Okay... so I'm late getting to this switch to another DAW.  I'm looking into purchasing a new computer and DAW software.  I'm sure you've all seen these questions before.
 
PC or Mac?
 
Protools, Cubase or Studio 1?
 
I'm considering the switch to Mac & PT.  Thinking it will be a combination that will stay around the longest.
 
Has any one used all of these three DAWs before? Have you used both PC and Mac?
 
I'm open to a new start.  Any and all comments/jokes/etc. welcome at this point!
 
 

I have Protools 11, tried Studio One demo last spring and switched recently to Cubase.
 
Protools is stiff and feels old. Liked Studio One but it felt a bit stripped down compared to Sonar. The arranger track was really great tho. I've used Cubase 9.5 for a month and digging it very much. :) It has many cool features and has been rock solid so far.
 
I guess it comes down to what are your priorities for a DAW.

.

bits2tubes
Okay... so I'm late getting to this switch to another DAW.  I'm looking into purchasing a new computer and DAW software.  I'm sure you've all seen these questions before.
 
 
Any and all comments/jokes/etc. welcome at this point!
 
 

guy walks into a bar with a duck on his head...

Last time I switched computers - about 18 months ago - I wanted to buy a Mac, but I didn't because I thought moving from Sonar would be impossibly difficult. So I bought another PC - a classic case of letting the tail wag the dog.

In fact, switching to Studio One a couple of months ago was painless, and frankly, it's light years ahead of Sonar in many ways and I wish I'd done it years ago.

So, whilst I get why you might want to go with Pro Tools and Mac because of potential longevity, my point is that if you ever have to learn a new DAW again in the future, it's not a big deal.

I can't comment on PT or Cubase, and I have no idea what your requirements are as such, but I find SO extremely intuitive and user friendly.

Avid isn't going to stop making ProTools for PC.
It's a much larger user base than the Mac.
 
Another thing to consider:
Current generation Macs are *FAR* behind the performance curve.
ie: You can't get a Mac running an i7-8700k at 4700MHz... or an i9-7900x running at 4500MHz.
If you go iMac, you can't change the boot drive without voiding the warranty. 
There is zero internal expansion or adding drives.  All additional drives have to be external (USB-3 or Thunderbolt). 
A 1TB Thunderbolt HD is $200.  If you've got a lot of drives (I have ten SSDs), it's expensive to have them all external.  IMO, Having zero internal room for additional drives was short-sighted... both from cost and ergonomic/logistic standpoints.
Otherwise, Mac is a slick looking machine... that performs well for what it is (dated hardware).

I have and use all 3 of the programs on PC. I’m sticking with Cubase. 9.5

 
Hi, I hope this helps a bit but this is what I've discovered.
 
   I used studio one for the demo period to see if I would like it and it did seem like the DAW worked much the same as Platinum (My choice in Cakewalk) but, and I'm being a little unkind here, it was like using a cheap 'knock off' of what I was used to. I did try a few others including Pro Tools and it's probably me, but I agree with JoeHans comment.
 
   In the end I bit the bullet and went with Cubase 9.5. I've been using the DAW for a couple of months every day and I'm just getting used to the new workflow. My opinion is that, although it's different it offers a new approach that Platinum has in spades, but it takes a lot of getting used to … Having said that doesn't any DAW ? I use them both for different tasks although I find now CB 9.5 is the main go to.
 
  For my money I'd stay with PC don't fix it till it's broke JMO
 
 
 

@OP
What types of projects are you working on?
Are they heavy on the MIDI side?  If so, are you making extensive use of outboard/hardware synths?
Do you need notation?
Are you primarily tracking audio?
 
With more details... we can make better recommendations.
 
Studio One has the cleanest UI... and has a nice balance of audio/MIDI features.
Has a gap-less audio engine, lots of included content, no notation
 
Cubase has extensive (more esoteric) MIDI editing, notation, etc.
As such... Cubase is popular with composers.
 
ProTools 2018 has just about caught up with the best native DAWs (feature wise).
If you haven't used ProTools, it'll take some time to get configured (setting up the I/O, etc).
 
You really can't make a bad decision with any of those three.
Spend some time with all three.
One will likely "jump out" as a better fit for your scenario.
 
You might also want to check out Samplitude Pro X3.
Ableton Live is a great DAW application, but it's focus is more on the creative/performance side (much different from a standard "linear" type DAW).  IMO, Live is best paired with another more traditional type DAW.

Many thanks to all of you for your input. So now I know I'm sticking with PC.
 
Jim, I will contact you in the coming weeks.
 
As for DAWs I guess I'll just try a few. As I under stand it SO is a one-screen UI. I always like being able to switch from Edit to Mix screens in Plat. Don't know if I'd like the one screen only idea? I don't do much MIDI but do need it. Also don't need notation. Cubase maybe a better option thought overall. Not sure what the I/O hassle is with PT, but I've always liked the rather straight forward look.
 
Jim, thanks for bringing up Samplitude Pro X3. I used Samplitude years ago and liked it. Just didn't think it would stick around and not have great support. I've used Sound Forge for years.
 
Again, my sincere thanks to everyone for taking the time to respond with good information.