VProm

VProm is the single most accurate and useful Linn LM-1 emulation I've found, possibly because it is the only one to actually emulate the hardware rather than play back some recorded samples. The big draw for this is the hihat which is actually a constantly looping sound with an amplitude envelope that opens up over it whenever the hihat is triggered; this causes each hihat hit to sound different which makes it sound more alive or organic. My singular gripe regarding this is the inability to load a custom hihat EPROM to loop like the original hihat, instead it only plays custom EPROMs as a one-shot.

Tuning samples down low causes the sounds to have a familiar gritty sound that you can't achieve in a modern day by just pitching down a sample and playing it back slower, and this is much appreciated as that gritty aliased sound is exactly what I wanted: Gritty, not muffled.

Each sound can have its own unique output from the plugin, allowing you to put your own effects on each drum sound while only using one instance of VProm.

Regarding custom EPROMs, this is where VProm gets even more fun for me. You can create authentically formatted sounds using Promenade from Electrongate (do not use wav2dmx or dmxwav as the math is reportedly incorrect) and load them into VProm to hear your own samples played back through an accurately modelled AM6070 DAC and optionally (on by default) CEM 3320 VCF filters on the bass, conga, and tom sounds that were in the original LM-1 hardware in order to remove noise from the tail-end of the drum sounds.

Additionally, the Oberheim DMX uses the same DAC as the Linn LM-1, and thus VProm can load its EPROMs with no trouble and it sounds, due to the similar hardware, pretty much just like the Oberheim DMX.

If you want an authentic vintage sampler sound, VProm is how you get it.

The VLINN by Aly James Lab is without a doubt the best VST drum machine out there for drum machine sounds. Period. Wave Alchemy, UVI, and others make emulations, but they don't touch the sound or features available here.

The LM-1 is a classic, and it's instantly recognizable for its punch, heft, and clarity and it's all recaptured here. The VLINN doesn't use samples, it uses the actual EPROM data and reads it in real time. Every sample I've paid for over the years are now useless because this thing does it all. You can alter the pitch of the samples; you can edit the cutoff/decay of the hi hats; you can route each channel to its own individual channel in your DAW for further processing. The best part about that is that it's automatically setup that way when opening the program.

BUT The most exciting feature of this program is the ability to load 4K, 8K, and 16K EPROM BIN files in to it. So that means that the DMX, DX, Drumtraks, and more are all instantly ready to pop in. Further to that, you can sample whatever other machine you want; convert the WAV to a BIN; then load it in to the machine. It's then run through all the modeled circuitry.

I can't say enough good things about the VLINN. It's absolutely essential for any fans of drum machines, the 80s sound, the Minnesota funk sound, and more.

Aly James knows what he's doing and doesn't cut corners or omit features. The big guys should take notes from his work and ear for authenticity.