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Published on 03/24/13 at 03:12Ultra-fast installation. There is a comprehensive manual with feature comparisons between Reaper and different DAWs. which is very helpful in the beginning because it can be a bit hard and confusing in certain aspects. Do note that I have tried steinberg, presonus, cakewalk, ableton. Reaper really stands out in terms of handling and ease-of-use compared to all the others I've mentioned.
SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE
PC with amd athlon x2 4800 + 4Gb Ram, hdd 250Gb and 125Gb and presonus firestudio mobile (two years of savings to buy it). An old system by today's standards, given the current evolution, which I deem unacceptable, because you can't keep up with it unless you make a lot of money. And Mac is prohibitive for the same reasons, as usual, small budgets (like mine) end up losing. And most DAWs have engaged in this frantic race. If you only have the money to change one element, there's no point in doing it. And that's where Reaper plays its cards best: It is not too resource-intensive, less so than my Sonar home studio 7 (basic version) from four years ago. and that's great news for me. I've only had some rare crashes with two problematic VSTs (I shouldn't have unzipped them). It runs perfectly on my old and modest laptop (also 4 years old), better than my old Sonar.
A good point: the FX section. It has allowed me to gather audio and midi in one single place, something I have been dreaming about with other sequencers. This allows me to process midi with audio effects and finally have sounds that sound more realistic! I'm thrilled. The effects included are of good quality.
The interface and menus can be quite confusing in the beginning, you need to get used to them. The editing tools aren't in the same place and they don't use the same terminology (the "split" and "glue" items especially). Some people don't like the way the fx are classified, I mitigated the problem by having them displayed directly on the tab, as if I opened them with the explorer, which seems simpler to manage in the end. That's something other DAWs lack. In conclusion: Reaper is very versatile and I like that.
OVERALL OPINION
It tried it out 2 years ago and it didn't quite convince me, but I just gave it another try and I changed my mind. Some call it the "PT killer," but I can't say anything in that respect because I've never used that software, since I don't have the money for a Mac nor for PT (to get both together I would need to take out a two-year loan). It is undeniable that Reaper has a great quality and that's the one I'll buy. It has allowed me to keep my current pc two years. It has the same functions regardless of the price, and since I don't sell 1.000.000 albums every year, 20.000 dollars is not within my reach. What's more, I can install it on any pc without thinking about any limitations or USB keys. There's no score editor but that's not too bad: I export and import my midi from musescore to reaper and vice versa. The effects are really good and have allowed me to mix my songs with a surprising simplicity, especially for someone like me who hasn't studied audio engineering nor has from 5000 to 15.000 to go into a studio to record. I'll finish by stating that I will never ever go for Steinberg. Why, you ask? No demo versions, which given the price of their sequencers ought to be an obligation (for the pro version, not the basic one that doesn't have enough features). And Halion demos with mandatory security dongle, what a disgrace. And that's just an example from among all software developers with the piracy paranoia: When you want to work seriously you don't get illegal copies, you pay for the software.
+ Full demo without limitations (even beyond 60 days).
+ General quality of the software.
+ PC, Mac and Linux compatible.
+ Not too resource-intensive.
+ Ultra fast launching.
+ FX section that mixes audio and midi.
+ Detailed PC- and RAM-usage tab.
+ Clear main interface.
+ One license and installation on several PCs without limitations.
+ Review updated: Good and easy-to-use (free) effects
- Confusing to get a hold of in the beginning (menus and editing).
- No melodyne (or similar) integration.
I'm thrilled after one year of use! The more I use it the more I like it and whenever I have to switch to other DAWs it's a nightmare, so I only use this one because it covers all my needs perfectly!
SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE
PC with amd athlon x2 4800 + 4Gb Ram, hdd 250Gb and 125Gb and presonus firestudio mobile (two years of savings to buy it). An old system by today's standards, given the current evolution, which I deem unacceptable, because you can't keep up with it unless you make a lot of money. And Mac is prohibitive for the same reasons, as usual, small budgets (like mine) end up losing. And most DAWs have engaged in this frantic race. If you only have the money to change one element, there's no point in doing it. And that's where Reaper plays its cards best: It is not too resource-intensive, less so than my Sonar home studio 7 (basic version) from four years ago. and that's great news for me. I've only had some rare crashes with two problematic VSTs (I shouldn't have unzipped them). It runs perfectly on my old and modest laptop (also 4 years old), better than my old Sonar.
A good point: the FX section. It has allowed me to gather audio and midi in one single place, something I have been dreaming about with other sequencers. This allows me to process midi with audio effects and finally have sounds that sound more realistic! I'm thrilled. The effects included are of good quality.
The interface and menus can be quite confusing in the beginning, you need to get used to them. The editing tools aren't in the same place and they don't use the same terminology (the "split" and "glue" items especially). Some people don't like the way the fx are classified, I mitigated the problem by having them displayed directly on the tab, as if I opened them with the explorer, which seems simpler to manage in the end. That's something other DAWs lack. In conclusion: Reaper is very versatile and I like that.
OVERALL OPINION
It tried it out 2 years ago and it didn't quite convince me, but I just gave it another try and I changed my mind. Some call it the "PT killer," but I can't say anything in that respect because I've never used that software, since I don't have the money for a Mac nor for PT (to get both together I would need to take out a two-year loan). It is undeniable that Reaper has a great quality and that's the one I'll buy. It has allowed me to keep my current pc two years. It has the same functions regardless of the price, and since I don't sell 1.000.000 albums every year, 20.000 dollars is not within my reach. What's more, I can install it on any pc without thinking about any limitations or USB keys. There's no score editor but that's not too bad: I export and import my midi from musescore to reaper and vice versa. The effects are really good and have allowed me to mix my songs with a surprising simplicity, especially for someone like me who hasn't studied audio engineering nor has from 5000 to 15.000 to go into a studio to record. I'll finish by stating that I will never ever go for Steinberg. Why, you ask? No demo versions, which given the price of their sequencers ought to be an obligation (for the pro version, not the basic one that doesn't have enough features). And Halion demos with mandatory security dongle, what a disgrace. And that's just an example from among all software developers with the piracy paranoia: When you want to work seriously you don't get illegal copies, you pay for the software.
+ Full demo without limitations (even beyond 60 days).
+ General quality of the software.
+ PC, Mac and Linux compatible.
+ Not too resource-intensive.
+ Ultra fast launching.
+ FX section that mixes audio and midi.
+ Detailed PC- and RAM-usage tab.
+ Clear main interface.
+ One license and installation on several PCs without limitations.
+ Review updated: Good and easy-to-use (free) effects
- Confusing to get a hold of in the beginning (menus and editing).
- No melodyne (or similar) integration.
I'm thrilled after one year of use! The more I use it the more I like it and whenever I have to switch to other DAWs it's a nightmare, so I only use this one because it covers all my needs perfectly!