Hi there, I wanted CS6 too, but hey, now I can get C6 for CHF 239,- . Isn’t that cool? 
Regards, Dalibor
Hello
I don’t really know what the prices are to upgrade from CS5 to C6 but the idea of buying Artist outright was good on first glace since it meant I could upgrade my old license down the track when the inevitable price reduction hits.
Now my hopes appear shattered and if Steinberg don’t address the obvious deficiency with respect to audio handling then it will mean the view I will most likely form would be one of either contempt for Steinberg or in the very least I will see it as an opportunity missed therefore driving a dagger into the heart of a loyal user. 
C Artist 6 is a definite downgrade from CS5.
No batch export
No RoomWorks
No Studio Chorus
32 Instr Trks instead of 100
64 Audio Trks instead of 100
I could go on but these are mandatory needs for me. This “is” a force to go to the full version whether it’s needed or not and as Crevalation mentioned, add the cost and time of converting to W7. I know of no other DAW or major program that doesn’t have backward compatibility at least to Vista. I’m betting SBs motive there is to have a better success rate with all of Cubase’s features and an easier time of determining user problems for the developers. I have no problem staying right where I’m at with CS5 unless I get saddled with V6 incompatibility from an adjoining work partner or client.
Well, all Studio users I know, do not need any of these …
And would pay, for an ‘crossgrade’ to Artist ( but not 200,- for and upgrade to full V.6 ).
bye, Jan
+1
But it seems Steinberg won’t change their mind on this 
And it would be so easy ,99 euros/dollars,and we could happily go on with our music…
I just don’t understand their inflexibility sometimes…
Hi DaDa
Maybe Studio users don’t “need” features such as Batch Export, but have become accustomed to using them nonetheless and now no longer have an equivalent feature, even in purely VSTi terms.
It’s high time Steinberg stopped kidding themselves about instrument freeze being some awesome feature (even in the manual it is exclaimed) and started to understand that freeze in and of itself is a complete hack as it does nothing to address user concerns in many areas, not least rendering or exporting audio and making it available for use in other ways, eg Pool.
Maybe it’s not good to have a campaign about this concept, but as users we should always be prepared to outline and re-iterate our ideas and needs in the program, as only a relative few (useful) features although welcome have made it to this new Cubase, while year in year out other certain functions are completely ignored and I say this to you as the resident Steinberg historian who seems to know everything about how it has worked over the years.
Hi, thats not my point.
I’m talking about those Studio users, that don’t need and never have used batch export.
Those users, who do not need more than 2 input and 2 output channels, etc.
There are quite a few of them.
At least the systems I installed in schools and for other clients,
won’t get an upgrade to full Cubase 6, as it would be ‘money for nothing’ …
well … sort of …
bye, Jan
Well there is Essentials yes?
Steinberg have obviously dictated the terms of operation for specific functions as they even out the feature sets for each of the 4 applications (not wavelab).
I’m happy that they are finally on the road to a single file format, that is with extensions depending on which program you use, however the situation with instrument freeze is no alternative to Batch export as it cannot even perform (what I consider at least) to be the basics of exporting for VSTi.
Even when you look at freeze for general audio tracks, it is a poorly implemented function in that it does not let you edit tracks even after being frozen so on the whole the so called freeze “feature” needs to be vastly improved IMV.
Two years ago( as far as I remember):
- update from Cubase SX3/4 → Cubase 5: 200 USD
- upgrade form Cubase SL3/Studio 4 → Cubase 5: 250 USD
Now: (Correct me if I´m wrong)
- update Cubase 4/5 → Cubase 6: 150 USD
- upgrade Cubase Studio 4/5 → Cubase 6 200 USD
So, why don´t you try to see it this way: They lowered the price for update/upgrade and now you can go for the big one for the same price, you could only update two years ago. I see this as a nice detail.
Roger
I think batch export goes a little further than this.
Consider having to export 10 VSTs back to Cubase as audio tracks to free up CPU. Would you rather do that track by track or do it all in one batch export back to their respective tracks?
Or if you have an outside editing plug (ie Melodyne Editor) and have edited several vocal tracks and want to export them back to Cubase in their edited audio form. All at the push of a button (?) or do each individual track? I choose batch export. In these cases, one of the biggest work flow improvements in Cubase.
It’s not all about exporting out of multiple outputs. I use many in but only 2 (stereo) outs myself.
Hi Roger,
There’s one comparison that is closer related to this post subject that you’ve overlooked.
Cubase Studio 4 → Cubase Studio 5
Studio users were expecting …
Cubase Studio 5 → Cubase Studio 6
This transition would not have costed 200 USD.
I went from VST 5 to Cubase Studio 4 for that price. It was only half that to upgrade within the same Cubase Studio version for my next upgrade. ( Studio 4 - 5) I am not going for the “big one” for the same price I upgraded 2 years ago. So pardon me if I can’t see your nice detail.
One can only speculate because of universal file compatibility, and that Cubase now supports 192Khz, that as a program it is at end of it’s life cycle and the sister app (nuendo) will be taking it’s place while something more versatile is conjured up for the multimedia crowd.
Another 200USD plus another 200USD for R&D.
I’d have thought by now the investment would already be recouped.
If Nuendo really is the new cubase then it would only be marginally more expensive than what Cubase is now but in any case I’m sure if C6 is at the end of the road it will qualify for a cheap upgrade.
Lol … Look there is also the option for A trade in offer witch most DAW Designers use
And I know that this was the Case with Cubase 4
You could trade in your old DAW (Logic, Protools, Sonar or Live) To get a discount on a whole New Package
So what people should do is just go to A dealer and Trade in there version of Cubase Studio 5 for a discount on Cubase Artist 6 (I know a friend Who Actually Downgraded from SX3 to Studio 4 This way because He Found out that he did not need the extra futures that came with the full version)
But I have to add that this solution might also not be cheaper than upgrading to Cubase 6
If your lucky you might just pay €150.- for this
And that makes me wonder is that extra €35.- (When including Mp3 Enc with CA6 witch is €15.-) so much for the full version ???
Studio users can upgrade to Cubase 6 or buy Artist outright.
What the price differences might be in future who knows but if you purchase Artist now while still owning Studio one thing for sure is it will be cheaper to upgrade your Studio licence rather than upgrading Artist to full cubase later on.
Here is my point of view aswell, old upgrade prices were like this:
Cubase 5 update from Cubase 4 / SX3 - $ 199
Cubase Studio 5 update from Cubase Studio 4, Cubase SL3 - $ 99
Now Cubase 5 Studio users should pay even more than Cubase 5 users for an upgrade… The price I bought Cubase 5 Studio is nearly the same as they want me for a Cubase 6 upgrade, it is really not good to be a Cubase 5 Studio user…
Maybe there is an update in the pipleline for CS5.
I’m not upgrading from CS5 to CA6 for $199.
I’ll look for an old copy of Cubase essential 4/5 I can upgrade, then sell my CS5 license.
Maybe SB will see sense when the dust settles.
Otherwise it looks like the end of the line for me with SB.
The next clincher will be to see if Halion 4 runs with CS5.
Oh well SB - you’re being very short sighted in my opinion.
Lizardpoint
I’m awaiting the 5.53 update before I make any moves.
Can’t help that I’m also tempted by HALion Sonic but again will wait on principle (poverty strikes musicians like me) to try-before-buy as it were.
In conclusion:
I will wait for the final update to 5 line, but am also considering Artist since on face of it, it appears to be much more full-featured than Essential but then again it’s not much of a jump in price to simply upgrade to C6.