With the introduction of the new Cubase version yesterday, Steinberg also unveiled a new VST standard: VST3. Cubase 4 not only includes a completely new set of audio effect plugins, it also marks the next step in VST plugin technology!
VST3 offers major new features both for plug-in developers and users. VST3 plug-ins can adjust their number of audio busses to the channel they’re inserted to (mono, stereo, 5.1, etc.). A silence detection function makes sure that a plug-in only processes audio when there’s actually a signal present. This helps to reduce overall CPU load. VST3 plug-ins
natively support Intel-based Macintosh computers. For developers there are many more features under the hood. In Cubase 4, there are more than 30 all-new plug-ins. In addition, some of the previous plug-ins have been reworked and updated for this version, pushing the total number of plug-ins to 52! The original SX3 plug-ins will still be available to update customers. New customers may install these plug-ins as a “Legacy” set for project compatibility.
One of the highlights of this new plug-in set is a powerful new Equalizer, which is also available within the new channel EQ. Other highlights include a Vintage Compressor, Studio Chorus, a new Multiband Compressor, a voice-doubler called Cloner, and a great-sounding modeling guitar amplifier with speaker cabinet simulation. A feature not related to VST3 but to the Cubase 4 mixer: effects can now be re-arranged using drag & drop. This works
both within a single channel, as well as between channels.