7.04 vari -audio sounds a lot better than it did in 7.02. much less glitchy, especially in note transitions. so much so that I might use melodyne less in Cubase for monophonic parts. certainly on backing vocals…and the mute facility is good too. ed
Agreed!!! I can finally do sessions in C7 now. 
+2
I still use Melo and Auto-T but less these days.
{‘-’}
+1
+1
Sounds like I’m in for a treat. It’s been a while since I recorded vocals, so I haven’t used vari-audio since Cubase 6.5, is 7.0.4 better than vari-audio was on 6.5 or is it just because vari-audio was extra bad in 7.0.2?
haven’t checked side by side. but it sounds and feels good to me. I feel like there’s less risk involved in using it1 ed
Did the VariAudio code or engine change?
I saw this Cubase video on VariAudio 2.0, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTn0LLmVFzY , and was underwhelmed by the quality of the repitched voices, to my ears extremely robotic sounding.
But I wonder if your post suggests things would sound better now somehow … ?
Thanks for any thoughts -
i don’t know what Steinberg changed, but the quality of the output, especially when sliding between notes, is much less glitchy. still not as good as melodyne, but very good for tidying up vocals. and given that it is built in, a great feature. I even use it on bass and lead guitar now when needed, where I would have avoided before. other users; let us hear what you think. ed
Yes, please, other users chip in!
If the general consensus is that sliding a vocal note/phrase a 3rd/4th/or 5th (for example) in VariAudio 2.0 is:
A) much better than the VariAudio in Cubase 6.5 and,
B) actually sounds good, not just “Well, not too bad” …
Then I would buy Windows 7 and do the Cubase 7.05 trial.
But if it’s really not a quantum leap better, I will just continue as I’ve been doing for now.
Thanks!
the intervals you are asking about are large. vari audio doesn’t involve formant preservation or shifting. I use it for moving things one or two semitones maximum. melodyne can do those larger shifts if you need them. of course, taken too far they can still phoney in isolation. ed
Well, those large intervals are the ones displayed in the Cubase video I referenced above!
But in my mind the main use for VA 2.0 is for gentle tweaks, and it sounds like Eddie Stealth Studio is thinking maybe it’s better than it used to be (compared to 7.02 anyway). He asked, and I would respectfully second … does anyone else think there has been a big improvement over earlier “versons” of VariAudio?
Thanks!
From the “Version History” for 7.0.5:
R-7265 AUDIO: The sound quality of VariAudio has been improved VariAudio segment transitions no longer create audible glitches.(please see known issues and solutions for details).
R-7586 AUDIO: After pitching scales in VariAudio the audio updates faster than before.
R-7384 AUDIO: Clicking on Undo using VariAudio no longer renders the application unreliable.
Thanks for posting that, Mr. Soundman!
I have to say, in VariAudio 1.0 (in other words, what comes with Cubase 6.5), I don’t really have audible glitches for the smallish tuning changes I make. I’m not unhappy with its performance, but am definitely keeping an eye out for anything that might be an improvement.
So, I’m wondering: Is the improvement in VariAudio in 7.05 relative only to earlier versions of Cubase 7 (“audible glitches” introduced there?), and now VariAudio is back to baseline, working like it used to in Cubase 6.5?
Or: Is the improvement in VariAudio in 7.05 above and beyond anything in any earlier versions?
Thanks for any perspective … If it’s the latter case, I might upgrade on a second computer just for the new and improved VA 2.0!
just buy melodyne and get it over with!
I might be off court here…but I’m sure Steinberg invoked a better engine in variaudio 1, than in the previous version from Zplane, As in in Variaudio (1.)…They were using Zplane’s Solo Algo…but now in Version 2, they are using the Pro Algo.
hope that helps. 
Just heard back from a nice guy who makes a living on Cubase day in/day out , and uses VariAudio a lot in his workflow.
He says VariAudio 2.0 in 7.05 is much better than not just in 7.02, but also better than 1.0 in Cuase 6.5.
I don’t think he would mind if I quoted him, especially if I include his “YMMV” caveat.
…
In 6/6.5 I often had to shorten detection segments to remove ‘squawks’ from the corrected audio. These squawks could happen even if no correction was being applied. 7 improved on this, at least to a point where the uncorrected audio needed no help. In 7.05 the last of the squawks seem to have been fixed, at least in the work I’ve done with it so far - and I’ve just completed two marathon VariAudio sessions.The longer you can spend refining the detection segments, the better the corrections are likely to be, but at least now you can ignore segements that you have no intention of correcting.
Pitch shifting up to three semitones is now very good indeed - almost flawless within the context of a mix. I typically find that if I have to push it beyond this then reducing the pitch fluctuation/vibrato within the note can be helpful - worth trying for those harmonies you want to attempt.
I repeat that this is only my experience and others may tell a different story.
That ties in nicely with your extremely interesting and helpful comments Discoworx … thanks!
"Just heard back from a nice guy who makes a living on Cubase day in/day out , and uses VariAudio a lot in his workflow. " this describes me too. except the “nice guy” bit! so he basically agrees with my original statement… ed 
I just read back my comment, and should clarify
variaudio 1. used Zplane Elastique Solo.
Variaudio 2. Uses Zplane Elastique Pro algo.
Which one sounds better. Hmmm Personally Iwould think its NOT just on the algo, but also in the way it is implemented into the system code.
Whatever sounds best to you , is best. to you.
Eddie your a nice guys, us Scots always are!
Nice guy Eddie. wasn’t I in Reservoir Dogs?