Beating a Dead Horse

We need to unpack Steinberg’s Audio Engine
This is not a rant. Relax!

Back when I switched from Cubase 6 to Logic, I noticed they sounded different. Developing SKYFALL has confirmed a lot. I assume Halion, Cubase, Groove Agent, etc., all use the same core audio subsystem.

If you stack 15 VSTs on one channel and mix everything to sonically form a single super instrument- this is where Logic/Apple starts to crack. The bounces are sonically different! For two years, I thought it was because I was pegging +14dB on my sounds, but it’s not. It’s the audio engine.

I’m not wasting time on bouncing and comparison nonsense, but Cubase does sound better than Logic. Halion sounds better than Battery. Halion sounds better than UVI Falcon when pushing synthesis to the extreme. We’re close to finishing and will post examples.

It gets deeper. Bounce a HyperSynth-level channel out of Cubase and play it in QuickTime—it sounds as it should. Play that same file in Apple’s Music App, and now it sounds like it was bounced in Logic—worse!

You make more money than anyone in the music game, but your stuff sounds bad? Yikes.

I still like Logic’s workflow—it’s just easier for how I work. Cubase feels like a full time job with no benefits…But giving up 20% of my sound quality off the top… for nothing?

Cubase manual.

Was this text intended for the Logic user forum?

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No, just someone with the ability to easily uncover audio engine quality.

I think the perception is that I am “anti Steinberg”. I am not. I do wish the bar was raised quite a bit (especially on the Mac)…
Simply one professional tipping the hat to other professionals. It’s just shocking to me that Cubase does indeed sound better.
If you do high precision work (like orchestras, etc)…which Zimmer is the king…there is a difference. Just putting it out there.

To be honest, I’m not sure that anyone is bothered one way or the other.

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I am forever grateful for your insight KT66. You have truly opened my eyes-and changed my life.

I’m not wasting time on bouncing and comparison nonsense

Fine
Then you have no argument just your opinions

Even If they sound different, it proves little other then personal opinion
The question of which one is acurate is never answered by such personal opinions

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You should, IMO. The first thing I would do is to import the bounced files in two different tracks, flip the phase of one of them and see the result, after doing an export audio mixdown. Any hearable difference ?

Sorry to say it, but @KT66 is right on this one…

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