Reason, Sampletank, or Kompakt?

[Jburn34]

I am planning on buying one of these three sofware packages soon. The main thing that matters to me is the soft synth function, because I don't have a keyboard with good sounds right now. For a while Reason seemed too complicated for me, and I was leaning towards Sampletank (I have the LE/Adapted versions right now).

I do like the looping and drum machine features of Reason. For a while I didn't even realize it had keyboard synth in there. Does the full version have more drum loop features and more instruments? What are some of the main features that the adapted version doesn't have? I'm really curious too as to how good the synth sounds are with strings, piano, and organs. Would they compare to something like a Kurzweil, Triton, or Motif?

I can't afford to get all three, so I'm wondering which is the better value. I saw Reason 2.5 new on ebay for 269. I downloaded the Kompakt demo but it's the old version so I can't really try it out with protools. I heard it had really good sounds though.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Thanks,
Jeremy

[dubaifox]

I have a Triton in my studio and other hard synths, and while the sounds in Reason can't match in quality, the programmability and effects possibilities in Reason can make it sound excellent. Using Reason WITH other samplers,hardware/audio can produce very professional results. However, if you only use Reason, your sound has a very distinct, identifiable, one dimensional sound.

If you want professional Midi, you need other sounds with it. However I LOVE sprinkling REASON sounds and effects in my mixes. I would definitley reccomend it and the Full version has way more of everything.

[pk_hat]

Reason and some of your own aif/wav files and/or AKAI samples and you're on your way. Reason rocks, plain and simple. However, Kontakt RTAS will be a nice addition to ProTools when I get around to it, until then, the NN-XT sampler is one bad mo-fo...

[nikki-k]

Hi!
Just opinion...

If you are looking for something to do the job of a straight-old fashioned sampler, or as a virtual rep of a plain hardware synth, Kontakt would do it.

If you are into dance, rap, hip-hop, trance, etc, and want to get into the style of writing that accompanies it (I know, not all the time), then Reason would help ya there. It has a "sound" to it, which can be good or bad, dependss on the time the programmer takes to learn it and live with it. Reason has tools and an enviornment that lends itself to those genres a bit more.

Not a fan of SampleTank, so I will refrain from comment there.

[pk_hat]

Reason would help ya there. It has a "sound" to it, which can be good or bad, depends on the time the programmer takes to learn it and live with it. Reason has tools and an enviornment that lends itself to those genres a bit more.

Not a fan of SampleTank, so I will refrain from comment there.

Well said. This is absolutely true, with a little experimentation and creative use of plugs, you can certainly rid your song of that 'Reason sound'. I've written pieces in Reason that had people completely surprised at the sound quality and style (lot of brush snares and a most beautiful upright bass sound, sort of an acid-jazz with lots of human feel).

With all the layering, routing and modulation techniques available, there's just no excuse to pull up a Malstrom patch, settle for it, then hear it later and wonder why it's got that Reason sound. The fun is in the buttons and sliders, Reason is a program that is begging to be touched and tweaked.

Myth: Reason lends itself to dance, rap and techno/trance.

Not so. I agree that first impression suggest the above, but it's all about the user, and the sounds & samples chosen to compose.

[da BaSsTaRd!]

you can get a great sound out of reason if you use your own samples. there are some great refills available too. check out the free analog monsters refills at www.reasonbanks.com

[Roy Howell]

[quote ...it's all about the user, and the sounds & samples chosen to compose.

[/QUOTE]

So true, pk... and what's great is that you have several options for adding unique new sounds beyond what comes with Reason, whether it be percussion(ReDrum, DrRex...), or Refills(nnxt, etc.). Bastiaan created a Refill for me out of long-note mandolin samples I had made...one of several outside of the typical Reason Factory Soundbank(etc.) sounds.
I've only toyed with Kontakt briefly, but I do highly recommend Reason, because if offers such a wide spectrum to create good, usable stuff.
-rh

[werds mekani]

get reason.... i repeat get reason...
the refills are off the hook with goodness.
no latency ...but hardware synths are a nice addition to the mixes .
i;m telling you get reason. very good program.

[fartation]

I have Reason 2.5 and SampleTank 1.0

I think they're both really good tools that actually complement each other in some ways. I can't comment on SampleTank 2.0 though, but it looks like it is a vast improvement over 1.0. The thing is not to be too judgemental with these programs. You have to really spend a lot of time to get familiar with them before they really become useful. It is definately true that there is a "Reason" sound out there -- but that can be overcome. When you get good with the program it is extremely flexible and offers a lot wider variety of sounds than SampleTank 1.0. On the other hand, when you take advantage of all the velocity mapping and fx in SampleTank, it can create some really beautiful noises. For me, I use SampleTank when I want to fill in sonic gaps. When you mix SampleTank tracks with real instruments, they can be a fairly convincing substitute. (Of course, that's just my opinion)

One thing that bugs me about SampleTank is the copy protection scheme they employ. You can only register it 3 times using IK's website. After that you're SOL. So if you need to reinstall more than 3 times you're screwed. This is not an issue with Reason. It works right out of the box -- you don't have to log on to a website to get a serial#.

Something that initially confused me was ReWire. I thought, "great, I can use Reason FX as inserts in protools". Actually, NO you can't do that. You can't send Reason audio from pro tools. Just note data and stuff.

If it were between SampleTank 1.0 and Reason 2.5, by far I would go with Reason. But SampleTank 2.0 makes it a little bit harder of a decision, because it offers more fx, wav importing, and more flexable routing.

Just my 2 cents. Good luck..
Jason

[fartation]

BTW,
http://www.propellerheads.se
is a good place to check out the features of Reason, rather than the m-audio website.

Jason