KVR Audio

kritikon · Post by **kritikon** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 4:24 am

So my employer owes me around 3 months holiday (which there's no way on earth they can give me because of short-staffing, so I'm soon to be paid out) Which means I can upgrade to a new top-spec PC and probably upgrade from Cubase 5.1 to SX.

But last time I bought a PC, within 6 months, WinXP came out, and SX wasn't long after it. I'm actually very happy with Cubase 5.1 apart from the odd niggle, and my Win98SE system is pretty solid. So, if I'm going to upgrade the whole shebang I don't want the same thing to happen (obviously it will be a redundant system within 2 or 3 years, but at least I'd like to get a few years use.

so.......

1. Anybody heard any whispers about when a new Windoze OS is due out? If it's soon, I'll hold on, as the PC I've got will do for now.

2. Any whispers about when SX3 will be out? If 3 is going to be out within a year, then I'll hold on with a new PC and stick with 5.1 until then.

3. SX2 might be good enough for me as there are only the odd feature that I need over what's already in 5.1.
Does SX2 have PDC on sends and group inserts? If it's not on group inserts, does anyone know if it'll be likely in SX3?
Can you route the output of sends to mixer channels? I can get around that within 5.1 by using insert FX on groups and then send channels to the group via the aux sends. But one of the main features that has stopped me upgrading Cubase for a while is not being able to have dedicated mixer channels for aux returns.

4. Is there any great feature that anyone has heard of for SX3 that might make me want to hang on. Bear in mind that: a) I'm pretty happy with what I've got, so piddly little improvements won't be the reason for upgrade. b) anything like improved Freeze functions leave me cold - I don't need Freeze and I probably won't use it....there has to be something better than that upcoming with SX3 surely?

Sorry for the long-winded questions, but I'm wary about just running out and getting a new PC and new OS and new Cubase just for the sake of it. And I know I could go look on Cubase.net etc, but I'm probably far more likely to get quick realistic info here.

It's only really the routing problems, the pdc and the fact that there are now some plugins that won't work on an older system (such as XPhraze, some PSP stuff including Nitro etc) and this is becoming enough of an incentive for me to upgrade. But I might have missed other stuff, and it's a big step to go to a new PC, new OS, new host all in one hit when I already have workarounds for most problems and generally, a stable system.

Ta for any replies

ObsoleteAcc99 · Post by **ObsoleteAcc99** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 4:37 am

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ObsoleteAcc99 · Post by **ObsoleteAcc99** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 4:39 am

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Alfalfa · Post by **Alfalfa** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 4:44 am

progfusion74 · Post by **progfusion74** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 5:11 am

Alfalfa wrote:Windows XP is it for now. The next version doesn't come out until at least some time in 2005, and it's supposed to be a pretty big change. That means that it may take some time before all of your software will be made to work on it (if past experience is any guide ). XP Pro if you want to run multiple processors, otherwise XP Home should be fine (that's what I use). newegg even sells (legitimate) OEM versions.

Running an OEM version myself!!! Runs rather nicely (at least for the past week)

caganer · Post by **caganer** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 6:14 am

Windows XP 64bit for AMD and Intel is supposed to come by the end of the year...

kritikon · Post by **kritikon** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 2:24 pm

the first important thing you must know is that steinerg is stopping all cubase vst upgrades to SX effective July 31st!

. Awwww shitehawks! That gives me precisely 2 days to get an upgrade. Bugger.
I'd better get my arse downtown tomorrow morning then...cheers for the heads up Theo - and you're right, I'd best make my very next move a trip over to www.Steinberg! Fuckin' ell....I just got my head around upgrading in the near future, not tomorrow

Doesn't leave me any choice really, as the price difference between an upgrade and a new purchase is something like $500 isn't it?

Bollocks, bollocks, and bollocks.

Thank god for KvR - If I didn't waste so much time here, I'd be wasting money instead.

Stupid American Pig · Post by **Stupid American Pig** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 2:28 pm

the new windoze will not be out until 05 or so, and even then I am going to be very reluctant to upgrade right away. XP should hold you for at least 3 more years..

Tronam · Post by **Tronam** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 2:54 pm

The big deal for the near future is Service Pack 2 for XP, but that will be a free update this fall. Also, don't get your hopes up for a 2005 release of "Longhorn". I predict that it will be delayed way into 2006. It is expected to be quite an overhaul in many areas and it is wise to approach such a platform with caution. If robustness and compatibility are your priorities, I would never embrace a "dot zero" version of anything, especially an operating system. From Win95a to MacOSX.0, history dictates that one should avoid first releases like the plague.

WinXP has reached a level of maturity and stability that should not be discounted (make sure it's behind a firewall appliance though!). Cubase SX2 was no exception to this rule. SX1 was downright clunky and uneven in comparison. SX2 addressed so many issues and is far more well rounded and complete. I have no complaints about the PC version of SX2. And yes, it has full plug-in delay compensation at every stage of its signal path. If only Emagic would get their act together and move in this direction as well.

-Tronam

PS: There is quite a bit of rumbling in the rafters of a fall SX3 release. The thing is, if you don't take advantage of the 5.1 -> SX2 upgrade, it could prove more expensive in the long run if you don't jump on it immediately.

Glooper · Post by **Glooper** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 3:00 pm

TTOZ wrote:the first important thing you must know is that steinerg is stopping all cubase vst upgrades to SX effective July 31st! it's all over their forum which i visit for vst talk. so you better get at least that upgrade now or be prepared to shell out for a new copy of sx from scratch.

Is this true for SL -> SL2 upgrade? I've been thinking about upgrading my SL for a while?

Ben

Alfalfa · Post by **Alfalfa** » Wed Jul 28, 2004 3:02 pm

kritikon · Post by **kritikon** » Thu Jul 29, 2004 6:08 am

Phew! Phoned up the local dealer and there are 2 remaining Cubase SX upgrade packs left in Auckland... they're waiting for a confirmation and I'll go in tomorrow to put down a deposit while I wait for them to be sent down. Got there just in time with 1 day left! Just saved myself over $NZ1000. Upgrade should go for $550 (although it looks like they might do it for less) whereas the new SX from scratch is something like $1700.

I scanned the Cubase forums - and it seems there is an "announcement" due after the upgrade path is canned - which I read as being a probable announcement of SX3. Still.... at least I'll hopefully have a few years before I need to upgrade Cubase again.
And it seems quite a few have problems getting SX to work on Win98, so I don't really have any option but to get XP. Hopefully I'll have the cash in the next couple of weeks to get the new PC sorted.

So KvR strikes again... thanks lads! Without this place I would have had a pretty expensive upgrade coming. I must remember to call in at the Cubase forums every now and then to keep an eye out for this kind of nonsense in future. And with the dough I'll have saved I can buy Torben's GCO1 and maybe Eqium and XPhraze

I'm still not looking forward to a complete change though - new host, new OS, new PC that'll need tweaking for a few weeks no doubt. All of the tedious swapping files and folders from the old banger to the new machine.....

And I was right in the middle of a promising funky reggae number.... looks like that'll be put on hold for a while

ObsoleteAcc99 · Post by **ObsoleteAcc99** » Thu Jul 29, 2004 6:42 am

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keano · Post by **keano** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 6:47 pm

Cubase SX3 is going to be released this September.

spaceman · Post by **spaceman** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 7:24 pm

SX3 is going to be a patch included in windows xp sp3

Any whispers on when SX3 or new WinXP?