Cubase Pro 8.5 is here

After a few hours spent waiting after its early announcement earlier today, Steinberg's new DAW version is finally available.

Cubase Pro 8.5 It features the following enhancements from v8.0:

Transport and recording workflow: better visibility, smoother handling and added features for a more effective workflow
Mixing and track handling: the MixConsole environment was refined so as to make mixing and manipulating audio channels even more intuitive
Improved MIDI editing
Better accessibility and workflow based on user returns
Enhanced Chord Pads and symbols
Enhanced MediaBay Racks
New Retrologue 2 synth including An additional oscillator, new polyphonic LFOs, an additional envelope, five new FX and more
VST Transit introducing an innovative, DAW-centric approach to web-based musical collaboration

(Several demonstration videos are available at Steinberg’s website and here at AF in the Cubase Pro 8 Media section).

As was to be expected (some might say “fear”) and in spite of Steinberg’s slogan announcing a “Pro|Volution”, this new version includes no real revolution, which is after all quite understandable from a .5 update – but will undoubtedly again trigger endless discussions as to it being a paid .5 update, as has been the case every year since Steinberg has introduced “in-between” versions. It’s now up to each current Cubase user to determine whether the way these new features will impact their personal workflow is worth the upgrade fee.

Full version is €549, upgrade from Cubase Pro 8 is €49.99 and several other upgrade paths are available.

More details are available at www.steinberg.net.