From the start, Nuendo was conceived as a native application that would require no additional DSP processing power, where the audio engine could record and play back at any sampling rate and resolution and utilise any installed physical inputs and outputs. Nuendo 1.0 was released for Windows in the Spring of 2000 after four years of research and development, during which time it evolved from an application originally announced for Silcon Graphics workstations to one intended for the Windows NT platform. This achievement, coupled with the fact both versions ship in the same box, is worthy of praise by itself, in an era where software companies are increasingly aligning themselves with a single platform - predictions among users that Mac support would be dropped after Pinnacle's buyout of Steinberg last year have proved to be unfounded, and while Digidesign also offer a Windows version of Pro Tools, it isn't supplied in the same box as the Mac version. Only a year after Cubase SX was released for Windows, followed by a Mac OS X version some months later, the company have released the second major version of Nuendo for both Windows XP and Mac OS X platforms simultaneously. In recent times, Steinberg have had a habit of releasing highly anticipated applications on what now seems like an annual basis. But in an industry dominated by Digidesign, will it be enough to lure potential users away from their Pro Tools rigs?

Since its first release three years ago, Nuendo has raised a great deal of interest among those who need a professional audio production tool, and with Nuendo 2, Steinberg have developed one of most ambitious native-based audio systems yet seen. The Track Split feature on the Project window has been engaged to keep the Video and the dialogue, click and reference Audio Tracks held at the top, enabling you to use the lower half as your main working window.

Steinberg nuendo 1.5.2