Sonic Solutions SonicStudio

[Syntho]

I've seen only a couple mentions of this software on this forum over the years. Any users here? Can anyone tell me a bit about it? wasn't this used as mastering software back in the day? I think this requires a proprietary PCI card and an audio interface. I'd like to learn more about it!

[IIO]

that is why almost nobody has it - it was a quite expensive PCI card. SS have had their best period at nubus times, when the creation of an image file was the onhly way to create a CD image because there were no burners yet.

[Syntho]

I know that mastering facilities used it back in the day, so I'm wondering what the benefits of it would be over anything else. It would be cool to tinker around with it someday.

[IIO]

 - very good converters
 - compatible with MacOS and IRIX (descreet´n stuff)
 - true four-point editing

i dont think none of that is worth anything today. the SSP nubus cards go for 25 dollars today and any basic audio output on iphones or macbooks are probably better. even the audiomedia III is better i think (of course it doesnt have ram chips)

it is amazing that the software has survived until today. it comes with izotope plug-ins now and supports multichannel formats... i know absolutely nobody who uses it professionally. only DDP studio for OSX is found widely (but i think it is free now?)

[ssp3]

I've seen only a couple mentions of this software on this forum over the years. Any users here? Can anyone tell me a bit about it? wasn't this used as mastering software back in the day? I think this requires a proprietary PCI card and an audio interface. I'd like to learn more about it!

What do you want to know?

[Syntho]

I've seen only a couple mentions of this software on this forum over the years. Any users here? Can anyone tell me a bit about it? wasn't this used as mastering software back in the day? I think this requires a proprietary PCI card and an audio interface. I'd like to learn more about it!

What do you want to know?

What can it do that other software can't? Is it convenient? What is it mainly used for? Is it worth me getting for anything?

[ssp3]

What can it do that other software can't?

A lot. List would be too long to post it here. Besides, there were various versions of software / hardware combinations, on NuBus and PCI and also various options the software was keyed (!) for.

Is it convenient?

No. Steep learning curve.

What is it mainly used for?

For many years it was de-facto industry standard for CD mastering / classical editing / film and radio work.

Is it worth me getting for anything?

Unless you can find working system which includes all hardware and valid key file, stay away. Without the valid key file the system won't run. Key file was produced individually for each system and included board(s) serial numbers and options (NoNoise, SRC etc.) that were purchased. No support from Sonic Studio anymore and it has never been k'ed, if that's what you've been thinking about.
And, even if you manage to find working system, be prepared to deal with proprietary file system, finding the correct narrow SCSI drives, software bugs and so on. Sonic software, even up to this day never really left the beta stage.

[Syntho]

Unless you can find working system which includes all hardware and valid key file, stay away. Without the valid key file the system won't run. Key file was produced individually for each system and included board(s) serial numbers and options (NoNoise, SRC etc.) that were purchased. No support from Sonic Studio anymore and it has never been k'ed, if that's what you've been thinking about.
And, even if you manage to find working system, be prepared to deal with proprietary file system, finding the correct narrow SCSI drives, software bugs and so on. Sonic software, even up to this day never really left the beta stage.

So in other words, it is absolutely PERFECT for me to get into 

[IIO]

feel free to crack the sofware and make a keygenerator for a nubus card. #

just dont expect the 16 bit nonoise algo to be any better than todays freeware plug-ins.

btw. ... a serious seller who knows about the things he sells will most likely offer it including the host computer.

[Syntho]

Wait a minute... the 'system' has a key for an entire computer? I was thinking it was generated for a PCI/NuBus card and interface together or something. This runs on older Mac systems, right? ssp3 mentioned a proprietary file system, so it makes me think it's running on a different OS or something.

[IIO]

for the card, like (most of the) powercore software.

[ssp3]

IIO, you're spreading quite a bit of misinformation about the Sonic here, which will only confuse those that might be interested.

[ssp3]

Syntho, proprietary file system is for audio drives - MOFS (Media Optimized File System) Audio files are also unique Sonic variation of AIFF that could not be opened easily by other programs.

[Syntho]

If I could ever get my hands on a rig I may just in fact try it out. I've seen some NuBus cards around but they were all listed as NuBus/PCI. They looked like NuBus and not PCI though so maybe they put PCI in the title for marketing purposes.

[ssp3]

Most scrap sellers don't have a clue what they're selling, so beware. Also, if you ever get a working legit rig, be prepared to have only limited number of software options enabled, because these options were very expensive back in the day and not every purchaser forked out several thousand for them. I've bought several systems in the past 20 years, so I know what I'm talking about. Most full blown 2/3 card systems were kept by the users and didn't make to ebay. I know of some that are still operational to this day.

[smilesdavis]

so sonic studio ran mac os9, vst plugins? are there any screen grabs of the software how it looked in mac os 9?