Quick Question regard Wavelab and Wavelab Elements

Two big things you should be mindful of:

  1. The jump from 6 to 7 (and 8) is huge in terms of the GUI … it’s almost a different application, so be prepared to spend a lot of time scratching your head (and hair pulling!). Most things are similar but there are some new concepts to get your head around which can be frustrating for a while. Most of the kerfuffle about this has died down in the meantime, but personally I think the new GUI is well worth any initial frustration – and I’m still learning! PG is very responsive to user concerns and is here on the forum most days, 8.5 is a great improvement on the initial 7 release and getting better with each update.

  2. WaveLab Elements 8 has one potentially serious limitation for radio/dialogue work: the montage is limited to 3 tracks (stereo or mono). However, as you say you only need 2-3 stereo tracks, you should be OK. Even if you did occasionally need more, you might be able to get around this by bouncing to intermediate tracks.

Other issues that may influence your decision:

– You can run WLE8 without a hardware dongle, which might be useful seeing as you’re going to be using a laptop. You can later transfer the license to a hardware dongle and install the application on as many computers as you wish, but it will only run on the computer with the dongle. You can’t, however, go the other way and transfer a dongle license to a “soft” eLicenser.

– You can’t “cross-grade” or “down-grade” from your existing WL6 to WLE8 … you would basically have to buy WLE8 as well. Against this background, you might want to consider the upgrade from WL6 to WL8 (full version).

– I agree with the “yucky Windows 8.1” bit … I have both WL8.5 on Windows 7x64 and WLE8 on a laptop running Windows 8.1. What I can say is that it works flawlessly on Windows 8.1 (which I still hate) so at least the WL6 incompatibility issue goes away. You might however want to try the following: copy the WaveLab 6 folder from your old computer to the laptop, download and install the latest update for the eLicenser, plug in your dongle and try running the WaveLab 6 exe! Completely unsupported, but it just might work … I believe there’s someone on the forum here who does this on Windows 7. It will require that you run it as Administrator, but it may be one possible zero-cost option in your case. (Sorry Steinberg, I’ll get me coat …)

Finally, WaveLab Elements 8 is one of the best value options out there in terms of what you can achieve with it, and I would have no hesitancy recommending it, if you decide to go that route. I still somehow think that you would be well advised to retain your investment in WL6 by upgrading to the full version of WL8, because for relatively little money you get a whole lot more, even if you don’t initially make use of all the features.

Thank you so much MrSoundman for taking the time to write such a detailed answer because it’s made me think again now. Your point about retaining my investment is a very good one so thank you so much. So it brings me to one more question if you don’t mind. The laptop I bought is this one… Will it manage WL ok (being in mind my light use of the features)

Thanks so much again for your time and thanks also to Markino and Arjan for your thoughts too.

I think you should have no problems with that spec. I have used WaveLab even on an Atom netbook for basic editing without any problem.

Thank you so so much for your help. Really is appreciated.

There’s no need for that anymore (at least not for Windows 7), since there’s a full WL6.1.1 version available for download from Steinberg. See WaveLab 6.1.1 Update here - might work on Windows 8 too. It’s a full installer, so only a license on your dongle needed.

Been playing with WLE8 and yes, quite a jump.

Have another question though (sorry!)

Currently WL6 is installed in my studio on Windows XP. I noticed that WL8.5 isn’t compatible with XP anyway.

So how do I upgrade to 8.5 on my new laptop.

I want to leave WL on my studio computer for now but again, due to my health the focus is certainly going to be on my laptop.

Will WL6 be able to stay on my computer whilst I have 8.5 on my laptop and share the license on my dongle?

Because if I upgrade to WL8.5 on my laptop but WL6 on my PC no longer works and WL8.5 won’t work on my PC either then I think that’s decision made about just using WLE on the new Lappy.

Thanks guys!

Will WL6 be able to stay on my computer whilst I have 8.5 on my laptop and share the license on my dongle?

Yes, you can have 2 different WaveLab versions installed on 2 different systems, and share the license (I mean, one dongle to unplug/replug).

Thank you.

So do I just buy the WaveLab 8.5 upgrade from WaveLab 6 and install it straight on to my new Laptop and then insert the dongle?

Cheers!

So do I just buy the WaveLab 8.5 upgrade from WaveLab 6 and install it straight on to my new Laptop and then insert the dongle?

Exactly. When you have the upgrade, you will have an activation code to enter while your dongle is plugged, after you have installed WaveLab.

Brilliant. Thanks so much. Will try and do it today.

One more thing: you will need to keep License Control Center up to date, on both computers!

Gosh, I’ve never even used that.

How do I do that?

No, you must be using it, because it is the software that verifies you have the correct licenses on your USB-licenser. Just download the latest version regularly (or after new WL versions occur) via the Steinberg.net site.

The latest version is always here together with a “how-to” video. Back in the day it used to be called Synchrosoft but it’s now owned by Steinberg. The versions are fully backwards compatible so you can also install it on Windows XP, although it might need to install the .NET Framework, which I think is included in the installer.

I’ll get on that then Arjan and Mr Soundman. Don’t think I’ve updated the single since I got WL6 years ago! Will I bed to update that before I upgrade to WL8?

Apologies for the questions guys! I know what I’m doing I’m the program but an no way a techie. Because WL6 always worked I never updated as was too scared in case something went t!ts up!

So thanks for all the help.

I think if you download the update that Arjan gave (WaveLab 6.1.1) it will probably install a suitable update for the eLicenser version on your XP machine as well. If you then purchase the upgrade to WL8.5 (which will not install on XP!), you can install WL8.5 on your Windows 8.1 laptop, and from there you can enter the activation code that will be emailed to you on purchase (as described in the video on the eLicenser website) and all should be well.

One word of caution, when you get your activation code do not post it here on or any public forum; think of it as a one-time password which can only be used by you to activate your personal licence which is then physically stored on your USB eLicenser.

No, this is not quite correct. The thing is, as soon as your donge has the 8.5 license on it, the old eLCC software on XP won’t find the license for 6, because it is overwritten by 8.5 - of which it has no knowledge. I always update eLCC on all possible computers, before installing any updates of WL (or Cubase, for that matter).

So Arjan, what’s the best way of doing it so I buy Wavelab 8.5 for my new Windows 8 Laptop but do it in such a way I can retain Wavelab 6 on my Windows XP computer in the studio?

Ideally I want to retain both copies. Otherwise I’ll keep Wavelab 6 for the XP studio and just buy Wavelab Elements for the lappy.

Cheers as always.

  1. Update the eLicenser software on your XP installation to the latest version
  2. Buy the 8.5 upgrade and install it on your Windows 8.1 laptop

That’s it, really!

Thank you Mr Soundman. Appreciated