The sixth version of Studio One is upon us, with some new features that will interest both established user and newcomer alike. Three Experts give their verdict on this latest incarnation of PreSonus’ do-it-all DAW.

Weapons Of Choice

As the DAW universe continues to converge, it’s easy to forget that up until fairly recently, each product used to present a more bespoke option for the user. The engineer knew their own needs, and chose accordingly. That said, there was an eerie silence in one potential corner of the market; that was for a tool that could join up the palette of sounds, instruments, and drag and drop functionality favoured by composers and musicians, with audio operation and layout that was familiar to engineers.

Closing The Gap

Upon its release thirteen years ago, PreSonus Studio One created a ‘market-in-the-gap’ solution that set to bridge the divide and give a home to both composers and engineers on Mac or Windows (with many of the latter category of composers at this point still clutching their copies of eMagic Logic!). This sixth incarnation of the big name DAW continues its trajectory with an update promising new headline features as well as some improvements to those that have helped establish Studio One’s place so far.

Overview - Presonus Studio One 6

PreSonus describe Studio One 6 as “the latest chapter in the evolution of one of the best-selling digital audio workstations in the world.” With an emphasis on useability, its new redesigned and customizable user interface offers configurable GUI, and Smart Templates that promise to make life easier for those new to the DAW universe. Other features designed to reel-in new users include refreshed video functionality, further widening the net on potential users.

Not to leave out its existing userbase, mix engineers get new audio plugins as well as improved mixer functionality that will resonate with those coming from, or still working with large-format mixing hardware.

Headline New Features

Smart Templates

These allow the user to select setups including basic recording, mixing stems, mastering an album, or setting up for a live show. There are also templates to simply play an instrument or produce a podcast with a single click. Some templates include a drop zone to easily import needed content like audio, video, and MIDI files. Other templates include an interactive tutorial with instructions and links to related video content.

Customizable User Interface

The new Customization Editor in Studio One 6 provides a way to show or hide nearly all tools and functions. Not only can customizations be saved for later recall, but also creating new ones is aided with the provision of what Presonus call “essential workflow” suggestions.

New Lyrics Integration

Lyrics can now be added to scores, songs, productions, and live performances with the all-new Global Lyrics Track. Lyrics can even be transferred to the Show Page to use during rehearsals or for long-form performances. When working with MIDI on the Score or Piano view, lyrics can be attached to notes, word by word, or even by syllable.

Global Video Track

Studio One 6 improves functionality for composing to picture and sound design. The new Global Video Track provides an intuitive video workflow thanks to Studio One’s drag and drop functionality, working hand-in-hand with the current video player window. Video clips can be added by dragging video files onto the timeline. The new Video Track can hold an unlimited number of video clips, making it easy to work on multiple reels of a feature film inside a single session. Video thumbnails are generated automatically to provide a preview for easy navigation.

Basic editing features for the Video Track are available including cut/copy/paste, slip, time and edit locks, ripple, and duplicate. An easy-to-use replace option is also available to quickly swap out a newer edit of the same video at the same timecode position.

A dedicated sub-track is also provided for embedded audio to use as reference with its own mixer channel, full plug-in processing, and output routing options. Embedded audio can be edited independently from the video by dragging and dropping the audio event to an Audio Track in the main arrangement.

New And Updated Plug-ins

• ProEQ3 The latest incarnation of ProEQ delivers two new powerful features, making it an indispensable tool for producers and mixing engineers. Each frequency band can now be soloed, so you can easily hear even the most surgical adjustments in isolation. In addition to solo, each band now features a dynamic mode to trigger boosts or cuts of the desired frequency band dynamically based on a set amplitude threshold.

• De-Esser Tame vocal sibilance and other high-frequency sounds with the new De-esser. The De-esser in Studio One is efficient and intuitively easy to use. Find the problematic frequency with the Listen button, then dial in the amount of S-Reduction using the associated knob together with the S-Mon function. Choose between narrow and wide shapes for the reduction band, as well as gentle (-6 dB) or full (-48 dB) range gain reduction. The included presets are excellent starting points for customization.

• Vocoder Expanding Studio One’s set of creative custom plug-ins, the new Vocoder is a creative playground like no other that lets you combine two input signals to create an entirely new sound processed by an array of bandpass filters. Turn your voice or any audio source into a unique synth or effect. Vocoder will inspire you to play with audio.

• Autofilter improvements The popular Autofilter plug-in has been updated to offer several useful enhancements including independent Attack and Release controls for the envelope and a Flip option to invert the modulation phase in the LFO section.

• Note Controller support for Mai Tai, Sample One XT, and Presence XT Mai Tai, Sample One XT, and Presence XT now offer support for compatible controllers to modulate individual notes in a chord independently using Poly Pressure (polyphonic aftertouch) or MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression). In Mai Tai and Presence XT, pitch, pressure, and timbre are available as modulation sources inside the modulation matrix, allowing these to be routed to any available destination. In Sample One XT, the pressure parameter is connected to the AMP and Filter. The amount can be controlled with a knob.

• Virtual Instrument Sidechain Support Virtual instruments (VST2, VST3, AU) like samplers and vocoders that require an external audio source now have access to any audio source within the mixer using a side-chain input. Similar to FX plug-ins with side-chain input, the sidechain signal can either be routed conveniently from the source or destination. Aux Channels may be used to route external audio signals to a virtual instrument using a sidechain.

Track Presets

Track Presets store both track and channel parameters, similar to taking a snapshot of the current state across Arrangement and Mixer. Track parameters include track delay, time-stretch, follow chords, and assigned instrument/preset (in the case of Instrument Tracks). Channel parameters include volume/pan, inserts, internal routing (Splitter), send assignments, I/O routing, plus track icons, name and colour. Track Presets can also be applied to existing channels. Channel settings are applied to any selection for both Audio and Instrument Tracks.

Mixer Improvements

Those working on large-format live mixers and studio control surfaces with be familiar with Fader Flip. FX/Bus sends, sidechains, and Cue Mix sends can be ‘flipped’ down onto the main faders. This is accessed from a right-click on the desired send and select “Flip.”

Stereo channels now feature a choice of pan modes. Bringing Studio One into line with some other DAWs, balance, dual or binaural panning for any stereo channel can be implemented. The new panner pop-up editor provides a large pan control, a context menu to switch between modes, plus dedicated controls for each mode. The basic balance control remains available in all mixer views, as well as a standard pan control for external hardware controllers.

The new mixer Channel Overview provides a single, consolidated view of all channel parameters, including input controls, inserts, sends, and Cue Mix sends for the selected channel. This view is available as a new tab in the Channel Editor window, which can be pinned anywhere on any screen and follows the channel selection. Channel Overview puts it all in one place.

Expert Panel - Hit or Miss?

In every Expert review we ask three of our team of contributors to give their first impressions of the product. We ask them to give the product a hit or miss, based on factors such as originality, innovation, usefulness, quality and value for money. For each hit the product gets an Expert Award. One hit and it gets our bronze award, two hits gets silver and for a hit from all three of the panel it gets a coveted gold award. Of course if there’s three misses, there’s no award.

Russ Hughes On PreSonus Studio One 6

For as long as I can remember, especially in the days of perpetual licensing, the game in town was to keep adding features in a new DAW release. While new features are always welcome, it sometimes comes at the expense of neglecting previous features that need improvement, or in some cases, bug fixes. PreSonus has been as guilty as all other DAW developers on this score in the past. However, in version 6 they seemed to have listened to the mantra of better, not just more.

There’s a lot to love about this release, for me most of them are improvements like fader flip, pan, a useful video track, and the sublimely simple, yet incredibly useful, drag audio into a session option on the start up screen. All of these things, plus the obligatory candy of Pro EQ3, DeEsser and Vocoder, make this a better Studio One. In fact this is the best Studio One to date! HIT

Brent March On PreSonus Studio One 6

Studio One 6 expands on version 5 by providing more resources tailored to each user. For example, the new smart templates that are specifically designed for either the song, show or project page - but then PreSonus have taken that a step further with different users in mind. The ability to load a smart template, whether you’re a podcaster, solo artist, beat maker and have all of the channels preconfigured with inserts, routing and even one click install add ons makes Studio One V6 a breeze to call up new sessions. However, if you’re an existing user, smart templates might be of little interest to you. Fear not!

In our video ‘Everything You Need To Know About Studio One 6’, I wanted to make a strong effort to shine light on all of the improvements that have been made for long term users, like myself. It was great to see the addition of new plugins such as De-Esser, ProEQ3 and the Vocoder. However, after using V6 for a week or more I found the biggest changes that I noticed and benefited from were the following: new pan view with alternative binaural and independent L/R panning modes, micro view controls for third party plugins with user customization, global customization editor, mixer channel overview, track and channel icons, updated side chain routing.

Although some of these updates might seem to be coming late to users of other DAWs that already have them, Studio One does a lot more than almost any other DAW. Now these simple updates and catch up features have been finally made, it really begs the question - is Studio One the perfect DAW? On that bombshell, we’ll leave the fiery discussion for the comments section below. HIT.

Luke Goddard On PreSonus Studio One 6

With the perennial questions of “what does it do?” and “how can we make it better?” on developers’ minds, the relentless drive for new features begins from the very conception of a software product. Hindsight is the developer’s friend here, with new products essentially scooping up years’ or even decades’ worth of hard-won product development in one go. This is justifiable in the quest to get something right, and in any case it’s common for software engineers to take their knowledge and startup for themselves. With this in mind, for many Studio One is a welcome distillation of features that have been learnt from its forebears.

For me, Studio One slots into my day by presenting a useful alternative that ditches the some of the others’ shortcomings. The stack-of-tracks-plus-timeline is a familiar space to me, and Studio One gives me that straight out of the box. I don’t have to think too much about building a session, or remember where I last parked the licence, and just lets me work.

Version 6 extends a hand not only to new users, but also to those existing ones who thought their DAW was entering a period of stasis that users of other products might recognise. While long lists of bugfixes are necessary, they certainly don’t inspire as many to part with their cash quite like some new toys and brand new features for new users. With more rounded video support, new sounds, tangibly improved mixer functionality, and friendlier Smart Templates for new users to name only a few, for me Studio One is a HIT.

PreSonus Studio One 6 gets an Experts Gold Award.