Cubase SE - Is it worth it?

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Dalius

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Hey guys....right now, I have a cracked version of Cubase SX 3, just so I could see how it ran. I like it a lot, so I'm planning on buying the SE copy since the copy I have now is super buggy, keeps crashing and I don't get tech support which I need. I heard you can upgrade from SE to SX when you are ready...how does this work exactly? Also, any input from current SE users is great.
 
Unless something has changed in the last six months or so, you can download a demo version of Cubase so you don't have to try to use cracked versions that won't work right and expose your computer to viruses. Why does everyone go straight to the crack?? It makes no sense.

Regarding the upgrade it works like this.

Buy Cubase SE. Enjoy it, use it, hug it and sleep with it at night.

If you think it isn't enough program for you (for the majority of people it is), then get ahold of Steinberg. Tell them you want to upgrade and they will quote you a price. If it sounds reasonable to you, buy it. It will arrive in the mail shortly after that.

That's about it. Some companies will give quotes over the phone, others on the web. I can't remember what Steinberg's policy is, but something in the back of my mind makes me think they do it over the web.

Good luck in your move to join us on the light side.
 
SE is a very solid program that should easily meet (& usually exceed) the needs of most home recordists. Get it.
 
I just read this review of it on Amazon's website:

I've been working with audio for some time, and bought this to expand reason 3.0's capacity. I got SE because of the low processor overhead, I wanted most of my cpu cyles to go to Reason. What I thought I was getting was a slimmed down version of cubase, minimal function, which was OK, since I wanted to do most of my effects work in Reason anyway. I got it basically for dynamic tempo and meter changing, and basic audio editing and recording. What I got was a nightmare so buggy, that it astounds even me. Having been used to cobbling freeware programs, I figured I could iron out what ever problems might arise. The problem is that there are not just a few problems, they are LEGION. The driver issues are so severe with this software that I have yet to successfully import audio after a week and a half. Example, I tried to bring in a Reason audio track for mastering. It wouldn't play using my sound card drivers, it would cut in somewhere into the track at a different place each time. It simply would not start playing at the start of the file. So I tried different drivers. After kicking in their direct x asio's, it would actually start playing at the start of the audio file. The problem was that it played at the wrong SPEED. I have even tried using my wdm drivers, and ran asio4all version 2. Cubase crashed and froze my entire system, which, by the way, is QUITE powerful. Powerful enough to run thirty Reason devices without denting the CPU. After a week and a half, I've been unable to get anything done with it.

Oh, and the VSTi didn't work either. I'm able to play my synths, but once I've recorded the track, I can't play them back. I hear the first note, then the synths die. Of course the sequencer starts acting buggy as well. As if that's not enough, what happens then is that Cubase corrupts my card drivers. Quite quickly, my card starts snap crackling and popping like rice krispies. No, we aren't talking too low a latency, the effect is global and permanent until I reinstall the drivers. I've had to reinstall them TWICE. The direct x drivers do work with VSTi, but introduce high latencies, and sound VERY poor. I've given this program every opportunity to show me that it is anything more than complete junk. My TOTAL failure to import and play a simple wave file in the program was the last straw. Avoid....like.....plague. Getting this prog is equivelant to lighting fire to a hundred dollar bill!

this makes me nervous...i am planning on buying it today but i don't want to throw my money away if it's a) not worth the money or b) not needed.

with the cracked version, i find it near impossible to use my synth/audio interface's drivers while routing the audio out through my sound card/speakers...i don't want to end up buying the software and find out that i can't even do that
 
Why are you basing your judgements on a cracked version of software that you have admitted has been buggy for you?

Most problems like the one you are describing come from your computer not being up to par or using cracked software. You should have no problems if you read the requirements of the software. If your computer doesn't meet them then upgrade the computer or don't buy the software.
 
I highly doubt buying the full software would change anything, it's most likely the way I have things set up. I'm having second thoughts about using Cubase now, however, after reading the official message board. Steinberg seems to have horrible support, and the whole point of actually buying the software for me is to get support...this sucks, I really don't know what other sequencers I'd use.
 
Dalius said:
I just read this review of it on Amazon's website:



this makes me nervous...i am planning on buying it today but i don't want to throw my money away if it's a) not worth the money or b) not needed.

with the cracked version, i find it near impossible to use my synth/audio interface's drivers while routing the audio out through my sound card/speakers...i don't want to end up buying the software and find out that i can't even do that

This is one guys experience. He doesn't say what he is running the program on. For all you know he is using a 333mhz system with a hardrive running at 4500rpms. He also may not have it set up properly.
 
I've been using it for around 18 months and I'm very happy with it, it runs like a dream. I think you would be hard pressed to fiond a person with a legit copy and a properly set up machine who has problems using Cubase SE.

Amazon reviews aren't exactly reliable, if people have problems they often blame the software as it's the visual interface, it's what they see but as has been said most problems with computer recording usually seem to be down to the machine itself; either the spec or how it's set up.
 
Well, then let me ask this question before I buy it...

a) I'm planning on making basically alt. rock-ish music, recording vocals, guitar, bass, and using ReWire/Reason for a drum machine...does anyone here use Reason with Cubase as a host, and do you find it easy to use both together? Also, will SE have all the features I need to record songs? I'm just a newb so I don't need THAT much power... - yet

b) Regarding the problem I have with the cracked one...is there a way to use my Audio Interface/MIDI Controller as the default VST drivers to get the lowest latency possible, but have the audio out come through my system soundcard? (SoundBlaster X-Fi Xtreme Music).

It's mostly b that I'm worried about...if it is indeed possible, then I shall go out and buy Cubase sometime today. If not...I may have to look into buying a new sequencer.
 
first thing to do with cubase to make sure it runs good

uninstall all audio programs and make sure to install cubase first
 
$a1Ty said:
first thing to do with cubase to make sure it runs good

uninstall all audio programs and make sure to install cubase first

would that really change anything? and what do you consider an audio program
 
audio programs like, cool edit or audition, logic and anything like that, espically anything that uses vst

you need to install cubase first to set it as the host, it doesnt like to be the bitch, it can make all the difference
 
I second not basing your buying decision on one persons review on amazon.com. The thing about DAW's is that they need to be set up right to work right. There are a lot of people who want to just load a program and have it magically work with no setup. This just isn't possible in DAW's. There is a collection of things that all need to be properly tuned for best results, ie, drivers, how windows is configured, cracked programs and freeware causing buggy results. I used to lurk on steinbergs support forums all the time and I would see posts like "it won't work" and "my program is buggy" and literally 100% of the time, the end result was that they didn't have their system set up right, or rarely, they had a freeware program causing conflicts, or they hadn't downloaded the updates. Literally every time it was their fault and not the program (exception being early versions of Cubase that DID have some bugs, but none that wouldn't let the program work).

Your soundcard isn't the best and soundblaster cards are harder than most to get to work right in such a high level program, but it CAN work. But it's a bit like putting a VW Beetle engine in a Ferrari and wondering why things are not running smooth.

I used www.musicxp.net to streamline my computer and everything works great for me, even with a bunch of freeware vsti's. If you run into trouble and are an actual owner, the people here and at the steiny forums are always willing to help. I'm not saying to buy the program...I don't know you or what you need, but I can say that if everyone felt like the guy you quoted, the program wouldn't even be around and Steiny would be bankrupt. Instead, last year at the kvr USERS ratings, Cubase trounced every other program as sequencer of the year. It can take some work to set up, but once you set it up right, you will be off and running making kick butt music.
 
Dalius said:
I just read this review of it on Amazon's website:



this makes me nervous...i am planning on buying it today but i don't want to throw my money away if it's a) not worth the money or b) not needed.

with the cracked version, i find it near impossible to use my synth/audio interface's drivers while routing the audio out through my sound card/speakers...i don't want to end up buying the software and find out that i can't even do that

How much you wanna bet that guy you quoted is using a Soundblaster card? He basically admits it, saying he's using Asio4all. Idiot! There's a lot of people out there that don't take the proper steps to ensure that cubase runs smoothly on their system.

There's some simple rules of thumb:
-turn off hyperthreading
-Update your software
-Use a decent soundcard.
 
Dalius said:
Well, then let me ask this question before I buy it...

a) I'm planning on making basically alt. rock-ish music, recording vocals, guitar, bass, and using ReWire/Reason for a drum machine...does anyone here use Reason with Cubase as a host, and do you find it easy to use both together? Also, will SE have all the features I need to record songs? I'm just a newb so I don't need THAT much power... - yet

b) Regarding the problem I have with the cracked one...is there a way to use my Audio Interface/MIDI Controller as the default VST drivers to get the lowest latency possible, but have the audio out come through my system soundcard? (SoundBlaster X-Fi Xtreme Music).

It's mostly b that I'm worried about...if it is indeed possible, then I shall go out and buy Cubase sometime today. If not...I may have to look into buying a new sequencer.


Forget the damn sounblaster card! You want to record through a decent interface then listen through a crap card? If you must get a 1/8 to 14" adapter for your computer monitors(save for some active monitors) and plug them into your interfaces headphone jack.
 
I know you've already bought it, but I'll answer anyway. :)

Dalius said:
...does anyone here use Reason with Cubase as a host, and do you find it easy to use both together? Also, will SE have all the features I need to record songs?

Its not my main rig, but I tested this with my copy of Cubase SX 2.2.???, a PowerBook 1.25gig w/ 1.25g ram. Interfaces were a Digi 002 and an Mbox. Ran fine. I think your problem lies in not using the ASIO drivers because...

b) Regarding the problem I have with the cracked one...is there a way to use my Audio Interface/MIDI Controller as the default VST drivers to get the lowest latency possible, but have the audio out come through my system soundcard? (SoundBlaster X-Fi Xtreme Music).

Not that I know of. To use your sound blaster you have to use your system sound (MME or DX on PC) and they suck compared to native ASIO. Is there a reason you can't use the (likely vastly superior) outputs on your interface?

I also have SX2 on my PC (2g P4 mobile w/ 512ram, XP2) and it runs like a pig in a strobe light on anything except the ASIO drivers (i.e. NOT MME or DX- can't remember the actual labels.) I don't have reason on the backup PC, though, so I've never actually tested it.

I'm confident that you should be able to get it to work by properly setting up your machine. Enjoy!

Chris
 
Thanks for the advice guys, I'll install it today after I do a fresh format of my PC and then I'll let you know how its going... ;)
 
Why don't u go out and buy a real sound card first? just find one that has SL bundled with it and then if you dont like it, you will still have a good interface to work off of.

I have been running cubase since VST32 and just like everyone said here, problems arise from misconfigured systems, not from the software itself. Cubase.net is a HUGE support site btw and it is run by Steinberg
 
I believe the only reason hes SAYING that he wants to go legit..is so..you/we guys would help him get his pirated copy to do what he wants...DONT FEED THE PIRATE...

1) if we help him determine its his PC setup that is the culprit and not cubase...he will continue to use his cracked version!
2) if we help him determine its a setting in cubase thats messed up...he will continue to use his cracked version!

i say...F helping him...let him figure it out on his own..just like he downloaded that cracked copy..on his own.

I doubt he bought it like he claims he did when hes using a standard soundcard
 
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