View other reviews for this product:
« One of the best DAWs! »
Published on 09/25/12 at 02:32No issues during the installation. I had never seen something as simple and light. A simple DMG for mac and you can run the software.. It can be downloaded in 2/3 minutes, far from behemoths that demand 1GB only for the basics.
You can test it as long as you want and you don't have to pay for it unless you are convinced. It's akin to the Free Software philosophy and, in a world where everything is for profit, that's a very good thing. I nevertheless recommend you to pay the insignificant amount of money in order for Reaper to continue.
It runs on any computer, even old ones, under MAC OS X, Windows and under Linux via WINE or CODEWEAVER. I think you can even install a hyper-light version on a USB key.
Continuous updates without the need of having to pay anything again: It's extraordinary.
SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE
IMAC 2008 2.8 Core2duo
4 Gb ram (max possible on this computer)
Original 320 Gb HDD
MOTU Hybrid Ultralite soundcard
PRODIPE6 speakers
NO operation problems whatsoever, I'd even say that it's THE ONLY MUSIC SOFTWARE that works perfectly on my Macs (I also have a more recent macbook pro). Rock-solid stability. In fact, I put a Harrison Mixbus at the end of the chain, because I wanted to color the sound, but Reaper is always on top. True, it's a bit complex but once you're used to it, it's awesome!
OVERALL OPINION
I'll be honest: I had my reserves about Reaper. Not because it didn't work, because it works really well, but rather because it turns upside down all preconceived ideas about DAWs. It's been years since I've been fooling around with Reaper without making my mind up.
But several factor pushed me away from other DAWs and towards Reaper this week.
- Logic X is taking so long that I simply can't wait anymore. Apple doesn't give any signs of whether it will keep on going or not and I'm fed up. We are clients, so it's only natural that we want to know whether a DAW will exist in three years or not, especially considering the intellectual investment required to master such a professional software. FYI, L9's user manual has 1460 pages... I'm tired of this. I give up. I'll see if LX comes out in 2013. Afterwards I'll quit.
- I tested plenty of recent DAW demos, especially Protools10. The software is very clear, much more user-friendly than Logic, but it's sluggish on my macs, and I think that, apart from the HD version, which ought to be awesome, it doesn't offer any real added value to a beginner and/or home studio. The plug-ins included with PT10 are OK, but nothing more. I couldn't even play back the demo song included with PT10, I would need to change my computer. In my view that's not justified in my case...AVID doesn't sell the DIGI003 anymore, and I'm not interested in the MBOX. If someday I can invest on an HD, OK, but that's not gonna happen anytime soon. And I want to make music the next 10 years...PT10 hasn't convinced me and I have read in the forums that people have the same problems I do, regardless of whether it's on a PC or a MAC, like in my case. If different hardware and OS configurations have the same problems with the DAW, then the DAW is the problem. 800 dollars for a well-known DAW that it's hard to even get started, it's unforgivable.
I tested Adobe Audition6, too, but I had the impression of using Soundforge. Not a comprehensive DAW. I tested Presonus, which is very hip right now. Very good design, very clear, but...It didn't pass the latest test I've put all DAWs through: Load the tracks of the Logic9 demo song. It's impossible to play back the song (NB: The latest version of Studio One does load it, so I updated my review: Studio one 2.5 is an excellent version of an excellent software, but what about MIDI and scores??? And that's even without considering that the virtual instruments included are from another era...$350 for SO is way too much).
I tested Reason and I found it excellent. If I had to have another DAW — besides Live, which is remarkable — it would be this one, even if I could never use it as a general-purpose DAW. (But as a specific software)
Since I work on a Mac I excluded all Windows programs. As an occasional beta tester of Harrison Mixbus, I know that this software is very good to give a mix some color in the end but I need something else because MH works only with audio, not MIDI (and it's not fully operational yet).
And then I came to my REAPER4, which I had bought some months before. I heard what Reaper can do for a mix in an AF/AVID/PUREMIX contest in September 2012, where the author said he was a Reaper "specialist" and I was impressed by the result. Only with Reaper plug-ins. While I was struggling to use WAVE plug-ins.
I also installed the free IMPERIAL skin on Reaper and I it was spot on for me. It's simply AWESOME: (See screen 1)
I finally exported the tracks of the Logic9 song: I did it the old way: WAVES export from Logic and Import of the same WAVES into Reaper. The ULTIMATE test, it can't get any harder.
73 audio tracks, 73 WAVE files. If necessary, Reaper can display them on one single screen!!! (See screen2)
The Presonus couldn't read them, neither did the Harrison Mixbus. Reaper did it without a sweat. It plays back perfectly. With such a test I have no doubt that in a real live situation, REAPER4 would not let me stranded. FYI, I let the 73-track demo loop, to see if I could make Reaper crash, even under catastrophic conditions, since I'm writing on AF at the same time on the same computer, but no, it just loops
REAPER comes out victorious from severe and long-lasting tests.
The least expensive, the closest to the Free Software philosophy and with a huge community (now I know why).
You need some time to get used to Reaper, but as you go along you never find yourself in the common situation where you think the software is limiting you and that you need to buy another one or a more comprehensive version. On the contrary, with Reaper you only think that the software offers endless possibilities. So, instead of forking out $400/$600 dollars for the same software an umpteenth time, I bought a good digital audio interface.
FYI, here are the DAWs I used (and paid for) and I'm not including all DAWs I tested:
Cakewalk Pro audio9
Samplitude 6
Cubase SE
Tracktion
Sonar 3
Sonar8
Ardour
Harrison Mixbus
Logic 9
-------
I didn't test DP because there's no demo version but I've heard good things about it. If I had to make a final choice for Mac OS X, I would choose between Cubase7, DP8, Studio One 2.5, and Reaper4. Which sets Reaper among the best DAWs. With SO last due to its lack of certain features, and Reaper in first place due to its quality and PRICE!
Images linked to this review.
Reaper IMPERIAL Skin. Admire it.
REAPER basic skin with the 73 tracks displayed on one single 24" display: Never seen before.
REAPER4 is still looping while I'm posting this on AF, on the same computer. I wanted to push it to its limits, but it doesn't even flinch
You can test it as long as you want and you don't have to pay for it unless you are convinced. It's akin to the Free Software philosophy and, in a world where everything is for profit, that's a very good thing. I nevertheless recommend you to pay the insignificant amount of money in order for Reaper to continue.
It runs on any computer, even old ones, under MAC OS X, Windows and under Linux via WINE or CODEWEAVER. I think you can even install a hyper-light version on a USB key.
Continuous updates without the need of having to pay anything again: It's extraordinary.
SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE
IMAC 2008 2.8 Core2duo
4 Gb ram (max possible on this computer)
Original 320 Gb HDD
MOTU Hybrid Ultralite soundcard
PRODIPE6 speakers
NO operation problems whatsoever, I'd even say that it's THE ONLY MUSIC SOFTWARE that works perfectly on my Macs (I also have a more recent macbook pro). Rock-solid stability. In fact, I put a Harrison Mixbus at the end of the chain, because I wanted to color the sound, but Reaper is always on top. True, it's a bit complex but once you're used to it, it's awesome!
OVERALL OPINION
I'll be honest: I had my reserves about Reaper. Not because it didn't work, because it works really well, but rather because it turns upside down all preconceived ideas about DAWs. It's been years since I've been fooling around with Reaper without making my mind up.
But several factor pushed me away from other DAWs and towards Reaper this week.
- Logic X is taking so long that I simply can't wait anymore. Apple doesn't give any signs of whether it will keep on going or not and I'm fed up. We are clients, so it's only natural that we want to know whether a DAW will exist in three years or not, especially considering the intellectual investment required to master such a professional software. FYI, L9's user manual has 1460 pages... I'm tired of this. I give up. I'll see if LX comes out in 2013. Afterwards I'll quit.
- I tested plenty of recent DAW demos, especially Protools10. The software is very clear, much more user-friendly than Logic, but it's sluggish on my macs, and I think that, apart from the HD version, which ought to be awesome, it doesn't offer any real added value to a beginner and/or home studio. The plug-ins included with PT10 are OK, but nothing more. I couldn't even play back the demo song included with PT10, I would need to change my computer. In my view that's not justified in my case...AVID doesn't sell the DIGI003 anymore, and I'm not interested in the MBOX. If someday I can invest on an HD, OK, but that's not gonna happen anytime soon. And I want to make music the next 10 years...PT10 hasn't convinced me and I have read in the forums that people have the same problems I do, regardless of whether it's on a PC or a MAC, like in my case. If different hardware and OS configurations have the same problems with the DAW, then the DAW is the problem. 800 dollars for a well-known DAW that it's hard to even get started, it's unforgivable.
I tested Adobe Audition6, too, but I had the impression of using Soundforge. Not a comprehensive DAW. I tested Presonus, which is very hip right now. Very good design, very clear, but...It didn't pass the latest test I've put all DAWs through: Load the tracks of the Logic9 demo song. It's impossible to play back the song (NB: The latest version of Studio One does load it, so I updated my review: Studio one 2.5 is an excellent version of an excellent software, but what about MIDI and scores??? And that's even without considering that the virtual instruments included are from another era...$350 for SO is way too much).
I tested Reason and I found it excellent. If I had to have another DAW — besides Live, which is remarkable — it would be this one, even if I could never use it as a general-purpose DAW. (But as a specific software)
Since I work on a Mac I excluded all Windows programs. As an occasional beta tester of Harrison Mixbus, I know that this software is very good to give a mix some color in the end but I need something else because MH works only with audio, not MIDI (and it's not fully operational yet).
And then I came to my REAPER4, which I had bought some months before. I heard what Reaper can do for a mix in an AF/AVID/PUREMIX contest in September 2012, where the author said he was a Reaper "specialist" and I was impressed by the result. Only with Reaper plug-ins. While I was struggling to use WAVE plug-ins.
I also installed the free IMPERIAL skin on Reaper and I it was spot on for me. It's simply AWESOME: (See screen 1)
I finally exported the tracks of the Logic9 song: I did it the old way: WAVES export from Logic and Import of the same WAVES into Reaper. The ULTIMATE test, it can't get any harder.
73 audio tracks, 73 WAVE files. If necessary, Reaper can display them on one single screen!!! (See screen2)
The Presonus couldn't read them, neither did the Harrison Mixbus. Reaper did it without a sweat. It plays back perfectly. With such a test I have no doubt that in a real live situation, REAPER4 would not let me stranded. FYI, I let the 73-track demo loop, to see if I could make Reaper crash, even under catastrophic conditions, since I'm writing on AF at the same time on the same computer, but no, it just loops
REAPER comes out victorious from severe and long-lasting tests.
The least expensive, the closest to the Free Software philosophy and with a huge community (now I know why).
You need some time to get used to Reaper, but as you go along you never find yourself in the common situation where you think the software is limiting you and that you need to buy another one or a more comprehensive version. On the contrary, with Reaper you only think that the software offers endless possibilities. So, instead of forking out $400/$600 dollars for the same software an umpteenth time, I bought a good digital audio interface.
FYI, here are the DAWs I used (and paid for) and I'm not including all DAWs I tested:
Cakewalk Pro audio9
Samplitude 6
Cubase SE
Tracktion
Sonar 3
Sonar8
Ardour
Harrison Mixbus
Logic 9
-------
I didn't test DP because there's no demo version but I've heard good things about it. If I had to make a final choice for Mac OS X, I would choose between Cubase7, DP8, Studio One 2.5, and Reaper4. Which sets Reaper among the best DAWs. With SO last due to its lack of certain features, and Reaper in first place due to its quality and PRICE!
Images linked to this review.
Reaper IMPERIAL Skin. Admire it.
REAPER basic skin with the 73 tracks displayed on one single 24" display: Never seen before.
REAPER4 is still looping while I'm posting this on AF, on the same computer. I wanted to push it to its limits, but it doesn't even flinch