Can Cubase 10.5 Elements support external VST plugins?

I have an outboard compressor, and I’d like to wire it into Cubase using it as an external VST plugin. Is that possible? Cubase Pro seems to have this feature but Elements may not. Anyone?

Hi and welcome,

This feature is Cubase Pro only. Please read the Cubase editions comparison chart.

Thanks, very helpful! Is there any way to use rack mounted outboard compression using Elements 10.5? Maybe not as a VST, but as physical send and returns?

Hi,

You can use the physical Out/In in any Cubase edition.

  1. In the Audio Connections > Outputs, add an Output Bus (name it FX Send, for example).
  2. In the Audio Connections > Inputs, add an Input Bus (name it FX Return, for example).
  3. Add a FX Channel and route all Audio tracks via Sends (with the proper Send level) to the FX Channel.
  4. Set the Output of the FX Channel to the FX Send channel.
  5. Add an Audio track. Set its Input to the FX Return and the output to the Stereo Out. Enable Monitor button, to make sure the signal is monitored thru the track.
    Done.

This is great and I’m almost there. I have it routed properly and it seems to be working, but only in the left side of the FX return. I’m sending a stereo signal out the FX send bus. The FX return bus is only receiving signal on the left side. Audio Connections window shows all buses are active and properly assigned. Any ideas?

Hi,

Are you sure with the cabling? Are all cables the same (all 3-pins or all 2-pins, if you are using jack cables)? Does the effect unit provide a stereo out?