Time to update from VST/32 to SX?

[Sir Ruff]

I posted this in the "sequencer of choice" post too, but am hoping for more direct answers with this.

I have been using VST/32 forever, and have never felt the need to change.
However, there are two things that really bug me (and potentially affect my output), and have often made me wonder if another sequencer (or version) would be better:

-the audio editor SUCKS. Horribly innacurate, prone to clipping cos you can't actually see the waveform, etc. I certainly still do a lot of chopping within it, but it always feels very clumsy compared to something like SForge.

-Automation is badly implemented (i think). I'll admit, that part of the difficulty is that I don't fully understand how individual plugin are routed sometimes, but it's still nothing like the smooth envelopes I have seen in Logic.

Does SX solve any of this? Does (as I have read) it sound better? I don't find VST/32s sound quality lacking, but since that's all I've ever used, how can I compare?!

I've probably been avoiding SX all this time cos it looks different, and I really don't want to spend time learning a new sequencer.... Particularly as I still don't know how to use half the stuff in VST!

Suggestions?

[desdinova]

The audio editor in C4 (they dropped "SX") is really, really nice. I never really had any problems with the automation.
There really isn't much you can do besides check youtube and cubase' site for videos of usage and decide for yourself. I'm way past the "honeymoon" period, and I still think it was worth the money to upgrade.

[madtheory]

I avoided SX for the same reasons as you, and I put up with the same issues as you in VST. In fact I tried SX for a while and it sucked. So I changed to Pro Tools. C4 is a return to form IMO, and the audio editing is very like Pro Tools, which is cool.

So yes, it's time to change. Good luck with the plugin change over, you'll need it.

[Sir Ruff]

thanks for the advice gents... glad to hear I am not the only with the same VST malaise! I didn't realize there was a "C4" version now, so I guess I'll have to check it out.

MT: is automation more user friendly in C4? i.e. can you do smoother "drawing" of sends and parameter changes?

[madtheory]

MT: is automation more user friendly in C4? i.e. can you do smoother "drawing" of sends and parameter changes?

Well anything was better than what we had in VST! Seriously, check it out, it's smooth now.

[greggybud]

I posted this in the "sequencer of choice" post too, but am hoping for more direct answers with this.

I have been using VST/32 forever, and have never felt the need to change.
However, there are two things that really bug me (and potentially affect my output), and have often made me wonder if another sequencer (or version) would be better:

-the audio editor SUCKS. Horribly innacurate, prone to clipping cos you can't actually see the waveform, etc. I certainly still do a lot of chopping within it, but it always feels very clumsy compared to something like SForge.

-Automation is badly implemented (i think). I'll admit, that part of the difficulty is that I don't fully understand how individual plugin are routed sometimes, but it's still nothing like the smooth envelopes I have seen in Logic.

Does SX solve any of this? Does (as I have read) it sound better? I don't find VST/32s sound quality lacking, but since that's all I've ever used, how can I compare?!

I've probably been avoiding SX all this time cos it looks different, and I really don't want to spend time learning a new sequencer.... Particularly as I still don't know how to use half the stuff in VST!

Suggestions?

I held on to VST32 for years. When Cubase released SX3 I decided to upgrade. Looking back I think it was worth it. However going from SX3 to Cubase 4, I'm not convinced. My main reason is I have dozens of high quality VST'Is from 3rd parties, and as good as the Cubase VST'Is may be...they don't come close to what you can accomplish using Reaktor for example. Improved VST'Is was a big feature of Cubase4.

The other advantages of Cubase4 over SX3 are not enough to sway me to pay the 200.00 upgrade fee. But of course that is just me, and you may have different objectives/goals/VST instruments etc.

Regarding the editing in Cubase, yes it did suck. And there was little improvement in SX3. If you want higher editing possibilities Cubase 4 might be the ticket or..........depending on how deep you want your editing and if you ever master projects......

Consider Wavelab6. It really depends on what you want to accomplish and what your production goals are.

Good luck!

[Sir Ruff]

I posted this in the "sequencer of choice" post too, but am hoping for more direct answers with this.

I have been using VST/32 forever, and have never felt the need to change.
However, there are two things that really bug me (and potentially affect my output), and have often made me wonder if another sequencer (or version) would be better:

-the audio editor SUCKS. Horribly innacurate, prone to clipping cos you can't actually see the waveform, etc. I certainly still do a lot of chopping within it, but it always feels very clumsy compared to something like SForge.

-Automation is badly implemented (i think). I'll admit, that part of the difficulty is that I don't fully understand how individual plugin are routed sometimes, but it's still nothing like the smooth envelopes I have seen in Logic.

Does SX solve any of this? Does (as I have read) it sound better? I don't find VST/32s sound quality lacking, but since that's all I've ever used, how can I compare?!

I've probably been avoiding SX all this time cos it looks different, and I really don't want to spend time learning a new sequencer.... Particularly as I still don't know how to use half the stuff in VST!

Suggestions?

I held on to VST32 for years. When Cubase released SX3 I decided to upgrade. Looking back I think it was worth it. However going from SX3 to Cubase 4, I'm not convinced. My main reason is I have dozens of high quality VST'Is from 3rd parties, and as good as the Cubase VST'Is may be...they don't come close to what you can accomplish using Reaktor for example. Improved VST'Is was a big feature of Cubase4.

The other advantages of Cubase4 over SX3 are not enough to sway me to pay the 200.00 upgrade fee. But of course that is just me, and you may have different objectives/goals/VST instruments etc.

Regarding the editing in Cubase, yes it did suck. And there was little improvement in SX3. If you want higher editing possibilities Cubase 4 might be the ticket or..........depending on how deep you want your editing and if you ever master projects......

Consider Wavelab6. It really depends on what you want to accomplish and what your production goals are.
Good luck!

thanks for the comments!

I definitely need a midi/audio sequencer, rather than a long track recorder, so I think wavelab wouldn't quite fill my need. C4 sounds like the way to go...