In addition to “Save all mixer settings” I would love to see a way we could save presets of a complete mix (levels, EQ, inserts & sends) the way we can save presets for inserts or EQ’s.
Or as an even better alternative, A/B (or even C/D) comparison for a complete mix, so one can quickly switch different mixes.
I often want to listen to different mixes of a track, but loading and saving .vmx files makes it unnecessary time-consuming.
Or am I missing something here?
Yes I certainly would like A/B things like this. But, I can’t see how it might be done because a complete swap of the mixer would be near impossible due to the automation - and I’d often be automating the fader volume (riding vocals for example) not just the insert FX.
You could emulate this by duplicating each track and then routing them through two groups… Quite a complex task though. Maybe a Project Logical preset could do this 
I think being able to undo any change to the project including FX tweaks and mixer tweaks would be good enough for me.
Mike.
Mike, you’re totally right. This can cause conflicts indeed. I don’t use automation a lot so I did not thought of that 
Well I guess that’s back to .vmx’s for me then
Hey don’t worry, out of odd suggestions other things can come along… And A/B’ing is something can’t be done easily in hardware but I’d like to see it given more consideration in software because it’s easily possible.
For example, ProTools has a Compare button on the FX window. You can make a change to the FX and then compare the new setting with the old. It’s really useful !!
One thing I do very frequently is turn FXs on and off to see what effect they’re having. This unfortunately isn’t a smooth transition in Cubase (please Steinberg, can the bypass and activate buttons both be made completely glitchless?) but it works usually.
Another thing I do is add in a simple volume FX so I can say boost the lead vox by 2dB without effecting any automation, then I can switch this in and out to audition which I prefer.
Maybe some way of ganging up these controls would give you a simple mix comparison button?
Mike.
A/B?
I prefer 8 (or maybe 4?) snapshot comparison buttons - like Samplitude.
Yeah, I’d agree, more than two. And, also I’d like a toggle button to switch between them so that I can close my eyes and click merrily until I find the one I prefer - i.e. a blind type test 
Mike.
Aloha
EXCELLENT!
+!
{‘-’}
Of course unloading and re-loading the complete mixer takes some time.
As a workaround why not save two or more versions using Ctrl, Alt, Shift and have them loaded into cubase as several projects then swap project window and activate.
You could always buy two versions of Cb, run two DAWs, then you could audition two different mixes using mutes/solos on a hardware mixer 
Seriously, I’ve been known to comp two different mixes to get the best of both, so A/B’ing a mix can be useful. In my case the mixes would have been separate exports made at different times from different projects, same song of course. When I’m mixing a song I always save with version numbers (and keep all my saves) and also when I export a mix I include the project version number/date/time in the export wav filename. I import the mix as a new track too, so I can actually A/B the history of mixes in a project because they’ve all been imported. Also I can then go back to the project which created the export because I know the project version number. This gives me A/B’ing and recall, best we can do I reckon.
Mike.
Similar to GargoyleStudio, I think.
For each project I have a Compare project that contains stereo mixdowns of each version I have made. It’s a Saved As version of the working project in which you delete all the Pool and all tracks except Markers, Tempo, etc.
You will need to add a Protection Limiter to your Out (the Cubase Limiter has a preset for this) and set your prefs to Solo Selected Track (I have this on a Key Command).
Now you can flip between mixes using the Cursor Keys with no glitch at all and eyes wide shut, and everything stays perfectly in time. If you’ve kept your Markers, you can loop the same sections as in your project.
Obviously, this will also work for partial mixes.
It’s not quite the internal solution you’re looking for but it works well enough for me. In fact the gap between exporting and adding the new bits to Compare gives my ears a chance to reset.
An A/B in the fx panels would be a welcome addition.
Working with several versions of the track is a solution I use now. The only problem is it takes a lot of time loading project with loads of VSTi’s in it.
So indeed I often make several mixdowns of a mix, compare them later and revers to the most suitable mix. A comparison button(s) would made the process a little easier though. Especially when fine tuning a mix where one makes very small changes. I often find the need to quickly compare the choices one make in the process. At this time my only workaround for these small changes is writing down or memorizing the values before I make a change or saving the .vmx files when there are a lot of small changes involved.
Another suitable alternative would be if we can save the complete mixers settings as a preset. That way you have unlimited comparison buttons