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Summary |
Sonar 7 |
Cubase 4 |
Pro Tools 7 |
Live 7 |
Acid Pro 6 |
FL Studio 8 |
Logic Pro 8 |
Category |
Audio Environment |
Sample Rates |
Comprehensive instrument definitions available for banks, patches, note, and controller names. |
96 kHz max |
96 kHz max |
96 kHz max |
192 kHz max |
192 kHz max |
192 kHz max |
Project Bit Depth |
Processing |
64-bit floating point processing |
64-bit floating point processing |
32-bit floating point processing |
32-bit floating point processing; 64-bit summing |
32-bit floating point processing |
32-bit floating point processing |
32-bit floating point processing |
Files |
16, 24, & 32-bit floating point; multiple bit depths per project |
16, 24, & 32-bit floating point; multiple bit depths per project |
16 & 24; single bit depth per session |
16, 24, & 32-bit floating point; multiple bit depths per project |
16, 24 & 32-bit floating point; multiple bit depths per project |
16, 24, & 32-bit floating point; multiple bit depths per project |
16 & 24; single bit depth per session |
Dither |
Algorithm |
POW-r, rectangular |
Apogee UV22HR |
POW-r, TPDF (triangular) |
POW-r, triangular |
triangular, rectangular, etc. |
Not stated |
POW-r |
Processing |
Automatically applied to both internal project files and exported files if dithering option selected; dithering only for 16 bits |
No dithering available for internal project files; dither plug-in available for exporting files at 24 and 16 bits |
Automatically applied to internal project files if dithering option selected; dithering plug-in available for exported files; dithering for 16 and 24 bits |
No dithering available for internal project files; dither plug-in available for exporting files at 24 and 16 bits |
No dithering available for internal project files; dither plug-in available for exporting files at 24 and 16 bits |
Available for both internal project files and exporting at all bit depths |
No dithering available for internal project files; dither available for bouncing files at 24 and 16 bits |
Stereo Pan Laws |
6 stereo pan laws |
4 stereo pan laws |
1 stereo pan law |
1 stereo pan law |
6 stereo pan laws |
2 stereo pan laws |
3-stereo pan laws |
Track Channel Format |
Track format can be mono, stereo, or surround |
Track format can be mono, stereo, or surround |
Track format must be either mono or stereo |
Track format can be mono or stereo |
Track format can be mono, stereo, or surround |
Track format can be mono or stereo |
Track format can be mono, stereo, or surround |
Freeze Tracks |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Track mixer record |
Yes |
Audio Interfaces |
Most interfaces supported |
Most interfaces supported |
Pro Tools interfaces only (MP All M-Audio interfaces) |
Most interfaces supported |
Most interfaces supported |
Most interfaces supported |
Most interfaces supported |
Audio Driver Support |
ASIO, WDM, MME |
ASIO, MME |
ASIO, Core Audio |
ASIO, Core Audio |
ASIO, WDM |
ASIO, WDM |
Core Audio |
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Summary |
Sonar 7 |
Cubase 4 |
Pro Tools 7 |
Live 7 |
Acid Pro 6 |
FL Studio 8 |
Logic Pro 8 |
Category |
Editing & Processing |
Editors |
Clips Pane |
Sample Editor & Audio Part Editor |
Edit Window |
Sample Browser |
Chopper |
Edison |
Sample Editor & Soundtrack Pro |
Fades |
Real time fade in/out for individual clips; automatic cross-fades; fade curve control |
Real time fade in/out for individual events; automatic cross-fades; fade curve control |
Batch fade in/out for individual regions; automatic cross-fades; fade curve control |
Real time fade in/out for individual events; automatic cross-fades; fade curve control |
Real time fade in/out for individual clips; automatic cross-fades; quick-fade in option; fade curve control |
Batch fades only for clips; no crossfades |
Real time fade in/out for individual clips; automatic cross-fades |
FX
Plug-ins |
Types Supported |
DX & VST (with built-in adapter) |
VST |
RTAS (VST support available with 3rd party VST-RTAS adapter) |
VST & AU |
DX & VST |
DX & VST |
AU |
Mixing |
Large variety of mixing plug-ins |
Large variety of mixing plug-ins |
Large variety of mixing plug-ins |
Large variety of mixing plug-ins |
Large variety of mixing plug-ins |
Large variety of mixing plug-ins |
Large variety of mixing plug-ins |
Mastering |
5 band compressor & limiter; 6 band EQ |
4 band EQ; 4 band compressor; limiter; spatial imaging |
4 band EQ; limiter; no multiband compressor |
8 band EQ; 4 band compressor |
4 band EQ & compressor; limiter |
7 band EQ; 3 band compressor; limiter; spatial imaging |
EQ profile; linear phase EQ; 4 band compressor; limiter; spatial imaging |
Batch Processing |
All realtime plug-ins plus addition functions |
All realtime plug-ins plus addition functions |
All realtime plug-ins plus addition functions |
No |
No |
3 FX available for batch processing |
All realtime plug-ins plus addition functions (Soundtrack Pro) |
Spectrum Analyzer |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Included in EQ |
|
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Summary |
Sonar 7 |
Cubase 4 |
Pro Tools 7 |
Live 7 |
Acid Pro 6 |
FL Studio 8 |
Logic Pro 8 |
Category |
Mixing |
Display |
Separate display designed to emulate hardware mixer |
Separate display designed to emulate hardware mixer |
Separate display designed to emulate hardware mixer |
Display combined with clip views |
Displays buses, FX, synths and main outputs but not tracks |
Separate display designed to emulate hardware mixer |
Separate display designed to emulate hardware mixer |
Routing |
Multi-Level routing scheme to intermediate buses & main outputs |
Multi-level routing scheme to intermediate buses & main outputs |
Multi-level routing scheme to intermediate buses & main outputs |
Multi-level routing scheme to intermediate buses & main outputs |
Multi-level routing scheme to intermediate buses & main outputs |
Multi-level routing scheme to intermediate buses & main outputs |
Multi-Level routing scheme to intermediate buses & main outputs |
Inserts |
No limit stated on inserts, all pre-fader |
8 FX insert slots, 6 pre-fader & 2 post-fader |
5 inserts, all pre-fader |
No limit stated on inserts, all pre-fader |
No limit stated on inserts, all pre-fader |
8 inserts, all pre-fader |
No limit stated on inserts, all pre-fader |
Sends |
No limit stated on sends, both pre-fader & post-fader |
8 sends, both pre-fader & post-fader |
10 sends, both pre-fader & post-fader |
No limit stated on sends, both pre-fader & post-fader |
No limit stated on sends, both pre-fader & post-fader |
64 sends, post fader |
No limit stated on sends, both pre-fader & post-fader |
Sidechain |
Yes (selected plug-ins only) |
Yes (selected plug-ins only) |
Yes (selected plug-ins only) |
Yes (selected plug-ins only) |
No |
Addition cost plug-in |
Yes (selected plug-ins only) |
Plug-in Delay Compensation |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
External FX Integration |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
EQ |
6-band EQ including high & low pass/shelving curves |
4-band EQ including high & low pass/shelving curves |
5-band EQ including high & low pass/shelving curves |
6-band EQ including high & low pass/shelving curves |
4-band EQ including high & low pass/shelving curves |
7-band EQ including high & low pass/shelving curves |
4-band EQ including high & low pass/shelving curves |
|
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Summary |
Sonar 7 |
Cubase 4 |
Pro Tools 7 |
Live 7 |
Acid Pro 6 |
FL Studio 8 |
Logic Pro 8 |
Category |
Audio File Management |
File Types |
Import |
19 file types including Wave, AIFF, MPEG, Windows Media |
15 file types including Wave, AIFF, MPEG, Windows Media, Ogg, Wave 64, REX |
MPEG, Sound Designer, Wave, Windows Media, AIFF, REX |
WAV, AIFF, MP3, Ogg |
17 file types including Wave, AIFF, MPEG, Windows Media, Ogg Vobis, Wave 64 |
WAV, MP3, Ogg, REX |
AIFF, Wave, CAF, Sound Designer II |
Export |
RIFF Wave, Broadcast Wave, Real Audio, Windows Media |
Wave, Wave 64,AIFF, Ogg, RealMedia, Windows Media, |
Wave, Windows Media, AIFF |
WAV, AIFF |
10 file types including Wave, AIFF, MPEG, Windows Media, RealMedia, Ogg, Wave 64 |
WAV, MP3, Ogg |
AIFF, Wave, CAF, Sound Designer II |
CD Ripping/Burning |
Ripping & burning |
Ripping |
Ripping |
No |
Ripping & burning |
No |
Burning (Soundtrack Pro) |
MP3 |
License Fee |
Included |
License Fee |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
MP3 & AAF |
OMF |
Yes |
Yes |
Additional Fee |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Project Physical Folder |
Optional |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Project Logical Folder |
Project Files panel tracks project files, but no management facilities |
Pool facilitates tracking and management of project files |
Project Browser and Region List facilitate tracking and management of session files |
Project file management function |
No |
File tracking not included in Current Project folder |
Bin |
Consolidated Export |
Save As & .bun |
Save to New Folder |
Save a Copy |
Collect All & Save |
Save As & .acid-zip |
Save as .zip |
Save As |
Fast Bounce |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Logical Library |
No |
Media Manager |
No |
No |
Media Manager |
No |
Apple Loop Library |
File Metadata |
No |
Can maintain extensive metadata in MediaBay |
Can store some metadata using Project & Workspace Browsers |
No |
Can maintain extensive metadata in Media Manager |
No |
No |
Cleanup |
Facility for finding unused audio files |
Facility for finding unused audio files |
Facility for finding unused audio files |
File Management function |
No facility for finding unused audio |
No facility for finding unused audio |
Facility for finding unused audio files |
