Cubase 7.5.30 Sound engine

ALL Cubase versions from SX2 > 7 null.

v2 nulls with v3
v3 nulls with v4
v4 nulls with v5
v5 nulls with v6
v6 nulls with v7

This is true for:

  1. audio only projects
  2. VST only projects
  3. audio and VST projects

Yes, I have tested this. No, I did not do anything wrong; you can not possibly get an accidental null. To those of you who are hearing a difference from one version to the next, either a) you are hearing a difference from the eq curves in one version to the next, or b) you are just hearing things that don’t really exist. But don’t worry; this (meaning ‘b’) happens to many people.

A few reasons why you would not a get a null:

  1. Pan law(s) set differently
  2. Reverb somewhere in the project that has a random algo
  3. A VST with a random algo (Zebra and Omnisphere are two good exs; Kontakt has a few random algos)
  4. A plug with a random algo (some compressors, as one ex)
  5. A ch strip with a random algo (yes, even inside your host)
  6. Differing s.r./b.d.
  7. RRs (if not reset prior to each mixdown)
  8. Export vs. non-RT export

I have seen people - who felt strongly that they knew what they were doing - attempt to do null tests, but wind up doing them wrong. It’s not rocket science, but it does need to be done correctly.

Cheers.