Reaktor Blocks vs. Softube Modular

[SODDI]

agree. There are great Macro collections out there (Ampere collection, for example). Are yours publicly available too?

No, I wasn't convinced enough of them because I never could quite understand the DSP maths needed to effectively build macros to transform mathematical modulation sources (LFOs, envelopes,etc.) into modulation. If you crack open some of the older Reaktor modules, you will see there are a bunch of those math transforms at the very bottom level. So I stole what I could from SoundSchool Analog and other sources, monkeyed up what I could from trial and error... it's like hundreds of modulation routings on the biggest ensembles.

They work, but they're not elegant (in the mathematical sense), not presentation pieces. I stopped because I built them to play and when I got usable stuff I did not explore any further.

The beauty of Reaktor is that it's Swipe-O-Rama.

[martinjuenke]

Reaktor Blocks are far more versatile and creativity triggering than this limited Softube modular clone...

[zerocrossing]

Yeah, here we are, years later and how many new modules have Softube introduced? Kind of pathetic. Not that you can’t do cool stuff with it, or that it sounds bad, but the real fun of modular is that exploration of new things. At least it is for me. OTOH, NI has released update after update of updates and new free modules (Blocks) not to mention the user library and third party stuff.

[jancivil]

Understood. And I didn't buy Reaktor just for blocks. In fact, I bought Reaktor 5 about 2 years ago with Komplete 9. I bought it to put together my own synths. What I discovered was that the learning curve was exponentially above your basic modular synth (MUX, KarmaFX, Softube, etc) to the point where I just gave up. And even with blocks, the structure of patching them together is beyond me. So okay, maybe I'm an idiot. I'll accept that. But there is no way Reaktor patching is as easy as your basic modular synth.

I was fortunate enough to be able to play a lot on a Moog Modular (long time ago though). Great experience, but just as hard/easy as Reaktor, if you ask me. Especially with the new lay-out on R6 (double screens, so you can see what is getting patched to where without extra clicking).

I dunno. I just like Reaktor. It is easy, quick and hugely versatile (once you get the hang of it; but that is the same with every 'new-to-the-user' synth, imho).
I must admit i was underwhelmed by SM. Yes, the sound quality is very good, but in my mixes that is not the most important thing. The Reaktor synth is giving me way more possibilties.

It's funny. I am able to make a Reaktor build that works (not anything worth checking out, I'm not up to it, I realized that years ago) but I couldn't get a sound out of Bazille. I didn't take much time with it but it was giving me a headache. I avoided the Buchla at SFCM, it's just too much time consumed to get things to happen and I'm one of those that likes a keyboard, not a west coast type at all. But Reaktor is a RTFM kind of a thing and at one time I tried a couple of builds. Probably best to slavishly emulate a couple of things first.

[ghettosynth]

Yeah, here we are, years later and how many new modules have Softube introduced? Kind of pathetic. Not that you can’t do cool stuff with it, or that it sounds bad, but the real fun of modular is that exploration of new things. At least it is for me. OTOH, NI has released update after update of updates and new free modules (Blocks) not to mention the user library and third party stuff.

I'm pretty sure that this is market driven. My sense of this was that Softube was hoping to capitalize on the fetish for authentic emulation that seems so pervasive in the effects and virtual analog synth market but I don't think that fetishism extends into the modular market so much, with perhaps the exception of a few very popular modules, but that also to the extent that it does, those customers aren't really that interested in software. Interestingly, I think that of some of the modules that it does, they're really open source digital modules and so are in VCV without cost.

IOW, neither vendors nor consumers are knocking down the door asking for authentic emulations of modules.

[Julien Unison]

Maybe we can agree that Reaktor is one of those plugins/softwares from which you HAVE to RTFM

(and I personally hate to do that and avoid to do it most of the time)

[martinjuenke]

Maybe we can agree that Reaktor is one of those plugins/softwares from which you HAVE to RTFM

(and I personally hate to do that and avoid to do it most of the time)

You may read this remarkable thread:
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 4&t=507478
Interesting insights about RTFM...

[martinjuenke]

Ups, I did it again...

[Benjamin923]

Yeah, here we are, years later and how many new modules have Softube introduced? Kind of pathetic. Not that you can’t do cool stuff with it, or that it sounds bad, but the real fun of modular is that exploration of new things. At least it is for me. OTOH, NI has released update after update of updates and new free modules (Blocks) not to mention the user library and third party stuff.

I'm pretty sure that this is market driven. My sense of this was that Softube was hoping to capitalize on the fetish for authentic emulation that seems so pervasive in the effects and virtual analog synth market but I don't think that fetishism extends into the modular market so much, with perhaps the exception of a few very popular modules, but that also to the extent that it does, those customers aren't really that interested in software. Interestingly, I think that of some of the modules that it does, they're really open source digital modules and so are in VCV without cost.

IOW, neither vendors nor consumers are knocking down the door asking for authentic emulations of modules.

You're almost certainly correct. It's likely that this product model of having individual modules for sale didn't produce sufficient revenue to justify the development time for said modules. Softube probably have other software they can develop in a comparable time frame to a few modules which generates greater revenue than those few modules combined would. They were trying something new here with Modular, and the market doesn't seem to have been excited enough about it.

[wagtunes]

Yeah, here we are, years later and how many new modules have Softube introduced? Kind of pathetic. Not that you can’t do cool stuff with it, or that it sounds bad, but the real fun of modular is that exploration of new things. At least it is for me. OTOH, NI has released update after update of updates and new free modules (Blocks) not to mention the user library and third party stuff.

I'm pretty sure that this is market driven. My sense of this was that Softube was hoping to capitalize on the fetish for authentic emulation that seems so pervasive in the effects and virtual analog synth market but I don't think that fetishism extends into the modular market so much, with perhaps the exception of a few very popular modules, but that also to the extent that it does, those customers aren't really that interested in software. Interestingly, I think that of some of the modules that it does, they're really open source digital modules and so are in VCV without cost.

IOW, neither vendors nor consumers are knocking down the door asking for authentic emulations of modules.

You're almost certainly correct. It's likely that this product model of having individual modules for sale didn't produce sufficient revenue to justify the development time for said modules. Softube probably have other software they can develop in a comparable time frame to a few modules which generates greater revenue than those few modules combined would. They were trying something new here with Modular, and the market doesn't seem to have been excited enough about it.

I don't know. My Softube library destroys all my other libraries in sales. So where are all these customers coming from if there is no demand?

[experimental.crow]

Yeah, here we are, years later and how many new modules have Softube introduced? Kind of pathetic. Not that you can’t do cool stuff with it, or that it sounds bad, but the real fun of modular is that exploration of new things. At least it is for me. OTOH, NI has released update after update of updates and new free modules (Blocks) not to mention the user library and third party stuff.

I'm pretty sure that this is market driven. My sense of this was that Softube was hoping to capitalize on the fetish for authentic emulation that seems so pervasive in the effects and virtual analog synth market but I don't think that fetishism extends into the modular market so much, with perhaps the exception of a few very popular modules, but that also to the extent that it does, those customers aren't really that interested in software. Interestingly, I think that of some of the modules that it does, they're really open source digital modules and so are in VCV without cost.

IOW, neither vendors nor consumers are knocking down the door asking for authentic emulations of modules.

You're almost certainly correct. It's likely that this product model of having individual modules for sale didn't produce sufficient revenue to justify the development time for said modules. Softube probably have other software they can develop in a comparable time frame to a few modules which generates greater revenue than those few modules combined would. They were trying something new here with Modular, and the market doesn't seem to have been excited enough about it.

I don't know. My Softube library destroys all my other libraries in sales. So where are all these customers coming from if there is no demand?

well , we could all guess as to how many units that might be , or you could tell us ...
i'm thinking that there are quite a few more reaktor licences out there , than there
are softube modular licenses ...

i could be mistaken though ...

[acYm]

and how many customers is that, exactly?

you spend enough time entertaining us with your inner-business statistical insight, I think we're entitled to some hard numbers at this point.

[wagtunes]

Yeah, here we are, years later and how many new modules have Softube introduced? Kind of pathetic. Not that you can’t do cool stuff with it, or that it sounds bad, but the real fun of modular is that exploration of new things. At least it is for me. OTOH, NI has released update after update of updates and new free modules (Blocks) not to mention the user library and third party stuff.

I'm pretty sure that this is market driven. My sense of this was that Softube was hoping to capitalize on the fetish for authentic emulation that seems so pervasive in the effects and virtual analog synth market but I don't think that fetishism extends into the modular market so much, with perhaps the exception of a few very popular modules, but that also to the extent that it does, those customers aren't really that interested in software. Interestingly, I think that of some of the modules that it does, they're really open source digital modules and so are in VCV without cost.

IOW, neither vendors nor consumers are knocking down the door asking for authentic emulations of modules.

You're almost certainly correct. It's likely that this product model of having individual modules for sale didn't produce sufficient revenue to justify the development time for said modules. Softube probably have other software they can develop in a comparable time frame to a few modules which generates greater revenue than those few modules combined would. They were trying something new here with Modular, and the market doesn't seem to have been excited enough about it.

I don't know. My Softube library destroys all my other libraries in sales. So where are all these customers coming from if there is no demand?

well , we could all guess as to how many units that might be , or you could tell us ...
i'm thinking that there are quite a few more reaktor licences out there , than there
are softube modular licenses ...

i could be mistaken though ...

Are you suggesting that if I did libraries for Reaktor Ensembles that they would outsell Softube?

[wagtunes]

and how many customers is that, exactly?

you spend enough time entertaining us with your inner-business statistical insight, I think we're entitled to some hard numbers at this point.

How many customers is none of your business. Besides, I could come up with any number in the world and you wouldn't have one clue whether it was real or made up, so what's the point?

[experimental.crow]

Yeah, here we are, years later and how many new modules have Softube introduced? Kind of pathetic. Not that you can’t do cool stuff with it, or that it sounds bad, but the real fun of modular is that exploration of new things. At least it is for me. OTOH, NI has released update after update of updates and new free modules (Blocks) not to mention the user library and third party stuff.

I'm pretty sure that this is market driven. My sense of this was that Softube was hoping to capitalize on the fetish for authentic emulation that seems so pervasive in the effects and virtual analog synth market but I don't think that fetishism extends into the modular market so much, with perhaps the exception of a few very popular modules, but that also to the extent that it does, those customers aren't really that interested in software. Interestingly, I think that of some of the modules that it does, they're really open source digital modules and so are in VCV without cost.

IOW, neither vendors nor consumers are knocking down the door asking for authentic emulations of modules.

You're almost certainly correct. It's likely that this product model of having individual modules for sale didn't produce sufficient revenue to justify the development time for said modules. Softube probably have other software they can develop in a comparable time frame to a few modules which generates greater revenue than those few modules combined would. They were trying something new here with Modular, and the market doesn't seem to have been excited enough about it.

I don't know. My Softube library destroys all my other libraries in sales. So where are all these customers coming from if there is no demand?

well , we could all guess as to how many units that might be , or you could tell us ...
i'm thinking that there are quite a few more reaktor licences out there , than there
are softube modular licenses ...

i could be mistaken though ...

Are you suggesting that if I did libraries for Reaktor Ensembles that they would outsell Softube?

i'm suggesting nothing of the sort ...
your business , to which you refer constantly , is a murky pond ,
and such it should remain ...

i'm saying that we have no reference point to your assertions , and thus , they are meaningless , and you should refrain from bringing them up ...