Basic, good DAW

Does everything I want it to, haven't used any other DAW much nor plan to. Perfect for my applications.

Great DAW but tough to set up.

Cubase is amazing and has endless potential but if you're like me and don't have an audio interface, just avoid using it entirely as any built in ASIO system will not suffice for getting low enough latency to make using it worth anything.

Yay to the redone UI/UX

Felt like, with multiple new versions of Cubase being released since my last review, I could touch on some new things.

Nothing to add about v11. But a note on v12...

There's no more dongle! Still needed to keep it around at first for Phalanx until Vengeance ported their stuff to V-Manager. But as of the day I'm writing this updated review, I'm free from my eLicenser dongle. At last.

Now onto v13:

• Redone GUI elements. Hated it upon first glance. However, the tons of white-text-on-dark-background elements haven't destroyed my eyes like I thought they would. Plus, everything (besides the Control Room) looks more cohesive while FINALLY SCALING WELL FOR THOSE OF US WORKING ON RETINA DISPLAYS. Lastly, GPUs should have an easier time dealing with Cubase now that there aren't as many gradient shaders & stuff to render (less 3D icons; there's more of a "Studio One" look to Cubase now).
• New channel tab. I can see more at a time in conjunction with the inspector tab now (the days of opening way too many sections in the inspector tab are over for me). My channel tab is pretty much a mirror of my channel section in the MixConsole, while my inspector tab just has the basics & routing sections open.
• Simplified MixConsole. Nice to see the pre channel controls integrated into the EQ (instead of a separate module like before). Pretty neutral about the effect on my workflow otherwise.

At this point, Steinberg just needs to redo the GUI for the Control Room like they have the rest of Cubase. Then there'll be just one last (seemingly impossible task) for them to do to be the perfect DAW...

Give us a gapless audio engine like all the other DAWs.

Won't get done anytime soon though as of 2022. See https://forums.steinberg.net/t/proper-audio-engine-gapless-audio/119037/183

Cubase 10.5 review:

Cubase is so close to reaching perfection imo. Here are some indispensable "niche" features that I use on a daily basis:

• ASIO Guard for being able to load more plugins by pre-calculating the buffer cycles as opposed to doing processing calculations during playback
• A built-in software control room for cue mixes, talkback & room correction separate from the DAW's mixer page
• Flipping the left/right locators for a loop range such that it skips the loop entirely during playback (cycle at the top goes from purple to orange when the locators are flipped for easy reference)
• Built-in post-fader inserts (no need to create a post-fader send; less channels to manage in your session)

I'm able to do this & more standard/niche tasks while having a very stable experience (the surefire way to get a stable experience as a Windows user is to follow Steinberg's suggestions laid out in this article: https://helpcenter.steinberg.de/hc/en-us/articles/360008589880-Windows-10-How-to-set-up-and-optimize-a-Digital-Audio-Workstation-DAW).

Imo if Cubase had a gapless audio engine & redone GUI, it'd be the perfect DAW. I define "redone GUI" as something "simpler" to not overwhelm users coming from DAWs like Ableton, Logic & Pro Tools. There also seems to be an inconsistency in the fonts used for the program & horrible upscaling when using a monitor over 1080p.

I'll stop rambling; I just love Cubase so much!

Cubase 10 review:

The much improved sidechain architecture is a welcome surprise. Can now both send to a sidechain destination and receive from a sidechain source (used to only be able to send to a sidechain destination). While the implementation is not visually the most pleasing, it works flawlessly (look at the send effects section of your sidechain source to see what I mean; Steinberg should have taken a page out of Avid's playbook and had the send slots be taken up only if you're sending to a sidechain destination).

Audio alignment is also really handy. I anticipate most users would rather take advantage of the ARA2 protocol and pull up something like VocALign. Speaking of ARA2... Steinberg implemented it perfectly! Such a welcome sight. They didn't try to rush to be first and have to deal with the consequences of shitty design. Yay to that!

For me, the sidechain architecture alone makes the jump to version 10 worth it. The ARA2 implementation and wealth of new features inside Cubase will probably make it worth it for you too! =D

Pro level boss

Been using it a long time, whilst I like writing in Live I generally mix and record in Cubase. It's got a pro level feature set and it's a breeze to use, esp for mixing. It's one of the big 3 DAWs along with Live and Logic.

Over the versions it has become more refined with more functionality, but there are some parts of the software that aren't as intuitive as they might be, it doesn't map controllers as well as say Live does...and programming custom templates is laborious. It doesn't import loops as well, it doesn't auto record MIDI as well, so if you are jamming away and want to pull something up you just played, it needs some work compared to how Live does it.

Decent enough selection of stock plugins but I rarely use them, I'm not sure many pro users actually use them, but they are there if you just want things to work straight out of the box.

It does really shine when it comes to handling and organising VSTs, and that's something that will speed up your workflow on it's own. I can organise instruments or synths, effects etc into different folders for different projects, say Scoring or Guitar or Mastering etc.

It does lack a few features of Live and doesn't handle loops as well, so whilst it does absolutely fine with dance music and loop based productions, it's not as quick for me to sketch ideas. Where it really stands out is mixing and editing, where it's excellent. MIDI piano roll editing is great and much better than anything else I've used in terms of features. It's deep, so whilst easy to get started, it has a huge level of depth that can take years to figure out. But it'll do everything you need at a pro level, as indicated by how many AAA users it has.

So 4 stars, it's great, but it's a touch bloated and maybe held back by the fact it's retained features from 20 years ago.

I wasn't going to upgrade cubase

I'm mixing hours of live material for my bst friend. He records into cubase sx2 on a win xp svc pack3 machine. Shit you not. Its stable. My copy of cubase 8 or whatever that I never updated wound up migrating to my new machine and then wouldn't see my motu gear. So he offered to buy me 11 after a friend made sure the SX files still basically opened, edits and time signatures etc, in 11 pro.

It took my a full day, like 12 hours of fiddling to figure out that my usual MOTU internal routing isn't to cubase's liking.... so I made a cubase template for my routing and now I just kick that shit on to work on Mike's stuff. I dock 1 star for being unlike every other DAW I have in how it deals with my MOTU's multiple monitors routing... and also for the dreary stock, gray look.... but all my outboard cheers me up fine. It also can't import basic mixer settings from older versions, so i have to reebuild any routing on this stuff,however I was ererouting to my console anyway. Otherwise this the best cubase ever. A real contender to this day. SX was my jam for 3 versions so this is like going home. The latency compensation allows me to use stuff in loops in real time like protools HD systems

I think Harrison and Steinberg need to team up and build the world beating DAW with the sonics, perfect latency compensaton track by track.... and workkflow both in mixing and midi.... it could be called Innuendo LOL or Mixbase 32C

OH YEAH! USB dongles are bullshit.

Trash

I know there’s a lot of Cubase lovers out there and I can understand why. But no.

Honestly made the worst buying decision ever wasting a couple hundred dollars on this cluttered DAW. If you look at the technical aspects, yes Cubase is one of the better more capable ones. But I so wish I had chosen Logic, Ableton or Reason. The UI/UX in Cubase is just so bad and it makes me frustrated which then distracts me from actually making music. Sorry but a no for me.

If Steinberg makes some very thorough revisions in their UI/UX this could be one of the best DAWs overall. But right now it most certainly isn’t.

more to do with what I started on

I never played or di anything for about 14 years after being in bands for most of my youth . My partner knew very little of my past apart from I " used to play " and the songs I sang my daughter at bed time ... So she bought me a cut down entry level of Cubase ... Cubase LE I recall . After taking me , literally , weeks to get a squeak out of the damn thing I eventually found a learning curve ... Months later when I got genned up on MIDI and its enabling qualities I was transformed ha ha . So I have slowly , with an eBay bargain or two , Built my way up to this version . An adventure city of a program with no street map . Best game I ever played ....

Preferred Settings + Usage:

excellent composition software

I have used Ableton live, Protools, Logic pro and Cakewalk; the software that rule over all of them is Cubase. I started of with Steinberg Sequel 1 and upgraded to SX3 and then to 5. I own 8.5 as well, but haven't had the time to get my head around the new software as of yet, so that will stay in its package for a while longer. I have used 5 now for four years and I find it functionality amazing and it is extremely easy to use and play around with. I find it is exacly what I need for advanced compositions be it EDM, trance, Rock, Classical ...etc...

The integration of the VST instruments and effects is flawless and recording is very easy as well. I didn't think it was to pricey either for what I've got out of it either, and it supports my creative workflow, to the tee!

If I had the choice out of any software I would certainly pick out cubase everytime, but I guess this is what i'm used to and to change software out of what i'm used to would be difficult and a learning curve which I don't really have the time to learn.

It perfectly integrates with my audio setup also and as it seamlessly integrates with any sound cards and interfaces on the market unlike Protools (which requires specific sound cards to run, for quite a price as well) it works extremely well for people that are trying to stick within a smaller budget and this is very useful for starters, semi's and pro's alike!

Two Decades of Use

I started production back in the mid 90's with an old program called E-Mu Music ordered straight from Guitar Center's catalog. I have ran through just about every DAW over the years from the original Fruity Loops (later renamed FL Studio for the youngsters), ProTools, Ableton, and everything else. Since 2001 I have always gone back to using Cubase. The lower grade editions provide singer songwriters, bedroom producers, and small home studios a wealth of options at a lower price point then other DAWs, and for a studio the Pro version is where it is at. It is a powerhouse that can be as simple or complex, and detailed as you like.

From Gear Setup

A fresh new start.

I decided to buy Cubase when i was studying, since Steinberg gives huge discount if you study music, when you buy their products as EDU versions, even though they're basicly full versions, even after you upgrade them.

When i first had Cubase on my hands, i was used to FL Studio, its workflow and features. Cubase was completely new to me, so of course, i had to check it out, and i can't believe how amazing it really is, yet im too lazy to get myself off the plane and start using it for good, because of my earlier experience with FL Studio.

But today, i'm using it confidentially to its purpose, i love it, it has everything that FL Studio lacks in quality. It's sorting out everything so i don't create a mess, and the mixer is my biggest favourite since it doesnt show a row of empty mixer channels like FL Studio, every channel is entitled to an instrument channel, or audio channel, and its so much easier to keep control. When doing automation, its even easier than FL to maintain, since its all collected into one instrument channel in the composition window, located in a row under each channel.

Which is why im happy that i own Cubase aswell as FL Studio, they both have a place in the studio today.