Cubase 8

[braincell]

Cubase 8 is out. As usual, there are just enough new features to make you want to upgrade. For me it is the render in place which makes turning midi parts into audio much easier. It keeps the midi attached to the associated audio too in case you want to do it again. Nice! It has better performance and quicker loading times and a bunch of new plugins. The multiband plugins look good but my theory is if it is well recorded, you don't need many effects. I don't think any serious guitarist is going to use these amp simulators and distortions when he has better sounding hardware. Who is this for?

http://youtu.be/UefM6WhJK7U

[siriusbliss]

Just NOW finally adding features that have been in Samplitude for years now.

But I DO like Cubasis in iOS

[petal]

I don't think any serious guitarist is going to use these amp simulators and distortions when he has better sounding hardware. Who is this for?

http://youtu.be/UefM6WhJK7U

Maybe you could use these effects to distort/manipulate other sources of sound than guitars?

I like to "fuck" sounds up, having lots of different distortion flavours is a plus in my book.

[Mr Arkadin]

I'll definitely be getting this, but I have to say I never use any of the internal effects or devices, just send direct to Scope. I am interested in the direct outs and VCA faders.

[braincell]

The bass amp is actually good for electronic kick drums. It gives it more character.

[Nestor]

It surprises me the devotion you have for Cubase Brain I certainly do have mine too, and it is a strong one, believe me But over the years you have been the most perseverant Z user upgrading it every time there is a new version, which is great.

In my case, I have frozen myself at Cubase version 5.1, most of all because it has been extremely stable for years, even sharing the system with an interesting amount of multimedia software like video editing, etc. It has been very, very seldom for me to see a problem arise, and when it has arisen, it has been fixed automatically and immediately by Cubase itself. The only problem I have had is a corrupted project, and Cubase immediately advising you to save with a new name, that's all the trouble I have had. I would like to upgrade, of course, for the sake of it, but a real need of upgrading? I don’t need anything else, I have everything. This marvelous sequencer has so many features that I use probably less than halve.

Of course, I could make everything at higher sample rates if I upgrade everything, the PC, the general system, the OS and the version of Scope, but I neither need it for what I do. I think my final masters sound pretty cool regardless of sample rate.

Now, the rendering option in Cubase 8 (I saw it in a video), is a neat feature that I’d like to have. Perhaps one day…

[JoPo]

I have frozen myself at Cubase version 5.1

Funny ! Exactly the same for me ! I stay on 5.1. I don't miss nothing with this version.
I don't need the features from after 5.1 version. And above all, it's too expensive ! They release a new one every year and if I remember well, it's 200€ to update ! For me, it's almost a swindle. A bit like Iphone 4 , 5, 6 ...etc...

Apparently, we are not alone to not update since 5.1. There is a lot of other people like us.

.....

I just had the courage to watch the video. I don't see anything really new ! It should not be the 8.0 but some 6.6 ! It's totaly swindle ! 8.0 -> you must pay for it ! 6.6 should be for free ... Disgusting.

[braincell]

Compared to the cost of third party synthesizers and effects today (if they are good), the upgrade cost is reasonable. They have improved the sound quality and performance since version 5 too.

[Neil B]

I was in the same camp as Nestor & Jo Po until I was "forced" to upgrade to Cubase 7. In fact I was on an earlier version than 5
I have no regrets. 7.5 is so intuitive and lots of useful features.
8? Not sure yet - had no time for music this year so still getting used to 7.5.

[Bud Weiser]

... I stay on 5.1. I don't miss nothing with this version.
... And above all, it's too expensive ! They release a new one every year and if I remember well, it's 200€ to update ! For me, it's almost a swindle.

I can only agree !
I was on Cubase 5.1 VST32 for a long time before I upgraded to Cubase SX3.

I always thought it´s up to a user deciding for updates, upgrades and when doing it.

Not w/ Steinberg and I made the same experience w/ their Wavelab application.

In fact, I didn´t think about upgrading as long as I was satisfied w/ what I had,- and after some years, I recognized I couldn´t upgrade anymore from the versions I owned.
Bummer!
So, I sold Cubase SX3 and kept Wavelab 4.01b just only because it still supported SCSI w/ my EMU E64 and that was it.

I leaved the Steinberg route and up to now I never looked back.
Sequencers, for me, are not very important, I don´t urgently need one.
No reason to pay for a lifetime, at least for me!

Same w/ MS,- I´m still on Win XP, even w/ my office machine,- and I didn´t catch any virusses or malware and all works smooth.
That´s also the case w/ my DAW machines and I ditch all the apps not working w/ XP anymore or don´t upgrade.

Yesterday, I downloaded Studio One 2 Pro installer to do the latest update.
It said "Win 7 & Win 8" ...
Anyway, I gave it a try and again it installed flawlessly on a Win XP machine over the previously installed version of the application.
Bravo and thank you, Presonus !

Bud

[braincell]

It's not as stable under Windows 7 and it will force you to use an Aero theme under Windows 7. They claim this was done to improve performance. They rewrote the engine again in Cubase 8. Anyone who is getting Cubase 8 should probably upgrade to Windows 8.1 unless you are a Mac person. I would wait for Windows 10 if I were you (the next Windows).

[garyb]

force the use of Aero for better performance?!!

ummm, no. maybe M$ paid some money to encourage Aero use. there's no way that extra intensive graphics simply to make the windows prettier will improve performance.

[dante]

They claim this was done to improve performance.

All it says here https://www.steinberg.net/en/products/c ... loads.html is :

*** Aero mode needs to be activated in Windows 7

Which doesn't say anything about improving performance. A quote from the forum implies to me that its to allow improved Windows handling - which is not the same as improved performance.

"For the longest time people have been harping on that Steinberg should get a handle on windows control in Cubase. Now instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, they adopt the recommended systems calls for the OS in question, and this in a forward looking fashion. I think their adoption of Aero under Windows is completely logical and to be commended. Time to move forward - perhaps new hardware is in order."

There's no way that extra intensive graphics simply to make the windows prettier will improve performance.

What if using AERO does for graphics what Scope does for audio - EG offloads it ? Heres a quote which implies that windows runs BETTER using aero - if you have sufficient GPU power to take over the load http://www.steinberg.net/forums/viewtop ... hilit=aero

"That's pretty easy. Contrary to common belief the classic windows GUI takes MORE CPU load as it is rendered by your Computers CPU. Aero on the other hand puts the load of rendering and creating all visual effects on the GPU of the grafic adapter via DirectX and actually frees CPU cycles this way. One might not like the visual appearance of Aero, but performance wise it's actually better to use it for a DAW."

SO - that seems to challenge what now might be a 'myth' !

Suggestion on what type of GPU to get :

"ASUS NVIDIA 600-series and up! At least 1GB RAM on board. The GPU processing will just increase in the future, so spend on a better card without going crazy of course. $99-150 you get a great graphic card that will work for a couple of years"

And finally, the KB article : https://www.steinberg.net/nc/en/support ... theme.html

where it notes "The "Enable transparent glass" and "Enable Aero Peek" are optional."

So theres a bit of investigation / trial and error required here now it seems. I had to retire my AMD Radeon HD7750 with 2GB due to the fan obscuring one of my PCI slots - however since the smaller Radeon RS230 has 1GB and supports DirectX 11 - maybe its time to switch Aero on and see what happens !

[Bud Weiser]

*** Aero mode needs to be activated in Windows 7

They suck,- period.
It´s not the same company since they were buyed from Pinacle already,- and it became a bit better when Yamaha buyed ´em from Pinacle, but it never was the same than in the past because many (important) workers leaved already when Pinacle buyed ´em.

I´ll never buy any Steinberg product again for sure,- even it is a professional product and works.
They also found their way to treat customers the way Emagic did when they were sold to Apple and leaved Windows users in the dust.
Since I was not able to upgrade from older versions anymore because of their politics I´m done w/ Steini.
They also discontinued too many stuff I buyed within the past 10 years ...

Cubase 8 seems to have so many cool features (if it´s really working), but my experience is, when they fixed 3 bugs, they introduced 10 new ones.
B.t.w., that was also the comment of one of their previous sales managers who I know very well.
When I asked him "what´s the best DAW application for a keyboardist" he said,- "Logic is the king of the hill" and I think that´s true, just because it offers the best MIDI score editor since "Notator" as also "Cubase" existed for the ATARI ST.

There was the time the audio engine of Cubase was better than Logic, but I fear that´s over since some time.

I also think Samplitude is a VERY good alternative.
The audio engine was top notch anyway and I don´t know how good the MIDI and notation is now, but think it has improved.

Me personally, I think, the audio engine (as also routing) of p.ex. Reaper is top notch,- and it´s a $60 application.

For me, Reaper is the future.
It runs on Win XP,- even on Mac PPC if you want.

A program needing AERO to be activated in Win 7 is the last in line shit to me.
What do the software companies think they are ?
WHO tells the USER how to use HIS computer?

Bud

[dante]

Looks like it might all be down to the Graphics card :

https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Fo ... =w7itproui

"While it is true that when using the Classic theme, the User Interface is completely rendered by CPU and when using Aero, major portion of the UI is generated by GPU (graphic card) which makes the computations faster - but:

1. Using Windows Aero leads to more power usage - in turn making the battery charge get lower faster.

2. There are graphic cards which are just sufficient to run Aero. On such graphic cards, using the Classic theme might be faster."


So - if you are using a DAW and not a laptop, I assume Aero using more power may not matter - apart from maybe if you already have a heat management issue. On the flip side, if you have a good graphics card that eats Aero for breakfast, you could be saving CPU by using Aero - which means more power for the DAW - any DAW, Cubase, Logic or Reaper.

Anyone know differently ?

[garyb]

wow, that IS stupid.

well, whatever. use what works best is my motto.

[dante]

Are you saying Aero doesn't offload to GPU (if you have enough) ? If not, then what part is stupid ?

Not that it affects me - supposedly Aero that's in Win 7 doesn't exist on Win 8 - or at least its cut down - to Metro which replaces it. But point remains about what exactly is done by CPU and what can be offloaded to GPU.

If I can offload to GPU (assuming I aren't already) - it deserves investigation.

[braincell]

It's bad for Windows 7 users but Cubase 8 does seem to have better audio performance. I don't know if that is related at all.

[garyb]

bruh.jpg (42.28 KiB) Viewed 2643 times

wtf?

no, i'm saying that the whole concept of aero is stupid. it's just a frilly bow. why should people be forced to buy an expensive graphics card just to have their computers run correctly? why would a programmer of an audio app write a script that requires fancy video frills to work correctly and why would an operating system require that?

but if it does, it does...

it's not clear if the amount of CPU resources required for classic are actually more than what is required for Aero or Metro, since it's only the major portion of Aero(not all of it) that runs on the GPU, especially if you didn't spend more than three or four hundred dollars on the video card.

[braincell]

I agree. Crashing is always bad. I think they will improve it. Performance is better though even in Windows 7 I noticed.