How is one supposed to try Cubase???

[diverdee]

Does seem a bit restrictive/daft.
From perusing SX forums it becomes apparent that certain hardware configurations are problematic.
So they have no legal demo one can test.
Watching someone play with it in a shop (if you have access to that resource) only shows you how it works in the shops setup.
Surely they can't want people to actually use the 'ahem' 'try before you buy' version in order to gain an understanding, overview?

[Majken]

If you're planning on buying Cubase, go for SE3. You can likely find it cheap second hand. Not enough features? Update to SL 3, you won't lose any real money on the update.

One important difference between Sonar and Cubase is that you can sell Cubase without a license transfer fee. Sonar on the other hand, you'll be stuck with once you've bought it.

/Majken

[stag]

Well i have a fully legal copy of SL2(Edition) for sale.
The reason that made me upgrade to SX3 was the offline processing for third party plugs and
the "Send MIDI Data To Automation Tracks" option, those two relly set SX on a league of its own,
Still SL offer the same functionalities, less the afore mentioned, score editor, mp3 pro rendering, some plugs, i believe that´s all.
For anyone doing their first steps the SL Edition it is a bargain because it cames along with HALion, which is a decent sampler with very good filters, awesome sound albeit lacking the functionalities of Kontak2, i never listen to anyone complain about it aliasing.

[HanafiH]

its unfortunate there are no longer demos, i expect entirely down to piracy.

but you can always go down to your local music store and get a proper demonstration, which would likely give you a better view of its capabilities anyway.

. How many times does the poor guy need to reiterate his point? That point being : -
He wants to see if Cubase SX suits his machine/hardware. Patently there's no value at all in him looking over someone's shoulder at a music shop.


Someone hit the nail on the head earlier
though - Steinberg feel that there are more than enough(ahem) 'demo's' out there already, and Most people know how to get hold of one.

Yar absotively. Steinberg has such an overwhelming and crippling problem with people stealing its software, that rather than provide a working demo, it would much, much rather have prospective paying customers seek out, download and install a cracked copy on the off chance you might actually pay for it, once you have it.

On the other hand, a more plausible explanation is that the software is only stable on such a narrow base of hardware that the cost of providing technical support on a workable demo would be substantial and the probability of leveraging a profit from a sale in ignorance is better than the probability of an informed lost sale.

Ignorance is profit.

[Alan]

I have lots of latency problems with Sonar; I've tried WDM and ASIO drivers of my terratec dmx 6 fire;

I can get as low as 1.5ms with M-Audio and Sonar with either WDM or ASIO,so somethings not configured right somewhere.Either that or the DMX drivers blow.

[dougsyo]

One important difference between Sonar and Cubase is that you can sell Cubase without a license transfer fee. Sonar on the other hand, you'll be stuck with once you've bought it.

Well, buying a sequencer is not like buying a car, where you can necessarily expect to be able to sell it.

Having said that (1) Sonar provides a demo with few limitations, so you have a good chance of knowing if it's for you or not and (2) Sonar has no dongle, challenge/response or other intrusive copy protection - just a serial number and (now) enforced registration of the software.

It's a trade-off.

Doug

[stag]

On the other hand, a more plausible explanation is that the software is only stable on such a narrow base of hardware that the cost of providing technical support on a workable demo would be substantial and the probability of leveraging a profit from a sale in ignorance is better than the probability of an informed lost sale.

Ignorance is profit.

Probably ignorance is soluble on H20
YAMAHA DSPF, EDIROL PCRa 30, TASCAM US-122, RME FireFace 800, the sound cards i currently own and use on many setups, from the shitiest of the shitiest to boutique machines whitout a glitch.

The only setup that was a real dog was Behringer BCA2000, but it was regarding performance almost halved any of the previous setups.

Hacking Cubase threads seems to be the coolest thing around here, kind of the cool rebel against some kind of authority, again i think it has all to do with the dongle... or lack of it

[kritikon]

I must admit to being a bit baffled (as a long-time Cubase user) why there are no demos. Doesn't seem too sensible to me either. Are we sure there are no demos at all - they used to release CD demos of lite versions of VST etc, and I thought there were demos of the SE or SL versions at one stage. Are there absolutely no demos at all?

I have to say that I'd be a bit wary if I were a 1st time buyer myself - I'd want to know it worked at least up to a point on my system - there are always tweaks and things you can do to improve minor situations, but you really do want to know it works at a basic level first.

I suppose anyone has to go just on recommendations. Which is no gaurantee though...

Take it from the majority of users that it works on most systems unless you do funny things to your PC. There is alot of nay-saying about Cubase - most of it is internet myth and absolute shite. In the same vein as "Waves are crap" - no they're not, they're expensive, is all, so the plebs like to dismiss them because they can't afford them and won't admit to using them as cracks. Many prefer other hosts - that's their right, and it's because they don't like the interface or the workflow etc, and I can say exactly the same thing about any other host.

For ACTUAL USERS...it's a pretty reliable host. It's not perfect, but no host yet made is and never will be to everyone.


I suppose one way around it (depending on your local supplier of choice) is to actually take your PC into the shop, install it, demo it, then uninstall afterwards. I gotta say, that that's a ridiculous way of doing it though - don't think I would put up with it myself.

Sometimes I do wonder how Steinberg attract new customers though. All I can say is that I've never had Cubase problems from version 1 (although I missed out some of the dodgier versions) the first VST5 apparently was diabolical, but VST5.1 was pretty solid for the time. SX1 had problems, but I've never been happier than with SX2.2, and from the sensible stuff I read about SX3 (you have to learn to filter out the silly stuff that is prevalent) SX3 has got over the main teething problems and is solid for the everyday sensible user.


If it were my 1st time buying a big host though....I must admit I'd probably be veering to one of the other ones, simply so I could demo it at home on my own PC. Would they have got my custom nowadays?....No. With the benfit of hindsight, would they have got my custom?...absolutely, yes. It's a great host....but I wouldn't know that without the hindsight first, would I....catch 22 Mr Steinberg.

[ew]

I have lots of latency problems with Sonar; I've tried WDM and ASIO drivers of my terratec dmx 6 fire;

I can get as low as 1.5ms with M-Audio and Sonar with either WDM or ASIO,so somethings not configured right somewhere.Either that or the DMX drivers blow.

And I don't have issues with my prehistoric PIII, my prehistoric version of Sonar (2.2) and my EWX 24/96 (same drivers as your DMX); I'm down to 256 samples ASIO and 3 ms in the DMA settings (WDM)

ew

[Martin E]

I recently bought Halion player. There were also three demos inside. Cubase SX3, Groove agent and Halion 3.1 itself. So there are demos around somewhere. I would lend you my copy of Cubase SX3 but you don't exactly live around the corner.

[diverdee]

Right - time limited demos available if you buy another dongled steinberg product (or something like that)?

[Karbon L. Forms]

Every time I see this threads title I hear Michael Bolton singing it. Probably in his studio, thinking about getting a new host.

[bduffy]

Sometimes I do wonder how Steinberg attract new customers though...

They probably never would've got me if it weren't for:

1. Their reputation (in 2000, there was hardly anything like Cubase)
2. Deep advocacy from music store reps
3. We decided to go with Nuendo 1.0 at work, so the initial cost of learning was deferred.

Mind you, they had demos back then too.

You know, I'm going to write Steinberg right now and demand they make a demo available. If they remove/limit a few fundamental items, I'm sure there would be no interest in cracking it. This has been coming up a lot lately; I suggest anyone interested in a demo should write too. How esle will they know?

[Ildon]

Cubase users are the devil.

Yes, that's right, I said it.

Just kidding.

HanafiH nailed it, I think. How annoying.

[Ildon]

Sometimes I do wonder how Steinberg attract new customers though...

They probably never would've got me if it weren't for:

1. Their reputation (in 2000, there was hardly anything like Cubase)
2. Deep advocacy from music store reps
3. We decided to go with Nuendo 1.0 at work, so the initial cost of learning was deferred.

Mind you, they had demos back then too.

You know, I'm going to write Steinberg right now and demand they make a demo available. If they remove/limit a few fundamental items, I'm sure there would be no interest in cracking it. This has been coming up a lot lately; I suggest anyone interested in a demo should write too. How esle will they know?

Good idea! I'm going to do that too.