Hey,

First of all this isn't a true Cakewalk VS Cubase topic and don't want to start any arguments but it is something that has troubled me for 8 years with varying versions of Cubase and is solved with Cakewalk and wanted to hopefully find out why.

A quick bit about us. Basically my Dad has been in music since the 60's in various bands and in the 70's to late 80's he worked for EMI as a producer and then got out of music for a while. I am now learning from him. We have tried various audio interfaces ranging from MOTU's to Focusrite and have settled on RME Raydats and AIO cards in a self built computer.

Basically we have spent years in Cubase and the sounds whether they are recorded audio or VST instruments always sounded distant and thin sounding. We thought that maybe it was just us so we got some old 24 Track Tape Reels out and listened to them and the sounds instantly sounded more up front and thicker sounding. We tried everything to try and solve this switching mixing desks, computer parts, cables, checked for phasing, khz, bitrates, making sure everything is synced properly etc etc and just could never get it. I spent a good few months talking to RME trying suggested things from their support but could never get it right. We assumed that it was one of the downsides of digital recording.

I purchased Cakewalk Sonar X3 really to see what it was like not expecting anything different in the audio department but it was instantly apparent that when I plugged a guitar in it was more upfront and fuller sounding. I tried it on various computers with different interfaces and this was the same on all of them. When mixing you don't end up battling to get the mix you want.
 
I have also tried Presonus Studio One 3 and this is exactly the same as Cubase, thin sounding.
 
The question is why would this be the case? Is it something setup wrong in Cubase and Presonus or is it that the Audio Engine in Cakewalk is far better?
 
Again I'm trying not to Bash Cubase or start fanboy wars but it can't be helped. I'm more trying to bring it to peoples attention
 
If you need to know anything else please ask :)

Kind Regards
Joe

Without getting into the technical ins and outs they should sound the same if no fx are involved.

The way to check this is to create an audio file in one program and then export it and import it into the other. Having the 2 tracks lined up now invert the phase of one. They should cancel out and you should hear nothing.

Then do the reverse and create some audio in the other program and do the same export it and import into the other program. Repeat the steps


If the files don't null then the difference is some noise coming from somewhere.

My experience in lots of DAWs is that they null. If you dig deep enough there'll be a reason why you hear differences.

In the end it's al 0 & 1 s

Hi,
 
Thanks for the reply :)

We have all ready tried that one with a clean guitar signal recorded straight in and you didn't need to export it to hear the difference but will try this in a mo.
 
And did the same with Addictive drums 2 in cubase and Cakewalk and again could hear it straight away.

Any other suggestions? :)
Kind Regards
Joe

Also don't be worry about going into Tech Talk. I do freelance computer programming as a side line so It doesn't phase me :)

Maybe the volume levels are differing?
 
If you are using an RME, you can use DigiCheck to assert that the volume levels sent to the speakers from the two programs are the same. Some DAWs build in some headroom, making the output seem a little quieter. In otherwords, clip lights blink before you have a digital clip ... as a warning really.
 
So, from Sonar play a track and note the DigiCheck EBU Meter levels for the track. Then listen to the same from the other program. Do the meters read the same for both?

Ears can lie. Math doesn't.

I'll bet anything that there's some hidden eq setting or something you've missed. In the final analyses they all (DAWs) sound the same when it comes out the 2 bus.

It's what you do inside that makes the difference.

Hi,
 
Thanks for the reply. This is one of the first things RME asked me to try and there seemed to be know issues there either :/

mudgel
Ears can lie. Math doesn't.

I'll bet anything that there's some hidden eq setting or something you've missed. In the final analyses they all (DAWs) sound the same when it comes out the 2 bus.

It's what you do inside that makes the difference.

Hi, thanks for the reply. There is a difference. I have scoured through Cubase and checked nothing is turned on just a straight feed in and out. I've spent alot of time trying everything suggested solution in the past (before I got cakewalk a few weeks ago) everything from installing fresh versions of windows so there's no possible junk of the system. I've checked volumes etc etc.

If it is the case that it should sound the same why do people say that Protools is a bit brittle sounding and Logic is warmer sounding due to the audio engines used? (this isn't a dig at you at all more a question really)
 
Kind Regards
Joe

I'm not one of the people who expects any difference in sound.
 
If I record 1001001 and play it back without effect, I expect to get back 1001001.
 
Audio Engine should only be a means to write it to disk and read it back after if there are no effects in the chain.
 
Once you start adding FX, all bets are off.
 
The RME you are using doesn't have Pre amps, right? So are you using different Pre Amps? That should make a pretty good difference if you are. Microphones? Mic placement?
 
What does your dad say? Sounds like he has some skills and he's on site.

I had this happen to me with Samplitude. It turned out I was using the Sam audio ASIO driver. In Sonar I was using the WDM driver that came with my interface. When I switched the Sam driver to the right WDM drive there was no difference. 
 
Cubase has a generic ASIO driver and it may not work well for your interface. See what happens with a different driver.
 
Not all drivers are equal. Personally I believe Sonar has better driver support than may other DAWs.  
 
Here is the tread I started about this. http://forum.cakewalk.com...0-better-m3234755.aspx