Steinberg Cubase SE 3 Getting Started Manual

CUBASE SEInstallation and Requirements for Mac OS X 3 – 31
Installing Cubase SE
Defragment the hard disk
If you plan to record audio on a hard disk where you have already 
stored other files, now is the time to defragment it. Defragmentation 
reorganizes the physical allocation of space on the hard disk in order 
to optimize its performance. It is done with a special defragmentation 
program.
It is crucial to the audio recording performance that your hard disk is op-
timized (defragmented). You should...

CUBASE SE3 – 32 Installation and Requirements for Mac OS X
If you are upgrading from a previous version of Cubase SE/LE
• For the activation of the copy protection key, you need a working 
internet connection, as this is performed online. In case you have no 
connection to the internet on the computer on which you wish to use 
Cubase SE, you can always use a different computer for activation.
Simply install the License Control Center separately on the internet computer, without in-
stalling the complete...

CUBASE SEInstallation and Requirements for Mac OS X 3 – 33
Register your software!
Registering your software will make sure you are entitled to technical 
support and kept aware of updates and other news regarding Cubase 
SE. For full support services, you need to register by sending in your 
registration card. 

CUBASE SE3 – 34 Installation and Requirements for Mac OS X 

4
Setting up your system 

CUBASE SE4 – 36 Setting up your system
Setting up audio
Always make all connections with all equipment turned off!
Connecting audio
Exactly how to set up your system is a very personal matter – the fol-
lowing connection diagrams should be taken as examples.
The audio connections below may be digital or analog, it doesn’t matter.
Stereo input and output – the simplest connection
If you only use a stereo input and output from Cubase SE, you can 
connect your audio hardware directly to the input source, a...

CUBASE SESetting up your system 4 – 37
Multi-channel input and output
Most likely however, you will have other audio equipment that you 
want to integrate with Cubase SE. This will require a mixer, preferably 
one with a group or bus system that can be used for feeding inputs on 
the audio hardware.
In the example below, four buses are used for feeding signals to the 
audio hardware’s inputs. The four outputs are connected back to the 
mixer for monitoring and playback. Remaining mixer inputs can be used...

CUBASE SE4 – 38 Setting up your system
About recording levels and inputs
When you connect your equipment, you should make sure that the im-
pedance and levels of the audio sources and inputs are matched. 
Typically, different inputs may be designed for use with microphones, 
consumer line level (-10 dBV) or professional line level (+4 dBV), or 
you may be able to adjust input characteristics on the audio interface 
or in its control panel. Please check the audio hardware documenta-
tion for details....

CUBASE SESetting up your system 4 – 39
Selecting a driver and making audio settings in Cubase SE
The first thing you need to do is select the correct driver in Cubase SE 
to make sure that the program can communicate with the audio hard-
ware:
1.Launch Cubase SE, select Device Setup from the Devices menu and 
click on VST Audiobay in the list.
The VST Audiobay page in the Device Setup dialog.
2.Select your audio hardware driver from the Master ASIO Driver menu.
There may be several options here that all...

CUBASE SE4 – 40 Setting up your system
•Under Windows, you can open the control panel by clicking the Con-
trol Panel button.
The control panel that appears when you click this button is provided by the audio 
hardware manufacturer and not Cubase SE (unless you use DirectX or MME, see be-
low). Hence it will be different for each audio card brand and model.
The Control panels for the ASIO Multimedia and ASIO DirectX drivers are an excep-
tion, as they are provided by Steinberg. They are described in the...