Nuendo 13: The Future of Post- Production Starts Now

Steinberg has announced the immediate availability of Nuendo 13, which introduces a completely integrated workflow for authoring and mixing content for the MPEG-H Audio format, innovative new features for dialogue recording, Dolby Atmos improvements, extended video track enhancements, new plug-ins for vocal processing and more than 20 additional workflow enhancements. With Nuendo 13, the future of post-production starts now.

Setting the standard for immersive sound mixing

New to Nuendo 13 is integrated authoring and content mixing for the object-based MPEG-H Audio format. Offering advanced interactivity options via metadata and different mix versions called presets, projects can be exported as MPEG-H ADM or MPEG-H Master files.

Nuendo 13 now offers either two or three-layer z panning ranges due to the requirements of MPEG-H Audio. Three-layer z panning means sounds can now be positioned below the listener.

By adding 9.1.6 speaker configuration support to the Renderer for Dolby Atmos, Nuendo 13 supports the latest surround sound developments for cinema and home theater.

Also new to the table: the ADM Authoring window now supports four different immersive formats: Dolby Atmos (Internal Renderer), Dolby Atmos (External Renderer), MPEG-H and OSC, displaying the attributes and settings when each format is selected.

Mixing and sound design

More mixing features include an update to Headphones Match, with an additional five models, a redesigned MixConsole that offers easier access to frequently used functions, and the new Channel tab available to the Project window, with all the functionality of the channel strip without having to switch to the MixConsole.

Nuendo 13 now comprises more sound design tools than ever before. One highlight is the Steinberg Vocoder, providing up to 24 filter bands, sidechain input, and in-depth control. Also new to the Nuendo feature set are the EQ-P1A and EQ-M5 equalizers as well as the Black Valve and VoxComp compressors.

For dialogue editors and ADR engineers

TonalMatch is a new direct offline process which analyses the sound characteristics of an audio recording and enables it to be transferred to other clips, matching the spectral profile (EQ) and ambient noise floor.

Another highlight in Nuendo 13 is VoiceSeparator, a new, AI-based VST plug-in which can detect and isolate spoken dialogue from complex background noises, including other voices, and also to reduce or remove undesired voice sounds from background and ambient recordings.

The new VocalChain plug-in includes dedicated modules for the different steps of voice processing, including a wide range of presets exclusively for post-production, making voice sound design faster and more efficient than ever.

With ADR Script Reader, ADR takes are now displayed through a web browser on any tablet or laptop on the same LAN network, giving the voice talent a digital script and an editor or session director the ability to instantly change it and add notes using Nuendo’s marker data.

And there’s much more to discover:

Detect Silence Extensions for enhanced cleaning up dialogue, while keeping background noise for use on a different track
Bounce Selection allows blank audio clips to be created from any selection

Support for TTAL 1.1 Netflix dubbing workflows, including Forced Narrative and multi- character attributes
Independent setting of ADR count-in and swipe options
Audition unprocessed sound for direct offline processing
New Spectral Warp modes for the Sampler Track

Productivity and workflow expeditions

Nuendo 13 now features Track Versions for the video track, making A-B video edit comparisons within a project more convenient. With Replace Audio in Video, the user can export a new soundtrack directly into the original MP4 video file. Other enhancements include a configurable playback start position, new project templates, and track import improvements.

As for performance, Nuendo 13 offers Windows-compliant multi-window handling and an improved Windows video engine, including GPU hardware decoding for H264 and better overall performance. And by supporting Hybrid CPU Architecture, Nuendo now takes full advantage of modern computer CPUs.

Plus, Nuendo 13 includes many new music features:

Drum and Key Editor enhancements
New chord progression presets on chord pads
Iconica Sketch orchestral library, with 140 articulations for 34 instruments in a compact 5 GB library
MIDI 2.0 support, including high-resolution velocity, CC, aftertouch, pitch bend, and poly pressure data
Enhanced MIDI effects
Simplified CC recording
Tap to Tempo feature

Flexible return channels

Steinberg’s Marketing Manager Luis Dongo commented: “Nuendo 13 is a strong update for every Nuendo user, and yet with its comprehensive feature additions in all areas of the software, we are certain to attract customers who haven’t been working with Nuendo and are now looking for new ways to enhance their productivity.”

Availability and pricing

Nuendo 13 is available from resellers and through the Steinberg Online Shop. The suggested retail price is 999 euros or 999.99 US dollars. An education version is available with a suggested retail price of 549 euros or 549.99 US dollars. An update from Nuendo 12 to Nuendo 13 is available with a suggested retail price of 199 euros or 199.99 US dollars. Prices may vary according to region.

Customers who have activated Nuendo 12 or earlier versions from October 18, 2023, are eligible for a free, downloadable grace period update to the latest version.

New features at a glance