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Reaktor

$449 / €379
Reaktor
Reaktor by Native Instruments is a Virtual Instrument Audio Plugin for macOS and Windows. It functions as a VST Plugin, an Audio Units Plugin, a VST 3 Plugin and an AAX Plugin.
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Reaktor is a completely modular, real-time sound synthesis, sampling and effects software application / plug-in. It fuses all audio applications into a single, versatile and powerful tool. Musicians, producers and sound designers are all catered to by the very broad range of instruments and sounds already included. With an open engine architecture, the potential for building your own highly individual instruments is endless.

Main Features:

  • Completely modular, real-time sound synthesis, sampling and effects software.
  • Over 60 unique synths, samplers, drum machines and effects providing thousands of sounds.
  • Includes free access to the NI Online User Library to download more than 2100 additional instruments.
  • Preset morphing and preset randomization.
  • Pre-designed building blocks for easy construction of individual instruments and effects.
  • The latest, high-end algorithms deliver pristine sound.
  • Reaktor Core Technology allowing low level, custom module design.
  • 'skinability' of all instrument control elements.
  • Multi-breakpoint envelopes with slope control, tempo grid and looping.
  • Live sampling and effect modules with auto-normalisation and tempo-synchronous beat juggling.

Latest User Reviews

Average user rating of 3.67 from 12 reviews
Reaktor

Reviewed By Xavs [all]
February 1st, 2022
Version reviewed: 6.1 on Windows

It's amazing but quite buggy since ever.

Like many other NI products, I find the presets' selection is not much efficient.

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Reaktor

Reviewed By TokyoMind [all]
January 6th, 2018
Version reviewed: iMac Pro on Mac

It's a awesomeness sound effect plugin. We have choose Reaktor 6 for new track in this year. Main style is dance music tracks.

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Reaktor

Reviewed By arturmeinild [all]
June 6th, 2017
Version reviewed: 6 on Windows

Complete modular studio, endless possibilities (especially with the new "blocks" format), tons of user content and continuous support. It's really a no-brainer as part of the Komplete bundle, which is very reasonably priced with it's upgrade path.

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Reaktor

Reviewed By SODDI [all]
March 23rd, 2016
Version reviewed: 6.0 on Windows

User since version 3.I can't remember. I am underwhelmed. There is nothing far out, nothing earth-shaking, nothing worthy of a new version in this new version. The new "boxes" are pretty-looking simplified versions of old builds. No new FX, just the standard delays and reverbs. Plus they changed the graphics interface, rendering it pretty much unusable for experienced builders.

Horrible sloppy installation, strewing program files across 4 directories and subdirectories (or more, I haven't unveiled all the horrors of where the installation put what). This is NI's very worst installation - even worse than Kontakt's. And what makes it worse is that if you TRY to do file maintanance and make things easier for you, 9 times out of 10 Reaktor will no longer read those files - because NI set up that installation exactly that way and how dare you try to do it your way.

So if your idea of electronic music creation is bland, ordinary sounds and endless, frustrating file maintanance - you're gonna lose files - Reaktor 6 is the VST for you.

I'm going to go back to 5. I DO have far-out things there.

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Reaktor

Reviewed By lordvader48 [all]
January 8th, 2007
Version reviewed: 5.0 on Mac

Reaktor is a very troublesome creature for musicians. Reaktor has incredible potential, and NI promises great things from its "factory ensembles" and its vaunted "user library".

The reality is somewhat different, however. Make no mistake - Reaktor is a truly amazing piece of technology. Reaktor may be the ultimate synthesizer construction kit.. hardware OR software. The problem is in *realizing its potential*.

Think about it for a minute: What do you get when you buy a Roland synth? Sure, you get a piece of hardware. And these days you also get some software. But you get something else: some very smart (usually Japanese) engineers spent years of their lives figuring out how to deliver the right software/hardware implementation to make a really great musical INSTRUMENT. THIS is the part that Reaktor doesn't provide.

Does NI provide a bunch of really great-sounding, MUSICAL factory ensembles with R5? No, not really. There are some awfully good ones, like the Junatik synth, the SpaceMaster reverb, the GrainState synth, and a few others. But most of the NI "factory ensembles" are novelties, good for making stunning squeaks and squonks that sell software, but not much use for making music.

What about the vaunted "user library"? Again, there's not that much there after you spend some time looking at it. Why? Because musical instrument design is hard, and the user ensembles (like the factory ensembles) lack the man-years of talented effort that it would take to make really great-sounding, useful Reaktor instruments.

If you are a talented instrument designer and you have lots of time, there's no doubt that Reaktor 5 will deliver incredible results for you. If you need usable synth/sampler sounds in the near future, you are much better off if you AVOID the abyss that is... Reaktor 5.
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Comments & Discussion for Native Instruments Reaktor

Discussion
Discussion: Active
ryanmallen
ryanmallen
9 December 2014 at 10:21pm

Heavyocity has just released two new Reaktor instruments (BitRate II and MonoBoy) developed in conjunction with Icebreaker Audio.

BitRate II is a retro drum synth with sound engines covering chipsounds, FM synthesis, lofi sampling, and glitchy circuit bending. The drums can be triggered via MIDI or from the internal sequencer.

MonoBoy is a melodic counterpart for BitRate II. MonoBoy uses similar sound engines, but in an interface more suited to melodic playing.

The BitRate II Bundle (BitRate and MonoBoy) ships with a total of 140 preset snapshots including a variety of sounds from kits and beats to synths and samples, and is available as a two week limited-time offer of $29.

BitRate II Key Features:

- 5 drum slots into which you can load any one of 4 sound engines.

- 4 lo-fi digital sound engines: Chip, FM, Sampler, Glitch.

- The ability to sample from the audio input into a custom-built sample engine.

- A built-in sequencer with 2 modulation sequences per drum.

- Per-track sequence length, allowing for complex poly-rhythms.

- EQ, Compressor, and Speaker Simulator master effects.

MonoBoy Key Features:

- 3 sound generator modes, including a unique DM sampler.

- Easy-to-use arpeggiator and Voice Controls.

- 2 Modulation sequences.

- A master FX section that includes the one-of-a-kind Bit Delay effect.

Powered by Native Instruments Reaktor 5.9 full software version.

You can watch a quick demo of it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwSJO0xs0qw.

Available for download at heavyocity.com.

Deist
Deist
31 March 2016 at 3:09pm

Those damn companies and devs who make their products install exactly the way THEY want (and of course it ends being the worst possible way for the user)... Like THEY're supposed to be the ones making the calls on YOUR computer.

Fuck them! Fuck Native.
For that single reason and glorious mark of disdain and disrespect towards their (potential) customers, I for one am NEVER gonna buy a single product from them.

My loss, you say?
Think again. (^_-)

Hirezaudio
Hirezaudio
31 March 2016 at 4:06pm

I don't know if I am going so far as not to use Native Instrument products but I will agree their installation interface leaves a lot to be desired.

pthelo
pthelo
30 August 2017 at 11:53pm

The new Native Instruments installer, 'Native Access" is much smoother and easier to work with than the former installer/manager. Check it out! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. https://www.native-instruments.com/en/specials/native-access/.

opa-brause
opa-brause
21 February 2018 at 8:50am

besides reaktor 5 got traktor, which by the way needed 2 weeks to be registered properly, I am not sure if ni just want to sell their products but do not take care much for their older products and they own quiet a lot of usefull old progs.

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