Steinberg Cubase LE Reviews

[brandondrury]

Steinberg Cubase LE Description
Cubase LE is part of Steinberg's professional range of Cubase music production software and features the same industry standard technologies and pristine sound quality that have made Cubase both a household name and the software of choice for platinum artists around the world. With a full range of tools ready for audio and MIDI recording and mixing, Cubase LE is both fully cross platform and easily upgradeable to the full versions of Cubase 4/Studio4 through the Steinberg website. Cubase LE is also fully upwards compatible, so all Cubase LE projects can be opened and worked on all higher Cubase versions.

[thesilentdrummer]

Quality: 9
This review is for the latest Version, Cubase LE 4. My version came bundled with my PreSonus Firestudio Project. Upon starting work with it (I previously acquainted myself with Cubase SE3), I was shocked. The interface was a little bit more "artsy", but everything else was great - that is, the same or better as SE3. My favorite feature of this Limited Edition software is the ability to use 8 INSERTS and 8 SEND EFFECTS ON EACH CHANNEL!!! Everything else is kinda dwarfed by this. As typical for entry level recording software, you can use VST plugins and instruments and do all the Audio and MIDI recoding expected from a DAW.

Reliability: 6 (UPDATE: 9!)
Everything is flawless except for all the "process effects". By this, I mean that by selecting an audio clip, then going to Audio=>Process=>[effect], flat out doesn't work. Actually, doing so causes a fatal error that crashes Cubase LE. As of January, Steinberg acknowledged the problem but hadn't issued any fixes. There may be some out there now or in the future. Other than that, it holds up very well. UPDATE: An update issued in february corrected this issue. It works as intended.

Overall Rating: 8 (UPDATE: 9!)
For a 48 track DAW, this is one pretty sweet setup. The 8 inserts and effect sends are really great. It would be nice to be able to use the process effects, but there are ways around it by means of plugins and automation. Overall, I am incredibly happy with this. My only cause to upgrade out of the LE is if I need more than 48 tracks. It might seem limiting, but unless you do a lot of layering, then you shouldn't run into a problem.

[Strangedogs]

Been using Logic Studio 8 on my Mac G5 since it's release. It's a TRULY Amazing DAW but rather CPU & RAM intensive. I also have Tracktion 3 and it's not as intensive but has this "8-bit" look to it that turns me off (I know - but GUI's are important to me). Just picked up a PreSonus AudioBox USB and packaged with it was Cubase LE 4. I LOVE THIS APP! From the start I felt right at home with it since I had used Cubase SX 1.07 for years until the new OS (Leopard) killed all functionality. Cubase LE 4 is great - works slick - produces great sounding recordings and I love the VST support too. Logic is AU only and I had a few VST's that didn't "wrap" right using the FXwrapper program (converts VST's to AU's) - now I can use all my VST's. I'm using Cubase LE 4 more and more these past few days and can't believe it was thrown in FREE.

The 1st night I was right at home with it. Logic Studio is an AMAZING suite of apps but since I basically record Guitar only (drums, bass, etc are all midi stuff done with my midi KB or I use "loops" to add my guitar to) Logic is really OVERKILL for me - Cubase LE 4 is perfect. I love it.

[JonPaulP]

What's the difference between Cubase LE and the full version? I'm about to buy Cubase or some kind of recording software and am trying to make a decision.

Another post here: Vocal reverb

says that the reverb in this version of Cubase isn't any good??

[kyl]

I have been using cubase le for a couple of years. I got it with my Firepod. "They" say with the full version, more inserts can be used on any given track. I don't know any other differences. I use additional plug-ins for other effects or sends. I would like to upgrade to Nuendo. I have tried it and I love it even if it is overkill. My budget won't let me do it right now, tho.

K

[JonPaulP]

I was searching the web for Cubase LE, but just found Cubase Essentials. Are these pretty much the same?

[thesilentdrummer]

Cubase LE is only bundled with hardware. Cubase essentials is LE made available to everyone.

[JonPaulP]

Thanks, that's just what I needed to know!

[aschemkes]

Very intuitive interface. After printing and reading the Get Started guide I was able to make the first recordings. So easy to start with.

[atdutchtreat]

strangdogs, I like your tube amp quote. Speaking of which, I am using the tube plugin on Cubase LE4 for vocal enhancement, and I like it better than an Aphex...