What do you want from Reason 13.5 or 14?

[MLR]

if this new reason rack is like the previous, it's actual value is not even 99 usd, if it comes with every RE released from reason studio 199 usd that should come with every previous update it will be a great offer

It's not like Reason Rack Plugin is crippled or empty in any way. You can do plenty with what is included: https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/prod ... n-rack-13/

I would not expect for them to give away every separate instrument priced €109 each. That is why there is Reason+, but honestly, RS should reconsider rent-to-own for some kind of suite pack of their whole catalog.

[lotus2035]

As a Reason user way back in the 2000s the rack definitely interests me, would be a nice addition to Cubase, $199 is a bit steep for me though, will keep an eye out for some kind of sale in the future. It's out two seconds I'm already looking for discounts.

[Crossinger]

As a Reason user way back in the 2000s the rack definitely interests me, would be a nice addition to Cubase, $199 is a bit steep for me though, will keep an eye out for some kind of sale in the future. It's out two seconds I'm already looking for discounts.

If you still have your old license, you could simply upgrade. Last BF the sales were as low as $75 for a perpetual upgrade.

[sin night]

Back to lifetime authorization instead of subscribing to Reasons server to keep the license valid.

This.

I highly doubt they would go back to perpetual authorization, but that’s actually the main thing that keeps me away from their business.


My last version of Reason was 11 or 12, the last with the dongle (and I have the dongle because once I had issues with the disk authorization). You still need to be online to start it after a fresh install, but that’s not a big deal (unless there’s a need to rebuild an old unsupported computer… but it’s ok with a “current” computer).

It’s the same reason why I don’t buy any perpetual Roland Cloud licenses.
I don’t want any periodic authorization, I want to be able to “freeze” a machine (delay/stop updates, keep it offline) if I want/need to and this kind of licensing would prevent me from doing so.


I would be happy to use the Reason rack plugin on my current Mac, but my Reason version has no binaries for Apple Silicon and I’m not going to upgrade with the current licensing model. I can still run Reason on my old Windows computer which I rarely turn on…

[jens]

if this new reason rack is like the previous, it's actual value is not even 99 usd

That's ridiculous...

[Benedict]

The Rack is worth a LOT when you compare it to other options.

Europa is like Serum etc only easier. Thor is like Diva, only more versatile and easier to use. Polytone is like J8 clones only... and that is before we get to effects like The Echo, which is like Space Echo only without the hiss.

Most of these 'name' things you will spend half or more of that buy amount - plus all the other things which are largely of good value.

Again, this is personal, but simply saying Reason is "bad value" is a personal decision and not a fact. Compare Reason and what is really there against say FL and what is really there and OMG for any version! Ultimately, personal. We like what we like for many reasons, but it's still personal.

I will admit that Reason devices don't always immediately seem same-same with VST etc but this is mostly part of the moslty wise rules and choices Reason made:
a) Reason traditionally kept levels to -12dB so mixes don't explode with as few as one sound which makes Debra and SerX7V seem better just coz their first note is running at +1dB. LOUD seeming better doesn't make better when you get level parity.
b) Reason's knob scaling tends to be different from most others, more linear perhaps - most noticeable with filters. So if you have a cool patch in Pigtal and put Thor's knobs in the same spots, it won't match at all. Easy then to think that Reason is weak sauce, but pull that filter down and adjust everything else so the facts match and close enough for knife fighting, deffo close enough for a mix where no one will pick the real Moog from all the Thors
https://benedictroff-marsh.bandcamp.com ... sh-council

[waxtrax]

The "new" Reason Rack plugin is everything that comes with Reason 13, minus the DAW features. It is not simply an empty rack. It has tons of instruments and effects, as well as utilities and player devices to do things within the rack environment.

Think about your average major software instrument plugin that costs perhaps $100. You're only getting one instrument in that case. With this you are getting a bunch of stuff included, plus expandability with the Rack Extension ecosystem. There are a few unique rack extensions that are not necessarily duplicated in the same manner outside this ecosystem.

[waxtrax]

I was writing my reply while Benedict was posting his, only he said it much better than I did

[Cochrane]

It's incredible that in 2026 Reason Rack hasn't a viable way for addressing single devices on the rack with different midi ports/channels from host.
Maybe this time RRP will receive some love from developers again.

[Benedict]

It's incredible that in 2026 Reason Rack hasn't a viable way for addressing single devices on the rack with different midi ports/channels from host.

While Multitimbral made a lot of sense for my Emax, which was one lump of plastic and chips, so being able to run it as many instruments concurrently made it better value (thems things weren't cheap!) in DAWville, it makes a lot less sense seeing you can simply add a new instance in every Track so the DX-7 sound is completely unique from the DX-9 sound which is completely discrete from the DX-27 sound... All whilst only owning one virtual synth. This rather made Multitimbral and even ReWire obsolete.

That said, I guess I could see and argument where, like in Reason proper, one can see the whole Rack which has all those DX-synths lined up with their relevant Echos, Screams, and compressinators. That would be tidier than the typical DAW windowverse of spideryness.

[Dalle]

It's incredible that in 2026 Reason Rack hasn't a viable way for addressing single devices on the rack with different midi ports/channels from host.

While Multitimbral made a lot of sense for my Emax, which was one lump of plastic and chips, so being able to run it as many instruments concurrently made it better value (thems things weren't cheap!) in DAWville, it makes a lot less sense seeing you can simply add a new instance in every Track so the DX-7 sound is completely unique from the DX-9 sound which is completely discrete from the DX-27 sound... All whilst only owning one virtual synth. This rather made Multitimbral and even ReWire obsolete.

That said, I guess I could see and argument where, like in Reason proper, one can see the whole Rack which has all those DX-synths lined up with their relevant Echos, Screams, and compressinators. That would be tidier than the typical DAW windowverse of spideryness.

Lack of midi routing makes the VST version way less modular. Flipping the rack to patch CV cables between devices was always a strength of Reason.

[parma]

MIDI routing is one of the most popular requests and I really, really hope Reason 14 has it

[Benedict]

I haven't thought up a use case for MIDI wiring. I get it seems like the day but mostly past the basics, MIDI was for Multitimbral in one box (covered above) or Layering (Combinator does that better). MIDI could pull up FX patches, and maybe some units could change parameters (without SysEx), but again, that is Automation, which is super well covered in Reason (CV and Seq Lanes, not to mention Combi - which I will say doesn't like two things talking to the same parameter).

I'm not saying y'all are wrong, just not seeing a genuine use case. Perhaps you can explain as if I don't see it, perhaps RS don't either.

[SebAV]

It's incredible that in 2026 Reason Rack hasn't a viable way for addressing single devices on the rack with different midi ports/channels from host.

While Multitimbral made a lot of sense for my Emax, which was one lump of plastic and chips, so being able to run it as many instruments concurrently made it better value (thems things weren't cheap!) in DAWville, it makes a lot less sense seeing you can simply add a new instance in every Track so the DX-7 sound is completely unique from the DX-9 sound which is completely discrete from the DX-27 sound... All whilst only owning one virtual synth. This rather made Multitimbral and even ReWire obsolete.

That said, I guess I could see and argument where, like in Reason proper, one can see the whole Rack which has all those DX-synths lined up with their relevant Echos, Screams, and compressinators. That would be tidier than the typical DAW windowverse of spideryness.

Lack of midi routing makes the VST version way less modular. Flipping the rack to patch CV cables between devices was always a strength of Reason.

You can ofc flip the rack and make CV and audio patching in RRP. It’s somewhat « restricted » to what you can do inside a combinator, so it’s quite powerfull in fact.
Having More than one column and a better remote control in the RRP would be enough for me as a compromise to using the Reason DAW.

[aMUSEd]

MIDI routing is one of the most popular requests and I really, really hope Reason 14 has it

Also it still needs support for aftertouch