAW control that only Avid can deliver. With its intelligent, ergonomic design and full EUCON support, S3 puts tightly integrated recording, editing, and mixing control at your fingertips, enabling you to work smarter and faster—with your choice of DAWs—to expand your mixing capabilities and job opportunities. And because S3 is application-aware, you can switch between different DAW sessions in seconds. Plus, its compact footprint fits easily into any space, giving you full reign of the “sweet spot.”
Work smarter and faster
S3 combines traditional console layout design with the proven advancements of Pro Tools | S6, ensuring highly intuitive operation, regardless of your experience level. From record-enabling, soloing, and muting tracks, to editing plug-ins, recalling snapshots, and automating mixes, you get the tactile control you need to create great sounding mixes faster—with much more precision than working with a keyboard and mouse alone. Plus, when paired with Pro Tools, you gain the advantage of faster workflows and unique features that accelerate your efficiency every step of the way. If you know Pro Tools, you’ll feel right at home with S3.
Experience exceptional integration, ergonomics, and visual feedback
No other surface offers the level of DAW integration and versatility that Avid control surfaces provide, and S3 is no different. Its intuitive controls feel like an extension of your software, enabling you to mix with comfort, ease, and speed, with plenty of rich visual feedback to guide you.
- 16 channel strips, each with a touch-sensitive, motorized fader and 10-segment signal level meter
- 32 touch-sensitive, push-button rotary encoders for panning, gain control, plug-in parameter adjustments, and more (16 channel control, 16 assignable), each with a tricolor LED function indicator
- 32 high-resolution OLED displays for viewing track names/numbers, detailed metering data (from mono to 5.1 surround), parameter names/values, current automation mode, and more
- Solo, mute, channel select, and record/automation-enable keys on every channel
- Touch strip provides easy access to transport controls; S3 can also be used alongside Artist Transport if you need full jog/shuttle wheel controls
- Dozens of dedicated buttons and switches for navigation, automation, control assignment, and software control
- Built-in 4×6 AVB Core Audio interface includes 2 XLR mic/line inputs, 2 TRS line inputs, 2 XLR line outputs, 2 TRS line outputs, and a stereo headphone output
Create your mix, your way
With EUCON technology at its core, not only can you mix sessions using Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, and other DAWs, you can also customize the surface for your task at hand. Create up to 12 custom mixer layouts and recall them to the surface at any time—ideal for mixing drums, vocals, dialog, sound effects, and other groupings. Plus, you can switch between applications with ease, giving you the choice to work with what you want—and the capability to take on any project that comes your way.
Set up a studio in any size space
Whether you’re at home, tucked in a small suite, or on the go, S3’s compact size, power, and extensive DAW control capabilities put you in the driver’s seat of your studio—wherever you want it to be. What’s more, S3 features a built-in 4×6 interface, enabling you to record, mix, and monitor sessions with just the surface and your laptop—or monitor audio using S3 standalone—no additional audio interface required.
Proven and trusted technology
S3 delivers incredible workflow acceleration, highly responsive handling, and deep DAW integration—all built on proven technology, trusted by top audio professionals in the most demanding production environments. The result: you get the exceptional, dynamic performance you need to deliver the best sounding mix possible—on time, every time.
