As someone who’s been using DAWs for (too many?) years, I always get a bit excited when a major update rolls out. PreSonus just released Studio One Pro 7, and I’ve got to say, they’ve packed in some interesting new “toys” for us music makers.
The Headline Features
Studio One Pro 7 boasts over 30 new features and improvement. Let’s see some of them.
Deep Flight One Synth
First up, we’ve got a new synth called Deep Flight One. If you’re familiar with Studio One, you might remember that Deep Flight One was actually released as a library for Studio One’s Presence XT sample-player back in 2020. With Studio One Pro 7 it’s now become a more convenient standalone instrument.
Now, I haven’t had the chance to play with it yet, but from what I can tell, it looks like a pretty versatile and creative beast. If you’re into sound design or just love exploring new instruments, this one is definitely worth diving into.
Stem Separation
This is the feature that really caught my eye. We’ve all been there – you’ve got a mixed track and you’re wishing you could just pull out that one guitar part or isolate the vocals. Well, Studio One Pro 7 is giving it a shot with AI-powered stem separation. It’ll be interesting to see how well it works in practice, and how it compares to the similar feature introduced in the recent Logic Pro update.
Splice in the House
If you’re a Splice user (and let’s face it, who isn’t these days?), you’ll be happy to know that PreSonus has baked Splice integration right into Studio One’s browser. No more switching back and forth between apps when you’re hunting for that perfect sample.
If you’re not a Splice user yet, you’ll be happy to know that Studio Pro 7 comes with 2,500+ premium, royalty-free samples included. Anyone with Studio One Pro 7 can add a Splice plan for just $12.99 / month. You can cancel anytime and keep every Splice sound you download—forever. You can also try the full Splice library free for 7 days.
Some Nice-to-Haves
The Launcher
The PreSonus team added a new Launcher that gives you quick access to recent projects and templates. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s one of those little things that can make your workflow a bit smoother.
Loop Love
For all you loop-based producers out there, Studio One Pro 7 has some improved looping features. I’m curious to see how this stacks up against other DAWs that have been loop-friendly for a while.
Other Bits and Bobs
- There’s now a global transpose feature, which could be a lifesaver if you’ve ever realized your whole track needs to be in a different key.
- They’ve added support for CLAP plugins. If you’re not familiar with CLAP, it’s a new plugin format that’s been gaining some traction.
- The UI has gotten a bit of a facelift with rounded corners and new color options. It’s not a huge change, but it’s nice to see PreSonus keeping things fresh.
- You can now detach the browser, which is great if you’re working with multiple monitors.
- They claim there’s been some CPU optimization, which is always welcome.
Pricing, Upgrade Path – The Bottom Line
PreSonus has simplified things by offering just one version now: Studio One 7 Pro. It includes all the extensions and virtual instruments that used to be sold separately, which is pretty cool. It’s going for $199, for new users.
It”s worth noting that Studio One Pro 7 will be the last numbered version release, and going forward, version naming will be time-based with the first of these new feature releases coming early next year (so it’s going to be Studio One Pro 2025, or something like that).
With the change in versioning and our new feature release cycle, starting today, all Studio One Pro perpetual licenses will include one (1) full year of new feature releases from the time of registration. This means you’ll upgrade your license on your schedule and still get to keep a full year of new features released after you purchase a license — without worrying about the timing of major releases. You will never lose access to Studio One Pro with any perpetual license.
PreSonus is also making Studio One Pro perpetual licenses more accessible than ever, with improvements to upgrade eligibility and pricing. Beginning today, they’re offering one upgrade price for all, allowing owners of any previous version of Studio One Professional or Studio One Artist Edition to upgrade for US$149.99.
To make it even clearer, as the term “perpetual” can be confusing: with this new pricing model you get updates for exactly one year. You can use your existing, “perpetual” license for as long as you want after that year is up. But it will cost you another $149.00 when you decide to opt-in for updates again.
Is it worth upgrading? Well, that depends on your needs. If you’re already a Studio One user and features like stem separation, the direct integration with Splice or the new synth appeal to you, it might be worth taking the plunge. If you’re happy with your current DAW, there’s nothing here that I’d call revolutionary, but it’s definitely an interesting update.
One thing to note is that PreSonus is promising frequent updates throughout the year. So even if you’re on the fence now, it might be worth keeping an eye on how Studio One develops over the next few months.
To learn more about Studio One 7 Pro, please visit the official website.
What do you think? Any features you’re particularly excited about? Or anything you wish they’d included? Let me know in the comments!
