Reason Studios
Reason is a powerful digital audio workstation and plugin that gives you a virtual rack of legendary synthesizers, drum machines, and effects to create professional music and sound designs.
Steinberg Cubase
Cubase is a professional digital audio workstation that provides you with a complete suite of tools for composing, recording, mixing, and editing music at a world-class level.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Reason Studios | Steinberg Cubase |
|---|---|---|
| Website | reasonstudios.com | steinberg.net |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | One_time |
| Starting Price | $19.99/month | $??/month |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 30 days free trial | ✓ 60 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✘ No free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 1994 | 1984 |
| Headquarters | Stockholm, Sweden | Hamburg, Germany |
Overview
Reason Studios
Reason is a versatile music production platform that functions as both a standalone digital audio workstation and a powerful plugin for other software. You can build your own custom dream studio using a virtual rack filled with iconic synthesizers, samplers, drum machines, and professional-grade audio effects. The unique patch-cord interface lets you route audio and control signals manually, giving you total creative freedom over your sound design process.
Whether you are producing electronic music, scoring films, or recording live instruments, you can manage your entire project from initial sketch to final master. The software adapts to your workflow by letting you use its famous instruments inside other DAWs like Ableton Live or Logic Pro via the Reason Rack Plugin. It serves everyone from bedroom producers to professional sound designers who need a tactile, modular approach to digital music creation.
Steinberg Cubase
Cubase gives you a professional environment to turn your musical ideas into studio-quality productions. You can compose using advanced MIDI tools, record high-fidelity audio, and mix complex projects with a console-grade environment. Whether you are a film composer needing orchestral depth or a producer crafting electronic beats, the software adapts to your creative workflow with specialized editors and a massive library of virtual instruments and sounds.
You can manage every stage of the creative process within a single interface, from initial sketches to final mastering. The platform solves the problem of fragmented workflows by integrating pitch correction, timing alignment, and professional metering directly into your project window. It serves everyone from home studio hobbyists to professional engineers in major recording facilities worldwide, offering three distinct versions tailored to different needs and budgets.
Overview
Reason Studios Features
- Reason Rack Plugin Bring your favorite Reason instruments and effects into any other DAW you use with full VST3, AU, and AAX support.
- Mimic Creative Sampler Slice, trigger, and manipulate your audio samples quickly with eight different playback modes and built-in granular synthesis tools.
- Combinator 2 Build your own custom instruments by combining multiple devices into a single interface with personalized controls and layout designs.
- Modular Routing Flip the rack around to route cables manually between devices for complex sound design and experimental signal processing.
- Player MIDI FX Generate complex chords, scales, and rhythmic patterns instantly to spark new musical ideas even if you lack advanced theory knowledge.
- Vocal Stretch Correct the timing and pitch of your vocal recordings with high-quality time-stretching that preserves natural audio characteristics.
Steinberg Cubase Features
- Audio Alignment. Match the timing of multiple vocal or instrument tracks instantly to ensure your recordings sound tight and professional.
- VariAudio Editing. Edit the pitch and duration of individual notes in vocal recordings with MIDI-style ease and completely transparent sound quality.
- MixConsole. Mix your tracks using a high-end analog-style desk featuring integrated channel strips, professional routing, and customizable view options.
- Chord Pads. Compose chord progressions quickly by triggering chords with your MIDI controller and experimenting with different harmonies in real-time.
- Sampler Track. Turn any audio file into a playable instrument instantly to create custom loops, hits, and unique textures for your tracks.
- Control Room. Set up independent headphone mixes and monitor setups for performers without affecting your main mix or requiring external hardware.
Pricing Comparison
Reason Studios Pricing
- Access to Reason 12 DAW
- Reason Rack Plugin included
- All 75+ official Rack Extensions
- Weekly new Sound Packs
- Full library of 30,000+ patches
- Companion app for sound browsing
- One-time purchase ownership
- Reason 12 standalone DAW
- Reason Rack Plugin
- Core library of 30+ devices
- High-resolution graphics
- Vocal pitch editing tools
Steinberg Cubase Pricing
- Basic audio and MIDI tools
- Up to 48 audio tracks
- Up to 64 MIDI tracks
- Over 40 audio effect processors
- HALion Sonic virtual instrument
- Chord Pads for easy composing
- Everything in Elements, plus:
- Up to 128 MIDI and 64 audio tracks
- VariAudio pitch correction
- Audio Alignment tool
- VocalChain plug-in
- SpectraLayers One spectral editing
Pros & Cons
Reason Studios
Pros
- Unique modular workflow encourages creative experimentation
- Massive library of high-quality internal instruments
- Extremely stable performance with low CPU usage
- Works seamlessly as a plugin inside other software
- Visual interface is highly engaging and fun
Cons
- Steep learning curve for the modular routing system
- Sequencer workflow feels dated compared to modern competitors
- Subscription model is required for all expansion devices
Steinberg Cubase
Pros
- Extremely deep MIDI editing and composition capabilities
- Stable performance when handling very large orchestral projects
- Professional-grade stock plug-ins and virtual instruments included
- Logical and highly customizable user interface layout
Cons
- Steep learning curve for beginners due to complexity
- High initial purchase price compared to some competitors
- Licensing system can be restrictive for multi-computer setups