Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to experiment with a few different DAWs. Unfortunately, I’ve been limited to a Windows PC, but I plan to transition to Mac soon.
I’ve used:
- Pro Tools HD ($2599)
- Cubase ($552)
- Cakewalk SONAR ($499)
- Ableton ($749)
- Fruity Loops Studio ($737)
- Reaper (free)
Pro Tools is my favorite, but I think that’s to be expected considering its extreme cost in comparison to other DAWs.
- The Pro Tools user interface feels extremely natural, despite various negative opinions that I’ve read online.
- Its audio engine sounds realistic. In comparison to other DAWs, Pro Tools sounds the best to my ears.
- It’s geared towards analog audio. Cubase and others are known for their MIDI capabilities. Because I am a guitarist, I prefer the focus to be on analog audio.
Keep in mind that my results are limited to a Windows setup. I’ve heard Glenn Fricker and others achieve great results with Reaper.
Edit: Glenn Fricker released a video where he expresses that Windows sounds no different to Mac (it turns out he uses Windows.) I disagree. It’s not so much the OS, but the hardware. Most of the big-name manufacturers like Apogee and Focusrite only create interfaces that are compatible with Mac. An interface like the Apogee Ensemble has a certain “sound.”
