All user reviews of 4/5 for the Reason Studios Reason 4

Fastosh
compatible with win gold apple
Compatible with full REWIRE software (use more pro, sounds better ...)
Record used with the duplicates of the same manufacturer (best sounds and everything)
No need for manual, better go to the forum including the Franco la muerte (soft Quebecois accent)
I have learned full of stuff with him at first. it made me easier.

Go to the Site Reason France also

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

Reason plays it, so a powerful enough PC stuff, no racing machine, or something mediocre.
Just a normal configue, nowadays it's not complicated.
For my part, I'm on an iMac 21 "3.06 ghz i3 4 GB RAM, good listening ... blablabla
Chuis well

Have a master keyboard is achement better! a little trick to start a big to post. USB bim

also provide a sound card for MIDI, and for better audio performance calculations

OVERALL OPINION

I went through the Reason 3, 4, I'm about 5 ... and then soon the 6

I love this software to the playful side.
Aillant practiced a little on the machine, I found an easy visual.
He got nothing to do with any other DAW software.

When we practice the sound live on the hardware, if you like the drawing, not the patch panel, not always clear. Finally, it is my opinion, but this is what makes the personality of Reason

And then all these little cables that move when the animal returns, it's so funny!

However, this software fishing in the sound ... This is unfortunate since this is what he is asked to leave! The audio engine of the beast does not support excessive mixing, the oversized bass, reverbs too wide ...

There are two ways to fix this shortcoming:

- THE REWIRE

Just click here to use another software master to act as mixer for all and all his synthesizer in Reason.
example: CUBASE, LOGIC PRO, Ableton Live, Pro Tools ...

- RECORD (by PropellerHead)

The brand of the will itself solve the problem, and to create this app that controls midi Reason.
But it also functions as a mixer, an audio engine with its own. The final summation is better quality, as with Rewire.

Finally, Reason is a toy for completeness, on which one can spend hours and hours, as was done before the big fan of analog machine, the sampler, sequencer ...

But of course, do not be afraid to lose it in the multitude of opportunities offered by my stuff, because it offers.

Good luck

The seriousness of Propellerhead no further proof: The software is nice and easy to use. His analogy with the hardware but the intended people with significant experience in the field of music.
The installation proceeds without any problems. I also use Ableton Live Suite, and I can not say the same of him (almost an hour to install the sound banks where with Reason in 10 minutes, everything is settled).
The configuration is childish: we are not drowned by tons of parameters as is the case again with Live.
No incompatibilities encountered. ReWire is not yet compatible 64-bit, but fortunately for me, I only use 32-bit software computer music.
The manual is well written and full of tricks. It is provided in electronic format (PDF), but this is not a problem for me. I have always preferred the manual available on my computer than having to search my desk when I asked about how the software works. On the other hand, the electronic format has a size advantage on paper: information retrieval is almost instantaneous.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

I currently use a PC based on Intel Core 2 Duo @ 2GHz, running under Windows x64 7. 2 GB of RAM and 160 GB hard drive. As recently moved to a desktop to a laptop, I do not use specific sound card, only the chipset of the computer. This does not have a good latency by using the ASIO4ALL driver. For sound quality, this is not the same story ... I will invest later in a sound card worthy of the name.
Reason runs fine on this configuration. It is a stability issue, which is far from the case of other software with which I worked. It is also very lightweight: you can stack dozens of synths and effects without the CPU flies. It changes based DAW VST!

OVERALL OPINION

I worked with 2 versions of Reason: For about a year with the first exit which is (1.0) and a few months with the latest (4.0.1). Meanwhile, I told him of infidelity using Ableton Live, but disappointed at some points (performance, stability), I preferred to go back to Reason and I do not regret.
I especially love the opportunities it offers advanced routing. Apart from a few VST (Arturia Moog Modular for example), I have not seen any software that offers such freedom in wiring modules.
What I like least: the overall quality effects. Apart from the modules reverberation (RV-7000) and distortion (Scream 4), the effects are a notch below the competition. The mixer is also the most basic (2-band equalizer: to my knowledge, all other programs offer at least 3 bands). On the other hand, there is very often the audio clipping.
Reason is a software designed to create more music pure and simple as the production of a complete song. For the final mix, it is better to go through other tools.
Nevertheless, I recommend it to everyone: its versatility, ease of use and excellent value for money (around 300 euros, is anyway less than most hardware synthesizers) make it a tool for the many.
I would do without this choice problem, and is seriously considering to buy me a record of those days.

Ultra stable software. More stable it does not exist. The manual is great.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

I have a very good PC and it runs very well! That said not need a beast of war to run Reason.

OVERALL OPINION

So ... Reason is a killer and I just post my opinion ... because I Quit Reason!

This software may seem obscure to a real beginner ... but through the first effort is a treat! Everything is very intuitive, it does not crash and never used with Cubase rewire I find it much nicer than plugins. And then in terms of everything it offers is not a Reason expensive software.

Reason is an incredible tool for composing, basically we do not take (too) head with the technique. Provided use Reason in its entirety requires years of experience. Personally I am not come to end after two years of intensive practice ... mostly more than 15 hours per week.

Note that the French community around reason is extremely active and that the site reasonfrance a wealth of information and usability.

Reason why I quit then? And well trying the software Arturia (Minimoog, CS-80 ...) I realized the noise limits of Reason. In my opinion if Reason does not plant it because it requires little CPU. Why is there little CPU intensive? Well I think that's partly because it made concessions on sound quality. Something is missing ... bass, depth, dynamics, wealth.

Another reason to stop: the new products announced for Reason Propellerhead 5 show definitively that did nothing to shake my music! I tend to trip hop rock. Excluding the latest target of the fans definitely pure electro and hip-hop producers.

This is one of the big weaknesses of Reason: the batteries are far behind realistic software like Addictive Drums (if what a pleasure to add two clicks a distortion and reverb on the snare drum and a delay to the kick ... thats Reason!).

Briefly, after 10 years without Reason musical practice has changed my life and allowed me to compose songs that I'd always thought incapable of producing.

Provided with experience it becomes difficult ... today I am ready to take over the head with software less stable, less ergonomic and more complicated ... but with incomparable sound quality.

Where do I start. Well, the unpacking was harmless and it was easy to install. You have a registration card sent with it that is important to keep at all times for the unexpected hard drive failure. Config was fine and it automatically picked up my MM6, Keystation, MPD24 and Firewire Mixer. It was easy as can be to get started. The typical functions are all present, and the settings are extremely simple to adjust, with all settings being in one settings window instead of many different settings scattered around.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

My configuration of a Firewire mixer which could stand in for a card or interface, anything that can be plugged into the computer using a USB or Firewire cord, was seamless into Reason. Any MIDI controller I've used works, and I've yet to have any problems. If it detects a problem with your config, it'll tell you so with a big red X. If it's all good, then it'll display a big green check. Anything that failed during production and plugged back in didn't require a restart of Reason like FL Studio or Cubase. I've been using this configuration with the exception of the Firewire mixer being swapped for an X2u since I got it.

OVERALL OPINION

What I like most is the quality of the sounds. They sound fantastic, and you can find packs in the Sound Bank that suit any need. Thor is also a great addition, something that wasn't present in Reason 3. I also like the combinators, which provide for easy mixing and easy packaging of otherwise complex setups and instruments. What I don't like about Reason is the lack of VST or VSTi compatibility. This is really annoying, as you have to use stock Reason mixers, delays, reverbs, compressors, and so on. This is a huge limiting factor, but it's understandable that PropellerHead wants people to buy their add-ons, ones which are the only add-ons compatible with Reason, called ReFills. After using it for two years, I would still buy Reason. It's a great, intuitive program, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

(Originally written by Yvo2000/translated from Audiofanzine FR)
- Did you have any problems during installation?

I just copied and pasted the original folder of the DVD into the Applications folder of my Intel Mac. No problems whatsoever... But Reason 4.0 replaced my previous Reason folder. If you saved your Refills (Reason's sound banks) in this folder, the update will delete them and you'll have to install them again... And it's the same with v4.1.

- Is the user's manual clear and comprehensive?

Comprehensive manual. The software is easy enough so you won't need the user's manual in the beginning. But if you read it you'll learn lots of tips and details you'd never learn on your own.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

- Which computer system do you use?

Intel Mac Duo Core 2.5 GHz, 4 GB Ram

- Does the software work correctly with your setup?

- How is the performance? (if measurable)

My system allows me to easily work with very large projects. With a less powerful computer (my old Power G4, for example) you'll feel frustrated because the program is very resource demanding. However, Reason's main advantage is still its low CPU consumption, which allows you to capture your ideas on the fly even if your traveling with a laptop.

- What about the hardware+software configuration stability?

Reason for Mac is just the most reliable music software I know. Propellerhead's ads don't lie: no-bug warranty!

OVERALL OPINION

- How long have you been using it?

I've been using Reason since it's launch in 2001. I've experienced its whole development firsthand. In the beginning it was just unbeatable regarding ease of use, coherency and performance, even with small computer systems (at that time). But competitors also exploited their talent and creativity. Reason is still a great solution to pre-produce my projects. Even on the train on my way to work I can quickly capture my ideas.

- Which feature do you like best?

° I like the coherency, the ease of use and the versatility (comprehensive and creative routing possibilities). It's like when I started playing Lego as a child and couldn't stop anymore. I do a lot for pre-production and Reason can manage virtually every task. But Reason is not only a good toy for pre-production, you can keep everything you did during the final production using Rewire in your DAW.

° More precisely I like especially the REGROOVE engine that allows me to create great patches and grooves, the new Midi sequencer that makes almost everything possible, the "Reason Electric Bass" extension (not included) that sounds incredibly authentic, both arpeggiators that make everything possible, the Randomiser and Alterner function, the pattern creation (which can lead to amazing results), and the high-quality Subtractor and Thor virtual synths.

- Which special feature do you like the least?

° No audio recording function, no integration of external plug-ins and Midi modules, which means that Reason must be used as the slave of a DAW. However Rewire is very well implemented in Cubase and Logic (but you'll need a powerful computer). Nonetheless it's somewhat elaborate. It's a waste of time and it'll give you headaches. I don't understand why Proppelerhead still doesn't offer Reason as AU/VST instrument.

° The main turnoff is the quality of the effects (compressor, distortion and reverb), far below the quality of Apple's Logic plug-ins, which is not much more expensive.

- Did you try any other models before buying it?

I tested Fruity Loop. But Reason was much better. Fruity Loop has changed a lot ever since. I also used Cubase in 2000, which I found very unreliable with my Win XP PC. I then bought Logic Pro and I like it very much. However I still use Reason regularly for pre-production. I know it very well after so many years..

- How would you rate its value for money?

Quite good. I've been owning it since 2001 and the updates weren't expensive. But Logic Pro's current version is not expensive compared with Reason and it's much more professional in many aspects. However Reason is still a very good product and it allows you to do things that you can hardly do in Logic or Cubase. On top of that Reason is so intuitive that it increases your creativity.

- Based on your experience, would you buy this product again?

For sure! I don't regret the eight years I've spent with Reason and I still use it every week. It's sort of an audio Lego that allows you to achieve professional results if you know how to insert it in a larger production environment. Nevertheless, I cannot rely solely on Reason for my music.