All user reviews of 5/5 for the Native Instruments Massive

Native Instruments' Massive is a collection of synthesizer sounds, found in Komplete, which houses all of Native Instruments virtual instruments. Massive on it's own is also sold and features everything you'd find in an analog synth and more. You can use Massive in Logic or other DAW's and on it's own I believe, although I've personally only used it in Logic. I don't own it myself so I wasn't involved with installing it or anything. Learning to fully understand everything happening in Massive will definitely take some time! The interface is great and user friendly but there is so much jam packed into this software that it's going to take some time to get used to it all. That's really going to be the case with an super in depth virtual instrument, so it's no different with Massive and is perhaps even more exaggerated because of it's reach. The manual might be a good thing to have around for new users.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

I've used Native Instruments Massive primarily on a friends system who I work with. He's got a decked out Logic set up and we work on his system when we're working in the box and mine when we're doing actual acoustic recording. I don't know all the specs that he's running, but it's an Apple G5 computer that's running both Logic and Pro Tools, although we only use Massive in Logic. It's his go to virtual synth and we use it on pretty much everything we do together. You definitely need to have a good system to run this!

OVERALL OPINION

If you're looking for the ultimate virtual synthesizer, Native Instruments' Massive is for you. I'd highly recommend checking out Komplete 7 as a whole as it's a nice savings when you break it down per price per piece of software included. Massive is probably my favorite of the bunch, but each does it's own thing and everything included is quite useful. Massive on it's own has some of the best digital synth sounds I've heard, as everything from the leads to the bass synth sounds are great. You can tweak to your heart's desire and make your own sounds as well. It has all sorts of effects, filters, and everything you'd want when getting your synth sounds. Massive really is one of the best when it comes to virtual synthesizers.

Works perfectly in Logic Pro 9, no installation worries.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

I have a intel core 2 duo with 4GB of RAM and I'm multiply tracks it does not crash. Massive does not require a lot of resources compared to kontakt example. I have been using

OVERALL OPINION

soon 1 year and yes I have tried many models you can not even imagine!

I find this exceptional instrument for several reasons:

-The automation is probably best thought of all the software ever released to date, in fact, simply assign the 8 knobs of his physical controller knobs noon to 8 virtual Massive. Once this step can be done given the massive virtual knobs to most filters, effects, oscillation, ect .. AND EVEN MORE PARAMETERS AT THE SAME TIME! Imagine you change the cutoff frequency of a filter while changing the first phase of the oscillation at the same time as we increase the rate of oscillation of the 2nd LF0. Brief insane!

-The sound capabilities are huge!

-The grip is far from difficult, at the beginning then you are lost in the end we realize that it's very intuitive, I looked at the dozen tutorials on youtube there and we understand very quickly mechanisms of the instrument. It's like a big Malmstrom and more advanced (for the connoisseurs of reason). In addition the factory presets can also be used as tutorial.
Finally if you do not know software will watch videos on youtube to get an idea of its capabilities because for me it has become essential in all my electronic compositions.

I have had no compatibility issues running this synth on my macbook. I have not needed to reference a manual as this is your basic synthesizer setup. Yes, the general configuration is simple enough. You have all the traditional elements of an analog synthesizer set up in an easy to read/use Graphic user interface. Yes, all the typical functions are right in front of you and easily accessed.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

When I first got this unit and started using it in Logic 8, it would occasionally crash. I use it now in Logic 9 and Ableton 8 and there has been no problems whatsoever. I don't know whose fault it was (logic 8 or NI) but everything seems to work great now. I give it a 10 out of 10 for performance. Great sounds, great interface and it functions well with all of my midi gear. I have been using this synth for about a year now.

OVERALL OPINION

What I like most about this synth is that the GUI is rather large. This is important for me because I use a Macbook with a 13" monitor and some synths are so small you end up struggling to control them in live situations. Other important things to mention is that the sound quality is really good, as you would expect from Native Instruments. There is nothing I dislike about this synth that I can think of. The sound quality is very good. Its clean and warm when you want that and its gritty and digital sounding when you want that too, very versatile. I got this one in a package deal and I don't recall how much I paid for the whole thing, but I do remember it being a good deal. I have used a lot of synth plugins over the years and this one is definitely up there. I have to admit that I don't use it nearly as much as I used to but that's only because I am in love with Rob Papen's synths and Absynth. Yes, I would buy this synth again, especially if it was a part of a good deal package.