It was even utilized in marine engineering projects to simulate wave states and analyze acoustic data. System Requirements and Compatibility
: Features dedicated tools for creating basic audio CDs and full DVD-Audio projects with custom menus and labels.
For actual work? No. For a nostalgia trip or learning classic mastering chain philosophy in a virtual machine? Absolutely. wavelab 6
Unlike simpler two-track editors, WaveLab 6 was designed to handle long-form audio—such as full albums, DJ mixes, audiobooks, radio plays, and live concert recordings—with specific tools that maintain stability and workflow efficiency.
WaveLab 6 was one of the first iterations to fully embrace VST3 plug-in technology. This allowed for more efficient CPU usage and improved handling of automation within the mastering chain. It was even utilized in marine engineering projects
WaveLab 5 had established Steinberg as the leader in "destructive" audio editing (editing the waveform file directly). However, WaveLab 6 arrived with a radical shift: the introduction of a fully non-destructive workspace, alongside the classic WaveLab editor. It allowed engineers to splice, crossfade, and arrange tracks without altering the original source files until the very last render.
| Feature | | Sony Sound Forge 8 | Adobe Audition 1.5 | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Primary Focus | Mastering & CD burning | Stereo editing | Multi-track restoration | | CD Authoring | Red Book / DDP (Excellent) | Basic (Poor) | None (Requires CD Architect) | | Spectral Editing | Yes (Lasso tools) | No | Yes (But slower) | | VST Support | Full VST 2.0 | DirectX only (limited) | VST (Stable) | | Batch Processing | Highly advanced (watched folders) | Basic | Excellent | Unlike simpler two-track editors, WaveLab 6 was designed
WaveLab 6 integrated the high-end DIRAC algorithm, offering some of the most transparent time and pitch manipulation available at the time, which was critical for broadcast and sound design.