Polarized opinions about Reaper

[DrFolder]

I haven't had the kind of stability issues that people have because I keep my system up to date and I don't use old near obsolete software.

You can't dismiss all stability issues with a statement like this. In fact, keeping your system "up to date" could actually introduce new stability issues. This is true whether you are talking about OS updates, DAW updates, or plugin updates. For maximum stability it's better advice to take care in choosing your updates carefully. Often you're better off to wait for a few minor point upgrades or even to exclude certain updates. I certainly take care, for example, which Pace updates that I install. I also always expect some kinds of small issues with point zero releases.

A lot of the times when people experience abnormal stability it has more to do with the fact that they aren't working on the edges. Live is considerably more stable without ever using MFL and without using any VST/AU plugins.

Someone mentioned VEP. I love it, but, it's not "perfectly" stable either. If it doesn't ever crash for you then you probably have not encountered the particular use case that causes it to crash. They even include features that are likely to make it crash, they mention in their documentation that their midi input feature is considered experimental. It doesn't have to be flakey software or outdated software that causes instability.

You can't simply dismiss instability that other people experience with the mistaken belief that they are doing something wrong, such as not keeping their system up to date. Moreover, even if happens to be true in a particular case, it doesn't change the relative value of the stability under less than ideal conditions of one tool over another. In other words, it's not an argument that some tools are not more stable.

And sure I agree with that and I'm not implying outdated drivers and hardware are the sole reason for issues but on this thread it tends to be. Reaper has always had polarising opinions that are often due to it using the operating systems gui elements and or customising it is a chore, Not stability. I'm not a Reaper fanboy and use different pieces of software for my work but if someone says Reaper is a unstable product then I'm curious to know why. Maybe the community can help fix the problems (if they are open to it). Are some people upset that a really good cheap daw is as good as one they paid hundreds of dollars for and they have to justify their investment or is it because so many people like it that they have to be contrary and hate it? Criticisms need context otherwise people who like it are going to be defensive, Tthat's a natural response. Is it really unstable or does someone want to just tell us how much they hate something we like? If it is unstable then let's try and fix it.

[stacev]

Reaper might crash for someone every minute, but if it happens only to a single person and the rest report relatively strong stability, probably it is worth considering. Programs have their own reputation. Let's put Reaper aside. For example Cakewalk Sonar was known of its bugginess long ago before Reaper started. And still there were people claiming they had no single bug or crash with it. Also in the past you could find much more complains about z3ta soft synth unstability than for most other synth developers.
Such reputation does not appear out of nothing.
And if so many people find Reaper being average more stable, then probably there is no conspiracy behind that, but just an experience.

[BMoore]

There's many reason's why I don't use Reaper, I've highlighted them already, stability in my experience is just one of them, sorry I just don't trust the product or consider it to the level of others.

You've highlighted your stability issues with Reaper by googling an image with an error message.

You're not even original as a troll.

It's Christmas Day, better things to do than waste my time figuring out how I last crashed Reaper or trying to instigate the way to do it and then take a screenshot, open up photoshop, upload it to dropbox, relink it and copy and paste it, when I can simply grab an example of another users crash screen on google..I mean really.. The results are the same, and highlights my point that Reaper does crash for others too, and not just me over the years I've used it.

There is also a high contingent of Reaper defenders on this forum, it reminds me of the Reasontalk forum lol.

You haven't proved anything, as no one is saying Reaper does not crash.

And there's no "Reaper defending" or fanboyism in what I'm pointing out about your posts. It's your dishonest claims and "evidence".
If it's so unstable for you, you should not have to google an image, and then cook up a lame excuse about some "elaborate" process to post your own error message.

[aMUSEd]

I have had Reaper crash on occasion, all hosts crash, but I do count it as one of my two most stable hosts (only Bidule is more rock solid) and I think that's not just related to how often it crashes, which is a poor index considering how many buggy plugins and system configuration issues that may exist, but rather how well it protects user's work from the consequences of crashes and unstable plugins etc. The devs have really put a lot of thought right from the start into ensuring people can recover work easily - things like a recovery mode built in and text editable projects so if a buggy plugin is included it can be safely removed so the project can be loaded. Plus it has not just one (as in Bitwig) but multiple layers of 'buggy plugin handling' including but not limited to sandboxing (in various forms). And it supports all native plugin formats so if one format isn't working you have alternatives there too. Finally the ability to customise it, so often something that gets criticised, also ensures that if something in your system doesn't work well with it often there are alternative ways of handling it - such as particular modes for UAD plugins and hardware, safe modes for recording concerts and long takes, etc.

[THE INTRANCER]

There's many reason's why I don't use Reaper, I've highlighted them already, stability in my experience is just one of them, sorry I just don't trust the product or consider it to the level of others.

You've highlighted your stability issues with Reaper by googling an image with an error message.

You're not even original as a troll.

It's Christmas Day, better things to do than waste my time figuring out how I last crashed Reaper or trying to instigate the way to do it and then take a screenshot, open up photoshop, upload it to dropbox, relink it and copy and paste it, when I can simply grab an example of another users crash screen on google..I mean really.. The results are the same, and highlights my point that Reaper does crash for others too, and not just me over the years I've used it.

There is also a high contingent of Reaper defenders on this forum, it reminds me of the Reasontalk forum lol.

You haven't proved anything, as no one is saying Reaper does not crash.

And there's no "Reaper defending" or fanboyism in what I'm pointing out about your posts. It's your dishonest claims and "evidence".
If it's so unstable for you, you should not have to google an image, and then cook up a lame excuse about some "elaborate" process to post your own error message.

Reaper isn't even my primary daw, I've nothing invested in it, either monetary or even project wise, but I have tested it a multitude of times over 17 years. I truly couldn't give two hoots whether it crashes or not, it's my honest unbiased experience and views that I have. I don't have to try and prove anything as the evidence of circumstances is right out there on the web if anyone cares to look for it. I've no axe to grind because I've not lost anything with Reaper, I'm just as objectionable about the daw that use regularly in a public way as any other, and have never shied away from that, as much as over protective a community might be on any daw, whether that's Reason, Studio One, Reaper or any other I've come across. What I do find fascinating, is the cultural vibe, the psychology of those within those communities that come out of the woodwork to defend as ant do in a colony when objective opinions are viewed and interpreted. We're on a forum, about daws and talking about daws, don't expect to like everything you read on them.

[sjm]

Hi everybody,

I've been using Sonar until three years ago, when I switched to Reaper. I absolutely don't regret, and I love the fact that when I watch a Reaper video tutorial, I quite often say "Wow, cool, I didn't know I can do that!". So I'm very enthusiast with it. I have to admit though that I haven't tried other DAWs.

So I've been naturaly interested about all the discussions concerning the move Gibson did with Sonar. I can feel the pain of the users. And of course I've also been interested about the alternatives to ex-Sonar users. Reading this topic "http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 7&t=495522", I came to this questionning: why do the opinions about Reaper are so polarized? It seems that there are those who hate it like plague, and those that it would be the only thing they'd brought on a desert island. Not much people in between. I have the impression that this polarization is more present with Reaper than with other DAWs (but I may be wrong).

So, any toughts about it?

Marc

Well, if the way the thread became a horrible train wreck after about page 9 or 10 didn't answer your question, here it is again: Because some people don't respect other people's opinions and experiences and accept them as valid. Instead they would prefer to evangelise and argue on the internet, rather than make music.

Disagree with me, I dare you!

[Guenon]

this has been my regular experience with this daw over 17 years

Reaper isn't even my primary daw, I've nothing invested in it, either monetary or even project wise, but I have tested it a multitude of times over 17 years.

Having "regular experience" and testing something already five years before it is first released to the userbase seems like an investment/project in its own right, though

I don't have to try and prove anything as the evidence of circumstances is right out there on the web if anyone cares to look for it.

Exactly ! This is why it's cool to have use case stories around, for all tools. Preferrably honest ones. And ultimately, anyone can try any DAW for themselves and see if it fits their needs.

[EvilDragon]

but I have tested it a multitude of times over 17 years.

Busted! Reaper doesn't exist for that long.

it's my honest unbiased experience and views that I have

Of course they're biased because they're YOURS and SUBJECTIVE.

[THE INTRANCER]

Testing something already five years before it is first released to the userbase seems like an investment in its own right, though

Ha ha, yeah.. you're right..a slight over estimation in the time frame there, perhaps it felt like 17 years and I was thinking of when I eventually bought Reason 1.0 in May of 2001.

I did test when it first came on the daw scene, I would have been using Reason 3 around the time Reaper came out. I didn't like the look or experience of it from how I first tested it as I remember, so nothing has changed.

[Guenon]

Ha ha, yeah.. you're right..a slight over estimation in the time frame there, perhaps it felt like 17 years and I was thinking of when I eventually bought Reason 1.0 in May of 2001.

yep

[pdxindy]

Reaper has been remarkably stable for me... It is a bit overly complex UI-wise for my taste, but I think it is the most stable DAW I have used.

[Burillo]

to be fair, i know at least two people who encountered wildly outlandish REAPER bugs, constantly. however, in both of these cases, these people had such problems with *everything* and were running pirated "customized" and "optimized" Windows with UI skins and god knows what modifications under the hood done by some random dude on the internet. i can't really make any conclusions based on dataset of two people, but it makes me wonder if bad OS can make even the most rock-solid software go haywire.

[BMoore]

Reaper isn't even my primary daw, I've nothing invested in it, either monetary or even project wise, but I have tested it a multitude of times over 17 years. I truly couldn't give two hoots whether it crashes or not, it's my honest unbiased experience and views that I have. I don't have to try and prove anything as the evidence of circumstances is right out there on the web if anyone cares to look for it. I've no axe to grind because I've not lost anything with Reaper, I'm just as objectionable about the daw that use regularly in a public way as any other, and have never shied away from that, as much as over protective a community might be on any daw, whether that's Reason, Studio One, Reaper or any other I've come across. What I do find fascinating, is the cultural vibe, the psychology of those within those communities that come out of the woodwork to defend as ant do in a colony when objective opinions are viewed and interpreted. We're on a forum, about daws and talking about daws, don't expect to like everything you read on them.

There's no cult attacking you here. There's no one objecting to a different view either. That's all in your head.
But you keep making up facts, and that's another ball game.

But maybe that's your goal. Being deliberately and vaguely dishonest, to get a response from "the cult", so you can dismiss every response as fanboyism, and reply with predictable and inane drivel, and think you've won.
In that case, you've lost.

[THE INTRANCER]

you've won.
In that case, you've lost.

I didn't realise there was a competition here, what are the prizes ?

[BMoore]

1st prize - Making yourself look like a jackass.

You had no competition.