I'm sure it was discussed already, but would be grateful to see some real opinions on how these two DAWs compare. Advantages and drawbacks in comparison.
Thanks guys, you're always great !
Reaper vs Tracktion
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- KVRAF
- 4908 posts since 10 Aug, 2004 from Colorado Springs
1 drawback of Reaper that rarely, if ever, is mentioned - is that the developer seems to want to be controversial in the naming of his/her other products. Not so with Tracktion/Mackie.
Check out the name of Cockos' other products at http://www.cockos.com/products.php
-Scott
Check out the name of Cockos' other products at http://www.cockos.com/products.php
-Scott
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- KVRAF
- 10815 posts since 26 Nov, 2004 from UK
assniffer, an HTTP traffic sniffer/logger/harvester for Windows and Linux
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- KVRAF
- 37539 posts since 14 Sep, 2002 from In teh net
Reaper has full dual Core (and Multi processor) support and much better optimisation for low latency performance. Also better audio handling generally.
I still like the layout and workflow in Tracktion better (like the drag and drop routing and racks) and the midi is easier to use though Reaper's is more powerful now (though both are limited still in that department).
But I'm finding on my Dual core laptop Reaper wins out over anything else in terms of performance and is pretty solid too - it's the only one that can handle Hartman Neuron VS without a single crash for example and it even saves CPU in stuff like NI Massive as its so well optimised. I haven't even bothered installing Tracktion on my laptop yet because it's lagging so far behind though on my P4 DAW I still prefer it as it has features like being able to disable end to end recording and the routing that works very well with my Scope system.
I still like the layout and workflow in Tracktion better (like the drag and drop routing and racks) and the midi is easier to use though Reaper's is more powerful now (though both are limited still in that department).
But I'm finding on my Dual core laptop Reaper wins out over anything else in terms of performance and is pretty solid too - it's the only one that can handle Hartman Neuron VS without a single crash for example and it even saves CPU in stuff like NI Massive as its so well optimised. I haven't even bothered installing Tracktion on my laptop yet because it's lagging so far behind though on my P4 DAW I still prefer it as it has features like being able to disable end to end recording and the routing that works very well with my Scope system.
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SuitcaseOfLizards SuitcaseOfLizards https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=2363 - KVRAF
- 10879 posts since 3 Apr, 2002 from Austin, TX USA
You gotta love anything that has Jesusonic going for it! 
That aside - Reaper: folder tracks are nice, especially for drums. I find CPU useage is pretty decent on my P4 3.0Ghz machine as well. Small footprint, good routing options. Plenty of updates, frequently enough to fix bugs AND add new features. I don't like the way VST/VSTi are presented, and MIDI editing still needs work.
T2: workflow still surperior to Reaper. Graphically more appealing. Can get messy with a lot of channel or master plugins. Behind the times in some aspects compared to more recently updated hosts (and who knows if T3 will fix any of that, yet). Some compatability issues with my Intakt-based instruments.
It's a tough call - it truly depends on *what* you want to accomplish and *what* your needs are. Try the demos of both (for longer than an hour) and decide from there. Me, I'm using Reaper more for tracking as time goes on, since T2 has issues(tm) with some of my plugins. Maybe T3 will fix all that.. I'll reserve judgement until it ships.
That aside - Reaper: folder tracks are nice, especially for drums. I find CPU useage is pretty decent on my P4 3.0Ghz machine as well. Small footprint, good routing options. Plenty of updates, frequently enough to fix bugs AND add new features. I don't like the way VST/VSTi are presented, and MIDI editing still needs work.
T2: workflow still surperior to Reaper. Graphically more appealing. Can get messy with a lot of channel or master plugins. Behind the times in some aspects compared to more recently updated hosts (and who knows if T3 will fix any of that, yet). Some compatability issues with my Intakt-based instruments.
It's a tough call - it truly depends on *what* you want to accomplish and *what* your needs are. Try the demos of both (for longer than an hour) and decide from there. Me, I'm using Reaper more for tracking as time goes on, since T2 has issues(tm) with some of my plugins. Maybe T3 will fix all that.. I'll reserve judgement until it ships.
Bandcamp: https://suitcaseoflizards.bandcamp.com/
Linux Mint, Waveform 13 Pro, U-He synths, Audio Damage effects,.
Linux Mint, Waveform 13 Pro, U-He synths, Audio Damage effects,.
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- KVRAF
- 2278 posts since 8 Apr, 2003
I've tried Reaper a couple of times to see what the hype is about. It looks promising but it craps out every time I initiate a scan of my VstPlugins folder. Tracktion, energyXT, Cubase SX, Bidule, and Chainer are all able to handle a full scan with no problem. A few other demos crap out on the scan too (Live, Acid). If a program can't even make it through a scan of my plugins folder and gracefully reject the ones which won't work with it then I can't really be bothered to proceed any further in testing it.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 76 posts since 7 Mar, 2005 from Moscow
Great posts guys, very helpful.
I'm Tracktion user since beginning, but Cubendo (:tu:) is my main DAW.
Anyway, for fast tracking, composing, editing I still use T2 alot.
The point of my question was recent buzz around Reaper, but although it has some advantages it's probably not more appealing to me than good, old Tracktion.
I'm Tracktion user since beginning, but Cubendo (:tu:) is my main DAW.
Anyway, for fast tracking, composing, editing I still use T2 alot.
The point of my question was recent buzz around Reaper, but although it has some advantages it's probably not more appealing to me than good, old Tracktion.
Don't forget that your music might eventually outlive you.
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- KVRian
- 736 posts since 27 Apr, 2006 from Charleston, WV
I recently traded my copy of tracktion because of reaper. I have not had any problems with the scanning of my vsts...what version did you try LBN? The only thing I miss is the racks!! And maybe the mackie effects too. Justin seems to address issues with reaper. Hell its been almost a year since the last version of tracktion came out.
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- KVRAF
- 37539 posts since 14 Sep, 2002 from In teh net
It should resume where it left off if you restart it after it failing on a VST and thereafter it will avoid that one. It also has an option for buggy VST's and I find it loads stuff that many hosts will not (as I said Like Hartman Neuron VS) Also it at least doesn't load the audio engine till after it has scanned (unlike any other host I know apart from Orion Platinum) so it doesn't bring down your system or lock up the ASIO drivers.LBN wrote:I've tried Reaper a couple of times to see what the hype is about. It looks promising but it craps out every time I initiate a scan of my VstPlugins folder. Tracktion, energyXT, Cubase SX, Bidule, and Chainer are all able to handle a full scan with no problem. A few other demos crap out on the scan too (Live, Acid). If a program can't even make it through a scan of my plugins folder and gracefully reject the ones which won't work with it then I can't really be bothered to proceed any further in testing it.
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- KVRAF
- 2278 posts since 8 Apr, 2003
Whichever version was current as of last Friday.JamieSkeen wrote:I have not had any problems with the scanning of my vsts...what version did you try LBN?
It did resume scanning but after the third time of quitting while scanning my VstPlugins folder I decided I didn't have the patience.aMUSEd wrote:It should resume where it left off if you restart it after it failing on a VST and thereafter it will avoid that one. It also has an option for buggy VST's and I find it loads stuff that many hosts will not
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- KVRAF
- 37539 posts since 14 Sep, 2002 from In teh net
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- KVRAF
- 8519 posts since 7 Apr, 2003
i initially had that same problem. it turned out to be a duplicate plugin -- the vst scanner bails in this case. once removed the duplicate plug, the vst scan completed.LBN wrote:I've tried Reaper a couple of times to see what the hype is about. It looks promising but it craps out every time I initiate a scan of my VstPlugins folder. Tracktion, energyXT, Cubase SX, Bidule, and Chainer are all able to handle a full scan with no problem. A few other demos crap out on the scan too (Live, Acid). If a program can't even make it through a scan of my plugins folder and gracefully reject the ones which won't work with it then I can't really be bothered to proceed any further in testing it.
the duplicate, btw, was phrazor fx.dll and phrazor.dll the files are identical (i compared them with fc) apparently there is no reason to have 2 phrazors, and i dont understand the point of having an fx version if it's the same.
anyway it works once you sort your plugs. i'd recommend doing this; create a "known good" vst folder, and copy the good ones that pass the scan into this folder. usually you can see where it bombs, and there might be a log (dunno).
the scanner needs some work. the best scanner is tracktions, but some magic reaper has to detect jamstix and not load the default sounds! wonderful trick, i wish it was something the other hosts did.. it's uber annoying to have jamstix load up a kit in a scan when i'm not even intending to use the damned thing.
oh well, jamstix sounds good, i'll wait.
ask in the reaper forum if there is a scanning log maybe.
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- KVRist
- 263 posts since 12 Mar, 2004 from LA CA USA
My problem with tracktion became that it couldn't handle large projects without audio dropouts (that didn't happen in any other programs on the same machine/sound card). Between that and the latency with rewire -- neither of which was ever addressed -- I had to quit using it. Reaper's routing and editing were an immediate fit and I've been using it ever since. I appreciate the innovations of Tracktion though; I really like some of the stuff in it, the basic design, Ben O, and everyone here. But it just can't handle the work I'm doing. I can't have someone sing an overdub, have it drop out every time we get to that part and tell them, "don't worry... that word will be there when we render..."
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- KVRAF
- 6596 posts since 21 Jun, 2004 from Secret Underground Hideout
why is this a drawback?rockstar_not wrote:1 drawback of Reaper that rarely, if ever, is mentioned - is that the developer seems to want to be controversial in the naming of his/her other products. Not so with Tracktion/Mackie.
Check out the name of Cockos' other products at http://www.cockos.com/products.php
-Scott
"Most people who experiment with drugs are not lying in the streets, suffocating on their own vomit. If you want to see some of that, go to the Pub on Saturday night at closing time." ozwest
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- KVRian
- 663 posts since 16 Jan, 2007
The racks!! Are they the same as Live 6? I'm planning on a feature request for that, what a space saver, and fits with the ultra routing paradigm they have going on.JamieSkeen wrote:I recently traded my copy of tracktion because of reaper. I have not had any problems with the scanning of my vsts...what version did you try LBN? The only thing I miss is the racks!! And maybe the mackie effects too. Justin seems to address issues with reaper. Hell its been almost a year since the last version of tracktion came out.
BTW I don't mind Tracktion, just prefer Reaper.