Cubase 5 Audio vs the change from 6.5 and on

I have been Cubase user since 1992.

Since Cubase started doing audio I have constantly monitored the sound quality of the audio engine.
VST 25 and 32, had a very decent, FAT quality to the sound.

When Cubase was re-written from the Cubase VST 32 format and moved over to the Yamaha family the audio quality changed. It began to sound flat and sterile. I was used to the sound of analogue tape, so the new “sound” made me very disappointed. I gave up on Cubase for a while, switching to DP for the “fat” sound–and it did sound fatter.

I kept buying updates to Cubase, and low and behold…CUBASE 5 sounded FAT again. Kept buying updates, and from Cubase 6 to Cubase 6.5 the audio quality again changed, but it changed back to more like how it sounded in versions prior to 5.

I keep buying updates (on 8 [pro]) now, and am waiting for the audio quality to come back. It really does sound different. I have a project going right now and for kicks I’m having the guys record in DP, then turn in Cubase. I have to work harder to make the Cubase tracks sound FAT.

C’mon—what happened? Cubase 5 had it going and I’m still waiting on the newer versions to come back to that sound that was offered in VST 24, VST 32 and Cubase 5.

I’m not nuts, and I’ve been studying this for years----

Rant over, now I will continue wishing.

create a new project in 5, create several tracks of a nice “fat” kick and leaving all the sliders at 0 mixdown. Do the same in CB8 and then null compare the files - if you don’t know how to do that post the files here for others’ to compare.

PS to reiterate - no effects, no compressors, no EQ - nothing - just plain mixed down audio.

Do you know how many times I have done this over the years?

It really is different.

I am a bit of a hi fi nut. One thing that I have learned is that improvements in sound quality do not always go the way you expect. Certainly the higher quality the sound, the more top end, more focussed mid and a more analytical bass. In other words, not fat. Fat is something that I associate with a less analytical reproduction. To get fat you need to degrade the sound a bit - a la Quadrafuzz or eq.

It is like monitors - the higher the quality the more detailed they become. There appears to be less bass because there is a lot more of everything else.

hi sampolfonz thank you for sharing your experience!
I noticed myself some differences of sound quality between the different versions, I see that you have Studio One 2, as the sound quality you like more than Cubase?

Dou you want to tell me that cubase is still the best in all cubase new versions?