WaveLab Elements 9 Upgrade question

WaveLab
#1

I am contemplating upgrading from WLE 8, but I am still trying to decide if I will upgrade to full WL 9 or WLE 9.

My current installation of WLE 8 is 32-bit (could never get 64-bit install of WLE 8 to work). If upgrading from WLE 8 to WLE 9, is there any advantage to 64-bit install over the 32-bit install?

If I buy the WLE 8 -> 9 upgrade, does the WLE 9 install have to be done over a current installation of WLE 8? Does WLE 8 get replaced completely with WLE 9? Can the upgrade transition from 32-bit to 64-bit? Can I revert back to WLE 8 if I have any issues with WLE 9?

#2

You could upgrade to WLE9 and later upgrade to the full WL9 if you feel the need, I think it’s only the difference in price but you’ll have to check that out yourself for your own territory. Note however that you will need a hardware USB eLicenser for the full WaveLab.

Personally I am using only the 64-bit version and I believe (but perhaps Philip will clarify) there may be some computational advantages but I don’t know if WaveLab actively uses any 64-bit-specific code. One possible disadvantage is that you cannot access 32-bit VST plugins at all from 64-bit WaveLab. If you have any 32-bit VST plugins which you must use, and which do not have 64-bit versions, then you’ll have to stay with 32-bit WaveLab.

Essentially what gets upgraded is your eLicenser license, which then allows you to run both WLE8 and WLE9, but if you do not already have a USB eLicenser then you will have to do the upgrade on the same computer, as that’s where the physical license is. WLE9 is a seperate installation, and will not overwrite your WLE8.

No. Both versions can exist side-by-side, in fact, I’d recommend you leave WLE8 installed, at least until you get used to the new GUI in WLE9.

You could install only the 64-bit version of WLE9 and leave your existing 32-bit WLE8 in place. If you find you have difficulties with the 64-bit version of WLE9, you can then also install the 32-bit version of WLE9.

Just leave the 32-bit version of WLE8 installed.

#3

All the points MrSoundMan has made is what I would expect if I buy the full version of WLE 9.

The upgrade I am referring to is the discounted update from WLE 8, per the “I want…” choice of “Update from WaveLab Elements 8” at this page:

http://www.steinberg.net/en/shop/buy_product/product/wavelab-elements-9.html

#4

drb, I’m not quite sure if this is what you mean, but It shouldn’t make any difference whether WLE9 is obtained as an Upgrade or “full” Elements Version on the page you cite, all of MrSoundMan’s points would still apply. Either way they shouldn’t be any different, or overwrite or delete your WLE 8 unless you tell it to.

MrSoundman has already covered all of this, but to add to what’s been said::

If you buy the WLE9 upgrade, you could have 4 different versions of Wavelab LE installed simultaneously, if you take care to install them to different named folders, and not overwrite one of your previous installs. You could have:

WLE 8 - 32bit
WLE 8 - 64bit
WLE 9 - 32bit
WLE 9 - 64bit

all installed, and you could open and close each version as you like to try them.

It might get a little hairy on uninstall if there aren’t 4 separate uninstallers listed in Windows “uninstall a program” control panel, but I would hope there would be 4 separate uninstallers. (edit: it looks like there are).

After install you could open the WLE 9 64bit version to see if it supports all the plugins you want to use. And if not, maybe try to obtain 64bit versions of those plugins. That is, if you want to use the 64bit version of Wavelab. The only reason I switched one computer here to Wavelab 64 bit was because I needed Wavelab to access more than 4GB of RAM for times when using a lot of instances of big plugins. And only the 64 bit version of Wavelab can do that.

But if you’re not running out of computer memory the way you work now, you might just want to stick with the 32 bit version. The quality should be the same as the 64 bit version.

#5

I did purchase the “WLE 9 Update for WLE 8” License. When entering the Activation Code for this license in eLCC, the license description is:

  • WaveLab Elements 9
    Steinberg, SeL, Upgrade for WaveLab Elements 8 (SeL)

then I am presented a dialog that says:

  • Select License to Upgrade
    Please select the license you want to upgrade and click ‘Upgrade License’.

Thus, I have to choose an existing WLE 8 license to “upgrade”. I have not completed this process as I am expecting that upon choosing my WLE 8 license and clicking “Upgrade License” that the current WLE 8 SeL license will be converted to a single WLE 9 SeL license. Upon doing so I also expect that the conversion will remove the current WLE 8 license with it being replaced with a new license for WLE 9 only, and will only be applicable to the new WLE 9 install. And as such, I expect that WLE 8 will become unlicensed and unusable.

I am just trying to determine exactly what is going to happen here, as if I am going to lose functional access to WLE 8, I will just install the WLE 9 trial and explore WLE 9 at my convenience until I am comfortable with the new interface and functionality before replacing WLE 8 with WLE 9.

#6

And as such, I expect that WLE 8 will become unlicensed and unusable.

No. Your WLE 9 license will allows you to run past WLE versions. Hence you will be able to run WaveLab Elements 8.

Philippe