Massive X 1.6.1 update (September 2025)!

[zerocrossing]

I've been nagging them on their YouTube channel about exposing all parameters to the DAW/Controller and they responded to my comment saying they are "taking notes for future improvements". I bid you all to nag them on ALL their channels. I don't think they actually know a) how good their synth is and b) how botched their synth is. LET THEM KNOW!

They know. They just don't care.

If enough people tell them, they will care. That's the whole point of customers complaining. Comprende?

I've been complaining for years. Crickets from NI. They don't care, at least about what I have to say.

[sunthief01]

I do think public pressure campaigns do have a greater chance of working as opposed to say contact forms or just us discussing it here...

It is ridiculous that those parameters are not exposable to DAW modulation in such a powerful flagship synthesizer

I'm not a huge NI user, but can confirm Reaktor works as expected with exposed parameters. Is Massive X the only one that's hobbled in this way?

[HTT]

In your opinion, what are the things it does better than any other synth?

Unique wavetable mangling capabilities that produce as little aliasing as possible. The best distortion and reverb effects in a synth plugin ever. Generally you can push things further than in practically any other synth without the sound falling apart.

Some people have also said "it sounds like hardware", which might mean nothing for some people, for others it's the highest praise possible.

Have you compared Massive X to Korg's Modwave? The Modwave sounds quite clean to me. In addition you can import your own wavetables and samples. IME, this translates to more usable unique sounds than "mangling". Maybe it is a contrast of my philosophy to pursue usable sounds vs. your "pushing things further"? I have been, and remain, a big Korg (and Yamaha) fan from back in the early 80s. Perhaps my bias is showing?

I do think that Massive X has fantastic distortion. I tend to prefer guitar/bass amp overdrive for distortion though. I also like Heavyocity's Punish. I would agree that Massive X's distortion is the best of any "pure' wavetable synth. Phase Plant's isn't shabby though.

For reverb, I would take Falcon's and Logic Pro's reverbs over Massive X's. Phase Plant has quite a nice reverb. I think Phase Plant's and Massive X's reverb come out a wash for me.

At $99, Massive X is a no-brainer. Of course, Modwave, when on sale at $99, is equally a no-brainer. I love Korg's implementation of Kaoss Physics in the Modwave and MultiPoly. Overall, Modwave>Massive X, IMO.

Having owned and used, for stage and recording use, close to 25 different hardware synths, including building/soldering my own modular systems way back in the day, I don't hear how hardware is inherently superior over modern soft synths. Modern softsynths are a quantum leap above hardware for bang for buck. For knob twiddling without mapping, yes, hardware over softsynths. For not having to near constantly update, for certain, hardware absolutely rules. Updates, ugh...

Thoughts?

[rod_zero]

In 2025 i would never believe a digital HW synth sounds better than a SW one running in a much more powerfull CPU than the HW has, more CPU means you can run more cycles, more processing, more complex code, etc. Yeah yeah, single purpose embedded systems can deliver a lot of power trough efficiency but I don't think even the best workstastions right now can run massive x.

[swilow11]

In your opinion, what are the things it does better than any other synth?

Unique wavetable mangling capabilities that produce as little aliasing as possible. The best distortion and reverb effects in a synth plugin ever. Generally you can push things further than in practically any other synth without the sound falling apart.

Some people have also said "it sounds like hardware", which might mean nothing for some people, for others it's the highest praise possible.

Have you compared Massive X to Korg's Modwave? The Modwave sounds quite clean to me. In addition you can import your own wavetables and samples. IME, this translates to more usable unique sounds than "mangling". Maybe it is a contrast of my philosophy to pursue usable sounds vs. your "pushing things further"? I have been, and remain, a big Korg (and Yamaha) fan from back in the early 80s. Perhaps my bias is showing?

I do think that Massive X has fantastic distortion. I tend to prefer guitar/bass amp overdrive for distortion though. I also like Heavyocity's Punish. I would agree that Massive X's distortion is the best of any "pure' wavetable synth. Phase Plant's isn't shabby though.

For reverb, I would take Falcon's and Logic Pro's reverbs over Massive X's. Phase Plant has quite a nice reverb. I think Phase Plant's and Massive X's reverb come out a wash for me.

At $99, Massive X is a no-brainer. Of course, Modwave, when on sale at $99, is equally a no-brainer. I love Korg's implementation of Kaoss Physics in the Modwave and MultiPoly. Overall, Modwave>Massive X, IMO.

Having owned and used, for stage and recording use, close to 25 different hardware synths, including building/soldering my own modular systems way back in the day, I don't hear how hardware is inherently superior over modern soft synths. Modern softsynths are a quantum leap above hardware for bang for buck. For knob twiddling without mapping, yes, hardware over softsynths. For not having to near constantly update, for certain, hardware absolutely rules. Updates, ugh...

Thoughts?

The non linear labs stereo effect in Massive X can do pretty nice amp-ish distortion to my unlearned ears.

I've been exploring physical modelling more Massive X. Inserting just the exciter envelope into the "mod" modules in the routing page and routed to the comb filter in exciter mode sounds so close to clean electric guitar. Add a nice noisetable and excite that too and you get somewhere fast. Then go crazy with the feedback and non-linear labs overdrive. Sounds so good.

Although while on the subject, the routing page is a bit annoying to use. Its great that you can freely route stuff in multiple configurations but I would probably prefer something like a menu with the same options as well.

[martinjuenke]

The title of this thread has become wrong (July )
I wonder if I open a new thread on this gem of synth…

[EvilDragon]

Have you compared Massive X to Korg's Modwave? The Modwave sounds quite clean to me. In addition you can import your own wavetables and samples. IME, this translates to more usable unique sounds than "mangling". Maybe it is a contrast of my philosophy to pursue usable sounds vs. your "pushing things further"? I have been, and remain, a big Korg (and Yamaha) fan from back in the early 80s. Perhaps my bias is showing?

Modwave is certainly very nice and has its own set of distinctive features, but it is ultimately constrained by the CPU of RPi CM4. MX internally runs at 88.2k and all DSP algorithms are optimized for that sample rate, so from the get go it starts with 2x oversampling. It is cleaner ultimately. Also it has more advanced routing, a lot of feedback tricks, the best comb filter out there, and so forth.

[HTT]

Have you compared Massive X to Korg's Modwave? The Modwave sounds quite clean to me. In addition you can import your own wavetables and samples. IME, this translates to more usable unique sounds than "mangling". Maybe it is a contrast of my philosophy to pursue usable sounds vs. your "pushing things further"? I have been, and remain, a big Korg (and Yamaha) fan from back in the early 80s. Perhaps my bias is showing?

Modwave is certainly very nice and has its own set of distinctive features, but it is ultimately constrained by the CPU of RPi CM4. MX internally runs at 88.2k and all DSP algorithms are optimized for that sample rate, so from the get go it starts with 2x oversampling. It is cleaner ultimately. Also it has more advanced routing, a lot of feedback tricks, the best comb filter out there, and so forth.

Modwave can run at 88.2k like Massive X.

Version 1.1.0
Improvements
Audio quality is now improved when running at 44.1 kHz and 88.2 kHz sample rates.

https://support.korguser.net/hc/en-us/a ... ease-notes

I don't know if that has an impact on DSP algorithms.

[chk071]

Kinda depends what you call "clean", I guess. High fidelity ≠ cleaner sound.

[EvilDragon]

Modwave can run at 88.2k like Massive X.

Sure, but its algorithms have been optimized for 44.1k. This does make a difference.

[HTT]

ok

[BBFG#]

Doesn't change the ever growing opinions that NI has become an outhouse posing as a caterer.
I own both, but only have Modwave installed. As long as Access is their true flagship, NI is waste of time and energy.

[chk071]

I hope we won't have another boring and paranoid discussion about alleged "spyware" again now.

[nirm123]

I hope we won't have another boring and paranoid discussion about alleged "spyware" again now.

I agree with you

[BBFG#]

Doesn't have have to be about "spyware" to remind others of authoritarian control.
Just counterintuitive to a customer's desire to produce music and not spend energy on jumping through hoops trying to get, maintain and use the products is enough to ask;
"Are they really worth it?"
Not with so many easy to get, maintain and use alternatives...

Thanks for the reminder that Korg Modwave can get more done with less energy and time.