Reaktor vs VCV Rack 2023 For Analogue Modelling

[anra]

I briefly tried VCV with bread and butter modules and it didn't sound as dope/phat/analog as comparable ones in Reaktor.

[zerocrossing]

For analog modelling, Softube Modular, hands down. It beats both of them in the amount of quality, by a mile.

I've been recently getting into VCV rack and after going through the existing library I have to say that actually, there's still not that many great great analog-modelled modules. There's the Vult stuff that's been around for a while and the new Doepfer filter done by Cytomic sounds of course fantastic. Most of the other stuff claiming to be analog modelled is not on the level of Softube or Cytomic.

But I'm getting decent sounds by pairing a good sounding digital oscillator (like the Mutable Instruments ones) with the Doepfer filter. But for me, VCV is more about messing around with whacky CV modules than anything else. I've I'm trying to create useable sounds for a project, I go to Softube.

I tried Reaktor Blocks once and it sounded pretty good but as you say, the platform seems pretty dead. Softube's not great at releasing new module models either but they're supporting the platform by giving you the option of using their new plugins in modular. So you get, for example, an amazing sounding Juno or SH-101 filter/oscillator.

That’s my take on things as well, but where VCV really shines is when you use the Mutable modules and the Vult to make polyphonic “hybrid” synths. There’s one wavetable module called Terrorform that I really love.

https://library.vcvrack.com/Valley/Terrorform

There are just a bunch of weird things that can be used to make really great polyphonic instruments that you couldn’t really get in a regular plugin.

But for sound, hands down Softube.

[Spyart]

VCV has the best workflow for me. I'm addicted to this. If you want phat, ok, use EQ or saturation or dynamics then!

[Ex Machina]

Even though I've had a version of Reaktor since Native Instruments first "Generator" instrument, I've never really gotten in to building my own ensembles. Reaktor Blocks seems like a more user friendly way to get into software-based modular synthesis. However, Reaktor Blocks doesn't sound like any hardware modular I've heard. If I'm being honest, it just sounds like a bad synth plugin. The Softube Modular sounds a lot better, IMO. But still, it seems to be missing something that you just can't get unless you build your own hardware modular rig.

[gentleclockdivider]

However, Reaktor Blocks doesn't sound like any hardware modular I've heard. If I'm being honest, it just sounds like a bad synth plugin.

Then you must be doing something wrong

[CrystalWizard]

(reaktor)- If I'm being honest, it just sounds like a bad synth plugin. The Softube Modular sounds a lot better, IMO. But still, it seems to be missing something that you just can't get unless you build your own hardware modular rig.

not my perception at all. Reaktor can sound amazing. There is certainly a difference if you build your own modular. the difference in sounds would be thin depending on your reaktor building skills and your modular skills. i've heard plenty of crap sound from modular synths and plenty of awesome from softsynths. i use both.

[Ex Machina]

However, Reaktor Blocks doesn't sound like any hardware modular I've heard. If I'm being honest, it just sounds like a bad synth plugin.

Then you must be doing something wrong

Well, I've just been listening to the 19 preset Blocks ensembles created by Native Instruments. I assume at least they know what they're doing. Or maybe not. Regardless, Blocks sounds really weak and artificial just like every other Reaktor instrument I've ever heard. The only exception is maybe Super 8 which to NI's credit they did turn into a proper VST3, AU, AAX plugin.

Anyway, thanks for your constructive comments. I'll be checking out some hardware modules.

[vurt]

Even though I've had a version of Reaktor since Native Instruments first "Generator" instrument, I've never really gotten in to building my own ensembles. Reaktor Blocks seems like a more user friendly way to get into software-based modular synthesis. However, Reaktor Blocks doesn't sound like any hardware modular I've heard. If I'm being honest, it just sounds like a bad synth plugin. The Softube Modular sounds a lot better, IMO. But still, it seems to be missing something that you just can't get unless you build your own hardware modular rig.

what exactly was wrong?
i use both, reaktor, and a few racks of hardware. aside from maybe the fully analogue patches, and even then, reaktor can cover most of what i get in hardware.

it just doesnt feel as "easy" to play like an instrument as the hardware, using a mouse is a poor substitute for tweaking, and a midi controller rarely has enough controls for it to be useful, if ever.
its also a little too "tight" on both timing and tuning drift for my needs too, although can be added with some more patching.

but on the other hand, ive spent as much on cables as i ever have on reaktor, including several of the instruments and module packs

[bmanic]

I don't know what this dude or dudette is smoking. Reaktor sounds absolutely fantastic. You can even internally oversample it a bunch and get extremely good sounding frequency modulation or any other audio rate things. Heck, if you are super hardcore, you can oversample the Reaktor plugin in reaper 16x and then further oversample it another 8x within Reaktor and get into the megahertz ranges, virtually eliminating any aliasing artifacts even on stupid audio rate patches. Sure, you won't be playing it realtime but for rendering crazy samples it's a fine workaround. None of the other modular VST plugin synths can do this as seamlessly as Reaktor. Softube only allows to be run at 192kHz which is still not enough for audio rate modulation shenanigans to be clean from digital artifacts.

[Shabdahbriah]

^^^ that ^^^