HALion 3 is the latest version of Steinberg’s award-winning software sampler. Over 50 new features in HALion 3 include 27 added effects, new sound management tools and RAMSave technology. The sleek new user interface and expanded routing functions add even more flexibility to the HALion experience.
Price: $299.95 Buy now!
User Reviews:
Feature:
The Waldorf effects are a good touch to the program however I find myself looking for an excuse not to use HALion because of its harsh cheap user interface.
Quality:
Steinberg made it.
Value:
Steinberg tries the customer top value for mediocrity again. This program is rivaled by free ware programs on more than one instance.
Sound:
HALion sound just as as good as any other sampler on the market.
Ease of Use:
Not easy…. Steinberg just isn’t easy….. however I am now a man of stronger character.
Support:
Steinberg has a forum. We all know how dedicated and customer service oriented forums are.
Overall:
The fourth addition should be coming around soon and i can wait to see some Yamaha inspired tech in the new version (that is if they don’t do the smart thing and upgrade HALion one to full capacity (drag and drop on window sample editing, effects and slicing.
A powerful integrated Orchestral Workstation combining the legendary Miroslav Orchestra and Choir sample collection masterpieces with a dedicated plug-in instrument.
Price: $199.95 Buy now!
User Reviews:
Feature:
All the features are useful
Value:
It is worth the money.
Sound:
The sounds are fantastic.. Miroslav captured real beauty.
Ease of Use:
Working with the sounds are outstanding. I have no problems at all.
Support:
Support is excellent. Used them twice and there answers were there the next day.
When you’re ready to get serious about Bass, this is the instrument! Trilogy is a programmable, sample-based sound module plug-in, that integrates a massive 3 Gigabyte core library of hundreds of brand new, remarkable Bass sounds, with a powerful user interface for creating your own unique patches.
Price: $279.00 Buy now!
User Reviews:
Feature:
The GUI is simple, since this thing is sample based. Not highly tweakable, but has Filters/ envelopes onboard. Good for learning the ropes of programming, but you can’t mould the sounds that much. Which is a pity since the waveforms are very average.
Quality:
Very so-so. Better than freeware synths, but I wouldn’t buy it again.
Value:
I’d rather have one good phat bass sound than hundreds of mediocre ones, which is basically what Trilogy offers. I have yet to find a VST with a good low end, and this is no exception.
Desirability:
Use this for your bass and forget about having a sex life.
Sound:
Generally dissapointed with the sound on this thing. I wanted to do Hip Hop which needs fat bass, but this instrument does not cut it at all. For example load up the patch “Dre Bass” on Trilogy and all you get is a low volume, thin high pitched Bee buzzing sound. What a joke, Dre would neva have got where he is with wack sounds like this. Try to tweak, boost and digital clipping comes quick. The electric/ acoustic basses are a bit better, but those annoying clicks and squeaks are a nightmare and getting a decent level of amplitude from this synth is not easy.
Ease of Use:
Installation was a complete nightmare on my old PC, but a breeze on my new one.
Support:
They tried to help out when I couldn’t install it.
Overall:
One word – wack.
17
Volta is a virtual instrument plug-in that turns your audio interface into a voltage control interface. Any hardware device with a control voltage (CV) input can be placed under precise digital control from your favorite audio workstation software. You can play and automate modulars, analog synths – even effects processors.
Price: $199.00 Buy now!
User Reviews:
Feature:
There is a variety of output types, LFO Trig, Step Sequencer, Ramp Automation etc. Actually they could have included many more.
Quality:
It’s software.
Value:
Somewhat pricey for such a simple piece of software. But nothing else does what it does, so you have no choice.
Desirability:
It is an amazing idea, executed in a simple manner. I expect the next version to have many more features.
Sound:
This product does not make sound. It uses your MOTU audio interface as a CV output, so you can use it to control analog gear. WARNING: You will have to build your own cables.
Ease of Use:
Here is a big problem, it requires you to use TRS to TS cables that “float the ring”. If reading that sentence your first thought isn’t, oh I know how to build those, this product isn’t for you. If you use the wrong cables, you will physically break your audio interface. But it does not come with cables, and as far as I know, no one makes or sells them. So you have to make them yourself.
Support:
Didn’t try to reach them.
Overall:
As far as I can tell, it does not work with my main audio interface, an Apogee Ensemble. I was hoping to aggregate the Ensemble with a MOTU 828, but it turns out the Ensemble does not aggregate. That is Apogee’s fault, not MOTUs, but it still makes it unusable for me. So I might have to return it, because I want to give up the Ensemble.
10
Simply move colour coded circles around the interface to start creating your own unique sounds. Preview the connections by just hovering the circle beneath a knob. Explore sound in an intuitive way.
Price: $199.00 Buy now!
Sonik Synth 2 is the ultimate synth workstation, with more synth and workstation instrument sound than any other comparable hardware or software. Over 5,000 sounds and 8.0 gigabytes make up the largest collection of modern and vintage instruments ever assembled in one product.
Price: $199.95 Buy now!
User Reviews:
Feature:
I’m pretty happy with the features. I have Halion as my main sampler, and I gotta be honest, I can’t figure out how to make the most out of it! It’s just too complex…But sampletank and sonik synth do a good job of being easy to use and create new presets/sounds.
Quality:
No complaints here
Value:
It is a bit expensive, but like I said, I can’t think of too many products that give you SOO many sounds for this price range…Certainly alot will not be useful, but many are.
Sound:
The sounds are obviously geared towards the synth/electronic side, but you can still come up with some REALLY useful sounds for any genre (I produce Hip Hop). While something like this can’t compete with a keyboard, it definately has so many useable sounds that I don’t think any other product comes close to it.
Support:
Haven’t needed.
Proteus X2 is a 24-bit/192kHz sound module for your PC that combines the sound quality, advanced synthesis and Z-Plane filters of legendary sound modules like the Morpheus and Mo’Phatt with E-MU’s latest groundbreaking tools like TwistaLoop, Morph Filter Designer and Multi-Function Generator. Proteus X is the culmination of over 15 years of sound module development, and offers an arsenal of unparalleled tools to effortlessly dial in the right sound in seconds.
Price: $89.95 Buy now!
User Reviews:
Feature:
Confusing and not much help.
Quality:
This product does not install easy, and it does not run half the time. It freezes alot and messes with your sequencer.
Value:
Not sure why I keep buying creative stuff, though I do like my 0404.
Desirability:
If anyone can get this thing to work consistantly I’d love to see how.
Sound:
The sound is ok if you have a superpowered computer. Quad core at least.
Ease of Use:
By the time you integrate this into your sequencer and figure it out oyur creativity will be gone.
Support:
Support treats you like an idiot.
Overall:
The soft synths that come with cheap sequencers like Mixcraft are just about as good sounding as this, and they don’t jam your system.
Analog Factory brings you 2000 legendary synthesizer sounds that have shaped modern music production. From classic phat lead lines to crystalline digital pads, this virtual instrument provides the contemporary musician with a broad, versatile and instantly striking sonic palette.
Price: $179.95 Buy now!
User Reviews:
Feature:
They only thing that kept me from giving this a 10 is that it’s a VST and not the real deal. You’d never know though.
Quality:
I love the layout and low CPU demand.
Value:
Although I do well in my music career, I am still on a budget. It’s not cheap, but for the sounds you get from this, it’s worth the price.
Desirability:
Buy this.
Sound:
This product is crazy with it’s depth, warmth, and realism. You’d never know it was a VST. It’s by far the best VST I own. Unlike it’s brother the MOOG V, this plugin is low on CPU crunch. I’ve had 10 tracks on my G5 and had now issues. I can’t say that about any of my other plugins. On top of it’s amazing bank of sounds, you can tweak them to your liking and save them as presets. How cool is that? Best buy I’ve made recently aside from MOTU’s symphonic.
Ease of Use:
Just play. Easy as that.
Support:
Never used the support.
Overall:
Until I can afford some of the original keyboards spotlighted in this plugin, I’ll be using this.
15
Reason Premium Edition gives you the award-winning Reason version 4 together with the four Hypersampled ReFills. All at a great price.
Price: $599.99 Buy now!
The Propellerhead Studio Combo bundles the four Hypersampled Reason sound libraries