Product Reviews

Finally, nearly two years after the release of version 2.5, a new Reason has arrived. Much has changed in Propellerheads' Reason 3, but some things still remain the same: it's still restricted to Midi input; there's no MIDI out, no third-party plug-in support and no audio recording capability.

However, despite the continuing omission of many long-term users' requests, Reason 3 has introduced enough new features to impress. This time, the aim has been to better equip users for live performances, so the heart of this upgrade is focused on ushering Reason out of the studio and onto the stage.

Driving Reason's gig revolution is the Combinator, a device that lets you patch endless Reason instruments and FX together to create previously unheard-of multi-layered sounds, before saving them as a Combi patch. These can then be called up at any time, with total recall of all sounds, settings and routings. A multitude of excellent patches are included, encompassing all Reason devices. More adventurous users can also choose to split multiple instruments across a keyboard, create velocity-sensitive layered mappings and utilise the input jacks to route other devices through their Combi creations.

In lieu of any actual new synths, the Combinator is a great addition to the Reason rack. The only drawback is that using a Combi patch doesn't lighten the CPU load. For example, a particularly fine-sounding Woodwind Section Combi patch still requires Reason to load the dozen or more modules that comprise that patch.

Another new development is the Remote protocol, which does its best to offer out-of-the-box communication with external Midi controllers. Multiple control surfaces are supported, so you can really go to town with your tweaks - if your Midi controller is on the list, that is. Typically, both our Midi keyboards - an Evolution MK-361C and an M-Audio Oxygen 8 - were not,

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but selecting the next-generation 461C and hoping for the best worked fine for the Evolution.

Back in the studio, the all-new MClass Mastering Suite heralds an age of big mixes. The Equalizer is a four-band mastering EQ, with low and high shelving bands, two peak filters and a low cut switch. The Stereo Imager splits the incoming audio into low- and high-frequency bands, allowing independent adjustment of each. The Compressor is only a single-band, not multi-band mastering compressor, but does feature a sidechain input (useful for de-essing sibilant tracks), a soft-knee mode and a CV out to control other devices. Finally, the Maximizer does what all Maximizers do: it jacks up the volume for brickwall limiting, without unduly spoiling the dynamic range or introducing undesirable artifacts.

An entire production can now be created solely in Reason, from first beat to final master, without exporting audio for further treatment. Are they pro-quality effects? Absolutely. The downside, of course, is you can only use these processors inside Reason.

Reason 3 now also hoovers up more of your hard disk. Both Factory and Orkester SoundBanks have been hugely expanded, with a multitude of new instruments, sounds and patches, covering everything from ambient pads to xylophones.

Finding your way around all these sounds is now easier. You can free-text search the entire library - and your entire Mac system - for Reason-compatible files and preview all sounds from the browser window. Selecting a file opens the appropriate Reason device and you can also set up 'Favorites' folders. Other new features include the Line Mixer 6:2, the ability to record automation on multiple tracks and also copy it between tracks.

A few buggy thorns have already come to light, however. Propellerheads is being commendably honest about them (known bugs are listed on the company's homepage), but the faults include a malfunctioning Replace record mode, unstable editing of Keyboard Control mappings and pattern change automation issues.

However, Reason is still a cool concept and version 3 is easily the best yet. Some might grumble that a few of the features could have been offered as free updates to Reason 2.5, but this paid upgrade is both sufficiently cheap and sufficiently well-endowed to negate any complaints. Even the casual Reason user stands to benefit from these improvements. Definitely recommended - and it leaves us wondering what could be left to do in Reason 4.