Reason 3.0 or Sonick Synth 2

[Cameron]

I am currently building a software studio, I am thinking about buying Sonik Synth 2 and Cakwalk Home Studio or Reason 3.0 with the Synth 1,2,3 Sonik Refills, I produce hip and R&B, I am really into Synths and Keyboards. Reason comes with a drum Machine that has a step Sequencer but I've heard great things about Sonik Synth 2, what are some of you guys opinions.

[Squids]

In terms of the amount of great sounds for the money then nothing is going to beat Sonik Synth 2. It has almost 6,000 of them. As far as which host you use it in, that can make a big difference. I am not personally familiar with Cakewalk home studio. Sonar 4 is really great or Project 5.

Reason 3 is great to have as a sequencer and collecting Sonic Refills (realistically you'll want more than just those three synth refills in the long run) is definitely a popular way to go. Sometimes it depends on what your friends who you might collaborate with have. Or it could depend on what sequencer you are familiar with.

Either way you go you can't go wrong. Other people's opinions could be helpful I am sure.

[Bassballjg]

Reason alone with the right soundware can get you to where you need to be IF you don't want to use any other live instruments or vocals, as it has no audio recording. If you do need audio recording, you must use at least one other app with Reason for audio. SS2 will give you an outstanding all-purpose workstation for use in any host sequencer. It is not that clear cut of an either or when you consider Reason's other synths and the fact that it can be used with a host via ReWire. Reason also has incredibly deep modulation and audio routing possibilities.

Comparing NNXT with the ST2 engine, ST2 is a better synth, with the different engine modes, superior built in effects and readily accesable combi mode. These latter two advantages have been signifigantly mitigated by the Combinator, however. NNXT is way easier to create your own instruments with and is very, very cpu friendly.

I've got both Reason ans ST2, so my advice is get both. Which order you do that in goes back to your needs. Reason's sequencer by not offering audio recording is not as good as a proper host but it is very good for what it is, an instrument with built-in sequencing. Some folks don't like Reason's sequencer, which is certainly thier prerogative, and it suffers in comparison with any of the major sequencing apps. But compare it to the sequencer in a hardware workstation, and it looks very good. As such the best analogy would be Reason=Triton et al except without audio recording and SS2=JV/XV module except with user sample import.

Put both your workstation keyboard and synth module in the context of a mixer, audio recorder and more powerful midi sequencer, and you've got a studio, just about. Reason+SS2+host is the way to go, in the long run.

[Frunobulax]

You might want to consider Project 5v2 instead of Home Studio or Reason. I've never used Reason so I can't really comment on it, but P5v2 can record audio and it will host third party synths, unlike Reason, so you would also be able to use some of the fine free synths that can be found here at KVR. Plus the Dimension sampling synthesizer that comes with P5v2 (though it isn't included in the demo because its sound library is over 3GB) is wonderful, and might be worth the full price of P5v2 all by itself. Between Dimension and SS2 (as well as the other synths that come with P5v2), you would have an awful lot of very good sounds to work with.

Perhaps someone who has both Reason and P5v2 can chime in.

[Reverend Rhythm]

I use and love reason, and I don't own SS2, so I guess it may a little strange to say this... but I think I would look at SS2 and Tracktion. Just take a look at the tracktion demo.

[Mr. Tunes]

I havent tried Reason 3 yet and the new mastering section, but the sounds generated from Sonik Synth 2 have way more kick and punch to them than those generated from Reason 2.5. I dont think Reason is your full production house compared to sonik synth 2 combined with a good sequencer that records/edits audio.

For example even the best rhodes or organ samples made for NN-XT in Reason lack the emotion that you get out of a Sonik Synth sound, and that even applied to the older version of Sonic Synth running on Sampletank 1.

the only downfall to using sonik synth 2 is your sequencer cant garuntee you great tools like ReDrum style drum editors or CV routing

For RNB music they are both essential tools at the end of the day but if i had to pick one for RnB it would be sonik synth 2 because of the "emotion" i talked about above. and there's way more sound samples to pick from in Sonik last check. You would have to buy a ton of refills to catch up to that patch count.

again i havent tried Reason 3 yet so....

[telebunke]

I'd go with SS2, just look at the group buy that's going on: $309 for SS2, ST2L, Amplitube and 1 ExpansionTank.
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=87480
For hiphop and R&B, you'll love to have Amplitube it's gonna be great to make drum sounds (or other) "dirty" - something that is very popular to do.

tele