Mixcraft Pro Studio 6 Review
It has been a consistent uphill journey for the fine folks at Acoustica since 1997. Fortunately, the uphill climb has never been for naught; with each new release, they have taken their flagship DAW higher up on the quality scale. Acoustica regularly improves their software with maintenance releases and bug fixes. Up to, and including version 4, Mixcraft wasn’t taken very seriously by most experienced home producers. Most home producers were employing Cubase, Sonar, and other DAWs costing hundreds of dollars apiece.
That all changed with the fifth iteration of Mixcraft, when Acoustica implemented many cool, and much-requested features such as automation and send tracks. Acoustica's motto is Mixcraft's GREATEST feature: "Software Should Be Easy To Use!"
Now in its sixth generation, Acoustica have upped the ante considerably with the ability to add multiple “lanes” on any single channel, improved VST crash isolation, multi-out VST support, improved midi/piano roll editing, multiple bus outputs, and ReWire integration. The standard version is an incredibly affordable option for anyone; from teenage producers to hobbyist retirees. Don’t be fooled though, Mixcraft delivers a lot of “professional bang for the buck” and is much, much more than a beginner’s novelty app.
This standard version of this 32 bit powerhouse from beautiful California, USA, retails for $75 buck-a-roonies. To kick it up a notch, and gain access to the incredibly lush-sounding Acoustica Pro Reverb, IZotope Mastering Essentials suite, overflowing collection of quality virtual instruments and bevy of effects from respected developers such as ToneBoosters and G-Sonique, requires $149 well-spent dollars. Acoustica’s upgrade pricing is the most gracious and fair of any company that I know of. To upgrade from version 5 Standard to Mixcraft 6 standard only costs $20! To upgrade from 5 Pro to Pro Studio 6 costs $60.
12 Comments
OverTone FC-70 Review
Many of us are familiar with well-established, somewhat expensive modelled plug-ins that promise authentic Fairchild 670 sound and performance. UAD’s ”Fairchild® 670 Compressor Plug-In” and IK Multimedia’s “Vintage Tube Compressor/Limiter Model 670” are two of the most highly profiled Fairchild emulations that come to mind. OverTone’s recently released FC-70 also promises to be a faithful digital emulation of the famous studio hardware compressor.
A couple of months prior to this article, I reviewed FC-70’s vintage EQ cousin, “PTC-2A”, from Overtone. I was highly impressed with that offering and as soon as I heard that these lads from England were releasing a Fairchild emu, I was more than a little bit eager to give it a keen “going over”.
I was not disappointed. The wait was definitely worth it, and boy, am I ever ‘jacked up’ to bring you in on it and share my findings with you. For the very conservative cost of only £25 of her majesty’s British Sterling Pounds, this amazing performer, from ‘the other side of the Atlantic’, is a definite must-have. At the very least it is a ‘must-try’. I strongly recommend that you download the demo and find out for yourself just how ‘sterling’ this upstart is. IZotope RX 2 ReviewTo say that IZotope’s RX 2 is a respectable audio restoration suite is a grave understatement. Rather, RX 2 has become one of the most highly regarded speciality software packages available for professional-grade, forensic audio repair and restoration. RX 2 is priced very competitively, ringing in at approximately half the cost of most of its more expensive challengers. -- $349 (RRP). You may be able to find this powerful suite priced even lower at online stores such as AudioDeluxe.com or PluginDiscounts.com. And yes, it’s available for both 32 and 64 bit MAC *and PC systems.
RX 2 is delivered with a total of five distinct and powerfully effective modules: DeClip, DeClick/DeCrackle, Hum Removal, DeNoising, and Spectral Repair. These are available to the user as both a multi-function, stand-alone application or as individual plug-ins that can be used in any DAW or audio editing host that supports DirectX, RTAS or VST. To lend itself to even greater convenience and effectiveness, the stand-alone RX 2 also includes iZotope’s powerful 4 band linear-phase EQ, gain control with smooth fade in/out, precise stereo imaging and phase correction. Completing the suite, iZotope have outfitted RX2 with a full-featured spectrum analysis tool. Powerful enough for professional mastering/restoration engineers. Easy to learn for beginners. IZotope RX 2 truly is a “Complete Audio Repair” solution. Rob Papen Predator Review
Rob Papen’s Predator has become one of the electronic genre’s perennial favourites for its wide breadth of sound types and synth flavours. This dynamic synth is not as easy to pigeon-hole as some of Mr. Papen’s other famous designs. Predator will pounce on its dance-floor prey with the agility of a hungry, West African Lion, or massage your cochlea with its soothing, analog-like purrs.
Predator is the Alpha male leader of the pride in two bundles available from Rob Papen; EDM and Urban. Each Limited Edition bundle only costs €199 | $239 (USD).
While Predator may be considered by some to be ‘Bigger Game’, where it is listed at €149/$179 (USD), the astute electronic musician will be duly wary to keep an ear out for it as a very worthy cross-platform all-rounder. This synth is elusive – difficult to trap into any one genre cage. Pred is as capable of emitting piercing, phat leads, as it is to peacefully lay down bedded layers of warm, comforting pads. What’s more, Predator is as likely to be seen prowling on a MAC desktop as on a Windows PC.
As always, I’m glad you’re here, dear reader. Reviewer’s Revival would be nothing more than lonely, empty chambers if it weren’t for my ‘netizen’ friends coming and making it a home with me. Please join me and let’s go on a little internet safari, without leaving the safety of our rooms, and hunt the “Predator”. |
NO SPAM! IK Multimedia Group Buy
FX Pick & Mix Group Buy - up to 16 for the price of 1
Will You Help?Web hosting is getting more and more expensive all the time, and Reviewer's Revival is NOT funded nor supported by any commercial enterprise or business. A donation of any amount is greatly appreciated. Even $2 or $3 for a coffee - every little bit helps. Thanks very much.
Legal BlurbAll of the articles published on Reviewer's Revival are undertaken to be purely objective, impartial reviews. Reviewer's Revival is not owned, funded-by, nor hired by any company or individual. Reviewer's Revival is the sole property of, and solely under the discretion and direction of Brother Charles. |