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cubase vs. ableton live
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Melange5738
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
13
Posts :
142
Posted : Sep 18, 2013 20:56:46
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I was looking at the prices for the latest retail versions of Cubase and Live and was a little surprised as I by some reason thought Live would be cheaper.
So it is Cubase 7 vs. Ableton Live 9 if I understand it correctly. I know Cubase and I am comfortable working in it, however, Live seems to be more efficient somehow in terms of CPU for the kind of stuff I do (lots of synths in action simultaneously, very little emphasis on audio editing as I tend to do that in Audacity).
Can you guys give me reasons to choose one over the other? |
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bukboy
Hyperboreans
Started Topics :
40
Posts :
803
Posted : Sep 18, 2013 22:14
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When I still made music. Cubase 5 was considered superior because some of the artists who used to hang around here used some of its quirky features in their workflow, i.e. lots of customizations in the stutters and glitches. Ableton 7 couldn't do it. It was an incremental difference, (I can't even remember what it was) but IMO the fame of the artists made everyone else want to be like them.
I preferred Ableton. It's had less clunky legacy crap than cubase. |
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ThiagoNAKA
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
104
Posts :
1047
Posted : Sep 18, 2013 22:58
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Kind of offtopic: Its been a while I don´t make music, but is it still a BIG problem the CPU performance?
There´re always cpu´s intensive softsynths, but I don´t really get the point of benchmarking DAW with plugin performance.
I mean, if there´re a HUGE difference, so there´s a problem. The regular behavior, for me, is to get the similar performance with any DAW (I used Reason, Logic, Cubase and Live).
As for the question: I guess u will feel better with a more efficient DAW (even tho I don´t think is so imporatnt) for audio instruments.
Just for the info: I rahter using Cubase because of audio edit options.
 LOADING... |
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Melange5738
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
13
Posts :
142
Posted : Sep 19, 2013 02:48
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I have heard both ways: some say Ableton offers more in terms of CPU usage and some say Ableton drinks more CPU than Cubase.
Right now CPU is not much of a problem and I will probably buy a better computer later anyway that I will dedicate to music production. However, it seems like a choice that I will stick to to some extent; I will probably not translate my cubase project files to Ableton ditos and go back and forth. I am unemployed full time student at the moment so I do not feel rich enough to buy both either. |
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Kolishin Methud
Started Topics :
5
Posts :
266
Posted : Sep 19, 2013 05:15
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cpu won't be so much of the deciding factor, they both do very well!
Personally i would say Cubase 7, because it can do pretty much everything live can do plus some.
i've been a live user for 3-4 years, and just this past year had started using cubase... honestly i love having a real mixer, and real in depth audio/midi editing to work with. and its only 499 for a licence for cubase instead of 800+ for ableton.
the reason i switched was because of lives terrible use of pdc.... its barely there, and when working with alot of channels with routing and stuff.... good luck recording things in time :/
still love live but cubase seems to be ahead of the game these days IMO, you won't be let down with C7 but at the same time you won't be with live 9 either if your looking to get rid of some windows... but of course if you run dual monitors windows don't really become a issue
http://soundcloud.com/brentmalik |
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Orbika
Started Topics :
0
Posts :
9
Posted : Sep 19, 2013 07:24
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What matters in the end is to use whatever software suits best for your needs and what you're most comfortable with. I would say to test them both, try to make a track with each one if you have the time and patience - it will be easier to decide.
But IMO I would go towards Cubase. It's way more professional in handling the engineering tasks such as achieving the final mix. |
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Sunrise Travellers
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
17
Posts :
585
Posted : Sep 19, 2013 15:33
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Whatever works for you man!
The point is to open your daw and enjoy the process of making music! thats all 
...into the wild.... |
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Agorit
Started Topics :
3
Posts :
114
Posted : Sep 19, 2013 17:51
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Its all about workflow. I prefer live cause imo its more ergonomic to the type of sound that i make
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HallunX
Started Topics :
5
Posts :
34
Posted : Sep 20, 2013 00:26
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Is a matter of taste, and the main thing is, how do you feel working with specific DAW.
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ierofante
Started Topics :
6
Posts :
253
Posted : Sep 21, 2013 15:48
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During my 13 years experience in the studio, i learnt something; I can assure you that Cubase has a WAY better mixing algorythm than Ableton.
Yes, Cubase sounds better.
However, I found the workflow in Ableton much more appealing to compose good and original electronic music.
So, my advice is to use both of them and take the best of both. If you can buy only one, buy Ableton, because surely composition is much more important than audio quality, IMO.
Fire Walk With Me |
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supergroover
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
39
Posts :
1505
Posted : Sep 21, 2013 18:29
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There we go again.. my DAW sounds better than your DAW. It is nonsense! And even IF it really mattered it is not more than 1% of your total sound quality...
soundcloud.com/supergroover |
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Agorit
Started Topics :
3
Posts :
114
Posted : Sep 21, 2013 18:52
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Quote:
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On 2013-09-21 15:48, ierofante wrote:
During my 13 years experience in the studio, i learnt something; I can assure you that Cubase has a WAY better mixing algorythm than Ableton.
Yes, Cubase sounds better.
However, I found the workflow in Ableton much more appealing to compose good and original electronic music.
So, my advice is to use both of them and take the best of both. If you can buy only one, buy Ableton, because surely composition is much more important than audio quality, IMO.
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mate, can u talk a bit more about that conclusion? |
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Melange5738
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
13
Posts :
142
Posted : Sep 21, 2013 22:47
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Well, it looks like I will be going for Cubase anyway. Those threads tend to get so damn weird when you start to get differing opinions.
Thanks for all the input though, I appriciate it. |
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ierofante
Started Topics :
6
Posts :
253
Posted : Sep 22, 2013 00:12
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Quote:
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On 2013-09-21 18:29, supergroover wrote:
There we go again.. my DAW sounds better than your DAW. It is nonsense! And even IF it really mattered it is not more than 1% of your total sound quality...
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I had your same thought. How can be possibile that a DAW sound best/worst than another?
I had. Since I tried this little experiment.
I took the multitrack of one of my songs. Exported all the tracks at 0 db, without any eq or compression.
Loaded the tracks in an Ableton project, then exported the master; loaded the tracks in Cubase, then exported.
If you compare the two, you can definitely hear lot of differences. Cubase seem to have a more definite and trasparent mix, and a cleaner low-mid range, more definite highs...
If you have a chance, try to do this yourself. You don't have to take my words for granted, you can try this little experiment.
I also noticed that many VST respond to Cubase in a total different way if compared to Ableton.
For example, I used a famous bass enhancer to pump a *.wav file of a psy bassline. If set to -21db in Ableton, it already sounds bassy and muddy; in Cubase, with the same *.wav when I set the bass enhancer to -18db, it still sound great and with no muddyness.
It is not a small difference IMO
Fire Walk With Me |
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Agorit
Started Topics :
3
Posts :
114
Posted : Sep 22, 2013 00:42
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Quote:
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On 2013-09-22 00:12, ierofante wrote:
Quote:
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On 2013-09-21 18:29, supergroover wrote:
There we go again.. my DAW sounds better than your DAW. It is nonsense! And even IF it really mattered it is not more than 1% of your total sound quality...
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I had your same thought. How can be possibile that a DAW sound best/worst than another?
I had. Since I tried this little experiment.
I took the multitrack of one of my songs. Exported all the tracks at 0 db, without any eq or compression.
Loaded the tracks in an Ableton project, then exported the master; loaded the tracks in Cubase, then exported.
If you compare the two, you can definitely hear lot of differences. Cubase seem to have a more definite and trasparent mix, and a cleaner low-mid range, more definite highs...
If you have a chance, try to do this yourself. You don't have to take my words for granted, you can try this little experiment.
I also noticed that many VST respond to Cubase in a total different way if compared to Ableton.
For example, I used a famous bass enhancer to pump a *.wav file of a psy bassline. If set to -21db in Ableton, it already sounds bassy and muddy; in Cubase, with the same *.wav when I set the bass enhancer to -18db, it still sound great and with no muddyness.
It is not a small difference IMO
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the first part i disagree with u. I already did it. I export the same sounds in ableton cubase logic . If u invert the phase and sum the sounds its complete disappear. I try to find similar test on youtube: but if i cant i will record video doing that.
and about the second test i really dont understand correctly.can u explain again more in depth? |
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