Its definitely cool and im looking to buy it when it comes out of beta, something like the Reason Combinator for sure, and gives the functionality from Reaper that I've been missing, ie. Multiple pkugins on one channel. Makes using a mixer with S1 much better.

I would like some automatic display on the first window of all included plugins, that would be helpful to me and take out much of the setup. Anyhow I'll keep playing with it and post in the forum when I have a better understanding of it. I did figure out how to map the controls though so that's something

Btw what is the expected price for the plugin?

I think is below the $100.
I'm experimenting with the MUX and Diva in S1 and it's turning my Diva into a modular synth. That's a LUXURY!
Don't forget that inside that MUX you have a full blown sampler quite powerful, and you can insert other MUX nested down as deep as you like..... Sick!

Yeah, I do hope it is more like $50, I'm not saying it isn't worth it just I would likely use it in a very minimal way to get arps and other midi plugins on one channel with the synth they are driving. In fact it may just be better for me to use S1's routing for that as it takes st least as long to build up a MUX rack as it does to just route everything in S1. Unless I am going to reuse something it doesn't make that much sense. I am not a huge 'modular madness' type. The added complexity doesn't 'do what I need which is to symplify my processes. Unless there weer a nice library of patches with the plugin parameters already available for automation on the main page, it seems like a pita to me to do this for all my plugins. are there some generic presets available, like a Diva 'front end' that you can modify by adding other modules, but with all the automation stuff done already?

I demoed Studio One V2 for a few weeks and then bought it. They have a crossgrade deal going on where you can buy it at a reduced price if you're already using another "Professional DAW (sic)".
So far, I'm using it alongside Reaper.

Here's what I've found.

Pro's:
+Very slimmed down user interface while still offering all functions I need for fast and efficient workflow
+Good looking GUI, everything feels logical and thought out
+Starts quickly, doesn't seem very bloated or memory intensive. GUI is very smooth with none of the "hall of mirrors" effects or tearing that often happens in Windows applications
+Great inbuilt effects, especially in the Pro version
+Inbuilt mastering
+Great compatibility with the Virus TI (unlike Reaper)
+Very stable even when plug-ins misbehave.
+Very reasonable price in the US


Cons
-No native bitbridge for 32-bit plugins in the 64-bit version. Have to use JBridge (which works fine most of the time)
-Not the most efficient CPU-wise. Sometimes the multi-threaded engine seems to freak out, resulting in temporary CPU spikes.
-Doesn't handle multi-threaded VST's at all without falling apart. Running them in "Performance mode" in JBridge fixes this by moving those VST's to their own process
-Bundled instruments are kind of crappy (basic sample playback and a monophonic synth). It does however come with a *very* cut down version of NI Kontakt and Reaktor Player.
-Only audio tracks in the mixer - no mixing of multi-timbral instruments using MIDI.
-Transform to audio doesn't work that great with some VST's, causing clicks, pops etc.
-Euro rip-off pricing - costs 25-35% more than in the US for no reason

+1

i would add the melodyne integration as a feature which is on the positive side. I have Sonar X1 which doesnt seem that stable (as Studio One) and support is horrible.

Is it possible in Studio One to play two different vsti synths at the same time with your midi controller, something similar to Layer in FL Studio, or as in Reaper where you can open several vsti in the same track and play them all as if it was one?

You can create a folder and drop in as many tracks and group them, when arming one all will be armed. We were talking abou MuX which is a "chainer" modular vst and using something like that you can make more permanent ensembles that exist on one track. I do hope a native solution is introduced at some point because I thimk it would be more elegant. I would love for instance to just be able to save a grouped folder as a preset.

Or like Patcher in FL Studio, which I love. I also know Mux, but does it allow third-party plugins?

But another question concerning Studio One. When you put diferent tracks into a folder, can you play those different tracks with its different vsti synths at the same time with your keyboard? I thought I tried it but I think I could only make sound one at a time...

Yeah Mux allows third party plugins, everything seems to work so far for me, though I haven't gone that deep. But my arps all work and that is one of the biggest draws for me, to get them and the plugins they drive all on the same track.

With Studio One, it will play whatever tracks are armed to record, so whatever you arm you'll hear. That's why I mention grouping them (in a folder, click the group icon, easy!) that way if you arm one you arm the whole track. A benefit of doing this is that you can record midi independently for each sound and edit it if you like with its own automation etc. That is something you lose (or can't as easily do) with a chainer.

Also using a chainer on arps has its drawbacks, ie. you don't record the arp output, just the originating notes so you lose some ability to edit the midi that way. So part of me wants to just stick with S1's way of doing it currently as it has its up sides. I'm so on the fence how to deal with all this, ultimately I'd love to put all my midi tools and arps outside Studio One (or have S1 make something like an aggregate device using midi plugins) so that the arps and transposers etc. all are seen as one input, like a keyboard, by the track and just record the input. That would resolve all the routing stuff and make it much simpler for me personally.

I just posted this feature request on the Presonus forum, this would be very cool for me:

Using something like a key transposer ie. midiSaleChanger from pizmidi or any midi arp like Catanya or Kirnu right now in S1 requires multiple tracks and manual routing of the signal. It would be really cool if you could attach a VST effect like this to an External Device (or make it a composite device, showing up as its own item) so that the arp or transposer would drive the track without requiring two or more tracks to do the job. Currently I use midiScaleChanger>Catanya>VSt synth so it takes three tracks, and it gets unwieldy especially when trying to use a control surface as S1 wants to disarm tracks besides the one I am touching. If a composite device could be make for each scenario there would be one thing to select from the drop list on the track and only one track needed to accomplish this. Forgive me if this is exotic or unclear, but it would be extremely cool Thanks for your ears.

Tried. It worked ok so thanks Braj.

Sometimes I wonder who makes decisions like that and why they aren't instantly struck down (the ideas, not the people) by any of the brain-enabled. Why rename a feature with a common name? There is no possible outcome other than frustration and confusion for the end-users.

Why don't we call the freeze function 'freeze'?

Because then people will be able to find it when they look for it.

Maybe someone has a patent/copywrite?

Honestly, the Melodyne feature is enticing, as I've seen the full-blown Melodyne at work (and have seen its price also), but I'd probably never purchase this DAW for that lost leader. I have questions much like pough asked, What's the deal with all the goofy terminology? If 99% of other DAWs all call it "freeze," (I know, an over-used example), why does this one have to invent new terms? You can't get away with that nonsense in a professional studio. Does 'special' terminology make your DAW special, or does it come off as contrived and a form of fake elitism?

Since I know devs and DAW-sellers check into a forum such as this one to take the pulse of consumers and users, I'm tempted to post a list: Things You Can Do to Make Me Never Buy Your DAW. You know, just a half or full dozen things that are immediate turnoffs. Any time there is any sort of hassle, difficulty or (certainly) impossibility for me to employ my trusted, sturdy and well-understood plugins (that's Third Party in the general lingo -- almost sounds kinky or like a sexual taboo), I can assure you they won't be seeing my smiling face on their forum. Who just went proprietary or strictly licensed with 3rd party plugs? Was it Reason? How about a deal? You don't let me use my favourite plugins, and I won't let you shill me for your DAW. Sounds pretty fair to me. Music is supposed to be about sharing and working together with people and things not always native to my small world. If I want exclusivity, I can go join a country club.

Yes, I know -- rant, rant. Thankfully, I'm not in a country where they'd hang me by the thumbs for speaking out. Thankfully, I'm not stuck with only one brand of toaster that -- by the way -- never works quite right. No, no DAW seller will come to get me at 3 a.m., but it's likely another forum member will pitch a fit because I expressed my negative opinions about their favorite piece of software. How anyone can get that emotionally involved or attached to software -- yes, software, a dead thing made of ones and zeroes -- well, I have trouble understanding that, but I see it all the time.

I'm willing to risk the irrational flaming, because some devs and marketing departments need some serious straightening out. Maybe they just think that musicians and recording people are stupid. Heck, maybe we are stupid. After all, we'll pay $400 for software that is ugly or at best bland and boring, even though we spend hours at a time staring right into it. We'll pay loads to get a DAW that's incompatible with the best 3rd party plugins out there and act like that's somehow okay. Well, it's not okay. I want any plugin that is compatible most everywhere else to function well here in Studio 1 without having to play games, hide them in some sub-host or external hangout. I mean, what IS their problem? When will these jokers learn? I'm not asking for pictures of naked ladies or neon colours, either, but how about something I can look at for more than a half hour without being lulled into sleep. There's no excuse for bland or boring. What's up with this latest trend of everything being this light gray that you see on dead people in the morgue? When can we get beyond this latest design crap?

There are some of you who plead for all manner of bells and whistles. I saw a guy going ape once somewhere, wanting a special uploader to his smart phone. Look, I just want -- no, I basically demand -- what 90+% of all other DAWs have for features. Examples? All DAWs must have a virtual keyboard. Imagine telling a keyboardist that he has to run out and buy a saxophone before he can play a soft synth in your DAW. He'll tell you that you're totally bonkers mad! Well, that's what some of these DAW devs are saying to guitarists and horn players: You must go buy a keyboard first! More . . . I want decent editors. Let's cut the crap with these lame MIDI and audio editors that we find at almost every turn. Now, here, in this one spot I will say that a Melodyne editor can help some, but in and of itself it will not make or break the sale. I want routing. No, not to China, but let's drop the excuses and let me direct things pretty much where I need them without jumping through hoops. You do know, of course, that ALL of this programming already exists in several forms. Don't tell me about software copyrights when Bitwig Studio is beta testing a brightly coloured clone of Ableton (with some Cubase thrown in as the Special Sauce).

Personally, this DAW would not cut it with me. Not by itself anyway, and Melodyne or not. Last year I did change my approach to these seemingly never-ending DAW shortfalls by deciding to always have two of the better DAWs on my recording PC. It's a little more work until you develop a system and files to make it efficient, but it can take two, even three average and somewhere lacking DAWs and make one great system without having to spend $3000 on the latest Pro Tools and still come up wanting.