I see allot of instrument plugins in the plugin manager with duplicate VST2 and VST 3 versions. All of my steinberg instruments are listed only as VST3’s but there are a number of other plugins populated with both VST2’s and VST3’s.
Does that cause any conflicts? Ever since upgrading to Cubase 13 the patches with duplicate VST plugins won’t play. Should the VST2’s be disabled using the enable/ disable button in the plugin manager?
Hi!
If you have VST2 and VST3 version of the same plug-in installed, Cubase is using the newer VST3 version only to give the user the newer/better option and to prepare the users to the future, when VST2 will not be sorted anymore.
But the VST2 plug-ins are still there for the compatibility with the older projects reasons.
This is rather ridiculous and forcing something that many customers do not want.
Many VST3 versions sound different or have odd behavior compared to the VST2 versions.
For one as a person who prefers vst2 I think Cubase 13 is probably the very last version of Cubase I will ever buy to be honest.
There are many libraries on Kontakt for example that behave better on the vst2 version. There are many soft synths that sound better on vst2 version.
I do not understand why Steinberg is forcing VST3 down our throats even though I have read numerous threads regarding this. They are losing users because of this all the while people have started developing CLAP and many developers and users support it.
Maybe it is time to rethink the policy?
I want both versions of vst2 and vst3 on my Cubase 13 for backwards compatibilty.
But why should Steinberg care? Right?
Because Steinberg is the developer of VST and they say it’s time to move on. Just like Microsoft will eventually say, Windows 11 is dead, time to move to 12 and beyond. And Apple will eventually force your Mac to update to a current OS (or will come with it and not be able to downgrade).
Steinberg announced the end of VST2 in like, 2008. Developers have had plenty of time to update and move forward. If they haven’t by now, that’s on them, it’s time for VST2 to go away once and for all.
If you need VST2 for whatever reason, then you keep a legacy system in place that never gets touched so you can work. No one is forcing you to update Cubase, and its not Steinberg’s fault developers aren’t updating their older products.
You sound like you have a fetish spending money you should not be spending I am afraid hehe
Progress for a reason is a good thing.
Changes for no reason is another story.
Backwards compatibilty in this segment of tech is of high importance. A DAW is not a lifestyle apple product…
Interesting.
I would contact NI as to why their libraries “behave” better with VST2. It’s up to the developer to write in accordance to the VST specifications. Not all do that completely from what I understand.
If you are referring to Kontakt7, I have experienced a lot of issues. The main one is the extreme loading times compared to prior Kontakt versions. And based on their continual updates, one just happens this week, I’m going back to Kontakt6. There are simply too many issues.
Would you be willing to list these soft synths sound “better” with VST2? While I use hardware synths quite a bit, I do use soft synths when necessary.
If you want VST2 running, just keep them installed. Cubase 13 can use both (VST3 and VST2). I don’t see compatibly issues here (and I have a lot of plugins, from Waves, Softube, Slate, SSL, PA, PSP audioware, Nugen Audio, UA, and so on).
If you are on Mac OS, Cubase will require VST3 for silicon native, but it is possible to run it under rosetta 2 to be able to see and use your VST2 plugins.
This is something you would have to bring up with the developers of those plugins as it has nothing to do with the VST framework.
What do you mean “for no reason”? VST3 offers plenty of advantages over its predecessor.
do you lot realise that not 1000 developers have to suffer for just one developer’s capriccio?
There is absolutely no need to remove vst2.
Also to the person that suggested that vst2 plugins run fine… if you are not fully proficient with the subject please refrain from posting on forums and spreading misinformation.
You did not even bother to read the posts above where it says that the new plugin manager chooses to present only the vst3 plug ins when both versions are installed.
I am still using many plugins that are 32bit (even on Cubase 11 Pro… well there is a famous trick) and many vst2 versions sound way better than the vst3 ones.
I am not gonna ask 100 developers anything when I can ask ONE!
If you prefer a vst2 version, can’t you just deactivate the VST3 version on the plugin manager? Maybe this is a solution (not ideal, but manageable ).
Another ideia is creating a new collection with just VST2 plugins that you want (keeping the VST3 versions out of it). Don’t know if this is going to work, but could be another middle ground solution.
that is so true, i too have many 3rd oarty kontakt libraries that only work and sound as desired in Kontakt 5 (VST2) and does not work properly in Kontakt 6 or 7
though the source of the problem is that the manufactures of those old libraries were not interested in updating these to run properly on current version of Kontakt 
So you understand how VST2 works conceptionally and what the differences to VST3 are? Because only if you understand that you can make such a claim.
That surely does not origin in any technical difference between VST2 and VST3. As somebody already pointed out it has been 16 years since VST3 was introduced.
However, if you like VST2 so much better you can either stay on a Cubase version that supports VST2 or change the DAW.
