By tesla
On 4th August 2003
Version: 1.02
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Native Instruments (NI) Reaktor Session
Pro:
+ tons of sound generators + FX for a tolerable price
+ several powerful great sounding pieces included
+ a great pool for inspiration and creativity
Con:
- paranoid copy protection: Original protected CD checked during 1st startup + challenge/response!
- this is what I expected Dynamo should have been... Now it's here: 3 years too late for an increased price
After NI made me an unhappy and disappointed customer of theirs with Dynamo (see my review there), I decided after a long phase of doubt and indecision to spend 99 EUR and upgrade this outdated piece to Reaktor Session.
I finally have what Dynamo should have been, a "runtime environment" for Reaktor, the universal modular multi-platform multi-format sound generating/modifying construction kit.
The lib installed from CD (probably the same shipped with Reaktor 4) includes 9 synthesizers, 4 sequenced synths, 4 samplers/transformers, 2 live tools and 9 effects. I do some of them like more, some less, but now I'm not restricted to a limited small selection. You now have access to a huge collection of Reaktor ensembles from others and the NI page. Besides the "Premium Lib", shipped with Dynamo and Reaktor 2, and those new with Reaktor 3, you can find as a registered user currently over 1300 user contribs for download there.
The GUI looks much better and is easier to use than in Dynamo, and there are several usefull enhancements, like the browser, smart windowsizing or the ability to wire several instruments together. You are no longer restricted to 4 VST plugs and can even build multi-timbral VSTi's.
There are some minor unhandy things, like the patch handling for VST is flexible but tricky and the manual could explain several things a bit better. I noticed some neglectable bugs in 1.02, like flickering hints or wrong update of VST DLL name, but they're not severe and I didn't had a crash so far.
It's big fun exploring the library, trying the ensembles out, learn how they work, playing around with the presets, enjoy the sounds (some are great) and create your own patches. And when you're looking for new toys you can go online and download new ones...
A great inspiration for creativity. This is why I like Reaktor Session, and this is why I'll probably use it more often than I used Dynamo.
Unfortunately I have to end with an unpleasant issue: During first startup the original protected CD is checked, and within 30 days you have to register and enter a response code from NI, otherwise it will no longer work. When you change core components (like CPU or OS), you have to do the C/R proceedings again...
Even I didn't had problems so far, as a honest paying customer I'm feeling traced and treated badly as a criminal. In my opinion these proceedings causes more trouble and do not increase sales, since pirates will crack it anyway and don't have to bother with these kinds of restrictions, whereas I will continue to avoid NI's products as long as they continue to use copy protection... |
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By tesla
On 19th January 2002
Version: 1.0 XXL
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Steinberg LM-4 MarkII
Pro:
+ good drumkits included
+ easier handling than LM-4
Con:
- overpriced compared to competitors
- just basic sample treatment
- old LM-4 .fxb/fxp can't be loaded
- expensive upgrade for LM-4 users
After the predecessor LM-4 missed the connection to current leading drum VSTi (complicated kit creation etc), Steinberg has improved some things with this new product. Now you can assign samples to each pad more easily with drag&drop or file dialog (no longer text file torments), edit your velocity layers with your mouse ("only" up to 20 layers for each pad - the old LM-4 allowed 128, but was it really needed?) and treat the samples with a volume envelope, reverse playback or lofi bitcrusher. You can miss filters, pitch envelopes or waveform display.
If you don't consider the price it's a solid usable drum sample player with superb drumkits included covering nearly all needs (XXL version).
But compared to DR-008, RM-III, Battery or Attack, which cost around the same, LM-4 MkII has lost in the categories features and usability. Other drum VSTi with comparable capabilities are much cheaper (i.e. CM SR-202: less outputs+groups, no velolayer but filters+pitchEG for 5UKP).
For an old LM-4 user the upgrade is maybe a bit expensive ($50/$100-XXL) - it should have been free since LM-4 was nearly unusable. But the XXL kits are worth it, sold seperately as the 3CD "Kit Connection" for $150 I wanted to buy them anyway. By the way, they're in the old LM-4 format and so can be imported into DR-008 or RM-2/III :-)
If you already have songs with the old LM-4 and don't want to spend time again adjusting pad settings, you should keep it installed since MarkII can't load old banks/instruments, only import .txt scripts.
To sum it up: If you're looking for a good collection of drumkits or don't already have a good drum sample player, you may take a look at LM-4 MarkII if you aren't short of money. If you're already happy with your drum VSTi and your kits you don't need this. |
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Last edited : 21st January 2002
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By tesla
On 3rd November 2001
Version: 1.000
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Steinberg Model-E
Pro:
+ solid multipurpose sounds
+ some great presets included
+ multitimbral, 16 input channels, 4 outputs
+ controllable by MIDI
Con:
- confusing non-intuitive user interface
- uneasy modulation handling
- no demo-version
- outdated and overpriced
This was the 1st commercial VSTi synth (or?) back in '99, an unofficial 'clone/successor' of MiniMoog Model D (never had one, so I can't say how close it really is).
It was surely great at that time, but nowadays compared to its competitors it's outdated and overpriced. What I dislike most is the uneasy handling and confusing interface that is badly explained in the manual. I can't understand for example why you MUST send external MIDI CC's for modulation activation and there is no GUI element to control it.
However, you can create good multipurpose fat virtual-analogue sounds, up to 16 multitimbral inputs at once on 4 outputs, making it very usefull for arranging accompanying parts when you're running out of the 8 Cubase VSTi slots. |
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Last edited : 3rd November 2001
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By tesla
On 26th October 2001
Version: 1.1
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rgc:audio Triangle I
Pro:
+ good multipurpose sounds
+ a lot of features
+ MIDI controllable
+ probably the most powerfull free VSTi
+ unbeatable value-for-money rate
Con:
- confusing non-intuitive user interface
- ugly design (a matter of taste, others may like it)
I first downloaded this freeware VSTi several month ago and deleted it right afterwards, since I really disliked the user interface and thought this VSTi is total crap.
Now, after recognizing what power RGC has (Square+Pentagon), I gave it a 2nd chance... I still dislike the GUI. It looks ugly to me, and I have problems handling it, e.g. turning round knobs not knowing what the current real value of this knob is. Some kind of value indicator displayed beneath or in a bubble would be really helpfull.
However, this synth has a lot of features producing good multipurpose sounds and is probably the most powerfull free VSTi out there. A mighty underestimated tool hidden beneath a bad interface.
[Note: The successor Triange II is a great improvement with easier handable better looking GUI and even much more features - and it's still free!]
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Last edited : 27th April 2002
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By tesla
On 26th October 2001
Version: 1.0
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Computer Music SR-202
Pro:
+ nice cheap drum machine for beginners
+ 30+ drumkits included
+ envelopes and filters
+ MIDI controllable
+ good value-for-money rate
+ DR-008 'upgrade' offer
Con:
- just another drum sample player
- CM distribution outside UK
Well, there are already many competitors on the "sample based drum VSTi" market. Of course this VSTi can't reach the features of the (much more expensive) category leaders DR-008, Battery, Attack or RM-III, but for it's cheap price it's a nice stable drum machine that is good for beginners who don't need all the features of the 'big' ones.
As CM-101, this VSTi is exclusively available on a CM cover disc (#40). If you don't already have a better drum machine, spending 5 UKP, the price of one CM issue, is probably worth it. The only problem is that for people outside UK it's not always easy to get CM for a fair price.
For those who reaches the limits of SR-202, there is also a special 'upgrade' offer in CM #40 to DR-008 for a reduced price ($99 vs $149). |
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Last edited : 27th October 2001
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By tesla
On 3rd September 2001
Version: 2.7
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SpeedSoft VSampler
Pro:
+ many import formats supported
+ full featured demo version available
+ good value-for-money rate
+ good support
+ beginner's tutorial available
+ improvement in progress
Con:
- confusing user interface
I never used a hardware sampler so far, so I was unencumbered of what a sampler should do and how it should be operated. The hardest thing with Virtual Sampler was for me to understand how it works and how all the functions are controlled through the much confusing user interface. The new tutorial is very helpfull with this.
Besides this, it's great how many formats are supported for import (only Halion and Giga is missing so far), you can test a ll functions (except saving) in the free demo version, and for $75 you really get value-for-money, at least if you compare it to competitors like Halion or Unity. |
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Last edited : 25th October 2001
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By tesla
On 3rd September 2001
Version: 1.0
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Computer Music CM-101
Pro:
+ good multipurpose sounds
+ easy to survey user interface
+ scalable polyphony
+ controllable by MIDI
+ good value-for-money rate
Con:
- CM distribution outside UK
Developed for UK Computer Music magazine by Muon Software (the creators Atom/Pro, Tau/Pro and Electron), this synth has everything needed to create good solid 'standard' sounds like bass, leads, pads etc.
CM-101 is exclusively available on the CM cover disc (#36,37 + maybe later ones). For 5 UKP, the price of one CM issue, you really get much for your money, since the magazine itself is (in my opinion) also very good. The only problem is that for people outside UK it's not always easy to get CM for a fair price.
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By tesla
On 3rd September 2001
Version: 1.0
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Muon Software Electron
Pro:
+ great multipurpose sounds
+ innovative X-Y controller
+ flexible filter combination
+ MIDI controllable
+ support
Con:
- no sync to host for LFO
- fixed waveforms for each OSC
Being a fan of other Muon synths (Atom/Pro, Tau/Pro) I also bought this when it came out in July 2000. At the time of release this was one of the strongest VSTi available. With 3 OSCs, 2 LFOs, 2 ENVs, flexible filter combination and the innovative X-Y controller for a fair price it was a milestone in VSTi development and is still playing in current top league. The original presets haven't been much impressive, but with the newer ones (see kevvvvv's review) you can hear the strong capabilities and power of this beauty.
However, you can miss some things that are 'standard' in newer highclass synths, like you can't change OSC waveform or can't sync the LFOs to host tempo.
But I'm still loving it for creating atmospheric sweeping pads, powerfull basses and leads. As far as I know Muon is currently working on a new version, I'm curious to get... |
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Last edited : 27th April 2002
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By tesla
On 2nd September 2001
Version: 1.01
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Muon Software Tau
Pro:
+ good solid acid bass sounds
+ easy to survey user interface
+ unbeatable value-for-money rate
+ great support
Con:
- some features are missing... But hey! It's free!
One of the best freeware VSTis around... Great 303-like acid bass sounds. I'm missing some things like MIDI control, but you really can't complain, since it's free and if you need more features (like I do :-) you can 'upgrade' to it's big commercial brother Tau Pro. |
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Last edited : 2nd September 2001
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By tesla
On 2nd September 2001
Version: 1.01
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Muon Software Tau Pro
Pro:
+ great sounds, fat basses and more
+ easy handling user interface
+ MIDI controllable
+ good value-for-money rate
+ support
Con:
- No ADSR envelope
- No pitchbend
Insipired by the legendary TB-303 (but being much much more than 'just' a clone), you can use this VSTi to produce several kinds of those 'typical' 303-like techno/acid/trance bass sounds with filter and distortion treatments. Beyond that, with additional features like 11 waveforms per OSC and onboard FX, it's capable to create rich fat leads as well as other sounds.
You could miss ADSR envelope and pitchbend for bass slides. The original 303 didn't have those features, but I think they should be 'standard' in current highclass VSTi's.
Anyway, this is just a minor restriction. I use this VSTi a lot, it's my prefered bassline synth, and the easy handable interface makes it just fun to play around and modify the sound. |
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Last edited : 27th April 2002
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By tesla
On 2nd September 2001
Version: 1.4
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reFX quadraSID
Pro:
+ great sounding presets included
+ unique concept
+ lots of features
+ up to 4 SID's parallel
Con:
- a complex beast taking a lot of time to be understood
- confusing non-intuitive user interface
I really fell in love when I heard the MP3 demos... Classic nostalgic C64 sounds reminding me to my youth :-)
So I immediately bougth it when it came out... And was at first dissapointed. The user interface was nearly unusable. I was horrorfied by those thousands of parameters that can only be accessed by dropdown boxes, and no manual was available.
In the meantime, the long awaited manual arrived, and so I see a bit clearer now, it's capable of much more than I tought. But it remains a complex hardly understandable beast, you need much time to create your own sounds which I don't have.
However, I love the preset sounds, you can use up to 4 SID's parallel and it sounds very different than other VSTi's. |
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Last edited : 18th January 2002
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By tesla
On 2nd September 2001
Version: 1.00
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FXpansion DR-008
Pro:
+ flexible open module concept
+ both sample based and synthetic drums
+ easy drag&drop drumkit creation
+ LM-4 kit import
Con:
- no waveform+envelope display in sampler modules
- ugly graphics (well, I know what should count is the sound quality and easy handling (which are great) but somehow my eyes also wants to be pleased :-)
This is one of the strongest current available VSTi drum modules.
The biggest advantage is the (as far as I know) unique flexible open concept: the sound is created by various plugin modules.
On a 8x12 pad matrix, you can assign any of these pads to any of those modules using easy drag&drop, you can choose between several samplers (from a simple one through velocity layered to envelope controlled) and several synthetic drum generators covering nearly all needs. There should be more in development, and the first 3rd party module from DelayDots is available now. You can also import the available (freeware+commercial) LM-4 kits. |
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Last edited : 7th December 2001
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By tesla
On 2nd September 2001
Version: 1.1
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Steinberg LM-4
Pro:
+ some good drumkits included
+ further drumkits available
Con:
- creating own drumkits is very complicated
- unflexible
- out of time
- replaced by MarkII - much too late
This was also one of my first VSTi's I bought in Spring 2000. Around this time it was probably the best VSTi drum module available, sample-based with velocity layers.
But time has changed, and now with competitors like DR-008, RmIII, Battery or Attack there is no longer a reason to buy the LM-4, except maybe for the good included Wizoo drumkits and to use other available LM-4 kits (free+commercial).
To create your own drumkits, you have to edit text files and pray that you made no mistake. There are free/shareware kit editors around, but I haven't found them usefull.
Since around Dec/2001 it's no longer available and replaced by the successor LM-4 MarkII which improved some things (but came in my opinion much too late). |
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Last edited : 19th January 2002
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By tesla
On 2nd September 2001
Version: 1.2
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Muon Software Atom Pro
Pro:
+ simplicity makes it easy to use
+ great sound for it's simpliticity
+ MIDI controllable
+ support
Con:
- outdated GUI + features
Yeah, this was also my first VSTi I payed for in Spring 2000...
You can create a wide range of great sounds, and I still love it for it's simplicity. The perfect tool for enhancing your track for purposes when using one of those big complex monster synths is oversized...
Compared to nowadays up-to-date 'entry' synths it's a bit outdated in GUI and features, but a 'revised' version seems to be in the pipeline.
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Last edited : 27th April 2002
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By tesla
On 1st September 2001
Version: 1.0.3
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Native Instruments (NI) Dynamo
Pro:
+ 25+2 VSTi's for a cheap price
+ some instruments producing great sounds
Con:
- annoying copy protection asking for CD very often
- heavy CPU load
- bad VST integration (eg you have to scroll inside the window)
- not all of the instruments are usefull (at least not for me)
- ensembles created by Reaktor can't be loaded (I thought Dynamo is some kind of 'Reaktor Runtime'?)
- only 2 additional instruments released so far (haven't there been promised more?)
I bought Dynamo (my 2nd VSTi) in Spring 2000, because of good magazine reviews and I thought "25 VST instruments for only 300 DEM (about 150$)? Wow, must be great"...
I was naive... After installing and playing around a bit I was much dissapointed, see "Con" points above. Anyway, I have used it several times because some synths have good presets and can create cool sounds.
So, you get what you paid for: It's cheap, you get a lot of nice things, but it also has some big misfeatures that prevents me using it very often. |
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Last edited : 4th September 2001
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