see also:

• Roland XV-88 keyboard synth
• Korg Nautilus keyboard synth

• Cubase Elements
  • 64bit engine (hence does not support 32bit plugins!), 192kHz audio
  • 64 Midi tracks, 48 audio tracks, 24 VST instrument tracks, 3 VST instruments (HALion Sonic SE 3 basic set, Groove Agent SE 5, Prologue), >1000 instrument sounds,
  • 46 audio effect plugins, 24 physical in-out, 16 group channels, 8 FX send-receive; 16 rack instruments;
  • BUT NO: VST MIDI effect channels, MIDI plug-in insert slots & sends, Audio Warp Quantize, Comping
  • $US149
• Cubase Artist
  • allows much more tracks, I/O, group channels than Elements and 64 receive channels
  • 18 VST MIDI effect channels; 4 MIDI plug-in insert slots & sends;
  • additional 7 VST instruments (Retrologue 2, Padshop 2, Spector, Mystic, LoopMash 2.0, Trip for HALion Sonic SE and Flux for HALion Sonic SE) BUT not the Pro set of HALion Sonic SE 3 which is in Cubase Pro.
  • includes Audio Warp Quantize, Comping, WaveLab file exchange, Workspaces; tempo track, signature track, track versions, global transpose track, note expression, advanced metronome, list editor, MPE support,
  • $US497 including the required USB-eLicenser ($US332 for upgrade from Elements)
• Cubase Pro
  • unlimited tracks
  • VST instruments as per Artist but adds Pro set of HALion Sonic SE 3
  • can have up to 76 VST audio plugins instead of 57
  • 256 group channels
  • in addition to Artist: VariAudio 3; Control Room; Project Logical Editor; ARA 2 / AAF / OMF support; Profiles; music XML import/export; time warp; spectral comparison EQ, VCA faders, wave meters

• require USB-Licenser €24
  • Every computer that runs a VE Pro SERVER (and lets you load plug-ins in that server) will need one license and one ViennaKey or other USB eLicenser (you can also use a Steinberg Key, if you already have one or can get it faster).
• Vienna Ensemble Pro
  • mixing and hosting application enables you to set up a multiple computer network with both Macs and PCs without the need for extra MIDI and audio interfaces – all you need is a ethernet cable!
    • allows one computer to contain the sound samples while the other has the DAW
  • v7.0 includes 73Gb Epic Orchestra 2.0 Sample Pack worth € 105
  • €195 1st licence
  • https://www.vsl.co.at/en/Vienna_Software_Package/Vienna_Ensemble_PRO
  • VIENNA INSTRUMENTS PRO 2
    • sample player available as a standalone or as a VST3 plug in
    • € 55
  • Vienna MIR Pro
    • a reverb surround sound software add on to Ensemble Pro
    • can add in RoomPacks such as Vienna Konzerthaus
    • €645 plus room packs €115-€275 each
  • Vienna Studio Pro
    • High-Precision Stereo & Surround Audio Plug-ins
    • €260

• Vienna Imperial Bösendorfer Imperial 290-755 Grand Piano sample VST
  • 47Gb; 100 velocities and 1,200 recorded samples per key!
  • perhaps the best sampled VST piano available in 2020
  • requires USB-Licenser
  • € 295
• VI Labs Ravencroft 275
  • comes with its own sample player, the UVI Workstation 3
  • no dongle needed; can be used on up to 3 computers;
  • 5.5Gb; 17,000 samples; 19 velocity layers;
  • $US199
• Pianoteq 6
  • modeled piano (not sampled)
  • €129 for 1st 2 instrument packs with “Stage version” but this is only 48kHz instead of 192kHz then €49 each extra one
  • “Standard version” €249 adds mic setting, piano model tweaking, advanced tuning and allows 3 instrument packs of your choice
  • “Pro version” €369 gives 192kHz audio, note-per-note editing of overtones, and 3 instrument packs of your choice