Cubase SX and the US-428

[anakinskye]

Has anyone heard if Tascam will be supporting the US-428 in Cubase SX. I hope it works better than in Nuendo. Oh well I guess we'll find out.

[bombastique]

There's a point of consideration here - the US-428 is really not in the same 'category' as Nuendo or Cubase SX. You'd be better off getting an interface that is supported by the software. There's not a whole lot out there that supports the 428 and most of what is is at the lower end.

[jecahn]

Yeah, but it's a fair enough question. Certainly, Cubase (if not truly and absolutely pro gear) is in the very tip top of the reach of "non-pro's." And with this in mind, I don't see why they wouldn't support the 428. And if they don't support it outright, you can be guaranteed that there will be a patch or something similar on the web that will facilitate this.

Also, doesn't the 428 ship with Cubasis in the box? It doesn't seem logical to me that Steinberg would provide Cubasis for any other reason than to "hook 'em" early on the Cubase wagon. Following that through, it makes sense that they'd provide for some type of support when you graduate (some would argue the use of that term) to Cubase. Also, I'm sure that the process of getting the machines to talk to each other would just be port-able over to Cubase.

I don't know, the 428 may not be in the same "category" as Nuendo or Essex. However, given the choice between that and Houston, if I really wanted faders, the choice wouldn't be all that hard to make. Just my 2 cents.

[anakinskye]

"Tip of the semi pro?" Is that what you're saying? Billy Joel, Ray Charles, Phil Collins, Michael Jackson? They all endorse. Are they semi-pro? 32 bit recording? No not Pro Tools. Not even HD. OK. Here's what I'm saying. Cubase was Steinbergs flagship. Pro quality. Now Nuendo comes along. It's "pro" and Cubase is now semi-pro? So does that mean eventually Nuendo will be semi-pro? Hardly. Cubase SX is Nuendo without the DVD authoring and encoding. And in my opinion,anything that can build on what Nuendo has forged can be nothing short of "PRO". Nuendo and Cubase are the way of the future.

[jecahn]

I'm talking about pure accessability. And to be honest, when it comes down to it, if you're buying something because someone else either uses it or endorses it (which, by the way, isn't necessarily the same thing) then, you're buying it for the wrong reasons. When I refer to Cubase as not being "absolutely pro" I'm talking about its general availabilty. Anyone can buy it. You don't have to show your "recording pro" card to pickup a copy at Guitar Center. Your original question illustrates this well.

To further this example, I pose the following question: Of the names you've provided as "endorsees" how many do you figure use a 428? Now, based upon that should Steinberg not support the 428 because that would make Essex "less pro"? And to extend the example to the next extreme, what do you figure the chance of Michael Jackson not using Essex is after he finds out that they support the 428? Figure he'll not use Cubase anymore because it isn't "pro-enough?" Nah, I don't think so either.

My point was that, in view of the general availability of Cubase to users of the 428, I think that they will probably support it. Or not.....

[This message has been edited by jecahn (edited 05-02-2002).]

[anakinskye]

The sad reality is that all of these applications do the EXACT SAME THING. Your sound quality basically depends on your hardware. Once your past the pre's and converters it's fair ground. There is no advantage. Only options. Some of the apps use dedicated hardware and some don't. The Steinberg products adapt to technology as it changes, not harnessing you to 3 or 4 high dollar cards that are obsolete or dated in 3 to 4 years. Now, I failed to mention that I only use the 428 as a controller. The converters and pre's in it are fully "semi-pro". I'll agree to that. But now that I've used it I can't function without it. Cubase is straightforward, has great support and their upgrade program rules! Where can you get an $800 application for $300 just because you bought another one of the companies products. And they created ASIO, arguably the most stable 32 bit operating protocol/driver for Windows 2000/XP. I've been using Cubase for 4 years and everything else just doesn't compare. It's as simple or as complex as you want it to be. IT WORKS. Can't wait for SX!

[bombastique]

ok, kids - calm down a bit. i was just referring to the 428, not necessarily the software. it's just because the 428 is a USB device. while implementation with cubase sx is likely, it's probably not on the top of their priority list, as they are most likely going to focus on the higher end gear support first.

just my thinking on this. i used to work for a distributor and the 428 for a long time was almost considered dead in the water, until tascam did some drastic pr, marketing and incentives for dealers to move them. even now, i don't think it's nearly close to being a 'big seller' (someone correct me if they've seen/heard differently on this, as my information is about a year old..).

[CBM]

I use a US 428 as a controller for Nuendo and it works fine. no I don't use the audio functions, but I do use the faders and the transport controls.

Considering that you can get one for about one third the price of a Huston, it makes sense for people that want an inexpensive control surface that will control a variety of programs, not just one or two.

[SoundWrangler]

anakinskye, you don't mention whether you're looking at Mac or Win platform, but FWIW Tascam just released 3.10 drivers for Mac OS X (so you should be OK when Cubase SX for that platform ships?).
All the other uproar seems strange to me - since the crucial "support" for the US428 is via ASIO drivers, it's the "category" of the SW you're using that matters. I've been using a US428 w/Cubase 5.1 for quite a while, & no major complaints except I wish it had phantom power & more I/O, of course!

[loudfunk]

Originally posted by CBM:
I use a US 428 as a controller for Nuendo and it works fine. no I don't use the audio functions, but I do use the faders and the transport controls.

Considering that you can get one for about one third the price of a Huston, it makes sense for people that want an inexpensive control surface that will control a variety of programs, not just one or two.



I was gonna say seeing that it works like a charmi in Nuendo and Cubase VST 5.1 I kinda would expect for it to work in SX as well.