Steinberg Cubase SX/SL 3 Operation Manual

CUBASE SX/SLExport Audio Mixdown 27 – 671
Windows Media Audio files (Windows only)
Windows Media Audio is an audio format developed by Microsoft Inc. 
Due to advanced audio compression algorithms, Windows Media Au-
dio files can be made very small, maintaining good audio quality. The 
files have the extension “.wma”.
The following options are available for Windows Media Audio files:
Attributes
This pop-up menu allows you to select a bit rate for the WMA file. As 
a rule, the higher the bit rate, the...

CUBASE SX/SL27 – 672 Export Audio Mixdown
Windows Media Audio Pro files (Windows and Cubase SX only)
This is a continuation of the Windows Media Audio format (described 
above) developed by Microsoft Inc. Due to the advanced audio codecs 
and lossless compression used, WMA Pro files can be decreased in 
size with no loss of audio quality. Furthermore, WMA Pro features the 
possibility of mixing down to 5.1 surround sound. The files have the ex-
tension “.wma”.
•Click the Options button to open a dialog...

CUBASE SX/SLExport Audio Mixdown 27 – 673
Encoding Scheme
These settings are used for defining the desired output from the en-
coder, e.g. whether it should be a stereo file or a 5.1 surround file. 
Make settings appropriate for the intended use of the file. If the file will 
be downloaded or streamed on the Internet, you might not want too 
high bit rates for example. See below for descriptions of the options.
•Mode
The WMA Pro encoder can use either a constant bit rate or a variable bit rate for en-...

CUBASE SX/SL27 – 674 Export Audio Mixdown
•Bit Rate/Channels
This menu allows you to set the desired bit rate – from 128 kbps to 768 kbps, depend-
ing on the selected Mode (see above). If the Mode “Variable Bitrate with Quality” is 
used (see above), the menu allows you to select from six levels of desired quality, with 
10 being the lowest and 100 the highest. Generally, the higher the bitrate or quality 
you select, the larger the final file will be. The menu also shows the channel format (5.1 
or...

CUBASE SX/SLExport Audio Mixdown 27 – 675
The Quiet Mode in a Windows Media 9 player can be set to one of 
three settings. Below, these settings are listed together with an expla-
nation of how the Dynamic Range settings affect them:
• Off: If Quiet Mode is off, the dynamic range settings that were automatically 
calculated during the encoding will be used.
• Little Difference: If this is selected and you have not manually changed the dy-
namic range settings, the peak level will be limited to 6 dB above...

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28
Synchronization 

CUBASE SX/SL28 – 678 Synchronization
Background
What is synchronization?
Synchronization is said to exist when you make two pieces of equip-
ment agree on time or tempo. You can establish synchronization be-
tween Cubase SX/SL and a number of other types of devices, including 
tape recorders and video decks, but also MIDI devices that “play back”, 
such as other sequencers, drum machines, “workstation sequencers” 
etc.
When you set up a synchronization system you must decide which 
unit is the master....

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Timecode, MIDI clock and word clock
Basically there are three types of synchronization signals for audio, 
timecode, MIDI clock and word clock:
Timecode (SMPTE, EBU, MTC, VITC etc.)
Timecode appears in a number of guises. No matter which “format” it 
has, it always supplies a “clock on the wall” type of synchronization, 
that is, a synchronization related to hours, minutes, seconds and two 
smaller units called “frames” and “subframes”.
• LTC (SMPTE, EBU) is the audio...

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MIDI Clock
MIDI Clock is a tempo based type of synchronization signal, that is it is 
related to the number of “beats per minute”. MIDI Clock signals are 
suitable for synchronizing two devices that agree on tempo, such as 
for example Cubase SX/SL and a drum machine.
MIDI Clock is not suitable as a master sync source for an application 
like Cubase SX/SL. Therefore Cubase SX/SL will transmit MIDI Clock 
signals to other devices, but it will not receive MIDI Clock....