I primarily run this unit in Logic 9 and Ableton 8. It does have a stand alone feature but I rarely use it. In all modes there were no compatibility issues. Due to the fact that this plugin is physically modeled after a real analog synth, I had no need for a manual. The general configuration and setup is not very simple if you are not familiar with analog synth setups. If you are, than this is nothing new. It has a LFO, Oscillator, effects (filter/delay) and mixer sections. It also has a "Poly/Mod" section that is some what different. So all in all its a basic analog synth setup. Yes, all the functions are easily accessible as they are all laid out in front of you. SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE Yes, in both Logic 9 and Ableton 8 the software works great. It responds well to midi signals and is very customizable. So far, the plugin has never crashed or lost and presets or custom banks. I really dig this unit, I give it a 10 out of 10. It functions well and it has some real powerful synth tone. I have been using this unit for around a year. OVERALL OPINION What I like most about this unit is two main things. One, it really sounds great. I have not had the privilege to use a real Prophet, but I imagine that this thing is not to far away in overall sound quality. Of course the true analog sound can't be beat by a computer, but this unit exudes some very convincing warmth. The other thing I really like about the Pro 53 is the 8 push button patch selector on the unit itself. This is really nice in a live situation and can save you tons of time (and cpu) if you need to switch to another sound mid song. Its fully customizable so you can put the 8 patches you use most in the selector for extremely easy access. All synth units should have this, its brilliant. I can't say there is anything I don't like about this unit. I guess some of the presets are not to my liking, but there are plenty of knobs to fool with to change that awful abrasive "techno" sounding synth into a creamy tasteful layering tool, or whatever you are into. Again, I have never used the real deal, but I give this a 10 out of 10. Everyone who has heard me play this is impressed with the sound. I have lots of other synths in my arsenal. I like to use this one when I want a ripping lead, a nice fat bass or some interesting sound effects. Yes, I would definitely buy this guy again.
The process of installing the Native Instruments Pro-52 virtual synth was pain free and only took a matter of minutes. I've also never heard on anyone having any problems getting this to work, so I'm under the impression that it is a pretty stable piece of software. The interface of the software is really easy to follow as all of the sections are easily located and are labeled clearly. It has all of the pieces of the puzzle that you would expect from a virtual synth like sections for two oscillators, a mixer, an amplifier, a filter, an LFO, delay, and a variety of other effects and parameters. While it may take a while to get through everything and really learn everything possible with this software, it is definitely easy enough to operate that you don't need a manual. SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE I've never had a problem running the Native Instruments Pro-52 either as a stand alone or routed into a sequencer like Logic or Pro Tools. I run the virtual instrument on a Mac Book Pro that has a 2.2 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 4 GB of RAM. This does the job fine as I am able to run software without any issues, but only one at a time. I don't see a reason that you would need to run more than one of these at a time and would suggest only using one at a time unless you have a superior system. OVERALL OPINION While they have since put out the Pro-53, the Native Instruments Pro-52 is still a great virtual instrument. The presets are awesome and you can pretty much get an endless amount of sounds beyond this because of the vast array of parameters and effects that are available to you. The price is great as it is less than $100 USD and for this reason is a great buy for anyone looking to add or start their virtual synth collection. Definitely try out the Pro-52 (or 53) as it is a great virtual synth.
