When comparing Studio One vs Pro Tools, the Slant community recommends Studio One for most people. In the question“What are the best DAWs? ” Studio One is ranked 1st while Pro Tools is ranked 10th. The most important reason people chose Studio One is:
The Studio One DAW doesn't expect users to deal with a lot of windows, answer questions, or use the mouse excessively. This DAW is known for lettings users be creative without getting in the way.
Specs
Ranked in these QuestionsQuestion Ranking
Pros
Pro Efficient DAW workflow
The Studio One DAW doesn't expect users to deal with a lot of windows, answer questions, or use the mouse excessively. This DAW is known for lettings users be creative without getting in the way.
Pro Easy to use DAW interface
All components are laid out in an understandable fashion and almost everything is drag and drop.
Pro Melodyne built-in
The Real Melodyne is integrated in the actual DAW. No other DAW is set up to streamline Melodyne.
Pro Awesome smart tool
Hovering over different parts of the events in the arrange window activates different tools.
Pro Creative songwriting and arrangement tools
Use the 'scratch pad' work on multiple versions for your song without leaving the main window.
Pro Lightweight on lower CPU
Pro Good interface compatibility
Works great with interfaces, and doesn't fight with ASIO drivers.
Pro Automatic delay compensation
When a plugin takes time to process a sound, the Studio One DAW detects the gap and compensates.
Pro Very stable DAW
Performance is rock solid and very efficient, even on lower spec computers.
Pro Multiple key command templates
Possible to use key commands from Pro Tools, Logic, Cubase, etc.
Pro Drag and Drop feature is quite flexible and allows for massive free form modification on the fly
Pro Eficient quality , all more easy and fast
Pro The best DAW in Market and future standard
Pro Chord track
Chord track can be used by inserting chords or getting them from an inserted track.
Pro Dedicated mastering page
Studio one has a page dedicated specifically to mastering which can be very useful when trying to finish your song.
Pro Bounces MIDI in place
When bouncing from MIDI to audio, a new track won't be created, the clip will stay in the same place. When bouncing a specific part of a MIDI clip, it will be placed in a new track.
Pro Vocalign built in
Vocalign Project is can be integrated with the option to upgrade to Vocalign Pro.
Pro Available with a rent-to-own option from Splice
For those that can't afford to pay for a full professional DAW in one swoop, this is an amazing opportunity to get Studio One 4 Professional in monthly payments.
Pause and resume payments when you want or cancel at any time.
Pro Score view
This view is very powerful because it not only “shows” the MIDI notes as a score, but it also lets you add, edit and remove notes in standard music notation. It includes all the formatting rules, articulations, note values, clefs and general symbols from Presonus’ Notion software.
Pro Show page
Allows you to go from the studio to the stage or stream with other musicians through the interface. You can create a Setlist using your Songs created in Studio One, and combine them with a mix of live instruments, pre-recorded tracks, and virtual instruments.
Each song in the Setlist can have its own unique instrumentation. Songs in your set can be rearranged on the fly using drag-and-drop, and any element from your Song files can be added to your Show via simple copy-and-paste or direct export.
Switching to Performance view with a meter and customisable control over each parameter, means you can adjust in real-time while on Stage.
Pro Almost perfect
Can't complain about Studio One so much. It is almost perfect.
Pro Insert plugins on actual events, not just tracks
Have you ever wanted a delay on just a word or so. No need to automate or move to a separate track. No need to print it to the clip and run out of room on the audio file. Simply amazing feature.
Pro Clip gain envelopes
Clip Gain Envelopes represent a new layer of gain introduced in Studio One 5, which is independent from the audio event as well as the volume automation. This feature is ideal for applying gain correction before the signal hits the inserts, specially useful when dealing with extremely dynamic vocal tracks and sections in general that are too soft or too loud.
The user can create breakpoints within the clip by clicking on the curve, and then dragging either up or down in order to increment or reduce the clip’s gain. These gain modifications will be shown on the waveform.
The process is simple, fast, and extremely effective.
Pro Working with your iPad makes it easier
Pro Has retrospective recording
Retrospective Recording captures everything you play on your keyboard or controller—even without hitting record! It works invisibly in the background on a track-by-track basis.
Pro Full Screen MIDI editor
Pro Powerful Track/Channel search and filter options
Managing large projects with a huge track and channel count is now faster and easier than ever with the addition of powerful search and filter options.
Pro Secondary Timeline Ruler option
View minutes:seconds with bars and beats at the same time! A must for film composers.
Pro Notion 6 easy and full integration for scoring
Pro Studio One+ Subscription - best subscription under 20$
Software of Studio One plus cloud storage and packs, and a lot of other stuff included just for a tiny fee each month or year.
Pro Best stock plugins
Pro Support for Atmos - Surround
They now support surround . in version 6.5.
Pro Scratch Pad
Area to arrange all your tracks without touching the main arrangement.
Pro Easy Macros and creating new ones
Pro Easy sidechain routing
Pro Big features in Minor Updates
Studio One doesnt wait putting big features until a major updates comes.
Pro Size in HDD/SSD
It's the lightest DAW there is, Studio One is less than 400mb.
Pro Converts project from Bitwing
Pro Version 5 is the law
Pro Great stock plugins
Pro Seamless integration with UAD
Pro Industry standard
Pro Cross platform
Available both on Windows and MacOS.
Pro Frequent updates
Pro Great support
Pro Excellent UI
Especially for DAW veterans and Og's.
Pro Dark Mode
Finally Pro Tools Can be in dark mode.
Pro Wide audio format compatibility
Ease of integrating audio of different formats, sample rates; equal ease of exporting.
Pro Video editing tools and capabilities
Pro Exceptionally deep shortcuts and workflow
Pro Track freezing abilities
Pro Advanced metering options with Peak, VU (Volume Unit), and Spectrograph views
Pro Option for external DSP from Avid to help free up CPU
Pro Customizable interface
Create and save youe own workspace layouts. and change the tone of the skin dark and classic
Pro Excellent and pro mixing and recording tools
As the name tell
Pro Fast 64-bit recording and mixing engine
Pro Native integration with Avid’s control panels
Pro Optimized for multiple screens
Pro Broadest hardware compatibility
Pro Great Import / export features
Pro Excellent cloud collaboration integration
Pro Interfaces easily with HDX and Pro Tools | Carbon
Pro All languages supported
Pro Unlimited tracks, buses, inserts, sends, returns, virtual instruments
Pro Tools effects, all customizable.
Pro Automatic delay compensation
Used to fix timing issues between different tracks during mix down.
Cons
Con The DAW can't be used as a ReWire component
The DAW can be used as a ReWire host, but cannot be used as a ReWire component. This is frustrating if you like some of the instrument sounds and virtual synths in Studio One, but prefer another DAW to do your main work in.
Con Free version does not support 3rd party plugins
He can limit the tracks or etc., but no vst support for free version makes this piece of software a garbage!
Con Bad customer service
Con Frustrating controls
The mouse wheel is used for both scrolling and for controls (fader, pan, etc.) manipulation, depending on what's under the pointer; you may very well be scrolling through the tracks in the mixer only to suddenly discover that you are changing the volume of a track because the pointer entered the fader space. Users have been requesting a fix for this for several years now (there can't possibly be anyone who thinks this is a good design), but it's still a problem. Also, you may try to select a track only to end up changing its color or some other unexpected behavior.
Con Archaic
Con Interface
The interface Graphical is comic bookish. While the DAW is useful there are better interfaces out there. One of the biggest issues is how the signal path is selected. Other DAW's work more like a patchbay allowing for a more visual interaction with the program. Studio One is different and a little obtuse. For example, Digital performer 11, Protools 11, Sonar Producer provide a better experience.
Con Interface signal selection is obtuse and not as intuitive as other DAWs
Con Stuck notes when working with hardware synths
Working with multiple hardware synths with a MIDI hub is impossible as of version 6. SO creates stuck notes and it's midi panic system can't fix the issue.
Con Limited feature set
Con Crashes often, not very stable and runs poorly even on powerful systems
Con Melodyne/Vocaline/Splitter
All those tools are there for a show off and crash engine 9 times out of 10. Using all 3 in one project will increase chance of crash by 3 making program unusable.
Con Built in instruments
All built in instruments and most of effect are primitive and worthless.
Con Not always clear how to undo your changes
Some controls are very easy to set, only to be nearly impossible to figure out how to undo. For example, hiding a track is a simple right-click away, but unhiding the track requires finding a hidden screen and clicking on a dot beside the track name.
Con Non-free software
Does not respect your freedom. Does not provide source code.
Con Automation
Only my complaint so far is the automation. It affects the fader, so if you use automation for the volume, the fader gets useless. Other DAWs such as Reaper and Mixcraft offers separate automation function and it doesn't affect the fader.
Another one if I pick, the design of the plugins has been changed too colorful and it's not necessary though. I prefer the design of version 4, simple grey and white style. The prettier, the more CPU usage.
Con Subscription based
Con Random crashes
Con Quite expensive
Compared to other DAW subscription models.
Con Ilok license manager
Con CPU hungry
System usage can be excessive.
Con Very steep learning curve
Con Could benefit from more robust composition tools
Con Lack of instrument bundle, despite two new additions
Con Pro Tools isn't compatible with VST or AU plugins
Only AAX.
Con Not amateur|Beginner friendly
Con Hard and complicated shorcuts
Not easy to memorise them.