buss tracks
fx auitomation

Interesting that different people see quite different things as the standout features in the new version. For me the two killer improvements are:

1. Surround mixer
2. Scripting (which should, with a little ingenuity, allow things like AES31 compatibility to be added).

Mark

Yeah, 5.1 and DVD isn't that important, altho the latter might be as far as storage capability much later, fx auto is an advantage, but time-consuming to set up and offers more horsepower I spose...ASIO..? I can use it in acid 4, but nowhere else unless I "close previous app" so, if I go to acid 4 to vegas 4 it's no prob, but that leaves sf6 out of the loop, CDA would still be functional...another thing, and this is on me, I never, never download demos...just don't; so I rely alot on what I have with sofo and all you guys (and gals)to help with purchasing decisions...

Well, since you don't download the demos...
I have checked out the features of VV4 and since I'm always busy in VV3, I don't have a lot of time to really mess with the beta. Before I move all my project over to that platform I'll wait for the full release.

I do pretty good sized projects in both audio and video so I like a lot of the video stuff that is coming out. Since you're just into the audio, I think you're going to have to decide if you're ever going to use the 5.1 mixing (I just read an article that talks about how many people are buying these systems and how it appears that usage of wider field audio is rising). That in itself is a great feature but you already have access to that with Acid 4.0.

I think the main selling point on the audio side is going to be the FX automation and buss tracks. Its very easy to use them and the creative potential is enormous. I've not had to mess with ASIO much, so I can't tell you if that feature is really worth it. I'm getting the performance I need without it.

Another feature that should prove beneficial to you (although it was buggy in the beta) is the Record Input Monitoring. Here you can listen to a reverb while recording but record both a dry and a wet version on different tracks. Nice to have the performance with the effects you want plus a non effected version in case you need it later in the mix.

I don't know how much editing you do, but the ripple edit is improved as well. That always had little quirks in 3.0 and it seems to be more robust, transferring envelopes with the ripples. I've not had much time to deal with it so I can't be more helpful but the idea sounds right, I'll have to experiment with the implementation.

Better scrubbing too.

Well, if you're like the rest of us, you are waiting with baited breath to see what the upgrade pricing is going to be. I'll be jumping right in as the features that are in the Vegas + DVD seem well worth it for my present and future needs.

Best of luck with YOUR decision.

One note:

Vegas 4 doesn't record the wet/processed input. Only the dry signal is recorded.

Peter

Can't you route it to a buss then back to an armed track to get the wet signal? I thought that was the idea in the beta?

you can monitor the wet signal. The point is, youd in most cases be nuts to ONLY record the wet signal.
Depending on how you got the track set up, even when you playback it will SOUND like you recorded wet, since the same plug will be on there. Youll always have the original just in case the perfect fx werent so perfect.