I am prospective buyer of Nuendo and have a great difficulty discerning a real difference between Nuendo and Wavelab in terms of budgeting.
I would like to switch my production flow to the Steinberg production suite, if I may call it so, and would like to know the real difference between Nuendo and Wavelab. Namely, if I purchase the Nuendo will I need the Wavelab?
Now, forgive my ignorance, but the reason I am asking this is following:
Nuendo and Wavelab are simply not comparable. Nuendo and Cubase would be comparable. Although Wavelab can do multitrack it is designed as a stereo editor, cd burner and mastering editor and you would probably find it cumbersome, slow and limited as a music production tool. It would be like comparing a hammer to a screwdriver. They are both great tools but donāt do the same thing.
As Rickard mentioned, Nuendo and WaveLab basically are intended to be used in different environments.
While WaveLab is a music mastering, analysis and audio error correction application typically used for
audio (pre)mastering and refinement, Nuendo is a comprehensive post-production software used in
film/TV/ADR/game audio and professional music studio environments.
I recommend to check out the following short descriptions on both products:
For my own edification as a newbie, I realize the Nuendo interface resembles Cubase, but functionally, Cubase is a DAW/for production, while Nuendo (tho can be used as a DAW) and WaveLab at a high level, are both designated as post-production sound editing tools (correct?), so why wouldnāt those be comparable? Or is the ? why is Nuendo called a āpost-productionā tool when itās feasible to use it for production? Thx! Also wondering if it can be used for mastering.
Cubase is a music production software.
Nuendo is that as well (has all the features of Cubase) and also does post-production for film, TV, games etc. Post production (or just post) is a term that deals with those industries, specifically with what happens in the studio post-shooting, both with audio and visuals.
This means integration with film editing pipelines, video, dialogue recording and re-recording (for dubbing), Foley, multi-channel output (Atmos) etc.
These things are done by different people and studios than the ones who are doing the music. Itās a specialized field and it makes sense for the musician to have a āsimplerā and cheaper app like Cubase.
Wavelab does audio editing and mastering (the final step before your produced music is delivered).
Hereās a video that shows beginners how to work with WAVELAB.
This software is specialized in mastering and advanced audio editing. Youāre able to do a bit of mastering in CUBASE/NUENDO but only in a very limited way compared to WAVELAB.
Steinberg offers a special promo for WAVELAB right now.
( disclosure itās bene 3-4 versions since I used Wavelab so forgive any errors)
Wavelab doesnāt function like a ātape recorder / studioā like Cubase/Nuendo. Thereās no punch in/out , loop recording, compiling of takes etc. Thereās no mixing board window with sophisticated automation and editing. Audio routing isnāt implemented as it would be in a studio ( sends, inserts, groups etc). It doesnāt have a a video track ( unless itās been added ). It doesnāt record and edit midi which in turn means that virtual instruments ( drums synths etc ) arenāt a thing.
Wavelab canāt import audio edit data from video editors ( OMF, EDL, AAF ). And of course as stated tv/movie features like ADR, ATMOSā¦
It is a great editor though. It can construct a piece using multi tracks ( a montage ) with clip and track effects. The metering is great, CD track markers can be added and True Red Book standard CDās burned for duplication ( or a standard data file to send to a CD facility). Iād say itās a great tool, for radio, audio books, mastering music, CD mastering and authoring, podcasts perhapsā¦
