Massive X 1.4 update!

[perpetual3]

Just look at what happened to Reason after Verdane acquired them - Complete focus on wringing out as much profit possible from REs instead of improving on the core product, which has been left to stagnate. It's 2021 and it STILL does not have a hdpi interface.

And yes, MX sounds good. It sounds really good. However, I think it's pretty indicative of the state of NI that Vital, a synth that is more or less free and coded by 1 guy, has generated more hype and applause than MX.

How much of that hype is due to Vital being free...

[Yakko Warner]

Please help me!
It is difficult for me to understand the comb filter in Massive X, in particular pitch settings (keytrack, ratio, fix) including Adjusts the tuning of the Comb in semitones and cents. When and how are these settings used? If anyone can explain to me.

[pdxindy]

And yes, MX sounds good. It sounds really good. However, I think it's pretty indicative of the state of NI that Vital, a synth that is more or less free and coded by 1 guy, has generated more hype and applause than MX.

Vital is free so that would likely garner more praise right there.

The Vital GUI and Workflow is far better than MX. So many little things are better in Vital. Right click on a Vital Macro knob and you will see a list of all targets. Right click on an MX macro knob and it shows no target info. In MX you would need to click on something like 18 different tabs to be sure of all the possible targets. Of course by the time you click all the tabs to find all possible targets, one has long forgotten what they are.

Same thing for MX LFO's and Env's. There is no way to see a list of targets. There is no visual cue to determine if a tab has active modulations except clicking it and looking. So if LFO 5 is modulating LFO 7 rate, the only way to know that is to click on the LFO 7 tab and check. Awful.

In Vital the LFO's and Env's are the same as the macros. Right click and you see a list of targets.

Mouse scrollwheel works to adjust parameters in Vital. It doesn't in MX. The Vital preset browser is significantly better than MX. Vital browser has user tags, favorites and a search function. MX has none of that and all user presets are just thrown into a single container.

MX has limited modulation. Vital is unlimited. I will frequently have 4-6 modulators on filter cutoff... I might have velocity, pressure, keytracking, bit of randomization, filter env and a macro knob. MX has a max of 3 modulators on cutoff (it does have an additional dedicated keytrack but that cannot itself be shaped, modulated or non-linear). Vital has no limit. Every individual mod target in Vital can have its own curve to fine tune mod depth. Great for fine tuning MPE sounds which Vital supports. MX of course doesn't do either.

Vital LFO's are great... they are basically each an MSEG so they have an unlimited number of shapes. MX has rather limited LFO's with no way to make a custom shape. MX LFO's also have no phase control. Vital LFO's do.

In Vital parameters can be directly automated and there is midi learn. MX has neither.

Vital is a joy to use. Fast and straightforward yet when needed nearly unlimited modulation capability. MX is a tedious wreck by comparison.

[Cinebient]

I also must say that i find Vital is much better in every way as Massive X.
Really in every way.

[Sinisterbr]

And yes, MX sounds good. It sounds really good. However, I think it's pretty indicative of the state of NI that Vital, a synth that is more or less free and coded by 1 guy, has generated more hype and applause than MX.

Vital is free so that would likely garner more praise right there.

The Vital GUI and Workflow is far better than MX. So many little things are better in Vital. Right click on a Vital Macro knob and you will see a list of all targets. Right click on an MX macro knob and it shows no target info. In MX you would need to click on something like 18 different tabs to be sure of all the possible targets. Of course by the time you click all the tabs to find all possible targets, one has long forgotten what they are.

Same thing for MX LFO's and Env's. There is no way to see a list of targets. There is no visual cue to determine if a tab has active modulations except clicking it and looking. So if LFO 5 is modulating LFO 7 rate, the only way to know that is to click on the LFO 7 tab and check. Awful.

In Vital the LFO's and Env's are the same as the macros. Right click and you see a list of targets.

Mouse scrollwheel works to adjust parameters in Vital. It doesn't in MX. The Vital preset browser is significantly better than MX. Vital browser has user tags, favorites and a search function. MX has none of that and all user presets are just thrown into a single container.

MX has limited modulation. Vital is unlimited. I will frequently have 4-6 modulators on filter cutoff... I might have velocity, pressure, keytracking, bit of randomization, filter env and a macro knob. MX has a max of 3 modulators on cutoff (it does have an additional dedicated keytrack but that cannot itself be shaped, modulated or non-linear). Vital has no limit. Every individual mod target in Vital can have its own curve to fine tune mod depth. Great for fine tuning MPE sounds which Vital supports. MX of course doesn't do either.

Vital LFO's are great... they are basically each an MSEG so they have an unlimited number of shapes. MX has rather limited LFO's with no way to make a custom shape. MX LFO's also have no phase control. Vital LFO's do.

In Vital parameters can be directly automated and there is midi learn. MX has neither.

Vital is a joy to use. Fast and straightforward yet when needed nearly unlimited modulation capability. MX is a tedious wreck by comparison.

To each their own. I do like the GUI in Vital, but still prefer MX's (yeah, call me crazy).
And, more importantly, the core sound: I'm sorry, but IMO Vital doesn't hold a candle to MX.

[nirm123]

+1000

[recursive one]

And, more importantly, the core sound: I'm sorry, but IMO Vital doesn't hold a candle to MX.

This!

And this is still the most important thing.

I was quite enthusiastic about Vital at first because I liked the GUI and the workflow and it was free and all, but I found that aside from some very specific kinds of patches (mostly very experimental and abstract ones, which are supposed to sound kinda weird and unnatural) I don't really like its sound.

MX is absolutely one of the best sounding software synths out there

[vertibration]

Vital is a work of art, it truly is. Its very pretty. Its lacking a lot in the wavetable editor, and it cant even touch Serum in that dept. MX does just sound better by miles, it just does. Vital sounds very good, very capable, intuitive. MX has a better core sound, and the effects are just in another dimension

I actually dont have a problem at all with MX UI. Its the browser that is utter trash.

[pdxindy]

MX is absolutely one of the best sounding software synths out there

I agree... I especially like the MX Comb filter... I think it is the best I have heard. The low notes are very satisfying!

I wish I liked the GUI... even a little bit. (by GUI I mean overall workflow and visual feedback, the visual appearance is fine)

[simon.a.billington]

Given the fact that NI was just taken over and the new owners want to create a more unified experience, there is a strong possibility that user experience will be updated along side it.

We’ll just have to wait and see how this works out over the course of the year

[frackermak]

Don't forget to grab the "OUR HOUSE" expansion pack. Free till March 4th.

[skottish]

I contacted NI about the preset browser, because it's really, really bad and I can't work with it in any sane way. The response was:

Thanks for contacting Native Instruments.
Unfortunately it is not planned in the near future. I will forward your rightful comments to the developers team.

I responded that I won't buy any of their products again if this isn't a priory. It's really too bad, because it sounds great and I can live with the UX being clumsy.

[chk071]

I responded that I won't buy any of their products again if this isn't a priory.

I'm sure they're working their asses off on the preset browser in NI HQ now, after such an ugly threat.

[digitalboytn]

I responded that I won't buy any of their products again if this isn't a priory.

I'm sure they're working their asses off on the preset browser in NI HQ now, after such an ugly threat.

[Sinisterbr]

I responded that I won't buy any of their products again if this isn't a priory.

I'm sure they're working their asses off on the preset browser in NI HQ now, after such an ugly threat.

Yeah, but I think he has a really good point that should be taken seriously by NI. I personally also feel disappointed by their response.