i really believe since the overhaul of lives audio engine it only boils down to the plugs...
still it is incredible how many people claim Live is mediocre in sound quality, i keep on hearing that around here over and over again...
one thing that comes to mind, is plugs... i remember once raving like crazy about SPL plugs (particular the EQ) robert jumped in and said it is nothing "that special" SPL does
(i think he jumped in because i was sooo... crazy raving like a school kid), any good coder can accomplish that... fair enough!
i totally believe, i mean obviously SPL and many other companies have those coders, that can accomplish that...
question i ask myself, why does ableton not code plugs above the average sound standard? this is purely a question!!!
after what robert once wrote here in a thread...
i am not in the boat saying Live is better or worse... about the plugs, yeah i like to argue myself to a certain extend...
and in the end those are your main tools you need to accomplish a good mix, well go figure...
who is mixing with a test file: recording / plain playback: clean...
those tests are utter nonsense and as far away from reality as it can go... you need plugs or outboard for a decent sounding mix.
and yeah, whatever use what suits you... i love ableton, and use mainly 3rd party plugs (i actually hardly use any Live Audio plugs, except the weirdo stuff efx stuff) so i am totally happy with it.