It's been over a year since I first wrote a piece for Production Expert about using Steinberg's Nuendo. Here's the TL;DR. I've tried several other DAWs over the years, intending to move away from Pro Tools. This has included previous versions of Nuendo (5.5), Reaper, and Fairlight within Davinci Resolve. However, none of them has become my go-to DAW, and none have still been used after a few months, apart from accessing old projects. I've now been using Nuendo (both 11 and 12) for over a year.

When I wrote that first piece, Nuendo 11 had just been released, and I had been enticed by some of its features, so I decided to download the demo and try it. I've been using Nuendo as my daily driver for over a year, so this review will cover my experiences and what I think of it as a DAW.

When Nuendo 11 launched in 2021, I already had an eLicenser, the USB key which was Steinberg's proprietary copy protection system for many years. If I didn't have this, I'd have had to spend £20 or so to demo it. This brings me to the first new feature of Nuendo 12 - online activation. This applies to Nuendo and all recent versions of Steinberg software. The first benefit is that there is no cost to get the demo. The second is not having to worry about losing the USB key, having it stolen, or getting damaged. I'm also an iLok user, and whilst that has Zero Downtime (ZDT) as an insurance policy, it's still nice to know that this isn't something I have to worry about with Nuendo. It also makes running it on my laptop much easier when away from the studio, so there's no risk of forgetting it before I leave or anything happening as I travel.

This also differs from similar online licensing systems in that they don't require an internet connection. Once it's activated, that's it. I know iLok Cloud exists, but this requires an internet connection. If I'm somewhere where that's impossible, such as doing playback on a film set or working on a train or plane, that's a huge limitation.

Efficiency

So, it's easy to get a demo and try out Nuendo, but trying a DAW and using it every day are very different things. My experience of using Nuendo is generally that it's much more reliable, and I get work done quicker. I've run Pro Tools and Nuendo on my 2017 iMac Pro, and whilst it's not the newest, shiniest, most powerful Mac, it indeed can't be called underpowered, yet Nuendo runs much better. I don't get playback or video engine errors, and scrolling, editing, and any other interaction feel snappier.

Adding specific plug-ins, such as upmixers (like Penteo16) and limiters (such as FabFilter Pro-L2), would quickly eat up my delay compensation allowance, especially when using higher-quality settings. Sure, I could drop the processing quality, but I always felt that was a trade-off that shouldn't have to be made. As soon as one delay compensation indicator went red, system performance and sync issues would begin, so it was a case of deciding where to allocate resources. In Nuendo, that's something other than what I have to consider. I add a plug-in, choose my settings, and that's it.

The same goes for how many plug-ins I can insert and where in the audio chain that effect is applied. A good example would be compression. In Nuendo, 16 inserts (yes, 16 inserts!) can be pre- or post-fader. In the inserts section of the mix window, you can choose a point at which any plug-ins are post-fader. There's also a built-in channel strip, so if you want a quick and easy EQ, a little compression, or some saturation, to name a few examples, you can add that all to the channel, and it doesn't use any insert slots. Sure, these are built-in processes rather than third-party ones, but having a quick and easy way to add them to a channel is really useful.

Dynamic Routing

Dynamic routing is the last feature in the mix window I use a lot. This is a quick and easy way to send any channel anywhere, with a quick and easy way to see where it's going. This can also be fully automated, so if you want to send a few tracks for a particular type of processing, you can set up a Group track (Aux-in Pro Tools terminology), add the desired effect, and then automate when the audio is sent to that Group, and when it's routed to avoid that processing. This is also great for deliverables, seeing which tracks are going to which Group for stems, M+E/DME, and full mixes. Again, this is quick and easy to set up and see, so you know exactly where your tracks are being sent.

ARA 2 Integration

So, what about editing tools? The first killer feature here is ARA2 or Audio Random Access V2 integration. Yes, I know many DAWs have this, but having used a DAW without it for so long is a real game changer. I use Auto-Align 2 Post a lot and simply select clips, or an entire track, to apply the processing tools quickly and easily. It's also just as easy to remove processing and return to the original audio. I've not stopped using iZotope RX completely, but I have tried the demo of Acon Digital's Acoustica, which also offers ARA2 integration. There are also Spectralayers which are like spectral editing in RX and can be accessed through ARA2. Being able to do audio restoration inside the DAW speeds up the workflow, and between Spectralayers and Accusonus, I've got a great set of tools without ever leaving Nuendo.

One mistake I made when I first started using Nuendo was expecting it to behave exactly like Pro Tools. Having used it for so long, you get used to the workflow and tools available, and it can be difficult at first when new software doesn't behave the same. One feature I miss from Pro Tools is being able to take 2 mono clips and drag them onto a stereo track and vice-versa. I soon found the equivalent in Nuendo is to merge multiple mono tracks into a multichannel track or split a multichannel track into mono. At first, this wasn't more convenient and quick, but muscle memory and setting up shortcuts soon helped, and the new way of working came just as naturally. Talking of shortcuts, Key Commands are a feature I've been using heavily. This lets you take any command available in Nuendo and assign a shortcut. You can go one further and combine these commands into macros and then assign a shortcut. The ability to run complex processing chains quickly has proved to be a huge timesaver. I can customise Nuendo to fit my workflow better than I could with Pro Tools. Sure, some behaviours are different, but I've found that flexibility more than makes up for that. I now have several macros assigned to my Stream Deck, meaning whole tasks which used to take a few minutes can be done with the push of a button. Colourising all tracks by name or type and renaming and colouring all tracks from my imported AAF are just 2 very basic examples.

Control Room

One fantastic feature I've recently taken full advantage of is the Control Room. I was aware of it from the beginning of my move to Nuendo but rarely delved into it. I've recently been working on a film that required a 5.1 mix. Much of this work was done in a studio without a monitor controller, in a studio based around a Focusrite 18i20 interface. It's an excellent interface and doesn't offer much in the way of a monitor controller besides a volume knob. I set up the mix going through the Control Room, and the options offered were invaluable. For a starter, I used the MixConvert panel to correctly calibrate all speakers and the subwoofer, as the Dynaudios in the room don't have volume control. I could also set up a stereo downmix, meaning I could easily switch between 5.1 and stereo, which is almost as good as having a dedicated monitor controller. It's also possible to solo speakers in pairs or to send and listen to the surround channels on the front left and right to hear precisely what is being sent there in isolation. I know there are similar plug-ins that do similar for Pro Tools, but having this as a built-in feature as standard is invaluable, especially if you don't have a full monitor controller. The cost-saving of this is also huge.

It's also possible to insert plug-ins in the monitor path, such as Sonarworks Sound ID room correction. In Pro Tools, you risk this being included in the mix if you set up your bus structure correctly. In Nuendo, there's absolutely zero risk of this happening, as the monitor path is separated from the audio that gets exported. It's effectively a complete B-chain in the box.

I also had to record some ADR for the same film. Again, the control room was a great feature. You can add a Talkback input and various Monitor Cue paths. It's easy to determine what signal gets sent where, such as record tracks, Monitor Cues only, and what gets sent to the Main Monitors or the artist. Combined with the ADR panel, you have a comprehensive set of tools, all included, for efficiently and effectively managing your ADR session. Screen wipes on the video are included too!

AFF Import

One issue I have found with Nuendo, however, is importing AAFs. Most of the time, they work fine from NLEs such as Avid Media Composer or if I'm transferring audio from an old Pro Tools session. However, AAFs from Davinci Resolve (DR) usually fail to import properly. I know that there are many known problems with AAFs from DR, but they can generally open in Pro Tools. Re-exporting the AAF from Pro Tools tends to sort the issue, but it is an extra step in the workflow. I'm aware the most robust AAF workflow is between Avid Media Composer and Pro Tools, and given how many variables there are, such as embedded or referenced media) importing the AAF into Nuendo adds another layer where something can go wrong.

If an AAF doesn't open in Pro Tools, it's easy to work out where the issue originated and go from there. It is still being determined whether the AAF or Nuendo are at fault, which is a problem when doing quick turnaround jobs. I have Pro Tools at hand for re-converting the AAFs, which are troublesome, which has worked so far, but it's really a step which shouldn't have to be part of the process, and robust and 100% reliable AAF importing is an essential feature. Hopefully, this is something which can be improved upon in the future. Of course, Blackmagic needs to work in this area too, so I'm aware this isn't only partially an issue for Steinberg.

Conclusions One Year In

So, I've been using Nuendo for over a year and am incredibly happy to do so. In my line of work, I rarely need to send sessions or collaborate with people in other studios, which makes a move more manageable. As a result, I work quicker and more effectively and get much better performance from my computer. Any time spent problem-solving or developing workarounds takes away from time working, so almost eliminating this has been great. Sure, there has been a learning curve and workflow adaptation, but that was time well spent and has ended up paying for itself.

Steinberg are currently running a Crossgrade to Nuendo 12 promotion, from any DAW, with 40% Off! for less than $500 until February 13, 2023:

To learn more about Nuendo 12 for audio post-production, games and music, head over to Steinberg’s website.