Cubase vs Pro Tools?

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Drums5000

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Hi there,

I am new to computer recording, and was wondering what are the pros and cons for Cubase SX compared to Pro Tools? Are there certain things that Pro Tools can do compared to Cubase? I've heard that with Pro Tools for example I could record a drum groove, and replace all the bass drum notes with different samples etc...Is this possible in Cubase SX as well? I think that you need a lot of hardware with Pro Tools, whereas with Cubase you don't with the exception of sound card, mics, mixer, etc...

Thanks in advance for any info!

Drums5000
 
uh oh....i smell the start of another Pro Tools argument.... :eek: lol, Drums5000 I think the best thing you could do is just search these forums more in depth. People here have argued about Pro Tools, Cubase, Nuendo, N-track for a long time. So there's plenty of resources here to look at. Here is the most recent one to help you get started:
https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=124394
I'm a Pro Tools fan and feel like it has everything I need right now. But, yes, it is going to be more expensive than Cubase. Alright, that's all I'm going to say about that right now :D
 
Yes, I agree, this can turn into a long arguement.

Cubase SX sells for about $600 or $350 if you are able to purchase the academic version. Now ProTools can go up to or maybe surpass $100,000, that should end the argument right there if you are planning to buy one of these systems, unless you can actually afford it.

Right off the bad, Cubase SX has MUCH more useful and powerful MIDI functions. Plug-ins (VST) are are more than half the price of ProTools plug-ins (TDM) and some VST plug -ins are FREE! Not only that, the VSTi's are cheaper, compare HALion's price to ProTools version of a software sampler...

As far as audio editing goes, I'm not sure which brand makes it to the top, but I will say that Cubase SX offers more than enough useful and powerful audio tools!

BTW, You have to buy at least one Digidesign hardware device, where as with Cubase you can buy the cheaper aftermarket Soundcard, Midi interface, etc.
 
Whoa whoa whoa.....$100,000 or more?? I think you're really overestimating the price for an HD unit. And don't think that the expensive HD units are all that you have to buy Drummer. You can find the cheapest pro tools unit at around $400 or so (that's the newer version ones), the medium sized units at $1000-$2000 and the HD units can run about 4,000 on up depending on what you're wanting to do. As far as plugins and abilities of Pro Tools vs. other programs...I'm not going to debate that. Every program has it's ups and downs. You just have to find out what you are wanting to do, do the research on all the programs that can do that for you, and then buy it. :cool:
 
Ok, makbe 100K was too much but still PT is expensive:

This is from Digidesign.com

Pro Tools|HD Core Systems

Pro Tools|HD 3 Accel
Featuring the HD Core card
and two HD Accel cards.
Pro Tools|HD 1
US List Price: $7,995
Pro Tools|HD 1 features the HD Core card, supporting up to 32 channels of I/O* and guaranteed support for up to 96 simultaneous audio tracks with no stress on the computer. The HD Core card houses a host of powerful DSPs that provide the dedicated mixing and processing horsepower audio professionals have come to expect from Pro Tools. Expanding the system's dedicated processing power and I/O capacity is as easy as adding additional HD Accel cards**.

Pro Tools|HD 2 Accel
US List Price: $10,995
Pro Tools|HD 2 Accel includes the HD Core card and an HD Accel card, offering more than four times the mixing and processing power of HD 1 systems, support for 64 channels of I/O*, plus guaranteed support for up to 192 simultaneous audio tracks with no stress on the computer. Expanding the system's dedicated processing power and I/O capacity is as easy as adding additional HD Accel cards**.

Pro Tools|HD 3 Accel
US List Price: $13,995
Pro Tools|HD 3 Accel features the HD Core card and two HD Accel cards, supporting up to 96 channels of I/O* and guaranteed support for up to 192 simultaneous audio tracks with no stress on the computer. Of the three core systems, this configuration offers the most power and flexibility, enabling you to complete projects more quickly and efficiently than ever before. Expanding the system's dedicated processing power and I/O capacity is as easy as adding additional HD Accel cards**.

* All Pro Tools|HD core systems require the presence of at least one Digidesign HD audio interface (purchased separately); additional HD audio interfaces are required for extended I/O capabilities.

** Purchased separately


192 I/O
US List Price: $3,995
192 I/O, the flagship of the Pro Tools|HD interface family, is the best-sounding audio interface ever offered from Digidesign, rivaling similar products costing more than twice its price. In addition to support for up to 16 channels of analog and digital input and output, 192 I/O features a wide range of analog and digital I/O options to choose from, including 8 channels of high-definition, pristine-quality analog I/O, 8 channels of AES/EBU, 8 channels of TDIF, 16 channels of ADAT, and 2 additional channels of AES/EBU or S/PDIF digital I/O.

MIDI I/O
US List Price: $595
MIDI I/O, Digidesign’s multi-port MIDI peripheral, includes 10 MIDI inputs and outputs for a total of 160 channels, and features a hardware thru mode, allowing you to patch any number of inputs to any number of the unit's outputs without the need to access your computer. MIDI I/O connects to your computer via a convenient self-powered USB connection and includes support for MIDI Time-Stamping for superb timing accuracy and precision.

SYNC I/O
US List Price: $2,095
Accommodating the high sample rates intrinsic to Pro Tools|HD with the utmost accuracy, SYNC I/O features near sample-accurate lock to time code or bi-phase/tach signals and a 192 kHz-capable, high-fidelity, low-jitter Word Clock. In addition to support for industry-standard pull-up/pull-down rates for film and video, two 9-pin ports are included for use with the Digidesign MachineControl option. AES/EBU clock I/O, video reference in/thru, video program in/out, and a host of other features make SYNC I/O the most consistent, dependable solution for Pro Tools|HD installations in commercial music and post production
 
However if you can affored ProTools HD + a good Mac (which is 2x the price of a PC) + Emagic Logic for MIDI, then I would say go with ProTools. WHy, cuz You can attract more people to your studio if you are in buisness, plus PT works witha Mix Farm Card/DSP card, so it takes all that processing stress off your computer which Cubase does not.
 
Hi,

I use a hybrid combination nowadays (PC and MAC) If you're going to do any sequencing, I would say Logic audio 6 on a Mac...it's stable and offers support for that elusive resolution rate of 24/192. On a PC I would actually recommend Sonar, it's such a great program to use! (and very stable on xp...or so it seems!) but, the new steinberg programs have HD support (cubase, nuendo) and that may recruit more former cakewalk users.

I think protools is in demand because it was the first really really good sequencer to use...it is good to use espescially if you're running a lot of outboard effects, that's the glory of it. I just happen to think it's a little overrated, and I think a lot of other people are starting to realize that. I can't believe the prices of some of those systems! $13,995 !!! I kinda like not being rich, it forces you to do a lot more with less.

There is a new Edirol firewire interface that offers 24 bit/192 khz (full duplex) for $500....now that's what I'm talking about! Pro tools is also very proprietory, and that's just not the way to go nowadays...(not in my opinion anyways). I have a couple of friends who use pro tools LE and honestly it's nothing to write home about, but they got it because "metallica, nine inch nails, and the neptunes use it"...so it's just a buzz word nowadays. (that and I SERIOUSLY doubt that major label artists are using anything but TDM and HD systems)

I guess it all comes down to personal preference because so many sequencers are based around the same ideas nowadays.

My PC works fine for audio apps, I just don't go on the internet with it! :P

but you've all made good points, this is a good thread :)
 
Guys, I think we've strayed from what he was asking. This is the homerecording.com forum....not the ProfessionalStudio.com forum. Telling him to stay away from Pro Tools because of the $14,000 price tag is just going to make him hate the software right off the bat. HD is generally used by studios who actually have taken out a loan to afford that kind of stuff. Us poor home recording people have been allowed to buy the LE systems for awhile now. So comparing the LE prices to the HD ones is like comparing a Behringer 4 channel mixer to an SSL console. It just doesn't make sense to do it. They each are designed for separate uses. Hence, the difference in price tags.
 
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I hear what you're saying, but nowadays personal studio owners can go HD via E-MU or Ego Sys and now the FA-101...so if one can go high definition for a decent price then I say "why not?" . He SHOULD definetely try pro tools, but I'm just offering alternatives to popular HD systems. I myself prefer sonar and I have 24/192 capability. I'm just trying to put my slant on pro tools, cubase and the like that's all. :D
 
PT is MUCH more powerful and robust than Cubase. I also like it's interface much more. PT prices start at about 500$ if you go with the Mbox (up to 48KHz). The main limit with PT usage is that you can use it only with Digi hardware while SX can use almost any card out there. It is also more MIDI and VST friendly. So I would suggest PT only if you are going to invest the few thousand bucks for a TDM MIX/HD system and your main use is not MIDI.
If you do mostly MIDI stuff than SX is just fine. As long as you don't mean to invest so much, and go with a native system, I think I'd prefer an RME card and SX2 over a MBOX or 001 with PT LE, although I really like PT much more.
 
The bottom line is that you can probably get a Pro Tools setup and a Cubase setup for about the same money. Which one will sound better? More than likely the Cubase setup. This has nothing to do with the program. It has to do with the fact that Digidesign hardware uses low quality AD/DA convertors. You could get Cubase and a good soundcard with good quality convertors for a lot less than the price of a Digi 002. So...if your goal is to make high quality recording, then go the Cubase, Logic, Sonar, whatever route. If your goal is to learn Pro Tools, so that you can work in a Pro Tools studio, then go the Pro Tools route. Or you could have the best of both worlds...go the Cubase route and get the good sound, and then download Pro Tools Free, import your recorded tracks into it and learn the program that way.

If you really want to know how much of a sound quality difference you're looking at, then go to GC or some place where you can record through a Digidesign Pro Tools rig, and then record the same thing through a comparably priced sound card/convertor running Cubase or some other program. I think you'll be able to tell a difference.
 
Question

Ok...say I've recorded a drum part, but the bass drum sound I don't like. Can I replace it with another bass drum sound (without having to play it over?) Can I do this in Cubase? (I'm thinking Cubase is the MUCh better option for me) Cheaper and makes more sense.

Does anyone know of any good forums/tutorial sites for Cubase SX?

Thanks again for the informative posts!

:)

Drums5000
 
you can pretty much do that in any of the multitrack programs. assuming you're recording your bass drum on it's own track. with pro tools though, you can simply select the entire part you want to redo and do an identify beat so that you line up the phrase to whatever tempo you recorded at, especially if you didn't use a click track. Pro tools does this really well on it's own by identifying where the transients. after you have that all set up you can just delete the kick drum track and import the new kick onto each of the beats. there might be a plugin that you can buy as well to do this all for you.

another cool feature you might like in Pro Tools (which I have yet to see it anywhere else) is the loop record feature. You just select the place you want to loop and you can try out different guitar solos or drum rhythms, etc. They all get recorded with the same time stamp and toggling between them all is a simple shortcut key. And you can even replace specific beats...say you didn't like beat 4 of the first pass but on the third loop you liked beat 4. easily done. i think loop record is one of my favorite functions of PT.
 
Umm, how is Cubase SX cheaper than Pro Tools? The program alone costs as much as the Pro Tools LE hardware + software. Am I missing something here?

As for this BS:
Plug-ins (VST) are are more than half the price of ProTools plug-ins (TDM) and some VST plug -ins are FREE! Not only that, the VSTi's are cheaper, compare HALion's price to ProTools version of a software sampler...
Hmm, seems to me I use VST plugins and instruments in Pro Tools every day! That's weird. Oh, I guess I managed to get around the misinformation machine long enough to learn the difference between reality and fiction.

Not only are RTAS versions of plugins included at the SAME price with practically every plugin package from a major manufacturer, but for $99 you can buy the fxpansion VST-to-RTAS adapter, and then you can run any VST or VSTi in Pro Tools. It also supports Rewire. And there are some plugins you cannot get without using Pro Tools or a DSP card like the UAD-1--for example, the Sony Oxford plugins and the BombFactory plugins.
 
If you really want to know how much of a sound quality difference you're looking at, then go to GC or some place where you can record through a Digidesign Pro Tools rig, and then record the same thing through a comparably priced sound card/convertor running Cubase or some other program. I think you'll be able to tell a difference.
I can just about guarantee that you won't. The differences between mid-range converters are incredibly subtle. If you can hear the difference between 105 dbA and 103 dbA, or a .2dB variation in frequency responst, then you should be mastering music and not wasting your time on homerecording.com.

In fact, I would be money that 99% of people would do no better than 50/50 guessing the difference in a finished recording between Behringer's cheapest A/D converters and the cream of the mid-range converters, e.g. RME or Lynx, all other things being equal.
 
charger

just want to say it's good to read someone clearing up the misinformation that comes around here.

It seems too many people reading specs and making judgements.

Just because something can do 192 doesn't mean much.

Anyway - props to Charger


lD
 
Please advice me

EleKtriKaz said:
The bottom line is that you can probably get a Pro Tools setup and a Cubase setup for about the same money. Which one will sound better? More than likely the Cubase setup. This has nothing to do with the program. It has to do with the fact that Digidesign hardware uses low quality AD/DA convertors. You could get Cubase and a good soundcard with good quality convertors for a lot less than the price of a Digi 002. So...if your goal is to make high quality recording, then go the Cubase, Logic, Sonar, whatever route. If your goal is to learn Pro Tools, so that you can work in a Pro Tools studio, then go the Pro Tools route. Or you could have the best of both worlds...go the Cubase route and get the good sound, and then download Pro Tools Free, import your recorded tracks into it and learn the program that way.

If you really want to know how much of a sound quality difference you're looking at, then go to GC or some place where you can record through a Digidesign Pro Tools rig, and then record the same thing through a comparably priced sound card/convertor running Cubase or some other program. I think you'll be able to tell a difference.

Hi All

Recently i ve bought M BOX Protools LE but I haven't noticed much
difference from my Edirol UA-5 (external sound card interface) which i use with cubase sx sound in qualitywise .Main reason i ve bought MBOX is to record ,arrange and save my project on Protools so I can take it to the big studios (at my college) and get it remixed but it s not happening untill we start taking lessons on protools,I read your comment about getting better converter sound card with cubase would come to almost same recording quality as DIGI 002.Can you please recommend which sound card would be the best for my Pc performance i.e good quality convertion ..or is UA-5 external sound card with cubase is good enough for conversion? Is it worth to keep the MBOX when I am using Cubase?

Thanks ya ll
 
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