Logic Pro X or Cubase Pro 10

[NeoKortex88]

Thanks guys!
I decided to go with Cubase since my friends use it
and i potentially could get rid of that hardware dongle.

[Tronam]

Thanks guys!
I decided to go with Cubase since my friends use it
and i potentially could get rid of that hardware dongle.

Cubase is a fantastic DAW. I've been using it and Logic for the past 18 years and though I prefer LPX, both have vast feature sets which are unlikely to limit anyone's musical ambitions. I wish Steinberg would ditch the eLicenser hardware dongle, but it's hard to argue with its effectiveness as a copy protection method. Be prepared for annual upgrade costs with each x.5 version update, so make sure to factor that into the value proposition.

[jonljacobi]

Thanks guys!
I decided to go with Cubase since my friends use it
and i potentially could get rid of that hardware dongle.

How are you going to get rid of the dongle?

[Sascha Franck]

How are you going to get rid of the dongle?

Maybe he's been talking about that huge, expensive dongle called a Mac.

[v1o]

The main problem with Logic in the more or less near future will be that you won't be able to configure a decently priced workstation around it anymore. And while Logic itself is as cheap as it gets, the hardware you need to run it is getting more and more expensive. And while Macs had a great resale value, while you could use them for a long period of time so far, I'm afraid that this will change more or less noticeably. In fact, you can already observe it.

For me, even as a true Logic afficionado (ok, not that much anymore as they manage to mess things up quite a bit ever since the event of LPX), this is going to be a problem soon-ishly. I'm right now running a perfectly capable and stable machine (a 2010 Mac Pro, which is still going pretty strong, even compared to some way newer machines) and as it'll be sent to obsolescence in about 2 years, I will at one point need to have a look for a follow up. Right now, Apple has zero offers that would be a good choice - and in case they could be, they're way too expensive.

Seriously, this is something to consider in the long run. You can build a pretty much kickass Windows box, tailored for audio useage, for around €1.5k, featuring an i9 8-core CPU. In Apple land, that would get you an i5 6-core Mac Mini with a 512GB SSD. Certainly not a bad choice to run Logic on but you can't slap in any further drives, can't use PCIe interfaces (unless you purchase an expensive external enclosure) and so on.

Personally, even if I started with Cubase, I wouldn't exactly want to go back because by now Logic is my home for almost 2 decades. But in case Apple continues with their current tactics, I may as well do so (well, I might even go for Bitwig, which seems to be a great thing).

The six core i7 8700k Mac Mini is a capable affordable machine.

[alonl6]

Thanks guys!
I decided to go with Cubase since my friends use it
and i potentially could get rid of that hardware dongle.

How are you going to get rid of the dongle?

some people by mistake think you can use the software elicenser, so the licenses will live on your computer. Unfortunately this is only work with Cubase element, not with pro or artist.

[quantize]

Only discovered recently Logic doesn't have basic stuff like one-click disabling an entire insert strip...the more i dig the more the price difference makes sense.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

I know you''ve already bought Cubase, however did you consider owning both? Not suggesting you need two DAW's, but the orice of Logic could easily be justified if you really wanted Alchemy and Sculpture. Essentially you'd be buying a couple of great instruments and getting a DAW for free, which you could then try at your leisure to know for sure if the workflow suits

[alonl6]

I have both Cubase and Logic. it's more than enough.. however, yes, for me logic's drummer is a great tool. Don't know what I'll do with out it.

[NeoKortex88]

Yes with Hardware dongle I did talk about my MacBook Pro 2018.

I already have both Logic and Cubase, as well as fabfilter and soundtoys and other stuff and ten synths. I hugely overbought lol. Couldn’t help myself. GAS hit me hard. Well but others buy one hardware synth for the same money so I guess it’s not that bad. This thread was more about which DAW to learn first.

Thinks all for your contribution.

[NeoKortex88]

I have both Cubase and Logic. it's more than enough.. however, yes, for me logic's drummer is a great tool. Don't know what I'll do with out it.

How does Logic drummer compare to Cubase drummer?

[4damind]

A big advantage for Cubase was/is the better latency compensation, the powerful midi and audio editor and the notation editor. I also think it's not bad to see that Steinberg updates Cubase (and Nuendo) at least every year, sometimes with big improvements. I don't see this with Logic, IMO being more of a niche product for Apple and not getting so much support.
I see Cubase today as the leading and most used DAW, primarily for studio production (Ableton could be the leader for live usage).

[trtzbass]

Lately I have been working with both Logic and Cubase on my Mac and here's my experience after recreating the same session on both platforms:
Logic seems to make better use of the CPU as it runs flawlessly where Cubase starts breaking down and crackling; by the same token it's crash prone and pooped on me many a time for apparently no reason.
Logic's workflow is slightly better if, like me, you do modern pop where there's loads of synth layering going on. The track stack implementation is fabulous, with one midi clip triggering several VSTis. I wish Cubase had something like that. I know you can use MIDI sends, but then you can't freeze the tracks!
Logic also can export quicktime videos as well, which is great if you score to video (which I do too). Strangely enough, Cubase has lost that function.
Having said all that, I would use only Cubase because I feel it's a better platform and has more developed MIDI facilities (please don't kill me because I said that) BUT I reeeeealllly hate the dongle thing and have been on the brink of selling my copy just out of frustration.
The dongle had reason to exist when it first came out, but nowadays there are so many other better options to authorise your software that it's really just a pain. If I'm out and about with my laptop I can't work on a whim. If I'm on tour, I am NOT bringing the dongle with me.
Moreover, if I'm, say, somewhere in rural Germany and like it happened somebody asked me for a quick arrangement, I will have to use Logic or S1. This is 2019, firing up a DAW should be a straightfoward operation and not tied to a hardware gadget
Anyway. If you don't mind the dongle, get Cubase

[jonljacobi]

How are you going to get rid of the dongle?

Maybe he's been talking about that huge, expensive dongle called a Mac.

LOL. Trading dongles.

[Psuper]

I have both Cubase and Logic. it's more than enough.. however, yes, for me logic's drummer is a great tool. Don't know what I'll do with out it.

How does Logic drummer compare to Cubase drummer?

For the most part, familiarity will rule the roost. In this part, however, Groove Agent in Cubase 'grooved' with me instantaneously, and is far more powerful and useful than anything I've used before... by miles.