When I first saw this synth the name conjured up images of those big box 'no creativity or talent required' bloatware MP3 apps that they sell at PC World. But what we have here is great VSTi.
I can't say enough good things about eJ. As soon as I fired up the demo version I fell in love with it. I'll keep this review short as I don't to overdo it.
To surmise, I've always had this feeling that high-end FM synthesis isn't accessible by everyone due to the high price tags of FM7, Sytrus and their ilk. At $59 they're practically giving this away. Way to go Maxx Claster, if more developers made plug-ins of this quality in this price range, the audio software world would be a better place...
EDIT: Sorry Maxx, but after upgrading to Toxic I still prefer eJ. Maybe it's just the wealth of useable presets, but I still love this thing.
User Interface I had no issues with the v1.2 GUI, now it has that nice 'brushed aluminium' look. I like how each operator is displayed in a little TV screen. Nicely laid out, pretty, class.
Sound I love FM synths, but this one fits the style of music I produce perfectly. Less of the toy town 'dwang' and 'ping' noises and more professional sounds that you can actually use. For $59 I expected it to sound like a Sega Megadrive, but eJ gives FM7 a run for its money. It has taken centre stage in my latest production, enough said.
Features Chorus, flanger, delay, EQ, tons of presets. eJ is especially good for leads but can do a pretty good job of the rest.
Documentation Nice Windows help file included with the download, updated for version 2.0 as well.
Presets I have never seen a VSTi come with so many presets, or so many good ones. It gives me that 'kid in a candy shop' feeling. Still can't decide which sounds to use on my latest production.
Customer Support The download link came through minutes after the order. Had a minor problem but received a work-around within hours of my E-mail.
Value For Money This is where this synth shines. $59 is a giveaway for a synth of this quality. Compared to the cost of FM7 or Sytrus this is a steal.
Stability Slight problem with FL Studio 5 but this was fixed by the developer and an update released within days.
