STEINBERG WAVELAB

Category: Products / music software / software mastering & editors

Added: 04-Jan-99 | Author: admin

New price: Ł 399 ........ (rrp inc vat) | S/H price: ??

STEINBERG WAVELAB

Ok...... this page is a bit out of date people..... wavelab is now past Version-2...... so.... download the demo from steinberg and make up your own mind anyway.......

Wavelab is a general purpose sample editor, similar to programmes such as Soundforge, and is highly rated as a fast editor & more.....Wavelab supports 24 bit audio files

Wavelab is a true 32 bit Win 95 programme, and seems to be a good & solid, opening quickly, and working solidly.....Wavelabs processing includes: (V-1.5)

Timestretch
Compressor/expander/limiter/gate
Parametric eq, (with Mid +Q, & high & lo shelving filters)
Normalise
Chorus
harmoniser
sample rate conversion

Many other functions have now been included, and also a price drop I think.... Wavelab now supports direct sample transfer and will handle MPG-3 files for web app's etc, as well as all it's CD mastering applications.....

All these processes can be saved & loaded as with most other programmes of this type, and Wavelab also does Batch processing, where you can specify a list of audio files on the hard drive, and command up to several processes to be performed across the entire batch of files while you get on with something else !

Wavelab also supports the Steinberg Plug-in VST range, as well as any 3rd part pluggins, which can also function in the batch processing mode as well as for standard "in the Window" processing...apparently, you can also use these pluggins as a realtime fx processor, by sending audio in thru your soundcard, thru the programme, and back out again in real time (?!)...I'm not sure how well this actually works in real life, or what machine would be needed to get spot on real-time processing with no audible delay.

So, all in all, a good little editor, I would say that as it stands, there is no competition really with a programme like Soundforge, which is far more powerful straight from the box, and Soundforge is alot cheaper, at Ł 299 inc VAT.....However... Wavelab supports CD mastering, with a wide range of Plug-In tools to support this.... Perhaps where Steinberg hope to score, is with the extra pluggins, which are all about Ł 180 each..... But Soundforge also supports excellent plugins, such as it's much rated De-noiser & De-clicker....so..... maybe it's what you need......I'm going to review the new Wavelab soon, and start to make pages for all the plugins too....

Personally, I like Soundforge, as a straight editor tool, which to my mind is a far easier programme, with much more facilities, AND a lower price tag out of the box.......Why don't you download the demo's of each, from the reviews here, then try em out.....I have to say tho, that unless they've changed the latest 1.6 demo file, that Steinberg have been a bit stupid here, cos their demo doesn't even let you process the fuckin' audio files....Soundforge demo at least lets you hear what the processing is like...You just can't save it ....So a big thumbs down there for Steinberg....I mean what's the point of having a demo programme, where you can't hear the thing working..... Tut tut !!....... Anyhow.... maybe that has changed too...... I'll have to download the latest demo, and re-do this page at some point !!....soon-come.....

update - 1/4/99 - I've been messing with the newer Version Wavelab, with the little 'Rack' of stackable FX... and very impressed with it I am..!!... It really is a snip to get a loop together just like how I like it with Soundforge - Solid feeling, without too much confusing screen-shifting..... just set the loop going, and trim the ends as it plays... then copy and paste to a new file.... the rack is bloody excelent... you can do some cool... and importantly for me.. quick stuff... I gotta do a new page for it..... soon...