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!