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who's happy with their recording software?

furiousBall	Date: July 12, 2006 @ 11:31 PM I've been using Sonar 5 for several months now, and I'm frankly really tired of having to upgrade my computer to compensate for how memory intensive this application is. I'm a realist, and know any recording software app is going to be on the heavy side, but are Cubase, Protools, ACID etc any better? Anyone have any benchmarking on them? I was using Sonar 4 before and it was fine. Sonar 5 has been horrible, I'm getting dropouts with projects over 5 tracks...it's killing me!
imemine	Date: July 12, 2006 @ 11:57 PM Yep----Still use Sonar 2.2---I own 5 and hardly ever use it! What a waste of money if you asked me! But I'm an idiot too and hate learning curves!
jewsus	Date: July 13, 2006 @ 12:40 AM i use adobe audition and i've never had any problems. i don't think i'd ever use anything else to be honest.
tsand19151	Date: July 13, 2006 @ 2:32 AM Logic and Reason on a Mac...
tsand19151	Date: July 13, 2006 @ 2:32 AM .....oh, very Happy.....
victorsskull	Date: July 13, 2006 @ 2:34 AM eh cake walk realy fills up the hard drive fast
DigitalEntropy	Date: July 13, 2006 @ 10:23 AM yea i noticed that about cake walk. im using acid right now because i dont have much time for anything else. it seems to crash on me a lot though i have cubase too and im slowing moving to that
hate9wicket	Date: July 13, 2006 @ 11:14 AM I want Logic Express, but first I have to address performance issues, I need a faster external drive to run it on... I get dropouts using GB, but I tend to overindulge in effects and multiple loop tracks..so inevitably while doing a vocal track it all screeches to a halt. One way I suppose to rectify my predicament would be to mix the loops and import them into a new project.
GeneHilbert	Date: July 13, 2006 @ 5:08 PM Turn off the effects while recording....... or insert the effects to an output buss and assign only those tracks with those effects to the output buss. You'll have the same effect on all tracks however you are saving on CPU horsepower. Then during mix-down reassign the tracks outputs and turn on the original effect settings. It is a little labor intensive - but a doable work around for slower machines.
Veracohr	Date: July 13, 2006 @ 8:11 PM I'm happy with my Digital Performer, but not necessarily with some of the plug-ins that come with it. Hopefully soon I will upgrade to the latest version and leave OS9 in the dust, but I do wonder how much of a hit it will put on my computer, even with the new processor I just put in it.
LiQuidMetamo...	Date: July 13, 2006 @ 10:57 PM Sonar 5 and Logic Pro7 need really powerful computers to function properly, audio dropouts have been noted as a problem in several pro audio forums. All the newest releases need more, Cubase SX3 is quite a bit more resource intensive than SX2 but works well for my needs. Also - things such as failing power supply units, fans or dust buildup can affect performance - I recently saw a huge drop off in what I could do with SX3 on my laptop and discovered my AC adapter was faulty and not delivering full power, although it wasn't immediately noticeable until I ran a benchmark program and saw a 45% drop in performance. Replaced AC adapter and voila - back to full power... And there are work arounds, virtual instruments and fx can be very CPU intensive so like Gene suggested there are things you can do to conserve CPU.
EmpireDay3	Date: July 14, 2006 @ 11:48 PM Once I got my Logic working perfectly on my pentium 3 1ghz setup using the asio drivers for my MOTU interfaces, I haven't upgraded since version 4.8. If it ain't broke... I can get 40+ tracks each with some sort of insert effect on them before I start to have problems. That in sync with my 24 tracks of adat has always been more than enough.
LiQuidMetamo...	Date: July 15, 2006 @ 2:10 AM Logic 4.8 needs fewer resources than version 7, like sonar 4 uses less than sonar 5 and cubase sx2 less than sx3 - with the newer releases, they have more features (most of them redundant for most people) that take more CPU or they figure that everyone is running faster PCs than 18 months ago when the last release was out, so they don't care much about wasting resources... See, my P4 3.2 Ghz laptop can barely run 40 tracks with SX3 unless I direct process some effects to track, freeze vstis and midi tracks and bus some tracks to group (which I don't like to do) - I have 1 2 minute project with 53 tracks of 24/44.1 and inserts and sends etc (but no convolution reverbs etc). This is from the internal drive, I plan on getting a n external drive to stream audio seperate from the o/s for better results and file storage! However, it has to be said that for most intents and purposes, I use less than 30 tracks anyway, so it's not a problem.
freddemillio	Date: July 16, 2006 @ 8:43 AM I find that Cubase SX3 gets flakey faster at lower latency settings than Cubase VST did, but as mentioned by others, this is undoubtedly to be expected due to the extra load coming from the extra features (that you might or might not need). There is another issue which is cause for a never ending debate and that is THE DONGLE. Basically, dongles suck in that they take something which can not physically break (software, assuming it is backed-up) and make it physical, breakable and capable of being lost or stolen. As you can see I am rather ambivalent towards the dreaded Steinberg dongle. For this reason I will always keep Cubase VST, Computer Muzys and Kristal on my harddisk just in case that stupid dongle decides to take a vacation. Wavelab 5 seems to be pretty frugal on CPU and other hardware resources. In fact, what I often do is take care of MIDI programming and recording in Cubase SX3 and then render everything down to audio tracks which I edit, mix and master in Wavelab 5. Wavelab 6 is now available BUT it is dongled and I figure that it is better to stay with a dongle-less Wavelab 5. The small improvements in 6 are not worth the physical, moral and psychological damage inflicted by the dongle ( , but only 50% ).
LiQuidMetamo...	Date: July 16, 2006 @ 9:32 AM Agreed - but Logic, PT, Samplitude and Cubase all have dongles. Steinberg will transfer licenses to a new $30 USB key (dongle) if it breaks but will not transfer lost/stolen. Challenge and Response employed by other software is also a pain in the butt, it links specifically to one PC and hardware and if you have a crash or change hardware it's a ballache. Native Instruments use this method all the time. Having said this, dongles do allow me to run the same program on a desktop and laptop computer by just switching the dongle and I wouldn't go out and buy Sonar etc just because it doesn't have one. Wavelab 5 rocks btw. If you already have a dongle for Cubase SX, Wavelab 6 runs off the same dongle - cool but then you have 2 programs linked to that little piece of plastic that you better pray doesn't break or worse gets stolen - Steinbergs attitude is - the dongle stays and take out extra home insurance...
freddemillio	Date: July 16, 2006 @ 12:02 PM Hi LQM, I know steiny's opinion on the dongle quite well ( you and I are both on the Steinberg Cubase forums )and I understand that they have a right to protect their investment in the development of their software. As you mention, there is even an advantage for the dongle ( eg, the ease of switching hardware ). Still, psychologically, the idea that a stupid piece of plastic and a crummy flash memory chip is worth several hundred to several thousand EURs or GBPs is unappetizing. Btw, did you upgrade from WL5 to WL6? If you did, any big advantages?
LiQuidMetamo...	Date: July 16, 2006 @ 6:31 PM Actually fred, I personally use Soundforge 8 as I got it for cheap through my employer (yeah, it's good but once you've used Wavelab it's like going from a luxury car fully loaded to a little 2 seater with wind up windows and no CD player), it get but my best bud has Wavelab 5 which I used to take all my mixes to etc and I've used it extensively. He did not upgrade to 6 yet because he agrees with you that the minor changes/features don't warrant it - he may update to 7 and if get spare cash I might just get Wavelab 6 as i can get about 40% off the retail price through my employer.
Vickxxx	Date: July 18, 2006 @ 3:10 PM Digital Performer and reason running thru a dual processor Mac. Works great. No hangups at all.

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