Looking to upgrade from 9. I use large templates of MIDI instruments. Looking through the features I can’t find anything that is a real killer reason to upgrade. What are peoples opinions please?
Open minded about this…
Z
For me:
- AudioAlignement (the hitpoit detection is still a bit “buggy” but I thinnk they will fix that soon): If it work a gigantic timesaver
- VariAudio3: brutal improvement vs. VariAudio2, my workflow speed feels like doubled and the results are way better then ever before
Nothing really killer.
Helpful/improved:
Vari Audio. Everything is better from a workflow standpoint.
New Channel Strip (what this does for me is reminds or encourages myself to not discount or forget some Cubase factory VST’s. Is my 3rd party VST really better or doing something unique?) For users of laptop or single video monitor, I think this really helps.
Easier side-chaining.
Mix console snapshots. Doesn’t include automation so at present not much use, but if not automation, can be very helpful.
Audio Alignment when it works.
Since you are open-minded, my greatest killer feature is integrating Cubase with $14 Metagrid for much faster cohesive workflow. Also if you have huge midi templates Metagrid can be very helpful. I do hate Apple, and their religion of them telling me what’s important. I stole my wifes iPad. You don’t need a newer iPad. Metagrid for me was totally worth it.
I think what is still lacking for a user with large templates and instruments is the functionality of enable/disable, and export/import archives (those are related) to not loose midi assignments. The issue is finally being addressed, and I’m confident/hopeful a fix will happen this year. It’s not an easy fix.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!
HiDPI support is one, for those with high resolution screens.
- AAF import/export, for those who need it, is a huge time-saver
- The promise* of ARA2
* Let’s hope the promise will be fulfilled, unlike the video engine promise
Vocal align is a potential killer feature - but it doesn’t work.
ARA2 will be a killer feature - when/if it arrives - if it works - and you need it! 
Nothing above is tempting me, if there was improved score features perhaps, maybe a Dorico lite (but not less capable that the old score package), but no… I can’t see an tempters
The updated SRC is pretty killer, people have been on at Steinberg for years about their sample rate conversion.
For me its the Vocal alignment feature.
Also the Variaudio is great.
Well the improved graphics for high resolution screens is really nice. But the introduction of new bugs - reported now almost 2 month ago, with no effect - is discouraging.
Somehow Logic is so much more playful and inspiring, although I miss some of the midi editor tools and the nice Listen function that I use a lot.