Product Reviews by KVR Members

Little Spacey by Expert Sleepers is a delay effect based on a vintage piece of analogue hardware called, "The Bucket Brigade." In truth, I never heard or saw that old piece of gear, but if it's anything like Little Spacey, it must be silky smooth and warm. The first thing I noticed about Little Spacey, besides the insanely affordable price, was clear, simple, and pleasing GUI — I love the color scheme. The second thing I noticed was how natural the signal repeats sounded. With each cycle, the delayed/repeated sound came back slightly degraded, which is what happens in natural environments. As a result, it's much easier to accomplish a dreamy, hypnotic, trippy, ambient sound. Unlike its digital counterparts, Little Spacey sounds REAL. Somewhere along the line I read a quote claiming this plugin to be "creamy." I think that's a perfect word to describe the sound of this effect. I find myself becoming addicted to Little Spacey — I want to use it on everything and anything. In addition to delay, it also does a nice chorus, vibrato, and quivering little tremolo effect. The mod depth control is fantastic for creating wobbling sound. I created a nice shimmering drone. Very sweet, indeed.

Little Spacey is a diamond in the virtual rough. I'm bewildered! :-0. Why isn't this thing more popular? What I see and hear is amazing.

• Fabulous GUI. I love the cool blue graphics
• Big knobs for easy tweaking
• Nice level meter
• Stereo
• AU and VST
• Fantastic developer support
• Great value
• Readable and usable manual.

MISSING FEATURES: 32-bit. I look forward to a 64-bit version.

I highly recommend Little Spacey to anyone making music electronically. If you need a little modulation warm — Little Spacey all the way! This is a great little plugin to have in your arsenal, and for the price it's hard to pass up. I pay twice as much to fill crappy car with gas. Tommy Zai gives Little Spacey two thumbs up. Thank you Expert Sleepers.

Crossfade Loop Synth by Expert Sleepers is a simple, yet powerful plugin that fills a HUGE void in electronic music production — basic sample playback! When I'm inspired, I like to work fast before my muse leaves me. Most of today's virtual samplers are so stuffed with features and menus that it's nearly impossible to load, tweak, and then play an audio file. Crossfade Loop Synth comes to the rescue. With this plugin, you can quickly load a WAV or AIFF, apply crossfade to the loop endpoints to smooth out the transitions, and then manipulate the sample with: overdrive, saturation, filtering, amplitude, filter, modulation, LFOs, reverse, etc.

• Re-sizable GUI — SWEET!
• Low CPU hit
• 64-bit operation
• Bundled with Crossfade Loop Synth Effect, which turns Crossfade Loop Synth into a live sampler and looper.
• 32 note polyphonic
• MIDI controllers can control all parameters
• Files can be saved as WAV or AIFF
• AU and VST
• Excellent support from developer
• Underpriced, and Im not complaining.

MISSING FEATURES: The main point of this plugin is to provide a straightforward alternative. So, adding too many features would complicate things and destroy the concept, i.e., time stretching, granular synthesis, etc. Yet, audio file drag n' drop would be nicer than the browser.

I still remember being able to write and record an electronic song in one day. With Crossfade Loop Synth, those days might be here again! Tommy Zai gives Crossfade Loop Synth two thumbs up. Thank you Expert Sleepers for creating such a cool plugin.

Adrenalinn Sync by Roger Linn is a unique and inspiring beat-synced (gate type) filter groove modulator, perfect for any music that has rhythm (what music doesn't have rhythm?). I searched for a plugin that could help create the guitar effect in the Smith's song, "How Soon Is Now." I was pleasantly surprised to discover how much more AdrenaLinn Sync can do! It accomplishes the near impossible by blending fantastic control and a lack of control (randomness) to help users generate original rhythmic patterns. It was clearly designed to pulsate droning lead and strummed guitar sounds, but I had a lot of success running vocals and pads through it. This plugin was not on top of my wish list; however, now that I've experienced it. .. I can't imagine creating music without it.

Adrenalinn Sync has many cool features: control, randomness, filter mod, LFO Amplitude, effects (flanger, phaser, delay, swing, tube distortion, etc.), self-gen noise for surprising percussive sounds, stereo signal path, snap to scale (chromatic, major, minor, pentatonic, blues, whole tone, etc.). I read that Way Out Ware helped code smooth analogue filters for this plugin — they sound sweet. The GUI is as stated, "Clean & Simple." It's also big and easy to navigate. There are some great presets that immediately yield musical results and slots available for user presets. I was able to create many variations from ping pong to tremolo to wah-wah. The sound quality is wonderful and the CPU is efficient.

I highly recommend Adrenalinn to anyone making music electronically. It's especially exciting for any real players looking to join the 21st century. In short, this plugin is fun and inspirational. For $99 bucks it's hard to pass up. This is from the developer of Linn Drums. He knows a little about rhythm. :-). Tommy Zai gives Adrenalinn two thumbs up. Thank you Roger Linn for creating a wonderful, affordable plugin.

Cons: None. It's missing reverb, but I didn't miss it. I've also read reviews that claimed the preset browser was long and difficult to navigate, but I had no problem.

DISCLCLAIMER: I tend to write reviews like an advertizement, but I have no affiliation with IMEA.

Groove Drum Synth by IMEA Studio is an inspiring pattern-based drum machine that combines a sampler and synth to enable the user to create authentic sounds. It comes in both plugin and stand-alone, which is very convenient — especially when feeling a spark of creativity and working fast to get an idea down. IMEA has assembled many great features from an electronic musician's wish list and put them all into one exciting package: independent outputs, CPU efficient, drag n' drop, velocity paint tool, MIDI learn, loop export, filters, built-in effects (Chorus, Compressor, Delay, Filter, Flanger, Limiter, Reverb, etc.), effects sends, and lots of patterns and steps per channel. My favorite feature is the randomization tool, which helps to create unique rhythmic variations. For anyone who's a fan of iDrum and the likes, give Groove Drum Synth a go! In fact, anyone creating music electronically should give this a go! You get a lot of bang for the buck! Also, the developer is very responsive and quick to help and/or answer questions. Tommy Zai gives Groove Drum Synth two thumbs up. Great work IMEA.

FEATURE REQUESTS: more patterns, more steps per pattern, round robin layers, triplets.

* I'm giving Nerve a 10, because there is no 9.5 and 9 would be an insult.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Nerve by Xfer Records is beyond user friendly — it's user inspiring. It took me a little time to download the 2gig+ library (wave-file kits, grooves, etc.), but immediately upon launching I noticed a neat, clean, sharp-looking interface. It appears different than others, not based on Roland or Akai hardware. It reminds me a little of the Sugar Bytes Thesys, which is a good thing. Everything you need seems to fit on a small laptop screen.

LEARNING CURVE
Its uniqueness doesn't translate into a big learning curve. I was too excited to read through a manual, and quickly realized I didn't have to. In no time, I was clicking and dragging neon blue waveform lines all over the place, making real-time adjustments to the sounds. I later found helpful video tutorials on the Xfer Records website, YouTube, and via forums.

PRE-CALCULATED EDITING
I went deeper and discovered more than twenty Pre-Calc DSP editing slider tools that change the samples in real-time and allow for major or minor re-synthesis. This is the feature got me excited. Check out the demo and see what I mean. You'll probably get hooked like I did. Nerve makes sample sculpting and mangling fun. To borrow a quote from The Plugin Guru, "The world of programming drums and stuff has just been simplified!"

SEQUENCER
I had no trouble dragging Nerve's blue bars up and down and swiping sideways to create a groove. This step sequencer won't wear out my track-pad or lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. .. just smiles. I quickly created many kinds of beats and variations. It was easy to lock things into 4/4 or swing it a little. I was happy to discover that individual patterns could be un-linked to allow each pad to run as wild and free.

THE LIBRARY
Wow! By itself, the Nerve library (sounds, kits, presets, patterns) makes this a worthwhile investment. Anyone, like myself, who has his/her own sample library, will find this even more attractive as it easily loads AIFF, WAV, REX, RX2, SND, etc. I finally have a use for those REX files that other programs won't load.

CUSTOMER SERVICE
Do these guys sleep? They provide a lightning fast response and very helpful by email, website contact, Xfer Records Forum, or via KRV and other forums.

WHY BUY IT?
The market is filled with audio plugins. If I had the money I would buy all the good ones, but I have very little money so I must spend wisely. There are many obvious reasons to buy Nerve, but I later discovered hidden reasons. For one thing, there are top-secret beta releases found in a sticky thread atop the Nerve forum — ONLY visible to registered users. The betas have features not found in the advertised commercial release.

SUGGESTIONS
I don't have much to complain about, but if I had to list a couple areas that could be stronger.. .

1. A well-organized independent browser for easier access to big user sample libraries. At present, getting to my .wav files takes too many clicks
2. More Deadmau5 sample packs and 3rd party support (nudge nudge)
3. More frequent "official" updates and releases
4. Groove randomizer to instantly create rhythmic variations
5. Drum synthesis to combine with samples

No complaints!! I'm just greedy and want MORE!

CONCLUSION: THERE IS NO END. .. IF YOU HAVE SAMPLES
Nerve provides humongous power and tons of inspiration. I'm sure you can dive deep into this thing, but you don't have to! I found myself waking up at the crack of noon to play with it. In short, I highly recommend this plugin to any eMusician, producer, or electronic songwriter using samples to make beats. You will have a blast and get addicted fast. I give Nerve three thumbs up.

Thank you Xfer Records for creating a virtual drum machine that makes me feel like a kid again. Time to play!

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation whatsoever to Xfer Records. If my review sounds like a sales pitch, forgive me. I get that way when I find a diamond in the virtual rough.

MDrummer by MeldaProduction claims to be the "ultimate drum machine and virtual drummer." Well, many companies make many claims, so I approached this plugin with skepticism. After three days of intensive exploration, tweaking, and noodling, I found myself mostly agreeing — this is an excellent drum/rhythm plugin. MDrummer really does seem to have endless possibilities. I was able to create any kind of sound I could think of with the sound generator via synthesis or sample (acoustic, electronic, percussive, scratching, etc.). I could then pile up layer upon layer with effects, build a zillion drum-sets, and get it moving and shaking with any genre rhythm in any time signature.

The rhythm generator was the main reason I gave it a go. I'm not a drummer, but I want sound like one. I created a simple beat that fit my track, and then generated variations, intros and fills. It's an amazing feature. If MDrummer was scaled down to only the rhythm generator, I would still consider it a must have and a good value. But it has many other things going for it. . .

• Easy installation, but takes time due to big library
• Simple and resizable interface (not the most attractive GUI, but utilitarian and efficient)
• Gigs of great sounding drumsets and loops
• Several sound generators for samples and synthesis
• Integrated Sequencer with humanization and shuffling
• Tempo adjustments and rhythm changes throughout a song
• In vivo value changes while tweaking
• World-class MeldaProduction effects (EQ, compressors, distortions, phaser, vibrato, tremolo, etc.)
• Jamming mode
• MIDI file drag & drop.

And my two favorite features besides the rhythm generator are. . .

• Lots of support (help system, tutorials, responsive developers)
• Free lifetime updates.

CONCLUSION
MDrummer has a strong, loyal user following. So, I'm confused! Why isn't everyone using this thing? Well, the interface is not for everyone, but the sound and flexibility is there. I highly recommend MDrummer to any e-musician, sound designer, songwriter, or producer who is looking for a primary rhythm box with endless possibilities or a secondary source to help generate unique rhythms that can trigger other plugins. Download the demo and see if it suits your sensibilities and workflow. I give MDrummer three thumbs up and my virtual hat is off to MP for developing such a wonderful rhythm workstation. Thank you.

Strum Electric GS-1 by Applied Audio Systems is a fantastic virtual electric guitar plugin. It's light on CPU and heavy on clarity, quality, and sound. There are no looped samples used, which makes this even easier on resources. AAS is the world's leader in creating physical modeling audio plugins, and Strum Electric does not disappoint. It's clean when it needs to be clean, and it really shines when processed. In performance, Strum is dynamic, powerful, and not hindered by overly complex velocity key-switches. It features up and down strokes, slides, beds, palm-muting, various chord positions, (open, movable, power). I was pleasantly surprised to find a variety of pickups (humbucker and single coil), cabinets, speakers, and effects (chorus, flange, vibrato, tremolo, wah-wah, etc.). What I like most about Strum Electric is how natural and authentic it sounds. The preset library has just about everything I need, and with a little tweaking, just about any tone is possible. It's capable of individual string editing, but I haven't gotten that deep into it to comment. There are also pre-made MIDI loops to mess around with. I usually don't use pre-made loops, but some of these are really inspiring and could easily be sculpted into something original. Sonically, it's wonderful and visually, it's clean and inspiring. I love the GUI. I give Strum Electric GS-1 two thumbs up. I'd give three if I had three!

TwistedWave is THE audio recording and editing application I have dreamt about since I sang my first song and played my first note. Finally, I can work fast and preserve my initial inspiration. There is NO learning curve. .. launch, hit red button, select an area, edit, save, DONE! This little program is the epitome of user friendly, without sacrificing features. TwistedWave is well thought out, clean, and clever. The editing features have depth (fade in and out, compressor-limiter, EQ, pitch shifting, time stretching, etc.), the sound quality is fantastic (up to 24-bit/192 kHz), it supports all the main formats (.wav, aiff, MP3, etc.), and the layout and functionality are second to none. Did I mention batch processing and metadata editing? What's not to like? Even the price is right! I give TwistedWave as many stars as there is in the sky. Thank you for creating such an amazingly simple, yet powerful program.

Discovery Pro by discoDSP is an inspiring virtual analog synth that is capable of creating just about any synth sound, but where it really shines is with leads and bases. The analog oscillators and unison mode really help to create a punchy sound that can come to life with its wet, juicy filters. There are 12 filters, including one that's very Moogish. The mod wheel parameters and morphing capabilities are outstanding. The interface is straightforward and easy to navigate, making preset tweaking a cinch. For those not interested in sound design, there are many great presets easily found in the user-friendly patch browser.

Discovery Pro is one of those rare synths that sound great with or without effects. The raw sound of this synth is really, really good, even naked. I rarely use on-board arpeggiators, but this one is quite special, featuring all kinds of gate effects that help create butt shaking, head jerking grooves. Discovery Pro also has wave-sample import, which allows the user to create endless timbres of sound. The manual covers all the basics, and the customer support is fantastic via KVR threads and timely replies by the developer. This is one of the few VSTis I have that is easy on my CPU and wallet.

All in all, Discovery Pro offers a fat sound for not much processing load or $ — it's a great value! Three thumbs up! Thank you discoDSP for creating Discovery Pro, a fantastic synth for now and for the future!

Elecktroid by AudioSpillage is clever little AU drum machine plugin that combines big time synthesis and samples to create unique, great sounding drum sounds. It contains 4 basic synth algorithms to build from, which can be mixed with your own endless supply of WAV or AIFF samples. I have a huge library from yesteryear so this plugin helps me make use of that wealth of madness by simply dragging and dropping. I've had great success synthesizing a smooth, crisp drum tone and then blending that tone with the attack of my dirty old samples via some simple cross-fading. In this way, Elecktroid enables users and abusers to create one-of-a-kind drum sounds. I'm not a programmer, but from the look and sound of this plugin I'm sure a lot of thought and work went into developing it. The interface is clean, cool, and modern. The sound is whatever you want it to be. I read somewhere that the DSP code used helps to create a "deep, powerful and punchy sound." That's spot on! Another thing I really dig about this hybrid groove box is the low CPU hit. There is absolutely NO latency issue. Whew! There is an on board step-sequencer that has a sweet groove quantize control, but I rely on Five12's Numerology for sequencing, so I usually don't use this one. Still, it's useful for demoing newly created sounds. I should mention that Elecktroid works seamlessly in Studio One and Numerology — my hosts of choice.

There is not much to complain about — this plugin is well designed and well thought out. I would, however, like to see more synthesis algorithms. The four included are sweet, but I have a sweet tooth and crave much more! Also, it would be nice to sync to host and drag n' drop feature or other way to transfer MIDI data from the sequencer to a host/DAW.

All in all, this was a low risk purchase for me. It sells for very little money and delivers a lot of clang and bang for the buck. I would buy it again, and I highly recommend other electronic musicians and producers give it a go. I give Elecktroid 4.75 stars. Thank you AudioSpillage for developing such an innovative, inspiring, and much needed audio plugin!