Advantages / disadvantages Studio One Pro and Cubase Pro

[AdvancedFollower]

Having used both, the main reason I switched to Cubase was the constant bugs and lack of QA from PreSonus. It seems like none of the testers actually use the DAW in a production environment, so while the DAW itself is generally stable and doesn't crash, many subtle bugs that can have a huge impact in actual use go ignored or unnoticed for several years/months. Eventually I just got tired of each update breaking something new, while long standing bugs didn't get fixed.

A guy called "Admiral Bumblebee" has been instrumental in exposing the flaws in Studio One in order to generate enough backlash in the community for PreSonus to eventually notice and fix the bugs. This includes for example the extremely slow fades during automation that they introduced in 4.5.0 (which was done to fix another bug he exposed in previous versions), which they then fixed with 4.5.1 immediately after he published the article. There's also an issue with MIDI playback jitter that I believe they still haven't fixed.

Another example was that from version 5.1 up until 5.2.1 (8+ months), plugin delay compensation didn't work with side chains. Instead of acknowledging the problem, PreSonus tried to downplay it. They even uploaded a video on YouTube (later removed) to try to convince everyone it was user error. Eventually, someone managed to get Support to look at an actual sample project that clearly showed the issue, and they fixed the bug in 5.2.1. So for 8 months, anything involving side chains (such as ducking) would be out of time with the source.

One more long standing issue (since at least V3.5) that still hasn't been fixed is that sometimes when you render a song, automation cuts out and gets ignored after a certain point during the export. The way you notice this is that the progress indicator freezes (but the export itself continues). The term "Shaking the Box" has been invented as a workaround for the problem. Basically, if you keep moving the progress window around, it won't freeze, and automation won't be ignored. However this can cause audio glitches instead. Someone even made a Macro that automatically shakes the box for you. There's a long thread in the official forums that occasionally springs back to life with activity, but so far the actual developers appear oblivious.

[Uncle E]

There are so many really to list, but in the end I always feel better in S1 than Cubase. Cubase for me was till version 6, but after that it began to be a mess. S1 kept evolving better and better.

Same. I loved Cubase until 7 came out, then it suddenly felt like a complete different DAW. Cubase 4 also felt like a completely different DAW and Cubase SX was literally a completely different DAW. Anyway considering Cubase should be aware that you will probably have this experience.

[_leras]

There are so many really to list, but in the end I always feel better in S1 than Cubase. Cubase for me was till version 6, but after that it began to be a mess. S1 kept evolving better and better.

Same. I loved Cubase until 7 came out, then it suddenly felt like a complete different DAW. Cubase 4 also felt like a completely different DAW and Cubase SX was literally a completely different DAW. Anyway considering Cubase should be aware that you will probably have this experience.

Yeah, you should really worry about those cubase releases between 2003 and 2011...

Err... No...

Cubase is an incredibly solid and fully featured DAW. It does nearly everything. It has nearly every effect you may need,.and plenty of decent instrument options.

It's really just finessed over the last decade.

It already had great midi and options like the Control Room, and a great media bay for managing samples etc.

[Uncle E]

Yeah, you should really worry about those cubase releases between 2003 and 2011...

Err... No...

That's not what I said. Steinberg is known for making big sweeping changes. Some people like that (yay, new features!) and some people don't (woah, what happened to my favorite DAW?). Anyone looking at Cubase should be aware of this and figure out for themselves where they are on that spectrum.

[_leras]

you can use external instruments in cubase since forever. Not sure when it was first introduced but certainly a while

Yes! Just noticed it! Sorry for the incorrect info! (Still many users, Yamaha gurus for example, are using it with two tracks midi/audio though!).

So, that is a draw between the two S1 and Cubase
[/quote]
There used to be some advantage to keeping instruments (vst) separate from midi channels. Maybe things like being able to get all of the audio outputs from e.g. Battery. Pretty sure that's changed.

I think instruments and effects still need to be configured in VST Connections but are then simple to use. Works for external FX as well.

What I've mainly learned from Cubase threads over time, is that can already do everything, just that not everyone knows all the features!!

[_leras]

Yeah, you should really worry about those cubase releases between 2003 and 2011...

Err... No...

That's not what I said. Steinberg is known for making big sweeping changes. Some people like that (yay, new features!) and some people don't (woah, what happened to my favorite DAW?). Anyone looking at Cubase should be aware of this and figure out for themselves where they are on that spectrum.

It's been incremental changes only for a very long time (decade). Only really minor look and feel. Workflow has not changed that much at a basic level, though there have also been lots of things that speed things up.. instrument and sampler tracks.

So many improvements though. Just check the change logs since say 8.5...

[apoclypse]

I never could vibe with Cubase. I just don't like the interface. People say S1 is ugly (I don't think so) but its functional and logical, its dense with information but doesn't feel cluttered imo. Cubase is rounder but it just feels cluttered to me. Like there is too much going on even when there is not a lot going on.

Anyway one big deal for me is that S1 supports multi plugin formats from VST2, AU to VST3 and they will probably support CLAP too. Not happening with Cubase.

[_leras]

I never could vibe with Cubase. I just don't like the interface. People say S1 is ugly (I don't think so) but its functional and logical, its dense with information but doesn't feel cluttered imo. Cubase is rounder but it just feels cluttered to me. Like there is too much going on even when there is not a lot going on.

Anyway one big deal for me is that S1 supports multi plugin formats from VST2, AU to VST3 and they will probably support CLAP too. Not happening with Cubase.

There's a lot going on in Cubase, and the GUI allows a lot. However, there's usually a pretty good reason for everything that is on display.

Just takes some time to get far enough up the learning curve - but super once you know your way around.

I also use Bitwig which has a super smooth and creative workflow, but when mixing Cubase still makes a whole bunch of stuff easier imo.

[Effectsworks]

I had to drop S1 when I got into post-production work. Nuendo is where it's at. But I'd be very happy if I had to use Cubase for making music.

But it's all personal taste at the end of the day.

[BONES]

IMO S1 generally would be a better DAW just looks ugly as hell

[*] Cubase is better looking than Studio One. Studio One is one of the ugliest DAWs, only eclipsed by Reaper.

Are your eyes painted on? Cubase is far and away the ugliest DAW money can buy. It is a mish-mash of styles stretching back to the 1990s with far too much useless detail that makes it look even more cluttered than it already is. OTOH, Studio One has a very consistent, clean and modern look that gets out of the way and let's you work.

More importantly, though, is how seriously f**ked up do your priorities need to be for that to be the first or second point you make? Even though I think Cubase has a hideous GUI, that was never a consideration in our choosing to use it to replace Orion. It's a tool, it needs to do a job. The way it looks is simply not a factor unless/until it gets in the way of you working.

But look at this image and explain to us all exactly where Cubase's heavy-handed use of too many colours and shades actually looks good. And, please, let's not even talk about the use of gradient fills in 2022.

GUI_Compare.jpg

To my professional graphic artist's eyes, every part of S1 looks better and more consistent. The toolbars are way nicer, the tracks look way nicer, as does the window in which they are displayed. The mixer channels look way nicer and the consistent look of light text on a dark background across the board makes the whole thing look wonderfully integrated. Studio One looks better overall and in every detail, too.

The way you notice this is that the progress indicator freezes (but the export itself continues). The term "Shaking the Box" has been invented as a workaround for the problem.

I get similar behaviour whenever v5.5 renders a song that uses VG-Iron - rendering stalls until you shake the box and eventually it resumes at normal speed. It only started happening very recently, I didn't notice it all until I was rendering a few things a couple of weeks ago. I don't know if it affects automation as I really don't use any. I thought it might be related to my latest Windows 11 update, as the timing seems to fit. But it eventually gets there so I don't really care.

Cubase is an incredibly solid and fully featured DAW.

That has not been my experience. I would rate it the least stable DAW I have used. It was never bad enough that it stopped me getting things done but I have lost work on a few occasions.

It has nearly every effect you may need,.and plenty of decent instrument options.

I'd say the same of Studio One Prime, whereas I'd say that Cubase (and Studio One Pro) are bloated with effects and instruments I don't need and will never use. I wish the installers would let me decide if I want all that bloat or not.

There's a lot going on in Cubase, and the GUI allows a lot. However, there's usually a pretty good reason for everything that is on display.

It's not about what's displayed, it's about how it's displayed, which just makes it look cluttered all the time. (See my response above.)

[EnGee]

I'd say the same of Studio One Prime, whereas I'd say that Cubase (and Studio One Pro) are bloated with effects and instruments I don't need and will never use. I wish the installers would let me decide if I want all that bloat or not.

You can choose! See the screenshot.

Screenshot 2022-08-05 202321.jpg

By the way, is your band mate still using Cubase? or he switched to S1? If he still uses Cubase, what his opinion about it?

I personally have the two now, but I've decided to use Cubase because I have already several songs started there. Anyway, S1 will be my backup, but that might change depending on future versions and future development in general and of course how stable they are.

Cubase 12 still is still using VST2 but if Cubase 13 would use only VST3 (mostly!), I think v12 would be my last Cubase. From the other hand, I'm waiting to see how Fender affects S1 development and how S1 development team is willing to put fixing the bugs as their first priority.

Anyway, both have the same workflow for me. S1 is better in handling windows and space. Also, its design is modern and more comfortable to use, but Cubase is the most that I spent time with during the years. I don't use half the features at best, so I have my workflow there. Both have very similar shortcuts, so that a big plus in the workflow

[BONES]

He's still using Cubase but I think he's on 10.5 or 11. My license is for 10.0 but I don't even have it installed on my new computer. The installer only stops it from installing a few instruments, you still get a gazillion effects you'll never use clogging up your effects list. I haven't installed any of the content for Studio One on my new machine, either, it's just the minimum possible install.

[chk071]

I'd say the same of Studio One Prime, whereas I'd say that Cubase (and Studio One Pro) are bloated with effects and instruments I don't need and will never use. I wish the installers would let me decide if I want all that bloat or not.

You can choose! See the screenshot.

Yeah, I really appreciate that they separated base application and content. Before Cubase 12 (or 11?), I think you couldn't do that.

[EnGee]

He's still using Cubase but I think he's on 10.5 or 11. My license is for 10.0 but I don't even have it installed on my new computer. The installer only stops it from installing a few instruments, you still get a gazillion effects you'll never use clogging up your effects list. I haven't installed any of the content for Studio One on my new machine, either, it's just the minimum possible install.

I see. You could choose what instruments to install in Cubase but not the effects and other tools. Yes, they are a lot. I just use few of them (I tend to use the DAW's effects mostly, but just few main ones).

If you get Cubase Elements version, is that would make the cooperation easier between you and your band mate?

Yeah, I really appreciate that they separated base application and content. Before Cubase 12 (or 11?), I think you couldn't do that.

Yes it is much better now! I don't remember how it was version 10, but I think they started with v11 to separate the contents.

[BONES]

I hardly use any effects at all, they are mostly surplus to my needs and, realistically, It's rare that something I need isn't in the Recent list. But when I do have to go diving for them, it's a PITA, especially with al the KHs effects I've got for PhasePlant.