Product Reviews by KVR Members

INTRO

G8 Dynamic Gate by Unfiltered Audio is a full-featured, yet user-friendly gate plugin that is versatile, sounds great, has negligible latency, and a low CPU hit. The interface is clean and efficient. In addition to excelling at usual noise gating (threshold, reduction, mix controls, AHR envelope, etc.), the G8 is also capable of tremolo chopping, bouncing ball and stutter FX, trajectory panning, transient shaping, granular synthesis, grain removal, etc.

FAVORITE FEATURES:

• Inviting GUI.
• Shallow learning curve.
• Wet/Dry control for parallel gating, compression, expansion, etc.
• Latency-compensation dry signal.
• Low (if any) latency.
• Configurable real-time display.
• RMS and Peak style metering.
• Easy mix balancing.
• MIDI clip triggering.
• Advanced routing and Customizable side-chaining.
• Enthusiastic developer.
• DRM Free. "When you buy it, you own it. No serial numbers, dongles, or forced internet connections" — Unfiltered Audio.
• Fantastic price.

QUESTIONS?:

• This is only version 1.0. What can we expect for future revisions and versions? ;-).

SUMMARY

The G8 inspires creativity and is very approachable. To quote another reviewer, "[The G8 is] the Ultimate Gate." I highly recommend this plugin to anyone working with digital audio. Tommy Zai gives the G8 Dynamic Gate two stuttering thumbs up. Thank you, Unfiltered Audio, for creating another fine audio plugin.

INTRO

Volfram by Subsonic Labs is a flexible semi-modular multi-effects processor that is simply fantastic! It's all there — in one slick little plugin — chorus, cab simulation, delay, distortion, filters, flange, phasing, and so on. The plugin is easy to use, yet deep when needed. Modular blocks can be conveniently shuffled around. Presets serve as an excellent start point. The pattern generator is fun to use and helps users break through any sort of producer's block.

FAV FEATURES:

• User-friendly interface (dual section) with a fast workflow.
• Convenient preset management with 100 worthwhile presets.
• Manipulators provide excellent control.
• Endless sound-sculpting and mangling options.
• Great sound.
• Small footprint.
• CPU friendly, considering the power.
• Enthusiastic, responsive developer.
• Love the website. .. mad scientists indeed.
• Exceptional value.

QUESTIONS?:

• What does Volfram/Wolfram mean?
• Will Subsonic Labs be releasing a monster reverb or adding such a beast to Volfram?

SUMMARY

Volfram inspires and does not get in the way of the creative process. I like to work fast, and the last thing I want or need is to get tangled up in a steep learning curve for each FX. With Volfram, it's all there. .. breathing life into my tracks instead of sucking the life out. To quote another, "Get that vintage vibe with a modern twist - Delays, pitch shifting, distortion, chorusing, phasing, panning, filtering, cabinet emulation and all strange combinations in between." It is perfectly suited for any eMusician, producer, sound designer, DJ, film and game scorer, etc., who likes to work fast before his/her muse hits the road. Tommy Zai gives Volfram two gigantic thumbs up. Thank you, Subsonic Labs, for inventing such a wonderful beast of a plugin.

Note: I found a cool video posted by the developer that gives examples of the FX possibilities.. .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07vhqUjbEeg.

INTRO

Sandman by Unfiltered Audio is a one-of-a-kind delay looper that is capable of warping nearly any audio into an otherworldly ambient texture. In the past, I time-stretched sampled audio to create my own atmospheric sounds, but the results were rarely pleasing — usually filled with digital clock-noise, unwanted distortion, and time stretch/sample rate conversion artifacts. With Sandman, I'm able to work in vivo, on the fly by doing the following:

1. Create a runaway echo.
2. Add character to taste.
3. Capture a desired audio segment via the Sleep control.
4. Warp the delay loop into a haunting masterpiece.

FAVORITE FEATURES:

• Easy to use, minimalist GUI.
• Inspiring.
• Capable of a wide range of sonic tones, from lo-fi to hi-fi.
• De-clicker to smooth out loops.
• Tempo sync'r.
• LFOs.
• CPU friendly.
• Enthusiastic, energetic, responsive developers.
• No serial number or iLok needed.
• Fantastic price.

SUMMARY

For the past week I've enjoyed creating a variety eerie sounds. Sandman is worth every penny, and it doesn't cost many pennies. I think I paid more for a sandwich at Whole Foods Market yesterday. Perhaps that's an unfair analogy as the sandwich was organic; yet, Sandman is very organic in it's own unique way. I highly recommend Sandman to any eMusican, producer, DJ, film and game scorer, and sound designer, who is looking to creatively stretch their sound and wallet. Tommy Zai gives Sandman two LOUD echoing shouts. Thank you, Unfiltered Audio for creating such a unique and useful FX plugin.

Note: Sandman is also a very capable delay, flanger, granulator, etc. I chose to focus on the more exciting feature in this brief, first impressions user review.

INTRO

Mark Studio 2 by Overloud is a powerful virtual bass amp workstation that features bass heads, cabinets, microphones, and a complete pedal-board stuffed with stomp boxes — all modeled after the well-known, great sounding Mark hardware gear. There are many guitar amp simulators available, but the dedicated bass options are limited. Even if this were the only such software available to me, I would never be left wanting. I use Mark Studio 2 in a classroom setting with teens that have the attention span of a housefly. It's vital to my musical lessons that I work fast and get good results. This software helps me dial in a great bass tone long before my students are text messaging, staring out the window, or sleeping with their heads on their desks. I use the presets as a starting point and then quickly substitute and/or adjust from there. All in all, version 2 is everything I hoped for and more. It's easy to use, powerful, great sounding. .. I will continue with a bulleted list:

FAVORITE FEATURES:

• Easy to download, authorize, and launch.
• Cool-looking interface/GUI.
• Inspiring, intuitive workflow.
• Primarily a one-page design — all vital parameters easily accessible.
• Shallow learning curve.
• No crashes.
• CPU friendly.
• Usable presets.
• Microphone phase inversion option.
• Rear microphone placement for behind cab sound.
• Real-time parameter adjustment.
• Fantastic sound.
• Super subs via Ultra Button.
• Innovative, responsive developer.
• Good price considering the sound and power.

OTHER THOUGHTS:

• I'd like to see an expanded EQ with micro control and a really fuzzy distortion button/pedal for trippy, psychedelic, industrial, or any other heavily effected bass tracks.
• I really dig the Vintage Loudspeaker Emulation and would like to see more vintage options — I'm greedy and hungry for the 502, 60s, and 70s sound.
• The onboard reverb called "Room" is great for a reference, but I usually bypass it and use a dedicated reverb unit/plugin.

SUMMARY

Mark Studio 2 is easy to use and delivers a great sound. It's flexible, has great parameter control, and features all the tools needed to create an excellent bass track. It can do it all, from pulsating subs to punchy, bright, or buzzy. It also has some presets for synth bass, which expands the software's usefulness beyond "real" bass. To quote another reviewer, "The amount of available tonal variation is phenomenal. The array of amplifiers faithfully reproduce the tone, texture and feel of the Markbass lineup – from the all-tube Classic 300 to the hybrid MoMark." I highly recommend Mark Studio 2 to any eMusician, eProducer, film and game scorer, sound designer, etc., who uses bass — basically everyone and anyone creating music in the modern world! Tommy Zai gives Mark Studio 2 two thumb slaps up. In short, Mark Studio 2 helps breathe life into bass tracks! Thank you, Overloud, for creating such a fantastic software for my bass.

Note: I would rate this product 9.5, leaving room for my suggested improvements; however, I have to choose either 9 or 10. I went with 10.

http://www.overloud.com/products/mark_studio2.php.

INTRO

Euphonia by TB PRO AUDIO is an outstanding audio spectrum balancing plugin that subtly, but significantly works sonic wonders on tracks. It didn't take me long to appreciate the many benefits of adding this to my workflow. It's perfectly suited for mastering, but can also be used for restoration, re-mastering, sound design, and sculpting single tracks. Euphonia's interface is fun and inviting. The complex calculations are done behind the scenes, enabling the user to focus on the creative process — not mathematics. Soon after launching Euphonia, I knew it would become a permanent part of my music production. It's an excellent tool that fills a few vital important roles, most notably bringing the overall frequencies in line with the intended genre. This was something I once labored over when producing tracks, especially dance tracks. I would mix, master, press a test copy, beg a DJ friend to mix it in with other club music, and see how it matched up. It was all done by ear and/or guesswork. With Euphonia, there is less guessing and more smiling.

FAVORITE FEATURES:

• Easy download, install, and authorization process.
• User-friendly Interface.
• Sounds great.
• Good price.
• Innovative, responsive developer.

OTHER THOUGHTS:

• There are two ways to capture audio. I prefer the off-line option, as it's much faster.
• The built-in curves are excellent, and I heard version 1.5 has custom reference curves, which will allow users to tailor the balancing for other genres and subgenres, i.e., Funk, Motown, R&B, Folk, etc.
• Some CPU spike, but the overall consumption is good considering the powerful processing that's going on.

SUMMARY

Euphonia is a handy plugin that is a must for anyone (eMusicians, producers, film and game scorers, sound designer, DJs, etc.), who are serious about making music that stand tall when compared to other tracks in its genre. It helps breathe life into music, not suck the life out of it! Tommy Zai gives Euphonia two keenly balanced thumbs up. Thank you TB Pro Audio for creating such an essential plugin.

Note: This plugin will not take the place of mastering engineers, but it will help "set a solid (frequency balancing) ground for mastering." I stole this quote from an online comment.

INTRO
RealRick by MusicLab is an extraordinary virtual guitar that is modeled after two of the most sought after instruments ever made. Some years back I sustained an injury, which has made playing "real" instruments nearly impossible. Yet, I continued to produce music by either hiring a guitarist of making due with sample library instruments. MusicLab eventually came to my rescue by developing RealGuitar for my acoustic needs and RealStrat for my blues, garage rock, funk, and surf needs. I really dig those two instruments, and they have become indispensable musical tools. Note: RealLPC is on my list, but I'm not as much into classic rock and metal and the other genres associated with that fine guitar. What I really hoped for was just released and is now on my MacBook — a virtual 6 and 12-string Rick! I am a huge fan of the British Invasion sound as well as the later jangle guitar bands. My biggest influences are the Beatles, Joy Division, New Order, REM, The Smiths, Oasis, Smashing Pumpkins, etc. One of the things they have in common is the unmistakable jangly bell-tone rhythm guitar. I simple love that sound, and now I have it! But I found RealRick to be much more than just an authentic, great sounding Rickenbacker 6 and 12-string sample library. RealRick also features MusicLab's Pattern Manager and Guitar Pattern Library that assist in creating backing rhythm tracks. This is a very playable instrument that is also fun to play.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS:

• Ordering and downloading was straightforward.
• Surprisingly usable manual.
• Installing, authorizing, and launching was a snap.
• Interface is attractive.
• I selected the "Chords" button, pressed and held a key, was instantly reminded of the early Beatles sound, and smiled.

FAVORITE FEATURES:

• User-friendly, inspiring interface.
• Deep pattern library and excellent pattern browser.
• Flexible switch system.
• Extensive array of usable articulations (mutes, harmonics, bends, chopping, scrapes, etc.) — yields very realistic results.
• Four chord positions with graphic fret-board note/chord display.
• Sounds great and is recorded DRY as a bone! Thankfully, there are no baked in effects.
• Convenient standalone version (and plugins of course).
• Stereo and Mono just like the real thing.
• Good price considering what this instrument is capable of doing.
• Innovative developer, known for frequent updates.

OTHER THOUGHTS:

• What guitar is next?
• Any chance MusicLab will release a bass collection?

SUMMARY
This is a bittersweet day for me as an eMusican/producer. It's sweet because I finally have the virtual guitar I always dreamt about. It's bitter because I no longer have an excuse for not making music. Like the other offerings by MusicLab, RealRick sounds great and inspires creativity. It is addictive, which is much better than staring at my controller and waiting for lightning to strike. I highly recommend RealRick to any eMusician, producer, film and gamer scorer, DJ, sound designer, etc., who is looking for a virtual Rickenbacker 6 and 12-string guitar. If you dig the early to mid-60s sound and the later jangle stuff of the 80s and 90s, this should be on your wishlist. I have no regrets picking this up, and sincerely hope others will share my excitement over this new release. "We keep working to make your music production life even more fun than it is today!" Well, Tommy Zai is having more fun and gives RealRick two big thumbs up! Thank you MusicLab for adding this authentic, legendary guitar to your collection.

Note: In my upcoming project I anticipate using RealStrat for leads, RealGuitar for anything acoustic, and RealRick for Electric Rhythm.

RealRick v4 Update
The new RealRick version skips from v1 to v4. This seemed strange to me at first, but then I thought about it and think I figured out Musiclab's rationale. Their other, more seasoned, instruments have naturally progressed through the versions, i.e., 1, 2, 3, and 4. They used the same research and development to bump RealRick up to v4. Like RealStrat and others, RealRick now has improved sound and performance. The most noteworthy new feature is the Song Mode, which helps turn this fine instrument into a powerful workstation. At the risk of criticism, Musiclab seems to be taking a path similar to Toontrack. I see this as brilliant. Most experienced electronic music makers have more plugins than they can count; yet, how many do they use. .. or more importantly, how many help the creative process? The Real instrument line are extremely musical and serve as a songwriting assistant. In use, ideas develop and flow instead of going somewhere to rot and die. Some of my favorite new features include:

• Global Song Mode with option to export MIDI
• Easy chord change and pattern insertion
• Increased strum time range
• Advanced humanize engine with several parameters and randomization options.

All in all, this is a sweet update, and I'm glad I picked it up. It's worth all $49 as an upgrade for registered users. RealRick perfectly captures the chimey, bell-like jangle. Thank you, Musiclab!.

*On a side note, it's been a rough year financially, and I was forced to sell my Jetglow 620 to pay some bills. Using RealRick eases the pain!

INTRO

Vier by Eisenberg is a fascinating virtual instrument! It is based on the Doepfer MS-404, a monophonic rack mount synth from the 90s that still has a strong industrial music cult following. I have owned countless synths since 1985, but never an MS-404. I'm not able to compare this soft offering to the hardware; however, I am certain of one thing — this synth is smaller than Doepfers and does not require a warm-up period for stabilization! Vier delivers an uncanny polyphonic combination of clean, yet analogue tones. And, it's not only polyphonic; it's polyphonic times four — hence the name "Vier." The saw-tooth wave is buzzy, bright, and thick. The pulse wave is wispy and hollow. The white noise generator is clean. It's a sweet synth with a fast envelope that is perfect for percussive sounds, especially arps and leads. It's no surprise that it has a nice peaky, resonant type bass for sequences. I discovered a nice musical quality in the mid frequencies, clarity in the upper regions, and a decent boom in the lows. The original MS-404 is known as an emulation of Roland's TB-303 Bassline Synth. It's hard to say whether or not Doepfer intentionally or accidentally decided on the name similarity with the 303. Vier utilizes a transistor ladder design like the Moog synths and Roland TB-303 uses a diode-ladder — this makes Vier/303 comparisons a bit dubious. In my opinion Vier is sonically more like Roland's SH101, but richer and more versatile. Regardless, Vier is authentically Vier.

FAVORITE FEATURES:

• Simple, pleasant interface.
• Smooth workflow.
• Fun to program.
• Intuitive preset management.
• Glide control.
• Drive knob.
• Anti-aliasing oscillators.
• VCO modulation.
• Wet, juicy filter.
• Excellent voice management.
• Innovative, responsive developer.
• Good price.

OTHER THOUGHTS:

• I'd like to see a good default patch and a more comprehensive library of presets to show off Vier's power.

SUMMARY

Vier is organic, inspiring, and like Eisenberg's Einklang — innovative and intelligent. This is an ultra-potent plugin with a genuine sound. I highly recommend Vier to any e-musician, producer, film and game scorer, sound designer, DJ, etc., who is looking to add something unusual, but addictively usable to their arsenal of virtual instruments. I grabbed it as soon as it was released, and I have no regrets! Tommy Zai gives Vier four big thumbs up. Thank you, Eisenberg, for developing another unique soft synth.

Note: I wanted to give Vier a 9.5 rating, but I had to choose 9 or 10, so I went with 10. I'm sure it will deserve a 10 after a few updates. ;-)

*Disclaimer: I'm a songwriter, producer, and educator. My writing style may read like a billboard ad, but my user review is sincere and authentic. I only appraise a product I consider extraordinary, hence the high rating. I don't work for the developer. In fact, I rarely work at all. :-) I hope you find my review useful. — Tommy Zai

I am not a adverspammer! LOL

Intro

The 1965 Ludwig Super Classic Kit by DrumDrops is an excellent drum sample library and rhythm workstation that provides a detailed patch for Kontakt. The Pack contains up to sixteen velocities per articulation and 5 round robins that total over 8000 individual samples. The kit sounds great out-of-the-box and it is easily customizable and adjustable. Ludwig's Super Classic model was a standard configuration for the industry and used by many top drummers, including the one and only Ringo, who served a song without dominating it! The '65 kit had a simple, compact configuration; yet, it was powerful enough to drive some of the greatest bands in the history of pop, rock, jazz, soul, etc. I love having "Ringo in a box, " but even if I weren't a Beatle-maniac I would buy this sample library for the pure sound of the kit. There is something very special about it! This library is everything I sonically hoped for — authentic, warm, tight, punchy, alive, and personal without any unwanted room ambience. I'm not sure what microphones, preamps, drummers, and engineers were used to create this sample library, but whatever and whoever they are — they did a sweet job. Until now, I had been constructing my pseudo Super Classic Kit by cannibalizing bits and pieces from various sample libraries to approximate the sound I was after. Sadly, coming close was not good enough. In addition to the authentic sound, DrumDrops has created an interface that serves as a rhythm workstation. It comes with a Groove Player, featuring 800 or so MIDI patterns created by real drummers and an eight channel, 32-step per channel Step Sequencer. There is also a Groove Slicer that I have yet to explore. The beat creation aspect of this pack allows me to finally ditch some of the other subpar sample libraries that I've been holding onto that have a groove player.

Drum Specifications:

• Kick Drum: Vintage 1965 Ludwig Super Classic (14" X 20").
• Snare #1: 1960s Rogers Dynasonic Wooden Snare (5.5" X 14).
• Snare #2: 1970s Ludwig 402 Snare (5" X 14").
• Rack Tom: Vintage 1965 Ludwig Super Classic (13" x 9").
• Floor Tom: Vintage 1965 Ludwig Super Classic (16" X 16").
• Ride: 1970s Zildjian K Medium Heavy 20" Ride.
• Crash: 1970s Zildjian K Dark Medium Thin 18" Crash.
• Hi Hat: 1970s Zildjian K 14" Hi Hats.

My Favorite Features:

• Simple, powerful interface.
• Easy to process according to taste.
• Randomization feature for tuning, velocities, EQ, etc.
• Sequencer and Groove player.
• Microphone blend – ability to vary the balance of the different microphones at their respective positions.
• Eight channel mixer (Mute, Solo, Phase Reverse, etc.) with excellent routing to DAW.
• Built in buss compressor and tape saturator.
• Useful mix presets.
• Responsive, innovative developer.

Value for the Price:

• Excellent quality vs. price ratio when compared to other vintage packs.

Quality of the Sound:

• Unmistakably the real thing. Sound is phenomenal, and with very little imagination I can feel and smell the mahogany.

Questions:

• Can I add my own MIDI drum patterns to the Groove Player?
• What revisions and updates are projected for this library?

Summary

This is a bittersweet day for me as a songwriter and producer. Sweet, because I finally have one complete, authentic, great sounding, industry standard 1965 Ludwig Super Classic Kit; Bitter, because I no longer have any excuses. My muse is looking me and asking, "Well, are you going to chew gum or bang out some beats?" Now that I have this drum sample library, it's time to create some music! I highly recommend this kit to any eMusician, producer, sound designer, film or video sound-tracker, video gamer, DJ, etc., who digs the vintage, yet timeless mid-60s sound. Tommy Zai gives this fine Kontakt 5 Pack two hard-hitting rim shots help up high! Thank you, DrumDrops, for resurrecting and breathing life back into my ultimate dream kit.

INTRO

I'm a ex-music producer, now working as an ESL in an underdeveloped area of China. I use creative lesson planning to teach English and life-skills to "at risk" teenagers, and transitional adults. I often use music to help these troubled youths express their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs in a healthy manner. In addition, I secretly try to inspire students to release their hidden musical talent. I often use Riffstation in class to slow down audio, which is great for ear training and deciphering. This application is filled with useful features; yet, the isolation tool to identify and lift-out pre-recorded audio (vocals, guitars, etc.) has proven to be indispensable. I create karaoke tracks, which enables my students to practice their spoken, sung, and even screamed English over a familiar backing track.

OTHER FAVORITE FEATURES:

• Stand-alone — no need to work within a DAW or other applications.
• Neatly designed interface that has three sections: Jam Master, Riff Builder, and Chord Viewer.
• All the controls and features are where they should be.
• Fast and simple import via file menu or drag-n-drop — loads all major file types or straight from CDs.
• Shallow learning curve.
• Smooth workflow.
• Clever chord detector and key change option.
• Amazing value.
• Responsive, innovative developer.
  

SUMMARY

Riffstation is my go-to teaching tool, but it certainly has many professional audio applications. I highly recommend Riffstation to any producer, e-musician, film and game scorer, DJ, etc. who is looking for a clever little musical genius assistant. It's geared towards guitarist, but can easily be used for just about any audio and/or instrument. This innovative application helps build musicality and breathes life into musical projects instead of getting in the way. This is extremely important when creating or teaching. Musicians and teachers and students alike have little or no patience. If I fumble around with software during class I will lose my students. Riffstation helps keep my kids focused on learning and creating instead of text messaging and staring out the window. To quote an online reviewer, "Riffstation is a software guitar practice tool designed to eliminate much of the guesswork of learning your favorite songs, riffs, and solos." It's all that and much, much more! Thank you for creating such an amazing piece of audio software.

INTRO

Oxford SuprEsser by Sonnox is an amazing tool that helps users identify and correct target specific problem areas of the audio spectrum. As the names suggests, it's particularly good at reducing or eliminating excessive fricatives and sibilant consonants, such as "ch", "s", "sh", "ess", "t", "th", "z", etc. It also excels with cleaning up and softening other sonic artifacts, like harsh cymbal overtones. However, SuprEsser can also be used for removing pops and clicks as well as general compressor duties. The interface makes identifying and eliminating unwanted stuff simple. There is excellent control over the target area and amount of processing — I had no trouble dialing in and getting the desired results.

FAVORITE FEATURES:

• Scalable interface that is attractive and neatly organized.
• Easy view simplifies use of basic features while Access view reveals the juicy stuff.
• Graphics elements are excellent and illustrate exactly what's going on.
• Auto Level Tracking eliminates the need to adjust the de-essing threshold as the track progresses in real-time.
• Audio frequency range is selectable.
• Ability to mix the amount of wet and dry signals being sent to the output.
• Excellent presets to use as a start point.
• Convenient preset manager.
• Three different instances to choose from – regular, low latency and high resolution.
• Natural sounding.
• Innovative, responsive developers.

OTHER THOUGHTS:

• Uses a bit of CPU, but not that much and well worth it.
• Requires an iLok for authorization, but this is also well worth it.

SUMMARY

The best way to have a track free of excessive sibilant sounds is to perform and record cleanly; however, that's not always possible. That's where this fantastic plugin comes to the rescue. I use it to help speech challenged students hear their annunciation and pronunciation "corrected." It's a wonderful recording tool, and in my case — a wonderful teaching tool. I fully agree with another user who rightfully claims, "SuprEsser is a Swiss army knife of compression and a welcome addition to my plugin folder." I highly recommend SuprEsser to any eMusician, producer, film and game tracker, sound designer, etc., who is looking to reduce or remove unwanted lisping artifacts and other harsh audio without sacrificing wanted dynamics. With SuprEsser, the baby does not get thrown out with the dirty bathwater! Tracks sound as natural as natural can be. Tommy Zai gives SuprEsser two clean, crisp TH-umbs up! Thank you Sonnox, for creating such an amazing audio tool! Fantastic!!.