DP7 vs Logic 9

[NoFalsetto]

Which has better audio quality, DP7 or Logic 9?

[Papanate]

Originally Posted by NoFalsetto

Which has better audio quality, DP7 or Logic 9?

Which ever one you are the most comfortable with.

[mattsearles]

Originally Posted by Papanate

Which ever one you are the most comfortable with.

Seriously... like can we all just some kind of official thing that says "look, all DAWS sound as good as every other DAW," and then we can just kinda get on with it?

Ummm... so I'm not sure how much a new version of DP costs these days.. but if you have snow leopard.. you can by logic.. as a download for.. are you ready for this? $200. Dude.. that a crazy insane deal...

So DP.. umm.. I really don't like most of the Virtual instruments and effects that come with it.. as a DP user.. I mean.. there's some goodness in there but mostly I pass on whats in there.. and like.. Logic comes with an insane amount of quality effects, instruments, loops, whatever ever.. so on that level I think Logic wins.

But I might just be too critical of the stuff in DP.... just cause of the plugs I own...

Ummmmm.......

Idk.. all DAWs are more or less the same.. I mean different ones have different strengths and weaknesses but basically.. they're all on part.. unless you want to get funky and talk about Ableton or Reason.. and then like.. idk.. there's serious differences...

[flextone]

MOTU have just released DP8, no word on pricing yet.

I've used both DAW's and for me DP wins hands down. Logic is full of stuff you don't need, constantly tries to get you to use the apple loops and samples which is annoying, and the GUI is just trying too hard somehow you know? Eye candy.

DP is just straight to the point, comfortable, deep, no bullshit software. Sound quality is not an issue though, seriously that's just irrelevant. Go with what works for you.

[kongwee]

I could only say Logic stock effects are the serious contenders among all other DAW stock effect. I know the codes are old(ten year maybe). But seriously US$200. Even it is the hardest DAW to learn, c'mon. Name me anyway full suite DAW at that price(feature by feature). For now I bought one third party reverb and a few console/analog emulation. That all I need.

Logic sample and loops are very essential if you wanna break away from musician only market(which can be very profitable).

[NoFalsetto]

Originally Posted by Papanate

Which ever one you are the most comfortable with.

No. Seriously.
What about internal headroom. Bit depths. etc.
All workstation software do not sound the same.
Which handles audio the best?
I own Logic and used to use DP when it was in System 9 on the Mac. At that point in time DP seemed to have less internal headroom than Logic. It sounded "Squished" but time marches on and we're well into OSX and DP is a version 7. I don't really care about the little virtual instruments that come with it because I know the ones in Logic are superior. It doesn't matter anyway as I'll be using Komplete 8 ultimate which blows the Logic stuff away.
Audio quality and handling are my main concern.

[Papanate]

Originally Posted by NoFalsetto

No. Seriously.
What about internal headroom. Bit depths. etc.
All workstation software do not sound the same.
Which handles audio the best?

Ableton, Pro Tools, Logic, and Nuendo/Cubase all handle audio extremely well.
I'd guesstimate that 95% of the 'sound' of a DAW is in the converters used on the way in and out. That remaining 5% IMO is shaped more by how you understand the software...I.e...how well you can work within the context of the DAW. For example Flextime in Logic is not nearly The tool Warpmarking in Ableton is (IMO again)...but I can manipulate Flextime to sound as good as well as work as good. In that thinking Logic is my choice.


The major DAW players are on an even keel from an audio viewpoint...the current criteria I think should be used to judge what to get are based on 'who do need to interface with';' do you need simplicity or do you need to be able to manipulate everything in fine detail'; and maybe what additional tools do you require...and do they need to be included for budget or integration considerations or can you afford the costs of external tools'.


So your question as I see it is what are the best converters for a DAW...and not what software you should be using.

[Larry Mal]

If you are determined to keep focus on the "audio quality" between Logic and Digital Performer, you are going to waste a lot of energy accomplishing nothing. Even if there is a sound difference between the two DAWs- and if they are set to sound the same there is not- but supposing there is, it's the least significant difference of anything in your whole setup.

What you want to focus on is the features and workflow of the two. Whichever one gives you good results fast is the one you want to use. That's not something that a forum will be able to handle, though, you'll just get opinions from folks regarding their experience with the DAWs and their workflow with it.

Or if you want, you can keep fishing until someone tells you some things regarding the "audio quality" of them, usually using phrases like "warm" and "peppery" or some nonsense that don't even describe audio. If you want that, then I'll tell you: Digital Performer is like a Pouilly-Fuissé, crisp and minerally, with just a hint of oak. Sounds good and refreshing, huh? That should help you make lively and bright audio tracks, that Pouilly-Fuissé of DAWs.

But if you don't want that for your audio, then maybe you want what Logic sounds like, which is a primitivo. With notes of anise and blackberry, and with a full mouthfeel, Logic is best for bold and audacious audio tracks.

In case anyone doesn't know what I'm talking about, these are wines. I'm comparing the crap that people use to describe how DAWs sound to the over the top nonsense that wine assholes use to describe wines. Except, in the case of the wine assholes, there is a genuine difference between wines, though.

Which there is not with DAWs.

[claesbjo]

Originally Posted by Papanate

I'd guesstimate that 95% of the 'sound' of a DAW is in the converters used on the way in and out. That remaining 5% IMO is shaped more by how you understand the software

And I would guesstimate that 95% of what you hear is your instrument choices,skill, talent and room(if recording acoustic stuff). 4 % is how well you know your daw, 1 % converters and the remainder is definitively down to the actual daw.

[Papanate]

Originally Posted by claesbjo

And I would guesstimate that 95% of what you hear is your instrument choices,skill, talent and room(if recording acoustic stuff). 4 % is how well you know your daw, 1 % converters and the remainder is definitively down to the actual daw.

This is poor information. A DAW's convertors are the major contributor to how a DAW sounds..Headroom, Quality of the Audio etc....

Arrangement, Players Skilset, Engineers Skill set, and the Quality of the Room cannot possibly improve the conversion process of any AD/DA. They also will not make Logic sound better or worse than Digital Performer - and that was the OP's question.

[rhizomeman]

Originally Posted by Larry Mal

If you are determined to keep focus on the "audio quality" between Logic and Digital Performer, you are going to waste a lot of energy accomplishing nothing.

Best quote ever. Both are fine, focus on making great music.

[claesbjo]

Originally Posted by Papanate

This is poor information. A DAW's convertors are the major contributor to how a DAW sounds..Headroom, Quality of the Audio etc....

Arrangement, Players Skilset, Engineers Skill set, and the Quality of the Room cannot possibly improve the conversion process of any AD/DA. They also will not make Logic sound better or worse than Digital Performer - and that was the OP's question.

Absolutely right, I just mean that most converters today are good enough for producing a perfectly professional sound. People are worrying to much about these things, and too little about their knowledge and skills.

[auxReturn]

I just won 5k in a song competition with an entry that was recorded and mixed in DP7.

Would I have won if I worked in Logic instead?

Probably.

[rhizomeman]

Originally Posted by auxReturn

I just won 5k in a song competition with an entry that was recorded and mixed in DP7.

Congrats!! That's great news!

[auxReturn]

Originally Posted by rhizomeman

Congrats!! That's great news!

Thank you kind sir!

You know I'm continually baffled at the obsession with DAWs.

As I've said in the past, there is NO DAW IN EXISTENCE that will hide the fact that you are a great musician, songwriter, engineer, producer, etc.. Not one!

That is not my 'honest opinion' either, that is a fact.

Anyone willing to prove me wrong?

[Papanate]

Originally Posted by auxReturn

Thank you kind sir!
You know I'm continually baffled at the obsession with DAWs.

Very few working people are 'obsessed' with DAWs.

As I've said in the past, there is NO DAW IN EXISTENCE that will hide the fact that you are a great musician, songwriter, engineer, producer, etc.. Not one!
That is not my 'honest opinion' either, that is a fact.

If a DAW is not logical or laid out in a intelligent manner it will indeed hide everything good about their abilities.

[pflip]

Originally Posted by Papanate

This is poor information. A DAW's convertors are the major contributor to how a DAW sounds..Headroom, Quality of the Audio etc....

Arrangement, Players Skilset, Engineers Skill set, and the Quality of the Room cannot possibly improve the conversion process of any AD/DA. They also will not make Logic sound better or worse than Digital Performer - and that was the OP's question.

This is poor information, DAW's don't have converters, they process the information given to them from ad converters. And yes, the converter has a huge effect on the data being passed to the DAW, as do mic's, preamps & good gain structure.

I use logic because I'm most comfortable with it and it suits my needs, that is not to say I couldn't accomplish the same with any other DAW. It's like saying craftsman screwdrivers are better than Stanley screwdrivers, their both screwdrivers and will get the job done... Which one do you like better?

[auxReturn]

Originally Posted by Papanate

Very few working people are 'obsessed' with DAWs.

Yes I agree! Because usually they are the ones 'working' rather than debating the issue.

[auxReturn]

Originally Posted by Papanate

If a DAW is not logical or laid out in a intelligent manner it will indeed hide everything good about their abilities.

Do you mean laid out in a manner that doesn't suit them? Or just the layout not being intelligent period?

Because Logic isn't exactly laid out in a manner I like, but that has never hidden my abilities when using it...

[Papanate]

Originally Posted by auxReturn

Do you mean laid out in a manner that doesn't suit them? Or just the layout not being intelligent period?

Because Logic isn't exactly laid out in a manner I like, but that has never hidden my abilities when using it...

If a user can't understand a DAW they won't produce a good track.

[auxReturn]

Originally Posted by Papanate

If a user can't understand a DAW they won't produce a good track.

Ok that's a fair point - but I guess what I was referring to was the 'sound' of the DAW (if you assume they even have a different sound) is not going to mask your ability...

I should have been more specific.

[H-Rezz]

Man, people really need to move beyond any differences in the sound of DAW's(if they exist). If they do they are negligable! I've worked in all of them and the least of my concern is some mythical magic that occurs in any of them! I choose Logic because I have been on it for years and it helps me get to where I want to be quickly and efficiently, I have also used/owned P.Tools, Cubase/Nuendo and DP and have no problem with the sound of any of them, I just find I'm not as fluent! If Logic went belly up tomorrow I would choose another DAW, learn it and get on with what's most important to me, writing and producing music! Your arrangement, sound choice, recording techniques, microphones .... etc play a much bigger role in your overall sound! Being so concerned with the .01% difference in DAW algorithms seems counter-productive to me as an audio professional!


This post is not directed at the op or anybody else, I just see these types of threads quite often and felt a need to comment.

[Radiogal]

Please read this. I was there.. No bullshit. The verdict: DP outstands all the tested DAWs in sound.
TEST: 5 DAWs 5 MBP Optical O/P.