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Reason 12

Reviewed By AsPeeXXXVIII [all]
August 21st, 2015
Version reviewed: 8.1 on Windows

I've used Reason Essentials for all of my music production for a year now. The two main reasons (no pun intended) I decided to go with Reason when I contemplated switching out of Reaper last year were its relative affordability and unique look, namely the so-called Rack Extensions.

Now Reason isn't a DAW in the purest sense. It is, to be more precise, a music production suite. Nevertheless, Reason comes with a selection of stock Rack Extensions and sounds that covers a variety of musical needs. Techno, rap, DnB, ambient, even orchestral or heavy metal - you can do all of it in Reason. And the best thing is that you can only get the Essentials version and still be able to do all of it.

However, even a DAW as versatile as Reason is not without its flaws. Namely, due to its unique Rack Extension format, Reason doesn't support common plugin formats. Thankfully that flaw is partly fixed by the sheer number of additional Rack Extensions available in the Propellerhead Shop. Another downside is that if you don't have access to Internet, you have to run Reason in Demo Mode, which does not allow the opening of files.

Pros:

  • Relatively affordable.
  • Great workflow.
  • Clean and easy-to-use interface.
  • Comes with a virtual keyboard for those who lack a MIDI controller.
  • The uniqueness and fun factor of "the rack".
  • A satisfying selection of stock Rack Extensions and sounds, even in the Essentials version.
  • The Scream 4 Distortion unit.

Cons:

  • Lack of VST and other plugin support.
  • Requires an Internet connection for full functionality, namely being able to open files.

Final verdict:

An excellent music production suite with enough sonic variety to cover almost any genre imaginable, even in the most basic and cheapest edition. Highly recommended for versatile multi-genre musicians.

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