|
Comparison Chart |
|
|
Metro |
Metro LX |
Metro SE |
|
| Feature |
General |
 Comment |
| Microsoft Windows support |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Native x64 and x86 (32 bit) support. XP or greater. |
| Intel Mac support |
yes |
yes |
yes |
As of version 6.3.4, all of our products are Universal Binaries. (PPC + Intel) |
| Sections |
25000 |
16 |
8 |
Sections are songs or parts of songs such as verse or chorus. |
| Tracks/Section |
99 |
48 |
32 |
Number of tracks per section. |
| Subsections |
64 |
64 |
64 |
Subsections are sections that are recursively placed in tracks. |
| Audio Tracks |
128† |
16* |
8* |
Number of audio tracks.
†Prior to 7.0, 64. *Fewer prior to version 6.2 (10 LX and 4 SE). |
| Aux Busses |
8 |
2 |
2 |
Aux busses provide for flexible routing of audio data and effect plug-ins. |
| OS 9 support |
no`` |
no |
no`` |
Metro LX runs exclusively under OS X.``6.3.3 or earlier does have OS 9 support. |
| ReWire |
yes† |
yes† |
yes† |
† Versions of Metro 6.2 and greater support ReWire. Rewire requires free aux buss. |
|
Plug-Ins |
|
| Plug-Ins |
Unlimited |
24 EFX 6 Synth* |
8 EFX 2 Synth* |
AudioUnit (OS X) and VST 2.0 Support. *Fewer prior to version 6.3.7 (LX 16) & 6.2 (10 LX and 4 SE). |
| AudioUnit |
OS X |
yes |
OS X |
Convert synthesizer plug-in output to audio simply by mixing tracks. |
| VST |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Convert synthesizer plug-in output to audio simply by mixing tracks. |
| Premiere |
OS 9 |
no |
OS 9 |
Premiere plug-ins work in OS 9 only. |
| Automation |
full |
no |
no |
Automate all plug-in parameters, wet, dry, bypass and more. |
| Automation Editing |
yes |
no |
no |
Graphic editing of all available plug-in automation parameters. |
| Off-line edits |
unlimited |
unlimited |
unlimited |
Unlimited off-line effects edits. |
| Multiple outputs |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Multiple configurable outputs for track inserts as of 6.3.6. |
| Side chains |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Route multiple inputs from other tracks. |
|
Audio |
|
| Automation |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Flying audio volume faders and pan knobs are fully automatable. |
| Automation Editing |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Graphic editing of all available automation parameters. |
| Mix Tracks To Audio |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Drag-and-drop editing of audio. |
| Freeze Tracks |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Freeze tracks to conserve CPU for softsynths or automation. |
| Multitrack Digital Audio Record. |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Audio file compression with QuickTime. |
| Sample rate |
96khz |
96khz |
96khz |
Professional quality audio. |
| Sample bits |
32 |
32††† |
16 |
Record at variable sampling rates up to 96kHz and sample sizes up to 16 or 32 bits. †††LX is 32 bit ready as of version 6.4 or later. |
| Merge Audio |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Mix audio directly to waveform. |
| Normalize |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Maximize audio signal. |
| Scale Amplitude |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Change volume. |
| Scale Time |
yes |
no |
no |
Resample or Time-stretch. |
| Transpose |
yes |
no |
no |
Transpose audio to change pitch or pitch-stretch. |
| Fade |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Edit and process with sample accuracy. |
| Cross Fade |
yes |
no |
no |
Apply audio effects in real-time and make off-line edits. |
| Split Stereo Tracks |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Drag and drop editing of audio regions. |
| Remove Silence |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Saves disk space when saved as a compacted bundle file. |
| Combine Regions |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Creates a new audio file. |
| Audio Scrubbing |
yes |
no |
no |
3 types of scrubbing, including shuttle scrub. |
| Software Audio Thru |
yes |
no |
no |
Provides the ability to hear plug-ins in real time while recording. |
| Zoom Editing |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Edit audio down to the sample level. |
|
Miscellaneous |
|
| Drag Bar Lines |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Drag bar lines to adjust the tempo to an audio region or rubato playing. |
| Context-sensitive searchable Online Help |
.yes |
yes |
yes |
|
| Change ports |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Easily update output ports after transfering files. |
| Note Pad |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Keep notes on the current document. |
| Markers |
yes |
yes |
yes |
unlimited number of markers. |
| Group Tracks |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Group track can be muted and soloed all at once. |
| Independent Track Looping |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Every track can be looped at its end. MIDI & soft-synth tracks can have multiple loop points. |
|
Video |
|
| Effects |
100's |
no |
no |
Quicktime movie based effects supported. |
| Movie Tracks |
99 |
no |
no |
With video thumbnails in the Graphic Editor. |
| Export Types |
all |
no |
no |
All QuickTime movie export formats. |
|
|
Jukebox |
|
| Play back file types |
many |
many |
many |
MP3, Ogg Vorbis, AIFF and other Quicktime supported file types. |
| Write Mp3, Mp4, OggVorbis and many others |
yes |
yes |
yes |
OggVorbis is a file type competitive with MP3. MP3 conversion requires the LAME converter. |
| ID3 tags |
R/W |
R/W |
R/W |
ID3 tags in MP3 files contain information such as artist and song name. |
| Batch Audio Conversion |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Batch convert audio files from literally 100's of file types to any other file type including Apple Lossless, MP3, MP4, and many more. Some file types require Quicktime 7. |
|
MIDI |
|
| Keyboard |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Keyboard allows entry of MIDI data via the Mac keyboard or mouse. |
| Real Time Arpeggiator |
yes |
yes (6.4) |
yes (6.4) |
Works with softsynths and external MIDI gear. Includes a myriad of features and is extremely powerful. |
| Notation |
yes (6.1) |
no |
no |
OS X support for (MIDI) notation in version 6.1 and later |
| Printing |
yes (6.1) |
no |
no |
OS X support for (MIDI) notation printing in version 6.1 and later |
| Multitrack MIDI |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Have many MIDI tracks. |
| Record modes |
5 |
5 |
5 |
Step record, punch in-out, loop record, sound on sound record, and multi-take record modes. |
| Remote Control |
yes |
yes (6.4) |
yes (6.4) |
The ability to map controllers, control devices remotely, set step entry and more in real-time. Also presets with built-in support for certain control surfaces. |
| Chord Mode |
yes |
no |
no |
Step enter chords by name. |
| Scales and chords |
yes |
no |
no |
Scale editor allows creation of scales and chords. |
| Favorite Controllers |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Specify favorite MIDI control numbers for menus. |
| Drum Editor |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Create and Edit custom drum sets. |
| Input Quantize |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Quantize on MIDI input. |
| Destructive Quantize |
yes |
yes† |
yes† |
†Not including Groove Quantize or Quantize to track. |
| Play Quantize |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Non-destructive Quantize. |
| Groove Quantize |
yes |
no |
no |
Including Save, Delete and Paste grooves. |
| Chasing |
yes |
yes |
yes |
MIDI chasing of events. |
| MMC |
yes |
no |
no |
MIDI Machine Control. |
| Clock Sync |
yes |
yes |
yes |
MIDI clock synchronization. |
| MTC Sync |
yes |
no |
no |
MIDI Time Code synchronization. |
| Record Criteria |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Allow filtering of MIDI events on record. |
| Record Looping |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Song building and multiple take modes. |
| Program Names |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Open/Save import .ins files and more. |
| MIDI Setup |
yes |
yes |
yes |
MSS(Core MIDI)/OMS Support. |
| Rhythm Explorer Algorithms |
19 |
1 |
1 |
Rhythm Explorer is an extremely powerful feature for generating melodic rhythm patterns. |
| Rhythm Explorer Presets |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Presets are downloaded separately for SE. |
| Spray Paint Tool |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Many customizable parameters. |
| PPQN |
24 - 960 |
24 - 960 |
24 - 960 |
Parts per quarter note. |
| Duration |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Many operation on durations. |
| Velocity |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Many operation on velocities. |
| Humanize |
yes |
yes** |
no |
Add variation to overly quantized material. ** added to LX in version 6.3.5.6. |
| Transpose |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Many Transpose operations. |
| Harmonize |
yes |
no |
no |
Easily create harmonies within a scale. |
| Reverse |
yes |
no |
no |
Invert or retrograde. |
| Channel |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Change MIDI channels. |
| Shift |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Adjust timing of selection. |
| Scale Time |
yes |
no |
no |
Automatically reverse scale tempos, time stretch or resample audio/video and more. |
| Continuous data |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Controllers, Aftertouch, Pitchbend, etc. |
| Pitch Bend |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Specify pitch bend in cents. |
| Limit |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Specify controller limits. |
| Thin Continuous |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Delete extraneous controller data. |
| Tempo |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Multiple tempo changes allowed. |
| Time/Key Signatures |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Multiple time and key signature changes allowed. |
| Extract |
graphic / event / dialog |
graphic / event / dialog** |
graphic / event |
Extract specific MIDI data from tracks via graphic editor, event editor or extract dialog. ** added to LX in version 6.3.5.6. |
| Expand by Channel |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Convert a MIDI type 0 file to multi-track. |
| Expand by Drums |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Put each drum sound on a separate track. |
| Expand by Loops |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Convert loops to linear data. |
| Merge |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Two tracks to one. |
| Merge Tracks to New |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Merge multiple tracks to one. |
| MIDI Thru |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Use the computer as a MIDI thru device. |
| Import MIDI file |
0, 1 & 2 |
0, 1 & 2 |
0, 1 & 2 |
Import of all current types. |
| Export MIDI file |
0 & 1 |
0 & 1 |
0 & 1 |
Export of types 0 and 1. |
| Insert Sysex file |
yes |
yes |
yes |
Inserts system exclusive data from a file. |
| Tap Tempo |
yes |
yes |
no |
Tap keyboard to determine tempo of song. |
| Set Selection |
yes |
yes |
no |
Allow textual entry of time selection by sample or by bar, beat and clock. |
| Selection Filter |
yes |
no |
no |
Allow selection of MIDI events by special criteria. |
| MIDI Scrubbing |
yes |
yes†† |
yes†† |
Graphic editor scrubbing. ††Available in the list editor only. |
