Protools LE vs. Cubase SX plz help!

[Ralph khoury]

i am already familiar with cubase SX. and i wont have a problem learning protools. but since i am about to buy an audio capture device (digi002 or edirol UA-1000) i would like to know which is better in ur opinion, i really cant choose!

[Soup Kitchen Studios]

You say you are familar with cubase, but do you like cubase? Does it work well with your work habits? Try the other stuff out and then buy the one that works best for you and your thought process. Sonically, the platform you use doesn't really have an impact.

[Ralph khoury]

actually i use Cubase on a regular basis and i like it, i also recorded on the Protools LE, but a sound engineer was handling the software. and i liked protools too, although i didnt dig deep in it.
i just want to know if any of these softwares is better than the other.

[track7]

it really all depends on how much money you have to spend, sounds silly but it really makes a difference.

YES pro-tools is far superior in the long run, as it is the industry standard and if you start to do projects involving others or recording people coming in with stuff already (which will most likely be in protools format) then its compatable.

But the single biggest factor that makes it the winner ( but even this these days is not too big a deal) is the fact that the hardware and software mash so well, no bugs no compatability issues. Pare this with a G4+ mac system and you can almost gaurantee that every time you turn it on its gona work.

BUT you pay for the privilage. Even the protools digi02 and Le you're talking about wil set you back (depending where you live) a few grand. Thats without even factoring the computer into it. If you do go mac then its a huge price.

Then there's value for money pro-tools is great but you dont get a whole bunch with it especially the LE software, and as software its got far less features and flexibility than cubase sx. To maxamize the reliability some of the pro-tools plugins can only be applied off-line, where as all cubase vst plugs can be realtime or ofline.

To be honest with the advent of winXP and cubaseSX you're best off going with a Pc Cubase SX system and get a nice audio interface. Its far far cheaper than pro-tools/mac and its also more powerful without having to spend additional dosh to get more features/plugs.

However if money isnt an option and you're gonna be doing pro stuff, or you're concerned with the potential hassles of compatability/reliabilty of a win/sx machine then go for protools.

hope htis heklps.

dave

[Soup Kitchen Studios]

An LE system is no more stable than any other program. The TDM systems are stable because they don't rely on the hardware inside your computer. They're also the price of a very nice SUV.

On the Mac side, PT has the least amount of plug-in options (as far as platforms), minimal midi support, and a track limitation.

So as I said before, find the one that works with you. Do you do a lot of midi stuff? Are there particular VI that you want to run? How many tracks do you want to be able to playback? I mean this is all stuff that you can find just by going to the manufactuers website. There is no sonic difference, it's just finding the program that fits you and the way you work.

I personally loathe cubase! I would use some TDM hardware if someone through it in my lap, but even then I would use DP as a frontend, because it's the program that gives me all the features I need in a format that I don't notice while I'm working.

Only you will be able to tell if some software is better than the other, it's like asking which is better, a mesa or a vht, fender or gibson, ibanez or jackson, ect.

[JESTER700]

Yeah - it's really down to personal choice. For me, I prefer tools that originated as multitrack audio. In my experience, they feel more intuitive (Cool Edit/Audition, Vegas, Samplitude (well, OK, THAT one isn't intuitive...) ;-)

But others have been coming in from the sequencing world that have a LOT of converts - Nuendo, Sonar, etc.

I'm not a big PT fan because LE didn't impress me and as said, the proprietary systems are pricey. If you have the cash, though...

If you are familiar with Cubase and like it and are staying in the generic PC gear world, I'd stick with what you know.

[Ralph khoury]

Thx a lot for ur attention Track7 , SKM and JESTER700.
I've been working with cubase and i am building a good collection of VSTs and VSTis.
money is a problem in fact, i could buy the DIGI002, but i think that i wont be able to afford the RTAS pluggins.
so plug in wise the VST platform is at my advantage.
and i guess that the PC platform has a larger support especially for low budget people.
if the two softwares are equal in quality, then i am sticking with SX and buying the Edirol UA-1000.
I just wana know if Protools LE is worth dropping the VST world for it.

btw do u know anything about the UA-1000? like the mic preamps quality, if its better than digi002?

[GuyCool]

There is a new RTAS/VST wrapper coming soon from fxpansion which would (in theory) make your VST stuff an option in PT. Don't have more info then that, but it'smentioned in March04 Computer Music.

Guy