Product Reviews by KVR Members
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DK+ Virtual Drums
Reviewed By pw [all]
September 6th, 2005
Version reviewed: 1.2 on Windows
I have been using DK+ for some time now, and it has become my main Drum Sampler due to its ease of use and the EXCELLENT pattern sequencer.
There are not alot of bells and whistles here (aside from the pattern sequencer), DK+ is a simple drum sampler with 24 pads, up to 6 outputs, and three compressors. However, this simplicity for me is a huge plus. Everything is easily accesible, and creating your own drum maps is truly a piece of cake. There is a growing set of drum maps for some of the great free drum kits avaiable on the net, check out the Dash Signature and NuSofting forum for more details.
The pattern sequencer is really great. So easy to use, steps are user definable from 1 to 128 steps. The extra sample packs available, such as the Ethno1234 which focusses on Middle Eastern and North African Drumming, make extensive use of the pattern sequencer, providing a great resource for complex rythms.
DK+ is skinnable, and I only use the excellent Branis skin. The default skins are in my opinion a bit...unique...
As for customer support and service, Liqih is one of the best, and in my opinion, most creative, developers in the VST market. He is always happy to help out by email with anything.
Value for money- this is truly a no brainer at the current pricing!Read Review
There are not alot of bells and whistles here (aside from the pattern sequencer), DK+ is a simple drum sampler with 24 pads, up to 6 outputs, and three compressors. However, this simplicity for me is a huge plus. Everything is easily accesible, and creating your own drum maps is truly a piece of cake. There is a growing set of drum maps for some of the great free drum kits avaiable on the net, check out the Dash Signature and NuSofting forum for more details.
The pattern sequencer is really great. So easy to use, steps are user definable from 1 to 128 steps. The extra sample packs available, such as the Ethno1234 which focusses on Middle Eastern and North African Drumming, make extensive use of the pattern sequencer, providing a great resource for complex rythms.
DK+ is skinnable, and I only use the excellent Branis skin. The default skins are in my opinion a bit...unique...
As for customer support and service, Liqih is one of the best, and in my opinion, most creative, developers in the VST market. He is always happy to help out by email with anything.
Value for money- this is truly a no brainer at the current pricing!Read Review
Morphing Delay
Reviewed By pw [all]
June 1st, 2004
Version reviewed: 2 on Windows
Like the previous reviewer, I too am a delay junkie. I am primarily interested in delay for dubbed out drums and creative guitar processing. I used to use Logic on PC and still mourn the loss of it's Tape Delay plug to this day. Morphing Delay is a very different beast to that plug, but its similarity for me lies in its simple, elegant, but very powerful and creative choice of controls.
I have tried all the free, and lower to mid range priced delays I can/could find as VST plugs. There are many great ones out there, with lots of tape emulation and a plethora of other options.
Morphing Delay is just on a different level. It has less controls to tweak, but I think this is a good thing. The available parameters are very dynamic and work well together. Don't be deceived by this simplicity, it is one of Morphing Delay's strong points IMO.
It's sound quality is exceptional, and I would call it quite warm. The morphing from one delay state to another, with randomisation, envelope sensitivity and panning options really has to be tried out to understand just how powerful and unique this can be.
I am now using Morphing delay for all my dubby type delay effects, even though it is not a strict tape delay emulator. Like other plug's Liqih designs, it nods to the history of the delay effect, but really also takes it forward in a new direction.
For this price, and with the type of support Liqih provides, it is a no brainer for those who like delays. Go try it out for yourself.
No stability problems whatsoever in version 2. I use Tracktion.Read Review
I have tried all the free, and lower to mid range priced delays I can/could find as VST plugs. There are many great ones out there, with lots of tape emulation and a plethora of other options.
Morphing Delay is just on a different level. It has less controls to tweak, but I think this is a good thing. The available parameters are very dynamic and work well together. Don't be deceived by this simplicity, it is one of Morphing Delay's strong points IMO.
It's sound quality is exceptional, and I would call it quite warm. The morphing from one delay state to another, with randomisation, envelope sensitivity and panning options really has to be tried out to understand just how powerful and unique this can be.
I am now using Morphing delay for all my dubby type delay effects, even though it is not a strict tape delay emulator. Like other plug's Liqih designs, it nods to the history of the delay effect, but really also takes it forward in a new direction.
For this price, and with the type of support Liqih provides, it is a no brainer for those who like delays. Go try it out for yourself.
No stability problems whatsoever in version 2. I use Tracktion.Read Review
Note: I have HarpTime Fun, and have used the HarpTime Pro demo.
HarpTime is a truly beautiful instrument. It is very user-friendly, and sounds very alive and dynamic.
Of course, the question is 'Do I need a Harp VSTi?'
I think that anyone interested in plucked sounds with warmth and richness at least needs to give it a try, and then ask the question to yourself again. As it says on the website, the applications of HarpTime go beyond true Harp emulation (although IMO it does this very well) to find a place in any atmospheric musical odyssey. If you like film music, ambient and melodic IDM, you can also find a place for HarpTime in your music.
GUI- functional, but not the best Liqih GUI (I like his GUI work on Combosister, Morphing Delay, EVE and Mother Ship Astrobelt)
Sound- !!!!!!
With a wide range of physically modelled string types, and an intuitive set of parameters, it is next to impossible to make this thing sound bad.
Features- Enough to do what it has to do, and do it well. Here HarpTime Fun and Pro differ. I got Fun but I hope to upgrade to Pro eventually. Pro allows setting of tuning,timbre and pluck for each string. Fun has global controls for these parameters only.
Docs- totally adequate for the instrument, with some great links on all things Harp!
Presets- around 40 is enough for me. They demonstrate well the capabilities of HarpTime, and provide good starting points for user tweaking.
Customer Support- Liqih is one of the best.
VFM- Excellent.
Stability- no problems so far in Tracktion.Read Review
HarpTime is a truly beautiful instrument. It is very user-friendly, and sounds very alive and dynamic.
Of course, the question is 'Do I need a Harp VSTi?'
I think that anyone interested in plucked sounds with warmth and richness at least needs to give it a try, and then ask the question to yourself again. As it says on the website, the applications of HarpTime go beyond true Harp emulation (although IMO it does this very well) to find a place in any atmospheric musical odyssey. If you like film music, ambient and melodic IDM, you can also find a place for HarpTime in your music.
GUI- functional, but not the best Liqih GUI (I like his GUI work on Combosister, Morphing Delay, EVE and Mother Ship Astrobelt)
Sound- !!!!!!
With a wide range of physically modelled string types, and an intuitive set of parameters, it is next to impossible to make this thing sound bad.
Features- Enough to do what it has to do, and do it well. Here HarpTime Fun and Pro differ. I got Fun but I hope to upgrade to Pro eventually. Pro allows setting of tuning,timbre and pluck for each string. Fun has global controls for these parameters only.
Docs- totally adequate for the instrument, with some great links on all things Harp!
Presets- around 40 is enough for me. They demonstrate well the capabilities of HarpTime, and provide good starting points for user tweaking.
Customer Support- Liqih is one of the best.
VFM- Excellent.
Stability- no problems so far in Tracktion.Read Review
