Dronebox

USER INTERFACE - Easy to understand, intuitive, it's not too big or too small, however it could be better. The layout is a bit confusing at first since the LFO, Reverb, and Delay knobs are very eccentrically sized and placed. I've found the LFO grid to be uninspiring to program as there's no visual feedback to what the LFOs are doing.

SOUND - Regardless of the user interface, it definitely proves itself with its sound. The resonant delays are highly customizable, clean, and predictable with panning, decay amount, damping amount, positive/negative feedback, and switchable to Note Pitch, Frequency, or MIDI Control (each delay with its own midi channel). It's very easy to take a percussive sound and create awesome chords. Carefully applying LFO parameters can create some spacey-ambiotic sound effects. The input signal is reduced to mono, but each delay can be panned and panning can be modulated via the LFO system. Once you turn on and customize three or more delays, things start to sound very organic.

FEATURES - The internal reverb sounds clean, bright and is very adequate in supporting Dronebox's spacey sound and nature. The delay is syncable and unsyncable with ping-pong and normal modes. When delay time is modulated, it does not pitch shift, but stutters. This effect is uncommon among delays, but desirable in some cases. As for the LFO section, I feel the LFOs have a limited flexability and the rate and depth of the LFOs cannot be set to the extremes I'd like. The delay time is not controllable through the LFO section. However, when you combine all the various features of Dronebox it is certainly not a one-trick pony. I've used Dronebox to assist in sound effects, voice manipulation, percussion, ambient textures, and electric guitar simulation.

DOCUMENTATION - Just enough to explain what everything does. However, there's an added bonus within the plugin. At the bottom left corner there is a help button. When turned on, a dialog box at the bottom of the plugin will explain what your mouse is hovering over.

PRESETS - A healthy amount that shows you the general capability of the plugin. Presets range from creepy to nice and ambiotic. Ambiotic is not really a world, but I sure as hell want it to be...

CUSTOMER SUPPORT - Top notch. Features I've suggested have been considered and bugs I've reported have been promptly fixed.

VALUE FOR MONEY - This is the only plugin that does what it can do and I absolutely needed it. I purchased it knowing I couldn't use it in too many compositions, but I knew what I bought it for and it definitely provided when I called it to the stage.

STABILITY - Has caused a few crashes in the past. Since the updates, it seems fine. However, I'm never immediately happy with the volume output of Dronebox. I usually find myself cranking up the input signal as much as I can muster before I'm satisfied.