Best 'Sample Manager' plugin?

[kraster]

I've stopped using sample managers with Live's browser update in 12.

Particularly useful for similarity search in a drum rack.

[sonicvision]

the manager that consistently works best for me, though not perfect nor without issues, is Sononym. It can be laggy and slow to refresh but has never crashed yet, and plays sample when I click on them, organizes them, and finds them very well (when not lagging).

I just got it. I find it takes about 15 seconds for it to remove a filter. I was going to send it in when we get clear of the whole Christmas/ New Year stuff.

I know that creating your own tags is coming in the new version, among other things. I think it's a bit behind schedule as they've updated around November every year.

I tried adding tags to metadata via another program but it seems Sononym didn't find that data when I tried. I'm no expert in this so I may have done it wrong.

Ah yes, I forgot to mention that, clearing the filter does take time (maybe even longer than 15 seconds). Good call to send that in. I plan to send in a few things. What was the other program that you used for adding metadata? I think some are proprietary so only shows in the app you did it in.

[Morty-C-137]

I've stopped using sample managers with Live's browser update in 12.

Particularly useful for similarity search in a drum rack.

A browser like that is what I hope Logic will incorporate in the not too distant future

[ChamomileShark]

What was the other program that you used for adding metadata? I think some are proprietary so only shows in the app you did it in.

I used Mp3tag I think.

[LoveEnigma18]

I've stopped using sample managers with Live's browser update in 12.

Particularly useful for similarity search in a drum rack.

A browser like that is what I hope Logic will incorporate in the not too distant future

Praying here as well.

I am hopeful that 11.2 will bring some improvements in the Loop Browser/Untagged Loops area. I even sent a feedback on it through the Apple's Logic Pro feedback form recently.

Nothing can beat a good DAW browser.

[sonicvision]

I've stopped using sample managers with Live's browser update in 12.

Nothing can beat a good DAW browser.

Yes, I have heard good things about LIve's and I have started using Cubase's Media Bay which, once setup, is very good and deep, but I still find a good Sample Mgr useful as, in case of Sononym, it accurately finds duplicates, even if file name isn't the same and has nice large clear interface to see waveform quickly and audition/compare etc. In my mind the DAW browsers and standalone sample mgr's are somewhat different. Perhaps DAWs will eventually combine more of the best Sample Mgr features.

[mutagen]

ADSR was also laggy and locking up for me.

Picked up Cosmos, seems OK for me.

Also want to take a look at Resonic Pro. Their website talks about some interesting upcoming features.

Missed the BF sale on Sononym, will probably pick that up when it is back on sale sometime, everyone consistently recommends it.

I'll have a look at Sonicwire's Mutant. https://sonicwire.com/mutant

[dastewart]

Nothing can beat a good DAW browser.

As a Studio One user I'd beg to differ. Well, actually that's not quite true, the problem with Studio One is that all the Studio One "soundsets" can only be accessed using the Studio One browser and the built in sample browser isn't that great. I've also got loads of other samples that I've accumulated along the way either as free packs or that came with various virtual instruments so I wanted a way to browse everything.

I've had Studio One for many years but recently decided to get a bit more organised with my samples. That meant unpacking all the Studio One soundsets so I could then save them as wav files and use something else. I started with the drum one-shots as that was "easy" to categorise.

I ended up going with ADSR which at the moment is working fine for me.

However, the problem I now have is that I have far too many samples (e.g. 500+ kick drum samples) so wading through all of those to pick ones I like is a real PIA. And I've never ever bought a sample pack so that's just stuff that I've picked up along the way.

[panspOrmia]

ADSR was also laggy and locking up for me.

Picked up Cosmos, seems OK for me.

Also want to take a look at Resonic Pro. Their website talks about some interesting upcoming features.

Missed the BF sale on Sononym, will probably pick that up when it is back on sale sometime, everyone consistently recommends it.

I'll have a look at Sonicwire's Mutant. https://sonicwire.com/mutant

+1 for Sononym (and Atlas 2). What a combo!

[sir_drock]

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SonikSearch is fantastic. Handles over 150k+ samples no problem, has intelligent tagging, sync with the DAW, etc. https://sonikstation.com (https://sonikstation.com)

[Cuauhtli]

Is Resonic still being worked on? The installer dates back to 2021. I tried the free version (which I still need to see what it can do). What I did like is that it plays the samples immediately. I guess they should all do that, but I'm used to just using the basic media player or my DAW which get tedious when you want to go through a bunch of samples just to see if something sparks an idea.

[tlvid]

Is Resonic still being worked on? The installer dates back to 2021. I tried the free version (which I still need to see what it can do). What I did like is that it plays the samples immediately. I guess they should all do that, but I'm used to just using the basic media player or my DAW which get tedious when you want to go through a bunch of samples just to see if something sparks an idea.

I've just joined the Discord and from a brief read it seems it's not completely dead (the end of the beta has now been updated to say this year, in the past it said 2024 and 2025) but the creator has health issues. So I won't be buying yet, unfortunately, but if regular progress resumes I will happily do so.

[Cuauhtli]

Ah, that's too bad. Hope they get well.

[Morty-C-137]

For now (until Logic Pro finally gets a browser like Ableton Live) I just use LoopCloud. Yep, sucks having to rely on a 3rd party provider and a yearly subscription to boot. But they are one of the best for now (and for my purposes). Although Samplism and Sonomym are very good (don’t know how much the latter is still updated.. there were some nags when I demo’d it a while ago).

[Alchemedia]

Sonomym is great and updated regularly.

Version 1.6.1 - Released Nov 28th 2025
Version 1.6.2 - Released Dec 4th 2025
Version 1.6.3 - Released Dec 8th 2025
Version 1.6.4 - Released Dec 13th 2025