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Anyone using Cubase 7? What's the verdict?

BurningSkies

BurningSkies

CRAZY BALDHEAD
Feb 20, 2005
27,956
20,350
Syracuse NY
rootshockmusic.com
Disclosures
Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
#1
So, I've been a long time Cubase user since version 2 or 3. I've held on to my 'SE' version of 4 since it was released. I just sprang for a copy of Cubase 7 Essential, which should be arriving this week, along with 16G of ram for my machine.

I'd love some input on the 'new' version...I know there are some radical changes. And I look forward to being able to use both VST and AU, although I'm sad I'll never be able to use my old PC only dub effect plug ins again.

What I do:
No MIDI or VST-Instruments. Mostly 'live' tracking of 8 to 16 channels for my band (practices, demos, etc...

What I have:
MacBook Pro Late 2011 15" with quadcore i7 2.0ghz processor, (soon 16G ram), 2x MOTU 8-Pre (Firewire) Optically linked as a 16 channel audio interface.

During live recordings I also use the MOTU Cuemix software for live in room monitors (vocal mics->8-Pre->Cuemix->P.A monitors.

Here's what it sounds like:
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

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Now tell me what you love and hate about the new Cubase. :)
 
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#3
I've been using Cubase SX2 since about 2004 and have recently built a new recording machine (Win7 x64, 3.4GHz i5, 32GB RAM, (2) 2 TB HDs). My copy of Cubase 7 will be here next week. I can't wait to get this system set up!

I've read great things about Cubase7 and considered almost every other DAW program before deciding to stay with it. You and I are opposites in the way we work though. I use mostly virtual instruments and MIDI and don't do much live tracking.

The features that I'm looking forward to most are Lane Tracks (comp takes), better sample editor, and the redesigned mixer UI. The VariAudio 2.0 feature will be useful as well.
 
#4
stretchcat said:
I've been using Cubase SX2 since about 2004 and have recently built a new recording machine (Win7 x64, 3.4GHz i5, 32GB RAM, (2) 2 TB HDs). My copy of Cubase 7 will be here next week. I can't wait to get this system set up!

I've read great things about Cubase7 and considered almost every other DAW program before deciding to stay with it. You and I are opposites in the way we work though. I use mostly virtual instruments and MIDI and don't do much live tracking.

The features that I'm looking forward to most are Lane Tracks (comp takes), better sample editor, and the redesigned mixer UI. The VariAudio 2.0 feature will be useful as well.
Click to expand...

I'm at a complete loss for any of the MIDI or VST instrument technology.

The upgrades look pretty serious. I'm concerned about the new channel strip expansion since I run it 100% on a 15" MBP, and that doesn't give too much screen real estate. I've been using SE4 since it came out and had a couple earlier ones too. I got comfortable with the feature set and locations of things and its been easy to ride along adding new knowledge as needed.

I actually had the full Logic suite for a while too but it was too much of a learning curve to relearn everything and it was a HD hog...once I got all the disks loaded (at that time on my OLD MBP) it took up about half the drive. I ended up uninstalling it.

I use a fair amount of VST effects due to the ease of them. If I'm doing 'serious' recording (higher quality than what I posted above) I have a bunch of racked compressors for the tracking. But for what amounts to quick demo and 'practice' recordings, I run directly to the MOTUs then do everything I need with VST. Most of those mixes are done in a few hours since I have a good idea of my production flow for that stuff.

I wish I knew more about how to work with the VST instruments and/or MIDI, but at this point its probably way more effort for little applicable use.

Here's what I tend to run, although I have another rack with more compressors:

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*sidenote: Those cheap B* compressors were purchased for 25$ each...and sound better than a few of the DBX units I own.
 
#5
stretchcat said:
I've been using Cubase SX2 since about 2004 and have recently built a new recording machine (Win7 x64, 3.4GHz i5, 32GB RAM, (2) 2 TB HDs). My copy of Cubase 7 will be here next week. I can't wait to get this system set up!
Click to expand...

^^^Also, 32G of ram is stupid lots. That's pretty awesome. I tend to run with my internal hard drive then transfer it to an external for further work or archiving. That way I have a pretty portable setup. I record in our rented band space (two rooms, one that I use for amp isolation if needed), then I bring the laptop home and have a desk set up with monitors for mixdown
 
#7
Yeah. I'll look at doing a second monitor sometime in the future if I can do so for a decent price.

I got Cubase up and running last night after doing a laptop clean/organize. I now have both 4 and 7 installed. Here's 7:

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It took some time to 'find' some of the things I'm used to working with, but over all I think it should be a relatively painless switchover. The new mixer is pretty ridiculous. In that picture you can see the new EQ...which has live on the fly frequency analysis happening now.
 
#9
stretchcat said:
Cool! Hey, did you buy the Cubase "Artist" version or the full version of 7? You original post says Cubase Essential 7. I don't think they are using that name anymore.
Click to expand...

These days they refer to it as Cubase Elements 7. Its not hobbled too far from the other versions and gives me up to 48 audio tracks for a project, so that's good enough for what I do. :) Turns out that for 100$ then a discount for being an 'educational professional' makes it a serious bargain for what you get.

Since you're dealing more heavily in the VST instruments/MIDI etc. side, the others are probably more applicable. For those of us that don't need most of those features, the Elements version covers a whole lot of territory.

http://www.steinberg.net/fileadmin/...ubase_7/Downloads/Cubase_Comparison_Chart.pdf
 
#11
stretchcat said:
Absolutely! You cannot go wrong with that.

Hopefully my copy will be here this week. I'm really looking forward to working with it.
Click to expand...

I installed 16G of ram last night. I've seldom had any trouble in tracking up to 16ch at a time live, but I have had lags on mix down once I layer channels with VST EQ, Compression, and a few other things. I need to go do a search for free AU plug ins since this is the first version of Cubase I have had that can use them.
 
#13
stretchcat said:
Looks like my copy of Cubase will be here tomorrow. :hyper:
Click to expand...

Nice. I used mine last night. 13 tracks live. It worked without a hitch. I went the night before and set up all the lines and checked them along with the MOTU monitor software to make sure it was all as it should be. Had a good friend come in to watch levels and keep an eye on things and a quick inspection shows that it recorded fine.

I couldn't figure out how to get my templates to show in 7, so I started by using 4 and creating a project, then opening that in 7 and saving it as a template.
 
#15
stretchcat said:
I didn't get my copy of Cubase until this morning. The UPS driver delivered it to the wrong business in our building on Friday and I couldn't get it until today (long story).

Looking forward to trying it out.
Click to expand...

Well, that sucks to wait, but I'm glad you ended up getting it. I'm finding its as easy to do things or easier. I've started using some of the channel strip modules, which does make things convenient.
 
#16
It's been a slow process for me with this upgrade. I installed the OS/drivers on the new computer, loaded the hardware drivers, and installed Cubase. My license is an upgrade license, so it wants my old dongle to transfer the license to the new one. I'm finishing up some projects on the old SX2 machine, so I'll have to find a window where I can migrate everything over.
 
#17
stretchcat said:
It's been a slow process for me with this upgrade. I installed the OS/drivers on the new computer, loaded the hardware drivers, and installed Cubase. My license is an upgrade license, so it wants my old dongle to transfer the license to the new one. I'm finishing up some projects on the old SX2 machine, so I'll have to find a window where I can migrate everything over.
Click to expand...


That kind of sucks. I totally am happy with the lack of a dongle for this iteration. There were times when I'd pack my MBP but forget the dongle and we'd be SOL for recording. I actually have a few of them laying about unused since I registered my first one and use that throughout.

Any of these systems is fairly sensitive to upgrades or OS changes...you're juggling a bunch of drivers and software, between your interface, your computer hardware and the software's ability to work with all the components involved. Last time I did an upgrade to my system & my Cubase I ran into a problem where I once could daisy chain my multiple interfaces by firewire without problem (after creating a composite driver for them) then all of a sudden that wouldn't work anymore and I needed to get an optical cable and reconfigure.
 

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