All user reviews for the Steinberg Cubase Essential 4

# The installation is done it without problems?
Yes. Not rocket science in using the dongle. In addition, you can reinstall it much.

# Have you encountered any incompatibilities?
No. Except with some free VST that caused freeze but I doubt that Cubase is involved.

# The general configuration is easy?
Yes, it is very intuitive more than Live. Device configuration is fairly clear.

# The manual is clear and sufficient?
For first grip, yes, it is rather complete and well translated. Add to that the impressive amount of documentation online (forums, tutorials, written or video), Cubase has a very active community and we quickly found a solution to almost every problem that you may encounter.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

# What is your computer configuration? (Motherboard / CPU / Ram / Disk / sound card ..)
I used it on an Acer Aspire 5920 (Dual Core 2GHz, 3GB RAM), mounted on a PC by myself (Gigabyte B75-D3V and Intel Core i5-3550).

# The software works he correctly on this configuration?
In 2 cases, the app turned without any problem.

# What is performance? (If quantifiable)
I music projects "rock / metal" with twenty audio tracks, with an average of 3 or 4 VST tracks, MIDI tracks with some VSTi and projects work perfectly: no freezes, no bugs individuals observed.

# This software + hardware is stable?
So, yes, absolutely. I sometimes have crashes if I have too much instrument tracks (more than 5, approximately).

OVERALL OPINION

# How long have you been using?
I used a LE version (Light Edition) for 2 or 3 years, then this version for 4 years. However, I do not use more than 20 ¨% of possibilities offered by this software.

# What is special that you like most and least?
I love the grip very intuitive, track tempo, mixer, keyboard shortcuts.
I do not like the editor noon (issue habits to take), and the fact that we can not "annotate" or make comments on certain parts of the timeline. A notebook integrated, project would have been really handy to jot down ideas, etc. ..

# Did you try many other models before buying it?
I tried a few Live! I found much less intuitive, Reaper is very good, but I got used to work with Cubase and habits die hard with respect to the DAW.

# How would you rate quality / price ratio?
For this version, very good! I paid a little less than 140 €, which is widely profitable in 4 years of use rather intensive.
After the pricing policy practiced by Steinberg can be criticized but it is so common among publishers Audio I have a little trouble to throw the first stone.

# With experience, you do again this choice?
Without hesitation.

Installation is done safely, we must of course bring an ilok for permission (provided).

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

AMD Sempron 3000 + Windows XP SP3
RAS, the product is stable.

OVERALL OPINION

Cubase is a good product that allows for very accurate models, it has a whole arsenal of settings and plug-in for recording (égalaseur, compressor, reverb, multi-effects, etc.). MIDI tracks are very well designed with no opportunities in réglages.C also is a product of studio and only studio that requires a thorough job if we want to leverage the performance and if we remain in a use "classical" composition. (not adapted to remix and play loop synchronized kind Ableton Live)

Installation is relatively simple and fast, the first time I had just a little hassle to save the license key and have it recognized by the software. The second time everything went well.

The general configuration is like any other DAW. No problem on that side.

The manual is well done and fairly complete.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

The software itself does not take too much CPU, it is mostly virtual instruments and plug-ins that are greedy.

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 3 ½ years.

SX3 is better than I had before.

- In the improvements, there are particular interface virtual instrument (you no longer have to create a MIDI track and route to the virtual instrument loaded into the dialog box "VST Instruments").

- Mixing audio / instrument tracks is clearer and you can now put the plugs on the audio tracks of virtual instruments (which was not the case in SX3). The automation of volume, pan and other is facilitated on the slopes of virtual instruments.

There is, against major weaknesses:

- The software does not function "side chain" like Logic (annoying when composing electronic music, especially that there is virtually no external compressor with this feature ...)

- It does not function "Trig" (big problem if you use Cubase to mix!)

- The mixer has lost its upper part, there is no way not to have an overview of the inserts and aux sends. To access these functions, you must open a separate window for each track, which is quite annoying in the long run ...


If I had the choice again, I turned more towards a solution Protools, which offers the trig functions and whose sidechain and audio interface / software instruments / MIDI is really starting to improve.

- Quick installation with no problem!
- No meeting incompatilib
- General Configuration plug and play!
- No need to install the manual ....

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

- Portable MacBook 2.6Ghz 1GB RAM Mac OS Lopard
- Cubase is the fish in the water with MAC!
- 7.8m of latency in this configuration with 192 buffer (I think we can reduce it by adding RAM)
5h-Registration pdt no crash! (Unlike PC ....)

OVERALL OPINION

- Purchased 5 days ago
- Software Features and possde all possible base Cubase:
Even if the number of tracks is limited in practice home studio "semi-pro" is enough!
Ditto for the base effects already of very good Submitted qualitbr />-A that price, the report qualitprix is ​​excellent!
- The choice would be the same over time ...

Installation without much problem and fast
However this story makes me a little dongle peur.Dj has a USB port takes is a little Gnant ...
If you lose the USB key, it does what?

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

For now the config of my computer is limited limit (40GB HDD, 1.4 GHz processor and 1024 ram), DJ Jam up the mouth .. But I intend to change and ending for Dier computer music only one machine.
It does not prevent the software to run properly just prs, provided they do not load too ... Obviously
But it is the acqurir me a more powerful computer, I RPET.

OVERALL OPINION

I have Cubase LE3, the Difference is significant trs.
Prsentation enjoyable, more features Obviously. Getting started
is relatively fast, I'm not too dstabilis.
The effects are also trs INTERESTED casually. Much better than I anticipated THE new perspectives (eg spatial effect "mono to stereo" is very convenient and sounds good).
Halion not tried yet, but I'm not a keyboardist.
I have since yesterday, so I am far from having made the rounds of the BTE, but I generally view Premire trs happy!
Trs qualitprix good value. At this price the, I do not see what you can blame him ... sounds provided, for me it is a bonus. They are probably not all great, but ... The intrtn1 is the squenceur. That's my opinion.
APRS is on its config, it's achte plugs, its VST, the hardware stuff, its microphones etc ... We play, work components and ears. This is what allows a well itself, which is when the same goal. Music is sound, but notes assembled and think too

Installation without problem from my ct SE3.
As a complte version and the license "essential 4" also applies to SE3, I can let cl "Essential 4" on the set and use the cl "SE3" on my laptop! yesss.
It's really easy to configure when you come from other apps in the same brand.

+ + + All entries in an audio interface can be finally select (8 only SE3)
+ + + All outputs can be used

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

P IV 2.4G, does not seem to get more than SE3 on the processor and works absolutely perfectly.

+ + + You can freeze a track, which sometimes a lot of free computing resources
+ + + Finally, we can easily reverse the order of VST plugins from the track
+ + + Plug-ins and other prfader postfader and it is clear
+ + + We can finally see the input level during recording indpendamment level monitoring. OUF!

OVERALL OPINION

I've had a few weeks ct SE3 running again but for a short time, four essential is much better.

I am satisfied with Steinberg software and many forums to help cubase.net.

No problem! I thought gallery but it happened by itself. I bought the upgrade on the site since Steinberg Cubase LE / SE (99 €), delivered in a box with the dongle. You enter the serial number, record the license key and go. The inconveignant the dongle is that you have a free USB port. But the advantage is that the license after the computer is used. So you can install it on other items (eg laptop) without having to reapply or re-register a license, you just follow the key (do not lose it ...).

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

I do not have a lightning war (Sempron 2500 and 2GB of memory) but not rowing. Obviously I do not use 64 audio tracks and 32 virtual instruments to use but I have no worries. In addition, with the "freeze", it alleviates a lot of the stress system. It also seems to be more stable.

OVERALL OPINION

64 audio tracks, unlimited MIDI tracks, 8 inserts, 256 channel groups 8 Sends, Audio Warp tools, 16, VSTi VST + a few "classic" brought up to date, what else? "Not quite expensive my son." It is true that the full € 149 and € 99 update from SE, one wonders why spend more. One big regret anyway: the TimeWarp (elastic process real-time audio loops) is not present in this version (you need to buy Cubase Studio 4 minimum to get it).

Cubase 4 essentials is the entry-level version of cubase 4 studio.
But it has more than enough tools for the beginning recording/mixing engineer.

Cubase 4 essentials includes 64 audio tracks, unlimited Midi tracks, 44 plug-ins incorporating Steinberg's new VST3 protocol, 16 VST instrument slots, the Halion One sample player, plus full latency compensation throughout the signal path.

There's also the new Amp Simulator, with 14 amps and 10 cabinets to mix and match to create the perfect guitar sound

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

This software works correctly and stable because it doesn't use much cpu power of the computer.

I used cubase 4 essentials for almost a year before switching to protools

OVERALL OPINION

I like the easy and clear midi editing possibilities, and i think you get pretty much quality for your money.

The only thing i dont like very much is the mix engine of cubase, thats one of the reasons i switched to protools.

(Originally written by wxc/translated from Audiofanzine FR)
No installation nor incompatibility problems. I did however update Syncrosoft to avoid any problems. I don't use the user's manual a lot since I previously used Cubase SE3.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

I installed it on a Compaq C550EM Intel Celeron M laptop running Vista Basic. Everything works fine with the sound card of the PC and I use the ASIO 4 ALL driver to get good results because CUBASE ESSENTIAL 4 requires more CPU resources than CUBASE SE3. If your PC isn't up to the task you can always use the freeze function to solve the problem. I'm personally thinking about buying an external sound card like the M-AUDIO AUDIOPHILE USB, which isn't too expensive!

The software is very stable and reliable under Vista Basic.

OVERALL OPINION

I've been using it for a few days only and I'm very satisfied with it.

The GUI looks great (like Cusbase 4) and I love the amazing sounds Halion One provides, but the program is rather basic and has only one VST.

The product is not expensive considering its quality. I get much better results than with my Cubase SE3. I'm very satisfied so I would buy it again. I give it only an 8 because one VST is not enough. Fortunately there are many free VSTs available on the web! It's a great product.