Any suggestions for a host?

Resonant Serpent · Post by **Resonant Serpent** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 1:04 am

I've heard some really great songs created with creamware cards, and I'm trying to decide what host I should get to go along with it. I currently use Sonar 3. I could upgrade to Sonar 4, or crossgrade to either Cubase or Samplitude.

Is there one host that stands above the others when it comes to working with the creamware products?

I'm not trying to start a flame-war, just looking for information about personal experiences.

I've read about running the audio from the host to the scope environment(?) and how much better the audio quality is, so I'll probably want to do as much work in Scope as possible.

One more thing, do creamware cards play nice with Abit NF-7 boards?

Thank you in advance for any advice.

kensuguro · Post by **kensuguro** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 2:32 am

I'd say just go with Cubase. I mean, I'd have to admit, it's the standard. In terms of ease, I'd just go with the flow. Not that I'm a die hard fan of Cubase.. but it works, and it's very stable. (for me)

next to nothing · Post by **next to nothing** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 3:17 am

regarding your nf 7..
http://www.planetz.com/forums/viewtopic ... 7&forum=19

Resonant Serpent · Post by **Resonant Serpent** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 10:38 am

Thanks for the responses.

I have tried most of the hosts that exist. I'm not actually looking for which host is the 'best'. I'm just trying to find out which one works best with the creamware software.

I've taken apart my studio, built a new computer, sold 99% of my hardware, and I'm going to use creamware, uad(maybe), and soft synths as the core of what I do. I don't have the creamware yet(I should be getting it in about a week), so I can't really test the hosts with it. I just thought maybe there were some hard and fast rules as to which host has the best implementation-or the most limitations.

Example: Cakewalk advertises that Sonar has rewire, but it has limitations. Reason is limited to 16 devices, while Project 5 is unlimited. Cubase, on the other hand, doesn't limit the amount of rewire devices I can link to in Reason or Project 5.

I'm basically just trying to find out if all hosts handle the creamware software the same, or if there are differences between the hosts.

I did download the samplitude demo last night, and that is the way I'm leaning at the moment.

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Resonant Serpent on 2005-03-20 10:40 ]</font>

marcuspocus · Post by **marcuspocus** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 12:53 pm

Just be sure that the host really is good on supporting asio.

Most are, but not all are equals.

Cubase is a shure bet for asio/vst/vsti.

valis · Post by **valis** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 3:44 pm

Just for the record I've heard that Project5 loads directly in Sonar and makes an *excellent* sampler for most 'electronic' purposes. (Logic PC user myself)

Resonant Serpent · Post by **Resonant Serpent** » Sun Mar 20, 2005 4:51 pm

On 2005-03-20 15:44, valis wrote:
Just for the record I've heard that Project5 loads directly in Sonar and makes an *excellent* sampler for most 'electronic' purposes. (Logic PC user myself)

I thought about Project 5, but I already own reason(mostly as a quick sketch pad), and Project 5 has an annoying bug where it randomly corrupts saved files to where they cannot be opened.

I think I am going to end up with Cubase. They created the ASIO standard and I really don't want to learn another host right now (samplitude).

Thanks everyone for your help.

Shayne White · Post by **Shayne White** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 3:57 pm

What's wrong with Sonar? It works awesomely for me.

valis · Post by **valis** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 4:36 pm

Vst is supported fine through wrappers, and from what I've heard most plugins have no problems with this these days. Sonar also has ASIO and many other features that make it quite competitive with the other modern sequencers. And the people I know using Project5 have never mentioned a bug with corrupted saved projects, perhaps that's just more typical 'demo' software issues? Perhaps not...have to admit I have no direct experience myself.

somedolphin · Post by **somedolphin** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:19 pm

Try Tracktion, working great with my Creamware setup even in XTC mode. I think it has a great future. Tracktion 2 will be shipping very soon. And it's cheap.

Resonant Serpent · Post by **Resonant Serpent** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 6:45 pm

I don't want to use Sonar because of the limited rewire communication with reason; the vst wrapper works great with some synths, and not others; and cakewalk admitted on the main forum that Sonar 3 has automation and bussing bugs that will never be fixed. Ron Kuper stated that it would cost the company too much money to fix, and everyone should upgrade to 4. It left a bad taste. There's nothing in 4 I need, and I refuse to upgrade simply to fix bugs. Do a search on the main forum, and others have discussed it to death around the time that 4 came out. I've been using cakewalk products since Pro Audio 5, and I'm ready for something else. Also, the screen redraws were killing me. Sonar just seems sluggish compared to other hosts. The Project 5 corrupt save bug was discussed on the official forum for a while. I quit going there around christmas, and at that point, no one from cakewalk had directly replied to the threads (it happened to more than one person) except to have them send the save file over so they could work on it. I don't know whatever happened to it.

I bought a copy of Cubase SL for 50.00 and was happy with the handling of vst synths. I have yet to have a track go wonky on the automation. And I LOVE automation. Lots of it. I have decided to go with SX 3. The crossgrade is half the price of Samplitude, and I already know how to run it. I almost never record audio, I mainly use soft synths. SX seems the right choice for what I want to do.

8-Bit · Post by **8-Bit** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 4:52 am

On 2005-03-20 12:53, marcuspocus wrote:
Just be sure that the host really is good on supporting asio.

Most are, but not all are equals.

Cubase is a shure bet for asio/vst/vsti.

Most definitely. Steinberg made the ASIO and VST/VSTi aspects. You can only assume that they will be the most well integrated in terms of their own technology. I think cubase works wonderfully with the Creamware products. I have SX3 and will contend that its stable and reliable. I will say, 96khz eats up so much power that 48/44.1khz is really the only viable option unless you want to bounce things to audio and not run much FX/VST on tracks.

8