Feature Comparison
| Features | Cubase 5 | Cubase Studio 5 | Cubase Essential 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Award-winning 32-bit floating-point audio engine | yes | yes | yes |
| Number of audio tracks | virtually unlimited | virtually unlimited | 64 |
| Number of MIDI tracks | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited |
| Instrument tracks | unlimited | unlimited | unlimited |
| Physical inputs/outputs | 256 | 128 | 32 |
| Group channels | 256 | 256 | 256 |
| FX Send channels | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| FX Return channels | 64 | 64 | 8 |
| VST audio effect insert slots | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| MIDI effect insert slots | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| VST instrument slots | 64 | 32 | 16 |
| VST3 plug-in support | yes | yes | yes |
| ReWire support | yes | yes | yes |
| Number of mixer views | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Control Room | yes | no | no |
| Extended Channel EQ (VST3 Studio EQ) | yes | no | no |
| Extended Mixer view | yes | yes | no |
| Sidechain inputs | yes | yes | no |
| 5.1 surround and True multichannel audio path | yes | no | no |
| External FX | yes | no | no |
| External instruments | yes | no | no |
| Automation modes | touch fader, x-over, autolatch, trim | touch fader, x-over, autolatch, trim | touch fader |
| Volume envelopes | yes | yes | no |
| Automation panel | yes | yes | no |
| Hardware controller support | yes | yes | only Houston, generic+Tascam US-428/224, Mackie Universal, HUI and CC121 |
| Channel Batch Export function | yes | yes | no |
| Unlimited Undo and Redo functions | yes | yes | yes |
| Offline Process History | for built-in audio and all plug-ins | for built-in audio | single undo |
| MediaBay and VST Sound support | full | limited* | limited* |
| Track presets | yes | yes | yes |
| Studio connections | recall+audio | recall | recall |
| Workspaces (virtual desktops) | yes | yes | no |
| Project Browser | yes | yes | no |
| Recording modes: Mix, Overwrite, Normal, Merge, Stacked | yes | yes | excl. Stacked |
| Recording from busses | yes | yes | no |
| Editors: Key, List, Basic Score | yes | yes | yes |
| Drum Editor | yes | yes | yes |
| Logical Editor | yes | yes | no |
| Project Logical Editor | yes | no | no |
| Inplace Editor (MIDI editing in Project Window) | yes | yes | no |
| Advanced options in Tempo Editor | yes | no | no |
| Extended Track Inspector (shows VSTi channel for MIDI tracks) | yes | yes | yes |
| MIDI devices (Device Maps and Editors) | yes | no | no |
| Professional score layout and printing functions (incl. MusicXML Import+Export) | yes | yes | no |
| Arranger Track | yes | yes | yes |
| Global Transpose Track | yes | yes | no |
| Signature and tempo tracks in Project Window | yes | yes | no |
| VariAudio | yes | no | no |
| VST Expression support | yes | yes | no |
| AudioWarp (real-time time stretching+pitch shifting) | yes | yes | playback only |
| Time Warp tool | yes | yes | no |
| Pitch Shifting/Time Stretching algorithm | real time+MPEX | real time+MPEX | real time |
| Dithering | Apogee UV22HR | Apogee UV22HR | Apogee UV22HR |
| Key command macros | yes | yes | yes |
| Pool Import and Export | yes | yes | no |
| Track archives | yes | no | no |
| Extended Freeze for VST instruments and audio tracks | yes | yes | yes |
| Track Quick Controls | yes | yes | no |
| Full MP3 Fraunhofer encoding | yes | available as update | available as update |
| Windows Media WMA Pro encoding | yes | yes | yes |
| OMF import/export | yes | no | no |
| Sequel Project import | yes | yes | no |
| Number of VST MIDI effect plug-ins | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Number of VST audio effect plug-ins | 58 | 39 | 33 |
| Number of VST instruments | 8 | 3 | 2 |
| Number of instrument sounds included | 1,623 | 749 | 706 |
| Full printed operations manual | yes | no | no |
| Mac OS X Universal Binary | yes | yes | yes |
| Multi-processing support | yes | yes | yes |
| Vista 64 native Cubase 64-bit version | yes | yes | no |
* No detail search, no separate tag editor, no user tags
Plug-in Comparison
| Audio plug-ins | Cubase 5 | Cubase Studio 5 | Cubase Essential 5 | VST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AmpSimulator | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| AutoPan | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| Bitcrusher | yes | yes | yes | 2.4 |
| Chopper | yes | yes | yes | 2.4 |
| Chorus | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| Cloner | yes | no | no | 3.0 |
| Compressor | yes | yes | no | 3.0 |
| DaTube | yes | yes | yes | 2.4 |
| DeEsser (SPL) | yes | no | no | 2.4 |
| Distortion | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| DualFilter | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| EnvelopeShaper | yes | no | no | 3.0 |
| Expander | yes | no | no | 3.0 |
| Flanger | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| Gate | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| GEQ-10 | yes | no | no | 3.0 |
| GEQ-30 | yes | no | no | 3.0 |
| Grungelizer | yes | yes | no | 2.4 |
| Limiter | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| Maximizer | yes | yes | no | 3.0 |
| Metalizer | yes | yes | yes | 2.4 |
| MIDI Gate | yes | yes | yes | 2.4 |
| Mix6to2 | yes | no | no | 2.4 |
| MixConvert | yes | no | no | 3.0 |
| ModMachine | yes | no | no | 3.0 |
| MonoDelay | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| MonoToStereo | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| MultibandCompressor | yes | no | no | 3.0 |
| MultiScope | yes | no | no | 2.4 |
| Octaver | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| Phaser | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| PingPongDelay | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| PitchCorrect | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| REVerence | yes | no | no | 3.0 |
| RingModulator | yes | yes | yes | 2.4 |
| Roomworks | yes | yes | no | 3.0 |
| Roomworks SE | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| Rotary | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| SMPTE Generator | yes | no | no | 2.4 |
| SoftClipper | yes | no | no | 3.0 |
| Standard Channel EQ | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| StepFilter | yes | yes | yes | 2.4 |
| StereoDelay | yes | yes | no | 3.0 |
| StereoEnhancer | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| StudioChorus | yes | yes | no | 3.0 |
| StudioEQ | yes | no | no | 3.0 |
| Surround Panner | yes | no | no | 3.0 |
| Test Generator | yes | no | no | 2.4 |
| Tonic | yes | no | no | 2.4 |
| Tranceformer | yes | yes | yes | 2.4 |
| Tremolo | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| Tuner | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| UV22HR | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| Vibrato | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| VintageCompressor | yes | no | no | 3.0 |
| VSTDynamics | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| WahWah | yes | yes | yes | 3.0 |
| MIDI plug-ins | Cubase 5 | Cubase Studio 5 | Cubase Essential 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arpache 5 | yes | yes | yes |
| Arpache SX | yes | yes | no |
| Auto LFO | yes | yes | yes |
| Beat Designer | yes | yes | yes |
| Chorder | yes | yes | yes |
| Compressor | yes | yes | yes |
| Context Gate | yes | yes | yes |
| Density | yes | yes | yes |
| Micro Tuner | yes | yes | yes |
| MIDI Control | yes | yes | yes |
| MIDI Echo | yes | yes | yes |
| MIDI Modifiers | yes | yes | yes |
| MIDI Monitor | yes | yes | yes |
| Note 2 CC | yes | yes | yes |
| Quantizer | yes | yes | yes |
| StepDesigner | yes | yes | yes |
| Track Control | yes | yes | yes |
| Transformer | yes | yes | yes |
| Virtual instruments | Cubase 5 | Cubase Studio 5 | Cubase Essential 5 | VST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Embracer | yes | no | no | 2.4 |
| Groove Agent ONE | yes | yes | no | 3.0 |
| LoopMash | yes | no | no | 3.0 |
| Monologue | yes | no | no | 2.4 |
| Prologue | yes | yes | ja | 3.0 |
| Spector | yes | no | no | 3.0 |
| Mystic | yes | no | no | 3.0 |
| HALion ONE | yes | yes | yes | 2.4 |
Advanced Integration Features
| Features | Cubase 5 | Cubase Studio 5 | Cubase Essential 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic integration through IEEE1394 (MR816 X, MR816 CSX, CC121, MOTIF XS) | yes | yes | yes |
| True Integrated Monitoring – 1:1 mixer mapping (MR816 X, MR816 CSX) | yes | yes | yes |
| True Integrated Monitoring – multiple studio mixes (MR816 X, MR816 CSX) | yes | no | no |
| Quick Connect (MR816 X, MR816 CSX) | yes | yes | yes |
| Monitor mixer integration (MR816 X, MR816 CSX) | yes | yes | yes |
| HW setup integration (MR816 X, MR816 CSX) | yes | yes | yes |
| Plug-in integration of DSP effects (MR816 X (REV-X only), MR816 CSX) | yes | yes | yes |
| VST connection presets (MR816 X, MR816 CSX) | yes | yes | yes |
| Plug-in integration of MOTIF XS series voice editor (MOTIF XS) | yes | yes | yes |
| Control Room control (CC121) | yes | no | no |
| AI Knob control (CC121) | yes | yes | yes |
| External VST3 support – MIDI+audio (MOTIF XS) | yes | yes | yes |
| VST instrument preset browser access (KX) | yes | yes | yes |
| Track Quick Controls support (KX) | yes | yes | no |
