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All Reviews by sluggo


By sluggo
On 26th June 2003
Version: 1.11

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FXpansion DR-008

This vsti gets the heaviest use of any of my plugins. I'll quickly list some pros and cons.

Pros
very stable
fast and easy to use
several different types of samplers available
lots of synth modules
does everything a drum machine should be able to do
easy file browsing
supports drag'n'drop
supports mfx such as slicydrummer and fillindrummer
supports use with phatmatik pro
lots of sampler cells
good documention

Cons
I'm not sure I would call anything a "con"

There are a few features that I would like to see added (hide unused cells, amp envelope), but I believe things like this will be added in the next release.

I demo'd Battery, and found dr-008 to be far superior. Tech support is excellent. There is a large library of kits available to users. This product is winner.
 
    

By sluggo
On 23rd January 2003
Version: 1

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Computer Music DS-404

As I get more and more into samplers, I'm able to write some reviews and observations. I've been able to demo/try vsampler3, exs24mkii, kontakt and ds-404. I won't compare them, but these are the ones that I've looked at.

The DS-404 at first seemed cumbersome with the function button thingy. After using it a bit though, I find that it is very functional and fast. Absolutely no complaints there. I'm also happy with the amount of information that is available on the front panel. My one complaint is that I run my screen at 1400x1024, and at this resolution the graphics get extremely hard to look at. I'm almost unable to read the white text on the panel (the text on the display reads fine). I think this is becoming an issue with most vsti, as people use finer resolution screens.

The sound seems very good to me. Definitely nice filters. Support is excellent, and the product is very stable. I'm not sure about cpu use, I haven't noticed this as being high (or low for that matter).

In conclusion, for basic to moderate sampling I can't imagine a better product. It doesn't mangle you sounds in the same way that kontakt would or exs24mkii would, but that's a whole other ballgame in terms of price and intended use.
 
    

By sluggo
On 3rd December 2002
Version: 1.02

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reFX PlastiCZ

First of all, I'm not very good at reviews. But I'll try to pass on my opinions. I love the sound of this vsti: it is certainly unique while maintaining maximum useability. Some descriptions I would use are clean, clear, full, raw, and deep. But I guess you can figure that out from the demo. It runs perfectly, automation works great in Logic (some plugins don't work so well). Plasticz doesn't seem to be too bad on the cpu, but I don't spend much time measuring these kinds of things. Most importantly, I find this synth to sit well in my tracks (house/electronic/techno). I think that's important to note.

sluggo
 
    

By sluggo
On 30th October 2002
Version: 1.1

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Big Tick Angelina

This is the kind of vsti that I can really get into, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it produces a sound that I enjoy AND use. Secondly, it is simple and reliable for me to use effectively. Thirdly, it doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

I really like the x-y pad morphing, this is a great feature that probably sold me in the end. The fact that it doesn't do tons of different sounds is appealing to me. I like one-trick ponies, but only if it does the trick in an excellent manner! The less cross-over I get between synths, the better. I'm very picky about the synths I end up buying, and this is one of them.

sluggo
 
    
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