By plastique
On 8th March 2008
Version: 2
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12 of 13 people found
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[Version 2 review]
What was once a secret weapon inside the vst/midi arsenal (I was a power user of version 1) has become with version 2 something that I wouldn't call the dignified successor. While version 1 always left the feeling of already being somewhere near to completeness (despite the couple of bugs that always seemed to appear after a beta update), now XT2 leaves me pretty much left with only a select few of the features of V1 (needless to say there's no backwards compatibility), and overall disappointment.
The modular area is quite poor and misses almost all the little tools that made it quick to get something going. The sequencer on the other hand got an impressive overhaul but still feels like there needs to be done a lot more. A lot of the intuitivity of V1 got lost somewhere in the development process.
Positively remarkable is the new cross-platform orientation. Now not only Windows but also Linux and Mac OSX are supported. Nevertheless, this additional work seems to also be negatively reflected in the quality of the software which differs greatly between platforms. In general, bugfixing and support has come to crawl compared to "the old days". Hardly any sign of the developers and the (also in the licence mentioned) community support is (compared to the XT1 days) non-existant.
Overall a disappointing experience.
The patience for the promised compatibility to version 1 projects is running low on power. Maybe the aim of the energyXT project changed in the middle of the progress ? I wouldn't know. I'm only sporadicly checking for any news for it nowadays. Maybe the deal with Behringer will bring a bit more wind into the sails of XT software again.
If you find a copy second-hand, it may be worth to get because of XT1, which was at 49$ good VFM at that time. |
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Last edited by plastique on 9th March 2008
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By LlukaX
On 23rd August 2006
Version: 1.3.6
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1 of 7 people found
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This is without a doubt the best sequencer for your money. It's gorgeous UI is inspiring. It sounds better than cubase. I'm getting a great clear sound. There are a TON of features and there is a new version, XT2, on the way!. I found XT easy to learn since I also use synthedit, alhough video tutorials are available, can't beat that. There is also a dedicated forum for help which usually is quick. For what energyXT does there is no better deal out there. energyXT is also a lot more stable than cubase on my system. I wont penalize for presets because I really don't believe it applies here.
I have not tried energyXT as a VST plugin yet, because it works so well as standalone application. I simply ditched my old sequencer for this new wonderful application. I am very greatful for the low price that I could afford. I feel as if i'm building my own virtual recording environment when using energyXT. It's quite easy to get comfortable using it because it's so customizable. There are many skins to apply on the GUI and if that's not enough you can even make your own! I honestly don't know what I'd do without it. |
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By Germ777
On 30th October 2005
Version: 1.3.5
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Germ777
7 of 7 people found
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Energy XT! The name caught my attention some time ago, but never really cared to download and try the app.
I was looking to learn a new host just to have something different to work with other than my regular pattern based host.
I downloaded the demo for Energy and was truly surprised at how well this little (small download size) application works.
I had never worked within a modular enviroment and this program impressed me so much with its flexibility that I bought the license the same day that I tried the demo.
Within minutes I had figured how to set up a basic template for working in a more linear way which was what I was looking for as oppossed to the pattern based way used in my other host.
Many will look at the main window and wonder why there is no "standard" sequencer or a regular mixer or more presets (actually there are many of those in the user forum). But I find this to be EXT`s main strengh. You can make it anything you want! EXT can be an amazing modular enviroment in which to display your keyboard controller prowess and chain many different components (Comps in EXT lingo ) included audio and MIDI comps and trigger them at will.Or a regular linear sequencer, or a live machine! Your imagination and talent are the limit.
You can also use EXT as a VSTi within you prefered host and tear down any barriers you host might have.
The program itself is rock solid and I have never had any crashes even though I always use the latest Beta. Jörgen the developer is also a one-of-a-kind half human/half robot type of person as he develops newer features faster than the user base can think of. He listens to every request and exchanges views on how to make the program more stable and useful to us.
The documentation is almost always lagging behind, but what can you expect of a program that has newer features implemented almost on a weekly basis? Still. Users like Darkstar, Caleb and others (sorry if I forgot anybody`s name here ) are always developing the docs and helpfiles to keep up to date with Jörgen.
The GUI is another great feature as it can be fully customizable to fit your personal taste. Proof of that are the many skins available in the user database and wikis developed by the users.
For the money. This is one hell of a program and I bought it as quick as possible as there is not any other program that costs this amount of money and yet can become so many things to so many people.
Try the demo, ask around and soon you will be hooked! The power of the Energy is far beyond many other hosts/VSTis costing 4 times as much!!! |
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Last edited by Germ777 on 31st October 2005
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By D-Fusion
On 14th August 2005
Version: 1.35
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2 of 2 people found
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Well i bought this beauty 1.5 Months ago and it is one of the best buy i have done regarding music sequencers.
The Customer support is awesome since Jorgen listens to all of the request regarding the software.
The program is pretty stabil haven´t had a crash with the latest version (There has been some in the betas, but that is also why it is a beta)
And all the features you get with it is also superb you does´nt only get a midi/Audio Sequencer, but also an arpeggiator,Groove, and chord player + a great sampler with excellent sound quality, and a synth wich can be downloaded at his site.
And if you are´nt ready to use it as your host you can also use the vst version of it inside the host you use.
There is not any presets included in the sequencer, but you can find most of them thru the Energy XT forum on this site, and also remember that Ext is also totaly skinnable so you can add the look of your choice.
And when it comes to new features and updates i really don´t know what to say (that guy is fast as hell).
All in all this is a pro sequencer for all your needs :) |
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By psychopractor
On 13th August 2005
Version: 1.3.5
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User Interface
The default layout is clean and easy on the eyes. Some would say it is spartan, but I prefer this - I am there to get a job done, not stare at busy graphics that are distracting and hog more CPU. That said, the UI is totally user-configurable and a ton of skins are out there to download and try.
Sound
This is mostly a non-issue since it doesn't really create sound itself, except for the sampler which works fine for my uses.
Features
I originally purchased eXT as a 'modular VST router/vst chain preset creator' to compliment audiomulch and bidule. After a couple of weeks of tinkering I've finally cracked open the manual and am blown away by the functionality and features. I didn't think I was going to delve into the MIDI side of things that much but after exploring the Arps, Chords, VST/CC Mapping, Audio and MIDI sequencing, etc etc...eXT has become my main audio host.
The mind boggles what the future holds!!
Documentation
There is no 'official' documentation, various chapters seem to be written by volunteers who are experienced users of eXT. But they are clear and logical. Though the general layout of the material could be better in that sometimes there are pages with a lot of blank space.
Presets
There are no presets per se, but if you browse the eXT forum you can find presets for chords, arps and specific tasks. Perhaps in the future eXT will include these or a similar set with the download package. Generally speaking though, eXT is so open and people will be using it for so many different applications presets are best created by the individual user.
Customer Support
Though I've never dealt with customer support, there is abundant info and help out on the net for eXT. FAQ's, manuals, a forum. But the dev's seem very responsive to customer's feedback. They really seem to want to make the best product possible with (almost too) frequent updates. the only niggle I have here would be it would be nice to be on a mailing list informing registered users that a upgraded version ahs been uploaded onto the server. No biggie.
Value for Money
This is the best bang for buck I've spent on software EVER. I think it will be hard to top. One of the deciding factors of getting this software was the price-tag, having laided out a decent amount on a new DAW system. I am eternally grateful to eXT for providing such an incedible piece of software at a price that anybody can afford.
Stability
I've had no issues here. It seems rock solid. It deals with buggy VST's very well - compared to some un-named and now redundant host software I ~was~ using that crashed on impact with a slightly resistant plug in.
eXT has made several other software packages redundant. And I intend on playing with audiomulch and bidule for their unique capabilities once I stop having so much fun with eXT. Two thumbs for eXT! |
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