Is it worth investing money into Reaktor 6 anymore?

[antic604]

I was considering getting Euro Reakt and/or some Toybox bundles, but seeing that VCV Rack 2 is on the horizon and in particular that Reaktor 6 seems to have been a dead product for years (since Blocks update was released?) I was wondering if it makes sense investing money - and time - in it? I'm not planning on building my own devices, would rather just use Blocks.

What you think the future is for Reaktor?

[Rastkovic]

I was considering getting Euro Reakt and/or some Toybox bundles, but seeing that VCV Rack 2 is on the horizon and in particular that Reaktor 6 seems to have been a dead product for years (since Blocks update was released?)

It works fine as it is, so not necessary need for an update.

If you are planning to buy additional Blocks, VCV Rack makes more sense. Most of the Reaktor Blocks are basic stuff, that you can use to build complex tools. Some of the single VCV Rack modules are way more advanced. Something like ShapeMaster Pro for example, doesn't exist in Reaktor.

https://library.vcvrack.com/MindMeld-ShapeMasterPro

Michael Hetrick (Unfiltered Audio) is also offering some VCV Rack tools. Some of them are free (HetrickCV), some of them you have to pay for (Unfiltered Volumes).

https://library.vcvrack.com/HetrickCV
https://library.vcvrack.com/?query=&bra ... d+Volume+1
https://library.vcvrack.com/?query=&bra ... d+Volume+2

I was wondering if it makes sense investing money - and time - in it? I'm not planning on building my own devices, would rather just use Blocks.

That's the biggest advantage of Reaktor, you can easily add your own tools, or modify existing Blocks and Ensembles. You can use Primary components, or building at Core level.

What you think the future is for Reaktor?

Hopefully bright and shiny.

[antic604]

Thanks for your input! I really appreciate that and you're right that even if 6.4 was the last version ever, it's still a pretty great environment between the native blocks/primary/core, 3rd party offerings and free stuff via Reaktor User Library

It works fine as it is, so not necessary need for an update...

Well, scaleable GUI and Apple Silicon compatibility updates would be very welcome

[chk071]

I don't understand that there's always talk about "dead products", when it's obvious that the software is still in active development. https://www.native-instruments.com/foru ... -2.114767/ Last update: 30th of July 2021. AND, there have been enough announcements that a VST3 version and Apple M1 support is upcoming, and that they're also working on other things.

Of course you're free to pass on it. I just wonder why there's always such unfair comments about lack of development, when there obviously isn't.

[ericj23]

Reaktor ensembles work on Maschine+ . While that may not have been the success hoped for I get the feeling NI will keep going with Maschine+ to keep their space in the groove box segment of the market.

So Reaktor will probably still be used to develop interesting devices. Whether that makes it good choice as a modular is something different.

[Rastkovic]

I understand the fear of buying a dead product. At least when you are on Mac, you're more or less depending on updates.

But at the moment, I don't think NI will drop Reaktor. Maybe they will not develop it much further, but I'm sure they still supply maintenance updates.

[antic604]

I don't understand that there's always talk about "dead products", when it's obvious that the software is still in active development. https://www.native-instruments.com/foru ... -2.114767/ Last update: 30th of July 2021. AND, there have been enough announcements that a VST3 version and Apple M1 support is upcoming, and that they're also working on other things...

Sorry, perhaps I wasn't paying enough attention.

But. Reaktor 6 / Blocks was released 6 years ago, the 6.3 (which added front panel patching) was released over 2 years ago, 6.4 (which added patchable user blocks) over a year ago. That's not a lot of action, IMO. When Blocks came out there was a lot of noise about 3rd party support for Blocks, but to this day I'm only aware of Euro Reakt and Toybox.

So OK, perhaps "dead" is unfair, but "in hibernation" sounds more right

Of course you're free to pass on it...

Quite the contrary. Hence my question

[FapFilter]

I wouldn't worry too much about it being “dead“
Even some truly old software like Absynth 5 still runs on current systems.
Their GUIs might be small, so you might have to check out how they fare on your screen.

Are a piano, a flute, a guitar, or even a synthesizer dead, just because they don't receive (m)any additional features anymore?
Plus, especially with Reaktor: build your own stuff if you are not happy enough with what is there already.
Not sure about how active the user library still is, but at least some years ago this alone was worth Reaktor owning for.
But then again, back then there weren't that many excellent truly experimental stand alone VSTs around, so these ensembles often were pretty much without equal.
At least not equals that wouldn't cost nearly as much for as a full Reaktor license currently costs.

Would demo it though to seeif you like it's workflow. Just because something is very powerful and good sounding, doesn't mean that it's workflow might really be up your ally.
It's generally still a deep programmer's tool under the hood, which still shows this even on the surface and can lack the easy peasy polished workflow of some recent synths, which often are only capable to scratch the (beautiful) surface of things

[chk071]

I don't understand that there's always talk about "dead products", when it's obvious that the software is still in active development. https://www.native-instruments.com/foru ... -2.114767/ Last update: 30th of July 2021. AND, there have been enough announcements that a VST3 version and Apple M1 support is upcoming, and that they're also working on other things...

Sorry, perhaps I wasn't paying enough attention.

But. Reaktor 6 / Blocks was released 6 years ago, the 6.3 (which added front panel patching) was released over 2 years ago, 6.4 (which added patchable user blocks) over a year ago. That's not a lot of action, IMO. When Blocks came out there was a lot of noise about 3rd party support for Blocks, but to this day I'm only aware of Euro Reakt and Toybox.

So OK, perhaps "dead" is unfair, but "in hibernation" sounds more right

Of course you're free to pass on it...

Quite the contrary. Hence my question

Most Reaktor Blocks and the newer factory content sounds excellent, so, it would be a shame to pass on it. Whether or not you're into modulat stuff is another question.

I mostly just use ensembles, like Monark or Super 8 (waiting for a sale, and maybe Komplete 14 to get that one).

BTW, I don't agree with "hibernation" either. Would it be so tough to admit that Reaktor is in active development, even 25 years after its initial release?

[antic604]

Would it be so tough to admit that Reaktor is in active development, even 25 years after its initial release?

Let's settle for "in development"

[Bulbizarre]

The sound quality of blocks is smoothly good (+ lots of global sample rate options with the virtual environment), but the workflow is a bottleneck. It just feels really old, at first I had to read the manual to understand basic things like save a patch, lol.
The synth ensembles work great and have their own spice. There's also Molekular, crazy stuff ! next level for psyched effects. 4 dsp slots with unique algos in each. In the vein of those dusty eventide multi-effect boxes but way modernized.
From what I recall VCV sounds a bit plastic to my ears. Not smooth and natural like reaktor.
I think reaktor is still strong and useful but more work could be done on it.

[whyterabbyt]

Would it be so tough to admit that Reaktor is in active development, even 25 years after its initial release?

Let's settle for "in development"

Its one of NI's two flagship products, alongside Kontakt, so much so that its the platform they've used for in-house prototyping and development. The notion that its not in active development seems a bit unlikely to me.
Also, there was about ten years in between Reaktor 5 and Reaktor 6, and about seven between Kontakt 5 and Kontakt 6; they do not seem to rush to major changes to these flagships.

[antic604]

Would it be so tough to admit that Reaktor is in active development, even 25 years after its initial release?

Let's settle for "in development"

Its one of NI's two flagship products, alongside Kontakt, so much so that its the platform they've used for in-house prototyping and development. The notion that its not in active development seems a bit unlikely to me.
Also, there was about ten years in between Reaktor 5 and Reaktor 6, and about seven between Kontakt 5 and Kontakt 6; they do not seem to rush to major changes to these flagships.

Sorry, I'm completely oblivious to that history having only started in modern world of DAWs and VSTs in 2017

[whyterabbyt]

Sorry, I'm completely oblivious to that history having only started in a modern world of DAWs and VSTs in 2017

Noob.

Anyways, TLDR version is that Reaktor is a decent bet as a long-term platform.

(However, even with Blocks, I'd say if you want a Eurorack-modular-like thing, Reaktor Blocks is 'more different' than all of the alternatives like Softube, VCV, Cherry et al. Its in a slightly different place since it comes with a ridiculously large user library of higher-level Blocks and non-Blocks stuff, and the 'modularity' of it also goes down multiple levels below Blocks right down to raw DSP. )

[gentleclockdivider]

NO it's not dead , I can still build whatever I want .