Hi guys, new to the forum. I have a pc running Windows 7 64 bit. I have Cubase 5.5.2 on it, also 64 bit.
I have just got Wavelab Elements 7, and in trying to load it I cannot see a 64 bit option. It appears to want me to put the .dll into the Program Files (x86) path, so that would lead me to think it is 32 bit.
Am I missing something in the install, or is Wavelab Elelments 7 only 32 bit?
All Wavelab versions - regardless of “level”…elements, pro etc - are all 32bit apps. There is no 64bit version available…nor do I believe we really need one.
VP
Well, as long as it’s capable of passing 64 bit data-words from stage to stage in plugs I’m in agreement. One of the main benefits of my other daw is that while the application runs in “32 bit mode” it runs a 64 bit calculation engine and some select plugs are able to exchange that data… the same plugs in daws that chop back to 24 (PT) or 32 bits (Peak) just don’t sound as good with the same settings, over many iterations they measurably lose fidelity.
Thanks. I do wonder though, why do Steinberg produce a 64 bit Cubase, but not a 64 bit Wavelab?
Let’s not confuse a compiling and running Wavelab as a native 64bit executable vs. 24/32/64bit word data etc. They are not the same thing and have nothing to do with each other.
VP
A 64bit Nuendo/Cubase allows one to use very large sample libraries and memory hungry VSTis among other things - none of which would ever be used in an audio editor.
I can’t see how anyone could need/use gobs of RAM editing audio files or building CD’s or the other hundred cool things WL does…it’'s simply not a memory intensive environment.
VP
Sadly my main audio card’s 64-bit driver only does 64-bit ASIO, not 32-bit. And what about 64-bit VSTs?
Paul
Hmm…I don’t understand. I am not aware of there being anything specific to “64 Bit” ASIO. The driver however must be designed specifically for a 64 bit OS or it cannot be used.
The ASIO protocal has nothing to do with this…either it puts out audio or it doesn’t…the OS /driver will take of everything of this - whether you are running a 64bit app or a 32bitapp…shouldn’t matter.
I know my RME HDSPe is running a fully compliant 64 bit driver - but that hasn’t stopped me from running every audio app (64 or 32 bit) that I want.
What are you seeing that makes you think your card is only doing 64bit ASIO?
VP
Thanks for the clarification, VP. As you may expect I did indeed upgrade my pc to 64 bit for RAM reasons - I use RAM hungry VSTi’s such as East West, Omnisphere and SD2. I guess such RAM capacity is not needed for Wavelab, so that seems fair enough.
I run Cubase 64-bit and WaveLab 7 on Windows 7 64-bit, with an RME 64-bit (only) driver and use ASIO without any problems. 32-bit applications run fine on 64-bit Windows as long as you have 64-bit drivers for all your hardware. I’ve run WaveLab (albeit version 6) in as little as 512MB RAM without any problem, so I don’t think 64-bit technology has anything to offer as far as WaveLab is concerned at this point, and moreover, if there were a 64-bit version of WaveLab 7, I don’t think anyone would be able to tell the difference subjectively between 32- and 64-bit.
As usual the confusion here is the use of the term “64-bit” in relation to both CPU architecture and audio resolution.
Referring to CPU architecture, 64-bit is almost always a good thing as it allows the use of practically unlimited RAM, and even assists 32-bit applications running under a 64-bit OS; so for example, Cubase users who use large sample libraries which need to loaded into RAM will certainly benefit from the use of both a 64-bit OS and the 64-bit version of the application. Even the 32-bit version of Cubase can benefit from being run in a 64-bit OS, something which many of us are doing (usually in cases where there’s no 64-bit version of a favourite VST plugin, and the VSTBridge doesn’t work).
In the case of audio resolution, when audio is passed between VST plugins, it is done only after each sample is converted to what’s called a “floating point” number – think of this as mapping e.g. a 16-bit (integer) sample as it might exist in an audio file to a value between 0 and 1, but with all possible values between 0 and 1 available, thus giving infinitely more resolution during processing. Only when the result is converted back to integer samples (e.g. 16-bit, 24-bit) for playback via an audio interface or for burning to disk is the resolution decreased.
So, in summary, as far as audio processing is concerned, it does not matter whether WaveLab 7 as an application is compliled for 32-bit or 64-bit CPU architecture, the audio processing would be identical because this happens in the floating-point domain.
Er, the fact that it is? The manufacturers told me nine months ago that ASIO for 32-bit programs in 64-bit systems was on their list to do “sometime”. “Sometime” hasn’t come yet. It works fine with 64-bit Reaper, but doesn’t appear in the list of interfaces in any 32-bit program. This is a CardDeluxe, BTW.
Paul
Maybe time to look at a different vendor. I can select my RME in any app - 32bit or 64bit at any time.
I think we’re ssaying the same thing here VP. 
As long as WL can pass 64 bit words between plugs that support that, I’m golden. Is that the case? I suppose I’ve violated Ludwig’s Dictum by assuming this is the case based on anecdotal reports on an earlier version (WL6).
I’m pretty vague about VST in general and VST3 in particular, as a mac guy with a PT background. My world is AU (allows 32 or 64 bit words between stages), TDM (24 bit words) and RTAS (32 bits). So any clarity would be appreciated (not on specific plugs but the WL7 host).
Thanks, VP!
Actually - no we are not. You are still talkin’ “resolution/processing” realm (word length) while the OP is simply asking why we do not have a 64bit native (EXE) version of WL. Again - the two topics have zero to do with each other.
VP
Huh?
I made the same distinction in the first post here. I AGREED with you that it was irrelevant, as I noted what mattered. I fully understood that distinction from the outset and to make sure it wasn’t confused, repeated my agreement with specificity in my reply to you above.
And with that distinction accepted and repeated I asked a separate question, apart from the OPs concern, which remains unanswered. I’m confused about where you see the conflict as we both agree these are different topics (I even noted specific 32 bit apps that work with 64 bit words to highlight!), and seem to agree on which aspect matters (as long as it passes 64 bit words, the executable apps compilation format is irrelevant to sound quality). Are you saying that the executable format DOES matter or somehow affects data format? If so we definitely disagree, and I can demonstrate my position. But again, I see no disagreement.
I guess I’m puzzled that I’ve said the same thing thrice, asked a valid question twice, and the response seems to be a non-sequitor (to my admitted non-sequitor!).
And that’s cool…but can we respect the OP’s inquiry and refrain from taking this in another direction? The OP doesn’t care about word length and so on…maybe fire your Q into a new thread and we can rock that one instead…
VP
Hope you don’t mind, Wally, if I post on behalf of you without your permission.
Have you been on MySteinberg account and completed the forum page (you have to check something at the bottom of the page!)
Again I received a PM by Wally, he needs help to post because there’s something wrong with his account:
Wally wrote:
…“WaveLab 7 offers state-of-the-art 24-bit / 384 kHz resolution and 64-bit floating-point precision”
THAT’S ALL FOLKS !
Glad to help, but we have to fix this account/forum problem, Wally!
Please PM Chris Beuermann, he sure can help you better than I can