Massey Plugins' DRT v2 Drum Replacement Tools is Massey's second version of the popular AudioSuite plugin for replacing drum sounds. Sure there are a bunch of different plug-ins out there that do this job now, such as Sound Replacer and Drumagog, but none are as in depth and as easy to use as DRT v2. I had used DRT v1 before, and while a great plug-in in it's own right, DRT v2 blows it out of the water due to an extra feature that allows you to directly insert samples inside the plugin. We'll get more into this later however. Like the rest of Massey's plugins, they can only be purchased on their website and do not require the use of an iLok. Everything is authorized and installed easily and smoothly here. Also like the rest of the Massey plug-ins, I believe DRT v2 can be tried as a full demo free of charge. Once you've got the plug-in installed, I'd recommend checking out the tutorial video on the Massey website that will guide you through all the necessary steps to use DRT v2. It's fairly simple once you get the hang of it and you could probably figure it out on your own, but the video is extremely helpful and will put you on the fast track to understanding all the ins and outs of the plug-in. Unlike the other drum replacement tools out there, DRT has a few different options for you. Using the new sampler section of the plug-in that isn't included in DRT v1, you can insert any samples of your choice right inside the plug-in. Also, like DRT v1, you can also convert all of these trigger points to a MIDI track that you can then also trigger with any sample of your choice. I'm still learning everything involved with DRT v2, but after watching the video I can easily use it for it's basic features. I won't go too in depth here with the process of using it, but suffice it to say that it's easily possible to set your trigger points with a variety of parameters including velocity and sensitivity. I don't know if there's a manual or not, but the video should be all you need to see in order to learn how to use DRT v2.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

I'm currently running the full version of Massey Plugins DRT v2 on my Mac Pro desktop computer and in Pro Tools 9. My computer has 4 GB of RAM and a 2.8 Ghz Quad Core Intel Xeon processor. For me this is enough to run full Pro Tools sessions at 96 K without any problems and is certainly enough for me to process things in DRT v2 using it as an AudioSuite plug-in. In fact, through AudioSuite is the only way you can use it. This isn't a bad thing at all as it will save you processing power and won't permit you to have a bunch of these things running at the same time and bogging down your system. You process each one at a time and take it from there. I've yet to have any issues at all when it comes to the performance of DRT v2 and I'd be surprised to hear if anyone else did...

OVERALL OPINION

There's no doubt about it - I've been fully converted to using Massey Plugins DRT v2 Drum Replacement Tool for all drum replacement situations. I was previously using Sound Replacer, but now that I have this I don't think I'll ever go back. It's more detailed in it's features and I find it to be more accurate. I love having a MIDI track to work with if desired and also find it quite convenient to use the new sampler to easily get a new drum track with a new sound. If you're reading this, you probably know what Massey is all about, but in my opinion they give you the best bang for your buck when it comes to plug-ins, especially if you're just using the fully functional demos. Even to purchase they are more than reasonable. DRT v2 does happen to be their most expensive plug-in to date, but it's all relative as it still only costs you less than $100 (US), compared to something like Avid's SoundReplacer that costs four times this amount! If you are looking for the best when it comes to drum replacement, I'd highly recommend trying out DRT v2.0!