At the moment Im trying to educate myself into keeping my 8.5 in 64 bit mode. As announced the 32 bit option will no longer be available in future updates. Already I’m finding this as total inconvenience. For instance if I try to open a song in 64bit mode some of my 3rd party VST’s simply don’t work and if I have multiples of HalionONE in a song it simply wont open. I then I have to go back to 32bit reload with Halion2 and and then go back to 64bit to open some newer VTS’s that wont open in 32bit-yes it gets very confusing doesnt it! I know about JBridgeM and in some cases its been a help-I just think it would be better to keep the 32/64 option.
Hi,
HALion One is not supported for many years already. If you want to use modern software (DAW), you should also update your plug-ins.
It’s the same as you cannot run very old Windows 98 applications on the current Windows 10 system.
The solution is simple!. Keep 8.5 32 and work on existing projects in it. New projects are started in C9 64 (or 8 if you want to start the new habit now) with the available 64 bit plugs.
John:
I know you are on a Mac, so this is my advice regarding HALion One:
Even using something like JBridge (or the less finicky Sound Radix 32 Lives beta 2), I don’t think your HALion One presets are going to translate to something H1 will be able to “see” once the plugin has been wrapped as a 64bit device. So, in the case of the next version of Cubase, I’m guessing you’re going to be SOL using that plugin.
However, I too would also suggest keeping your older C8.5 resident and look for 64bit substitutions to use in the newer 64bit-only C9. Many of the HALion One presets were converted into the HALionSonic SE libraries…so you may be able to resurrect a good deal of the old HALion One stuff in HSSE.
A 64 bit only version of Cubase was inevitable…but as mentioned, there are solutions to get most, if not all, of your old 32bit plugs to work in a 64bit DAW.
I kindly must disagree. If 64-bit only will give Cubase a lift in its performance and efficiency that it badly needs then I say it’s time to move forward without a single doubt. I’ve been 64-bit only for a few years now and will never go back – there have been a couple of VSTs that I used to miss but have since found 64-bit replacements.
At some point we all need to let go of the past and move forward in these ways, or time will march on leaving us in the dust. I mean that in the nicest way possible, I’m not trying to be a jerk, promise!
Totally agree with you.
Should have been done years ago IMHO
I went 64Bit when Windows 7 was released.
sure it hurt to say goodbye to a few nice plugins, but I learned to archive projects properly, rendering VSTi’s to audio files and exporting midi for later use.
Myself I also did the switch many many years ago. So now, I’m out of it already.
Me too, many years ago.
And it’s about time they don’t waste anymore resources on the 32-bit stuff IMO.
I reluctantly gave up the last my 32 bit plugins (TC Electronic Reverbs). It was like ripping off a bandage, it stung, but now I don’t have a sore in that spot anymore. 
“… reluctantly gave up the last my 32 bit plugins (TC Electronic Reverbs). It was like ripping off a bandage…”
I get this , Steve. I’ve pretty much done the same over the last two years…but there were a couple of things I just did not want to give up…simply because they are quite unique and there is no chance they will ever be upgraded for various reasons.
Keep in mind I’m on the Mac platform. At first, I tried JBridge. But I found it to be…um…invasive. Recently, Sound Radix put out a VST/AU version of 32 Lives (this is a Mac-only app). This thing rocks. I’ve been testing it with Logic Pro X (which is 64bit only) and Studio One 2 running 64 bit with the old VST 32 bit plugs.
Not only do the old plugs run in the 64 bit environment, but they use waaay less CPU than they did in Cubase’s bit bridge. They don’t crash and their GUIs appear full size. It borders on miraculous.
The way I look at it is: the money I paid for it was far less that I would have had to pay for 64 bit upgrades…had they existed. Opening up an old tune is no longer a nightmare. You don’t have to give up anything on either platform if you’re willing to use 3rd party bit bridges. Yes, 64 bit is here to stay, and I’m all for it…but there are solutions if you need to run a 32 bit plug that can’t be substituted.
Just sayin’.
I’ve heard others say good things about 32 Lives. That’s great. Are you using it in Cubase? (you don’t mention)
“Are you using it in Cubase? (you don’t mention)”
I tried with C8.5, but Steiny’s bit bridge appears to override it. So I tested the new beta 2.0 version with 32 bit VSTs in Studio One, which lets 32 Lives supersede Presonus’s bit bridge. I initially got it to deal with some 32bit AUs in Logic Pro X, expecting to eventually use it with C9 when it’s released.
What I’m seeing in S1’s detailed CPU monitor tells me that 32 Lives is running the 32 bit VST plugs far more efficiently than under its own bit bridge. I am assuming I will see similar results in C9. When C9 comes out, I will post back into this thread with a report on how it does in the new environment.
Yes, I think you’re right. I’ll watch this thread.
… no developers are too late. All consumer Os-es are available in 64 bit since 2000. I’m running 64 bit since Snow Leopard and the only plugin that was running in 32bit mode was Sylenth1. So it’s not a question of Steinberg being too fast. If Steinberg doesn’t take steps like VST 3 only support (witch has tremendous potential over VST2), and 64 bit only, plugin developers are forced to make steps too! Steps that will kill legacy plugins that gives instability to your system. But nobody is forcing you to use Cubase 9. If your happy with 8.5 or older versions that’s fine with me 
I can’t wait for December
Yeah I really wish developers had embraced 64bit sooner. Steinberg has been good about it but there are two discontinued 32bit plugins that I will miss (camel audio alchemy and native instruments B4). If plugin developers didn’t wait till 2012+ to finally go fully 64bit then I’d probably still have working versions of a lot of old plugins that are still useful.
I know we all have much “better” and more expensive alternatives to old plugins but I hate the idea of them being obsolete, and the only real alternative is depending on buggy 3rd party VST bridges (as opposed to buggy first party VST bridges… ) that don’t get update as often as they should and don’t tend to be stable enough for heavy workloads.
There are unique musical instruments and tools in the world but VSTi’s & VST plug-ins are not related to this category. IMHO.
Totally agree with you Kotsamanidis but as a foot note Im really looking forward to Cubase 9!
Sound Radix released the official V2.0 of 32 Lives this afternoon and I installed it. It would appear that C8.5 does indeed see and use the 32 Lives 32 to 64bit converted plug-ins.
Easy to tell because the 32bit versions open in their full GUI along with Steinberg’s Menubar atop. They all work perfectly with, oddly enough, the exception of the old HALion One. It does load, but it can’t see its library (which happened when I ran it in StudioOne a few days ago). I’m reporting this as a courtesy to Mr. Springate, who initially mentioned this in his original post. Opening the Plug-In Manager reveals the untouched H1 and the x64 wrapped H1. Launching the untouched H1 in C8.5 works as expected within Steinberg’s bitbridge…so I guess the only solution for John is to match older projects up with newer HSSE presets (or some other 64bit plugin), or render the old stuff out when he gets around to C9.
I have run into this problem before and came up with an interesting solution. I bought Apple’s Main Stage which happens to be equipped with the now Apple-owned Redmatica auto sampler. Using Plogue’s Bidule, I can open a VST plugin in the Mainstage environment and sample the synth out so it loads and runs beautifully in HALion 5. It really saved my butt a number of times in certain “had to have it” situations.
Just sayin’ John…there are solutions…as long as you throw money at it.
Agreed. But who could afford the real life versions of all the plugins we own? There are many unique musicians in the world and they are not related to me either. 
All I do know is that the tools I have at my disposal sure beat the crap out of my old Tascam 144/244. The last 32 bit plugin I gave up when I compared the sound to a 64 bit alternative.
It was not an easy process converting to 64 bit then.The main issue was that the presets do not transfer. I have found this to be a problem with VST3 plugs as well. I wish the developers would create new 64 bit versions that overwrite the 32 bit versions so you could keep as near the same setting as possible.
There is some great stuff out there and if I compare the quality of my recordings now to those of 30 years ago - well there is no comparison. It might have been different if I owned state of the art analogue gear then, as well as a sizable bank account.