I just purchased Wavelab in order to get serious about Mastering my songs. Now I am not sure what the point in Wavelab is as it apears you can do the same things in Cubase, but there must be a reason for Wavelab?
This is one of those questions that can open an infinite discussion. 
If you have to ask that question (no disrespect intended), then you haven’t yet become “serious about mastering [your] songs.”
Like any other digital audio software, there will be numerous features that overlap. But Cubase and Wavelab are vastly different in purpose, toolset and market. Still, they have areas of overlap where you might see how you can do some of the same things in either application. Once you get really serious about mastering, you’ll see how much they are different.
It’s a great purchase, a great addition to your studio tools. Give yourself some time to learn why it’s one of the most powerful audio editing and mastering applications on the market.
Cubase, on the other hand, is one of the most powerful digital audio workstation and music production applications on the market.
Overlap? Yes. Same thing? Only in the sense that they deal with audio files.
As a musician primarily, who had to learn how things work in the analogue domain initially, I appreciate that you can do so many more things in Cubase that were almost science fiction before.
Now our expectations are much higher and Cubase gives you all the tools you need to record and edit audio, Wavelab on the other hand focusses on specific aspects and provides a set of tools that you don’t always need but once needed and used become indespensible tools.
When I’ve finished a recording with Cubase I (or PT) I always move to WL for finishing, it just seems solid and the best way to keep tabs on audio quality.
Wow, I realize that I am resurrecting a post from the dead, but I came here via google search for the differences between wavelab le and cubase le. I’d just like to politely point out that non-answers like these aren’t helpful at all. I’m sure the OP left with the feeling of being put down as not being serious about mastering and perhaps even more wasteful, is that years later when someone is searching to find the differences between the two programs, they find this unhelpful post instead of one that could have read:
“The difference between the two is that cubase does this and wavelab does that.”
Instead we learned that the op isn’t really serious about sound mastering and cubase apparently does more than wavelab, but no real description of what, or why.
Be nice, be helpful. And yes, I’m sure someone will argue that I’m doing the same - except I don’t know the answer. I came here looking for the answer and didn’t find it because of the non-answers.
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Cubase is a DAW, Wavelab is a mastering and audio editing program. They’re quite different in purpose and function. What more needs to be said? There’s lots of info discussing the relative features of each.
Agreed, utterly useless responses from those who are in the know.
I have Cubase and I use it as a DAW, AND as a mastering and audio editing program. So what is it that wavelab will allow me to do that I can’t do already with Cubase? On first looks, it just appears that it does the same things but with a completely different user interface design?
So, what are the reasons I might want to purchase and use Wavelab separately for mastering and editing?
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You guys might have better luck posting on the forum for the current version. Pretty much nobody uses Wavelab 7 anymore (because 9 is so much better) so the chances that anyone will answer are pretty small.