I have been using Wavelab for a long long time now. The current version I have is version 6, the full version.
Due to a change in my circumstances with my health, Iāve had to buy a laptop. Yukky Windows 8.1.
Wavelab 6 isnāt compatible so am considering Elements 8 as I barely scratch the surface with the complete program.
For the last few years Iāve been using Wavelab to do my radio shows/mixes. Iāve imported the tracks into Wavelab and mixed them using 2, sometimes 3 stereo channels. Once Iāve done this and am happy, I hit ārenderā and then save the mix as an mp3 and burn a back up copy straight to CD. I do many shows like this on a regular basis and many mixes for various record labels too.
Can I do this process using Elements?
I know thatās probably a basic question but I just want to make sure.
The jump from 6 to 7 (and 8) is huge in terms of the GUI ā¦ itās almost a different application, so be prepared to spend a lot of time scratching your head (and hair pulling!). Most things are similar but there are some new concepts to get your head around which can be frustrating for a while. Most of the kerfuffle about this has died down in the meantime, but personally I think the new GUI is well worth any initial frustration ā and Iām still learning! PG is very responsive to user concerns and is here on the forum most days, 8.5 is a great improvement on the initial 7 release and getting better with each update.
WaveLab Elements 8 has one potentially serious limitation for radio/dialogue work: the montage is limited to 3 tracks (stereo or mono). However, as you say you only need 2-3 stereo tracks, you should be OK. Even if you did occasionally need more, you might be able to get around this by bouncing to intermediate tracks.
Other issues that may influence your decision:
ā You can run WLE8 without a hardware dongle, which might be useful seeing as youāre going to be using a laptop. You can later transfer the license to a hardware dongle and install the application on as many computers as you wish, but it will only run on the computer with the dongle. You canāt, however, go the other way and transfer a dongle license to a āsoftā eLicenser.
ā You canāt ācross-gradeā or ādown-gradeā from your existing WL6 to WLE8 ā¦ you would basically have to buy WLE8 as well. Against this background, you might want to consider the upgrade from WL6 to WL8 (full version).
ā I agree with the āyucky Windows 8.1ā bit ā¦ I have both WL8.5 on Windows 7x64 and WLE8 on a laptop running Windows 8.1. What I can say is that it works flawlessly on Windows 8.1 (which I still hate) so at least the WL6 incompatibility issue goes away. You might however want to try the following: copy the WaveLab 6 folder from your old computer to the laptop, download and install the latest update for the eLicenser, plug in your dongle and try running the WaveLab 6 exe! Completely unsupported, but it just might work ā¦ I believe thereās someone on the forum here who does this on Windows 7. It will require that you run it as Administrator, but it may be one possible zero-cost option in your case. (Sorry Steinberg, Iāll get me coat ā¦)
Finally, WaveLab Elements 8 is one of the best value options out there in terms of what you can achieve with it, and I would have no hesitancy recommending it, if you decide to go that route. I still somehow think that you would be well advised to retain your investment in WL6 by upgrading to the full version of WL8, because for relatively little money you get a whole lot more, even if you donāt initially make use of all the features.
Thank you so much MrSoundman for taking the time to write such a detailed answer because itās made me think again now. Your point about retaining my investment is a very good one so thank you so much. So it brings me to one more question if you donāt mind. The laptop I bought is this oneā¦ Will it manage WL ok (being in mind my light use of the features)
Thanks so much again for your time and thanks also to Markino and Arjan for your thoughts too.
Thereās no need for that anymore (at least not for Windows 7), since thereās a full WL6.1.1 version available for download from Steinberg. See WaveLab 6.1.1 Update here - might work on Windows 8 too. Itās a full installer, so only a license on your dongle needed.
Currently WL6 is installed in my studio on Windows XP. I noticed that WL8.5 isnāt compatible with XP anyway.
So how do I upgrade to 8.5 on my new laptop.
I want to leave WL on my studio computer for now but again, due to my health the focus is certainly going to be on my laptop.
Will WL6 be able to stay on my computer whilst I have 8.5 on my laptop and share the license on my dongle?
Because if I upgrade to WL8.5 on my laptop but WL6 on my PC no longer works and WL8.5 wonāt work on my PC either then I think thatās decision made about just using WLE on the new Lappy.
No, you must be using it, because it is the software that verifies you have the correct licenses on your USB-licenser. Just download the latest version regularly (or after new WL versions occur) via the Steinberg.net site.
The latest version is always here together with a āhow-toā video. Back in the day it used to be called Synchrosoft but itās now owned by Steinberg. The versions are fully backwards compatible so you can also install it on Windows XP, although it might need to install the .NET Framework, which I think is included in the installer.
Iāll get on that then Arjan and Mr Soundman. Donāt think Iāve updated the single since I got WL6 years ago! Will I bed to update that before I upgrade to WL8?
Apologies for the questions guys! I know what Iām doing Iām the program but an no way a techie. Because WL6 always worked I never updated as was too scared in case something went t!ts up!
I think if you download the update that Arjan gave (WaveLab 6.1.1) it will probably install a suitable update for the eLicenser version on your XP machine as well. If you then purchase the upgrade to WL8.5 (which will not install on XP!), you can install WL8.5 on your Windows 8.1 laptop, and from there you can enter the activation code that will be emailed to you on purchase (as described in the video on the eLicenser website) and all should be well.
One word of caution, when you get your activation code do not post it here on or any public forum; think of it as a one-time password which can only be used by you to activate your personal licence which is then physically stored on your USB eLicenser.
No, this is not quite correct. The thing is, as soon as your donge has the 8.5 license on it, the old eLCC software on XP wonāt find the license for 6, because it is overwritten by 8.5 - of which it has no knowledge. I always update eLCC on all possible computers, before installing any updates of WL (or Cubase, for that matter).