Not only that but to compare RB to anything else is like comparing apples to sardines. Explain to me Ryzard how you can input chords into Nuendo and have it create a cool new guitar/keyboard/bass/whatever part for you? Then you decide you don't like that part, click a window and it creates a whole new part in a different style. If you're only comparing the midi/audio recording functions and leaving out completely the Biab song creating part, then you're not comparing RB you're comparing Power Tracks and that only costs $49.
Russ, regarding your comment about the time it takes to load 20 tracks in an existing project, until you've rendered them to your mixed down stereo wave, that's just the way it is. I also use Adobe Audition and it's the same thing there. They call it session files, RB calls it seq files. Whatever you call them, they are active audio and midi project files in a dedicated format and they must be loaded. Ever notice that when you import a wav file how long it takes and, if you save the project RB converts it to a seq file? It's still audio but now it's in a different format and it must be loaded separately. It's not just the audio tracks themselves, it's all the plugins and synths too. If you're using a big soft synth with a large audio library, that takes time to load. Forte is a small sampleset but Sampletank or Garritan? Different story. Audio eats up processor speed and memory and this is what drives PC sales. The only cure is faster processors, memory, all the rest of it.

Bob

Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.