Picking which software to use can be a grueling process of fooling around with demos and reading endless reviews and message board discussions.  Everyone looks to different pieces of software for different reasons and that influences what they’d advise- or wouldn’t advise- for you.  In my comparison, I am addressing Reason as a sound source vs Massive as a sound source.  I use both and have found some of the strengths and weaknesses of both.

Price

When it comes to price, Reason is more expensive, clocking in at about $400 USD.  This is expected because it has more than just sounds, it has a sequencer and effects in it, also.  Massive clocks in at about $200 USD.  Massive is all about sounds, and there’s no added frills of a sequencer or effects units like in Reason.

Sound Banks

Massive: As far as quality sounds, both of these packages have some good quality sounds.  I will admit that I was a bit disappointed with Massive- I’ve heard better sounds for $200.  There was a wide variety of synthesizer sounds to choose from and the feature that sets this synth over others is that you can easily access and save sounds by category.  This makes it a great tool to quickly find the types of sounds that you’re looking for.  Overall, this is decent, but I would suggest to someone looking to get Massive to get a smaller companies excellent synth called Wusikstation.  I’ve used this for about 5 years and I think that it hands Massive it’s head back on a platter.  It only costs $99 USD these days (I spent alot more for it back then).

Reason: Reason is on an entirely different level, sound-wise.  It offers you several different synthesizers to play with: Subtractor, Thor, NNXT (and NN19), Malstrom, Dr Rex, and Redrum.  Subtractor, Thor, and Malstrom are all synthesizers that have their own distinct sound.  Without going into all of the technicalities of what makes them all different from each other, you’ll find that you have a wide range of sound making possibilities between these three.  NNXT (and NN19) are samplers.  They work great with old Akai libraries, and I even use them with soundfonts.  They come with a pretty convincing set of sounds from the factory, also.  You’ll get lots of real sounding strings, pianos, organs, brass, etc. that will add that live feel to your tracks (if you use them right).  As an added bonus, there are loads of built in effects that sound really good (you only wish that you could use them as VSTs inside your favorite DAW…).  Overall, Reason has way better sounds.  If you don’t have the $400 USD to spare, you still may find Wusikstation to be a good pick.  While you will not get the flexibility of Reason, you will still get a great deal of sounds- synthesized and live sounding.

The Verdict

Between the two, Reason is a better pick for great sounds.  If you have the money, get it- it will be worth every penny.  I would only recommend Massive if you have other sound sources to choose from and just want to add some quick extra sounds to your library.  If you’re tight on cash and want a wide range of sounds to get, and can sacrifice some quality, check out Wusikstation.  Happy music making!

About the author

Tony “Stone” Shepherd aka T-Stone, is a producer for Christian hip-hop artists and has been active in the scene since 2003.  T-Stone continues to strive for excellence in the craft and to help other producers learn from his experience.  Visit him at www.tstonemusic.com