VST3 and VST2 present same time. What happens?

Cubase
1

If a certain plugin and/or instrument is available to Cubase as both a VST3 and VST2 plugin (two separate files - one .dll and the other *.vst3) then what happens?
Will Cubase prioritize in some way? Will Cubase show both? or just the VST3? or … what?

What happens?
While we’re on the subject, anyone knows if there are known drawbacks to this?

thx

2

Hi All

Good point this, I would like to know the answer, had some slightly strange behaviour with 32 bit plugs showing up instead of 64bit, sorted it out but,

Best Regards

Dave

3

From some quick tests, it would seem Cubase hides the VST2 variant, whenever both VST2 and VST3 is present. This test was x64 plugins only though, no 32/64 combination.

4

They will show up in Cubase together if you add them both to a plugin manager collection.

Not sure how you tested but Cubase does not hide anything.

5

Yeh my experience is that both VST2 and 3 versions are available. This is not the case with 32 and 64 bit though where the 32 bit one is ignored

6

my experience in C7 is that both are in the “PlugIn Information list”…but i only see the VST3 plugin in my lists of plugins to insert.

may have changed in C8…

7

my experience in C7 is that both are in the “PlugIn Information list”…but i only see the VST3 plugin in my lists of plugins to insert.

It’s been the same as long as I remember…bear in mind with fixed vst3 categorisation (and therefore location) pre C8 the plugs may not be in the same place on that list.

8

In my completely uncustomized Cubase 8.0.0. (new Win installation), this appears to be true to me:

VST instruments shows up in plug-in manager as both VST3 and 2 (when both are available, but only VST3s shows up in instrument rack when both are available.
Funny enough with the exception of 1 instrument for me, which actually shows as available as both VST2 and 3 in both plug-in manager and rack instrument list. But there are others too.

VST FX (non-instruments) that are available as both VST3 and 2, only show as VST3 in both plug-in manager and track plugin list. Again, with the exception of 1 for me: CurveEQ. It does come with Cubase, but I got a full licence for it since before, which I assume installs ‘over’ the cubase CurveEQ somehow.

It’s real complicated getting an overview

9

VST FX (non-instruments) that are available as both VST3 and 2, only show as VST3 in both plug-in manager and track plugin list.

Well if they only show as vst3 in the manager then the VST2 aren’t available…are you certain you have a vst2 version installed and that your manager has the install directory listed as a vst2plugin folder??

Maybe give a specific example.

10

Oh, absolutely. The VST2 is there - in some cases. Cubase doesn’t seem to have a consistent way of displaying VST2/3 plugin and instruments. Might be due to how some plugins/instruments are made too.

11

Like I said…can you give a specific example. I don’t see the behaviour you are describing.

12

This appears to be plugin-specific, and I think it depends on the plugin IDs assigned by the plugin vendor.

Example: I have Waldorf Lector and XILS V+ installed, both as 64-bit VST 2.4 and VST3. All versions appear in Cubase’s plugin XML files (so Cubase “sees” all the files), neither are blacklisted.

However, only the VST3 version of Lector appears in my plugin selector (in Cubase 7.5 and 8.0), but both VST 2.4 and VST3 appear for V+.

When I look at the Cubase XMLs I can see that XILS V+ uses different plugin IDs for their 2.4 and 3 versions of the plugin, whereas Waldorf Lector uses the same plugin ID for both versions.

So, I think the Cubase plugin rule is this:

  • If both VST3 and VST2 versions of a plugin are detected with the same plugin ID, display the VST3 version. If IDs are different, display both.
  • On 64-bit Cubase, if 64-bit and 32-bit versions of a plugin are detected with the same plugin ID, display the 64-bit version. (I’m betting it will show both x64 and x86 versions if they have different plugin IDs, but I don’t have a way to test this.)
13

I’m having a problem. About to upgrade to cubase 8 so downloaded the trial of 8 elements.

I have a Virus TI and the vst 2.4 and vst 3.5.0 version show up in the plug in manager list. When creating a vst track only the 2.4 version shows up. I’ve tried creating my own specific plug in list in the manager, only dragging the Virus TI vst 3.5.0 across and when I go to create a vst track, Cubase lists No Instruments! Cubase is detecting the 3.5.0 but not showing it in the drop down menu to load it.

Is this because I’m using Elements and not Pro or do I have another problem?

I’m upgrading as wanting everything to be full 64 bit. I’ve deliberately not installed the 32 bit versions of the Virus so no conflict there. The 2.4 works.

Thanks in advance.