All user reviews for the Cockos Reaper 4

Reaper is a scary program to look at when you first open it. Something about the simplicity of the design of the graphical user interface scares the user when the user begins to delve into the many contextual menus of the program. This is in keeping with the company's vision, of course. Reaper is a comprehensive suite with feature and features and features just jam packed into its little package. This makes someone who is new to recording extremely intimidated by reaper, unlike some of the more flowery digital audio workstation programs like Logic or Studio One or Pro Tools. All fantastic programs in their own right, and this review is not about them anyway. What was incredible about Reaper when I first opened it was that I was initially overwhelmed by how much information was punching me in the face, but then I started to set goals on what to do in Reaper. You do not just explore a program aimlessly. You have it because you want to use it for something specific, so go in with a goal in mind and you will be fine.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

Once you figure out what you want from the program, Reaper just works. The thing about Reaper is that it is overwhelming to the explorer, not the goal setter. It is honestly baffling how intuitive Reaper actually is, because none of the intuition is presented to the user at first glance. The program is intensely scary when first opened, but everything just seems to make sense after only a few minutes of intensive goal oriented work.

OVERALL OPINION

Reaper rocks because nothing seems quite out of place. There are a few odd features that are left out, but the simple truth is you are getting a DAW the stands up to and often surpasses the big boys for next to nothing. And the fact that the DAW in and of itself is no nonsense, makes music making easy as pie.

Light and easy to install

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

The price of the software is much more accessible than many educational licenses. There's no need to get any software illegally! They are all included!

OVERALL OPINION

Let's be honest, not everything is perfect, and you need some time to adapt to it. In the end, the workflow improves a lot thanks to several very appropriate keyboard shortcuts. On the other hand, you have to explore the complex menus from top to bottom, the plug-ins don't always have a GUI worthy of their capabilities and audio quantization is much more arduous than with Live.
On the other hand, the routing is amazing! You need an LFO or the envelope of another track on a parameter that is too static? Just check a box and it's done on the fly! Awesome!! All program and VST buttons are sidechainable and modular!

I downloaded the update, having already bought the license for version 2.
No issues, everything was in its place.
It works flawlessly under Windows (even under Win7 X64 with my erratic VAIO), and it can be easily installed with Wine on Ubuntustudio, TangoStudio, Fedora CCRMA, KX Studio, and I haven't tested all Linux distributions there are!
I didn't reinstall it on me USB key, I keep the old version on a removable hard drive.
It doesn't recognize all my plug-ins but I have downloaded all sort of things throughout the years, so it takes 10 minutes to load them all if I make it re-scan all folders with VSTs. But apart from that, it starts right away.
I haven't read the manual in two years. It has lots of improvements, but if you've used it you know where you are going.

In short, no installation nor operation problems. I don't recall it having crashed, it just freezes sometimes when scanning 10Gb of plug-ins and soundfonts, but I only need to wait for it to be over and then it gets going again.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

Portable Sony VAIO with 4Gb RAM, 640 GB HDD + removable HDD, second screen, an Alesis Multimix USB 4 and a Toneport UX1 Line6 (barely runs on Linux), 2 monitoring speakers.
Stable setup.

OVERALL OPINION

I've had different version of Reaper the last 5 years.
I tested several freewares before, including some really bad ones (GRRRR!) and read the reviews of more expensive software programs before paying for my license.
I also tested some free and free-of-charge software on Linux, but it's a different concept altogether: A brick per function and you link everything, it takes time to get your bearings.
The pros: The price, stability and portability, the power.
The cons: It has everything, so you have to get used to a new way of working, find a setup that suits you because everything is adjustable.

Installation: No remarks!
OS / VST / VSTi (and all other) compatibilities: No remarks!
Setting up a soundcard and other devices: No remarks!
Internal DAW setup: It depends on the workflow, but it's very adaptable: No remarks!
User manual a bit lengthy, but modeled on the flexibility of the DAW!

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

Computer: portable HP DV6 with 4GB RAM. CR 4 is light but it all depends on the complexity of the project.
So far I haven't reached the limits of my computer, so, no remarks!

OVERALL OPINION

Since version 3 it's a real pleasure, flexible routing above all, fast arrangement/composition especially given the tracks/Fx Chains templates. Flexible track organization (interlocking tracks folder, etc.), creative mixing according to your needs thanks to the flexible routing.

DAWs tested:
Samplitude, the best for audio and mastering
Sonar X1 (Cakewalk since 98...): yuk, very heavy!
FL Studio: excellent for patterns/loops!
Studio One: Reaper's most direct competitor, simpler but not less effective. Its advantage compared to Reaper is the processing suite, the mastering!
Cubase: yuk, I gave up on it, but basically because I almost never use it!

The + :
Routing flexibility
Internal track routing.
Track, effects and project templates.
The adaptability of the interface (customizable menus/buttons)
Track interlocking (track folders)
Like Samplitude, FX assignment by "clip" (items...).

The - :
Internal track routing a bit complicated.
Lacks direct and contextual tools, like Studio One, but it's customizable
Lacks a browser like Studio One or FL Studio

Otherwise, it's an excellent DAW. I prefer it over Cubase or Sonar, which are no longer among my DAWs

Hats off, Cockos Reaper, keep up the good work!

Ultra-fast and easy installation with a very small exe file, incredible

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

Vista 64 bits (core 2 quad, 4 Gb RAM)
It works really well, much more responsive than my old Cubase SX2
I'm only discovering the software (I will update my review after a couple of months of use). For the moment, it's excellent!
Reaper supports VSTs without problems and you can apply effects to virtual instruments in real time - radical!
What's more, it is very customizable, which allows you to gain time: It's the software that adapts to the user not the other way around.
Perfect stability up to now.

OVERALL OPINION

I'm still in the learning phase, I used to work with Cubase (SX1 and then SX2) but now I realize how badly I needed to get rid of it!

The value for money is incredible ($60 for an amateur/semi-pro user) because this Reaper appears to be really powerful.

It probably isn't as rich and powerful as the major DAWs (I'm not an expert that pushes the sequences to extremes), but it's more than enough to make demos at home.

Thank you Reaper, I have finally found the product that truly fits my needs, and for a more-than-fair price.

Extremely fast download and installation
accepts virtually all vsts, works perfectly with reason 5. very easy to use

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

I use a laptop with amd turion dual 1.6mhz 2gb ram
a yamaha i88x and a yamaha 01x via firewire
extremely stable system, almost no latency, I find its behavior clearly superior to cubase and even logic audio, the interface is well thought out and adaptable
it lacks only the eraser and razor tools
and it would be perfect

OVERALL OPINION

I've already done a project with reaper, I'm an audio engineer with lots of experience with computer music, the stability is unmatched in relation to other software programs. I give it 10/10
on the other hand, the internal plug-ins are its main weakness
really lightweight but that can be solved by integrating plug-ins that are a bit more pro. its value for money is unmatched

6mb download, no incompatibilities with my system. The setup is rather simple, but it can prove to be very complicated if you decide to get your hands dirty and enjoy making templates, modifying the basic worklfow, even creating a fully customized interface, which is possible. Nevertheless, it's easier to learn than Cubase or ProTools once you spend a couple of hours with it.

SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE

Perfectly stable with my system (AMD Phenom II X4 965). 8 Gb RAM, 64-bit and a TC SK48.

OVERALL OPINION

I'm a user since V2. I like a lot of things about this software. Its usability, its setup and routing flexibility, its lightness, its stability, and a bunch of other things, like the fact that it's fully skinnable. It's as effective as the major players in the market, but with a fair price for private users ($60). I renewed my license as soon as it was available, and if it lacks anything compared to others is that you sometimes don't know where to find something, but the software itself has no limitations. So, as usual, you have to test it in detail to understand how it works rather than try to keep the same habits you have with Cubase, Protools or Live. It has its own workflow, which you can adapt ad nauseam when you have discovered its secrets.