Upgrade cost is terrible for existing users. They are just trying to force you on to a subscription, which I will never choose. This ain't worth it to me, and I would wait for a sale mid year or so.
You will have to wait for a sale if you want it right now you pay the price to have it first. Reason Studios has 2 one 3rd off and 2 half price sales every year. You can expect a 3rd off sale coming end of summer.
@@WARDISWARD I would disagree however the corporate influence was made obviouse when the new CEO come in, we had removing of lite and suite, increased the price by a 3rd introduction of plus subscription, a 12 that was rushed out unfinished to meet a investment deadline. Then during a livestream CEO comes on telling everyone they made plus to make the cost of entry for new Reason users was to high lol come on. I love Reason but wow they lost allot of users that year, and they seem to of had that as part of there plan to ditch long term users.
Personally, I see a lot of value in a simplistic sequencer. It helps me keep ideas flowing out quickly, and forces more creativity with the arrangement and in the rack.
I think this was a massive bonus for Reason workflow, to sort folders as you want and see a thumbnail, drop it in quickly. And they get rid of it, why?
I love reason for creating, the colors n design make it the funnest to look at out of all the daws. When it comes to editing tho and workflow it’s definitely behind. I firmly believe if reason fixes this issue then it’ll be the top daw
I think im finally done!? 🤔 Reason will be used as a VST inside of Logic Pro! Which mind you, you get the full DAW for the price of the Reason Upgrade! They show no love for the loyalty I've shown since 2.0 😢 Note. im a buyer at 99.00 but not 199 😅
I started with reason about 5 years ago but moved over to Cubase about couple of years back. I still like reason for its instruments players and effects ( the Combinator is a still a great piece of kit IMO) and of course the Reason rack which I use often in Cubase. However as a DAW Reason is lacking in pro features.Cubase and many other DAWs have flexibily and features that far outstrip Reason. I recently updraded to Cubase 13 for £42 in the Steinberg summer sale. £199 for the latest Reason update is well overpriced for the few additions in R13.
I think that's it for me after 20 years with reason🤷 But I won't use the vst plugin version of reason in another daw. Reason Studios just doesn't really listen to what we want and takes far too long to incorporate good stuff...if at all. it's always only half-finished and implemented.. I always wonder what they do all the time... not much comes out of it... always just the absolute minimum... we don't need any new effects and synth... there are 1000 and much better ones. Coming from version 2.0 and at the moment I'm still on version 10.0. I won't update either. Maybe it's time to change the DAW
I used to use Reason as a DAW, and then I got tired of waiting for them to catch up. I bought Cubase 11, then upgraded to 12 and now 13. I still use Reason as a Rack plugin, on a daily basis. I'll skip this upgrade unless they drop a Hail Mary mid-cycle update that really pushes the value proposition. The Ripley Delay is cool, but it's really the only aspect of Reason 13 that I'm even remotely interested in. They sold me a better browser last time, and now they're trying to sell me a better browser, again? The DAW features do nothing for me now that I use Cubase, and the utilities are relatively meaningless in Cubase land, too. The new synth? I have 20 VSTs of that flavor. This entire update is a misfire for me. So, I guess I'll see them in the next version. The one feature that I would hit the Buy button for would be Windows ARM support. These new Windows ARM-based laptops, with their astounding 22-26 hours of battery life, are something I'm sold on. Cubase has already stated they're working on Native support. With how slowly Reason Studios is to do anything, and with their track record on how slowly they adopted Native Apple silicon, I seriously doubt it'll happen until Reason 14, or even 15. The best I can do for Reason studios is... I might finally buy Objekt this year. Maybe. They've annoyed me quite a bit over the years with stubborn thinking and bad choices. I'm on the fence about supporting a company that doesn't seem to align with what I want as a customer. Only time will tell if they can win me back, I guess. Also: Your reviews are great. I enjoy that you don't just sing their tune because you got a review copy, as many channels would.
@@xkidmidnightx Actually, you don't have 24-26 hour battery life on a MacBook. MacBooks top out at 19. I use Macs at work and hate MacOS. I'm happy for you that you enjoy the Apple experience. Not for me.
@@xkidmidnightx MacBooks haven't gotten anywhere near that until M1 - I have always had both a PC and Mac Laptop :-P Battery Life on MBPs that were specced with high performance Intel CPUs (i.e. i7-H CPUs) were still pretty bad and the machines were basically rated for like 7-8 hours, which was always best-case scenario. You weren't producing music off-charger and getting anywhere near that. Even on M1, running Logic Pro or something off-charger is going to eat your battery alive. Also, M-series Macs topped out at 20H Rated Battery Life. But I don't think anyone really needs more than that, since you'll be able to charge by then, anyways.
I will probably upgrade to Reason 13 once it goes on sale. I use both Reason 11 and the free version of Ableton Live 12. A lot of things we take for granted in Reason like making midi notes the same length and velocity are unnecessarily complicated in Ableton.
It's easy to make midi notes same length in Ableton. There's a set length button above legato in the midi tab and you can use the drop down to pick divisions. And velocity settings are in the bottom area of the MIDI parts. I'm not sure though if they're there in the free version.
@@Noldy__ what I mean specifically is being able to type in a precise length and apply it to all the selected notes. And there is a velocity section, but it doesn't allow you to easily set all the selected notes to the same velocity. You have to select each note, drag the velocities all the way to 0, and then drag them to where you want, which to me is way more complicated than it needs to be.
@@_JSN Gotchu! Unless you want the lengths not to be specific to grid divisions then maybe I don't know how. regarding velocity, whatever you have selected, just type a number while midi is selected, press enter and they'll all be that velocity.
Nope not upgrading for that price...not worth it to me at all..tbh I upgraded from Reason 11 to Reason 12 and even that upgrade was kinda meh in my opinion. Im not really blown away by the new synth, I own the Arturia V Collection as well as Pigments, Serum and a few other 3rd party synths so I dont need to spend $199 for one more synth. I just feel like ReasonStudios doesnt value those of us who spent $500 to purchase a perpetual license whatsoever...not after they have our money...they're focused on people who pay for the subscription. And I agree that overall they are behind other Daws..I also own Logic Pro and Ableton and an Ableton Push 2. Ableton utterly smokes Reason imo...Im using Reason as a plugin more than as a Daw these days. Maybe Reason 14 will be worth upgrading to but Im staying with 12. Reason 13 doesnt interest me at all.
I'll keep my 12 great vst .. I bought full bitwig this year . 300 cad for r13 update . ? Bitwig runs on Linux reason and logic don't even offer Lennox let alone logic only runs on one platform. Bitwig is the best .f:;k reason . Total garbage marketing management . Bitwig . Bitwig. Bitwig . Multiple usb clock outs . What I meant to say no more money to reason after 20 years .
£199 is a bit of a kick in the balls for what one gets. Started with Reason 8, currently on 12 and this might be the occasion when I don't upgrade. This might sooner be the occasion to spend £199 on a different DAW and get the better MIDI implementation in the process.
No I'm not trying to push another product.....but.......for £100 more I can get the Signature version of FL Studio which comes with a ton of new stuff (as I will still be able to use my Reason Rack) and FL Studio has free updates for life. Also not writing of Luna for PC that is free but just haven't had the time to use it properly yet.
I've started using REAPER.I'm loving it.£50 for a license.They're not a mega-corporation trying to maximise profits,they have ethics.Reason 12 is just a plugin now.Never upgrading again.
@@TheRealWinsletFan Same. Lol. $162 from 8-Track to Studio. I already have Cubase Pro, but I figured if this is what Reason had on offer, I was better off just going there. I've since uninstalled Reason 12 and I kinda enjoy Bitwig for Beat-driven music and sound design. I still do most work in Cubase, though. Even as a Rack Plug-in, Reason makes little sense to even bother with since everything in it is beholden to its ability to run on the host OS/in the host DAW which will eventually force you to pay $200 just to maintain compatibility with that one or two devices you may have kept using. Mind as well send it to pasture now and not have to deal with that headache down the road.
Having been a loyal Reason user for almost 20 years, I was looking forward to the upgrade until I saw the price. Sales or no sales, I'll have to think twice on this one. I don't need another synth, although the effects look good, the only improvement I would want are the changes to the workflow, but they don't justify the price tag, sorry Reason Studios, you've completely missed the economic climate?
@@noisefekt they copied logic's browser and seq + piano roll split view. R12 is my main daw but I also am FL and Logic user and the new split view and browser search setup is just clunky. they overcomplicated a really simple and smooth system they have in R12. it looks like I'll be using R12 for quite a long time now lol
Don't get me wrong, I do love Reason... but £199.00 for this upgrade?1?1 Way overpriced, IMO, more especially for someone like me. I only ever use it as a plugin within Maschine and Logic. Lower prices would see sales go through the roof. Thanks for the video. As far as the upgrade goes, will have to sit this one out.
I'll be upgrading because it's still available as a perpetual license. Who knows how much longer this can last where everything in life is becoming a subscription.
Seriously, worried they're gonna pull the plug on perpetual licenses at some point. Every other company has, why shouldn't they join the a-hole brigade?
I was looking forward to it because i thought i was among the Reason 12 folks that could get the free upgrade. Since i got Reason about 7 months ago, i have to pay $200. I would've been ok upgrading if it was like $100. I dont think the upgrade is really worth it unless you've had Reason 12 for a longer period of time or an earlier version. Also, im one of the folks using it as a plugin (which you mentioned). I'm just going to wait for a sale.
Was part of the beta testing programm for Reason 13. I think there are some nice improvements, some missed opportunities and some good stuff that was removed or changed. For a perpetual license holder, the upgrade from R12 to R13 will prob. not be worth it, however, I think from every version before R12 you are making a good deal. The changes from R12 and R13 together add up quite nicely.
Thats what is making me want to just upgrade as I have 11 but its the last version that doesn't allow VST3s, so I may bite the bullet or at least wait until next holiday sale.
Polytone: nice - but unnecessary. I can achive the same with other synths, just on a different way. All the new devices. Ok, but I'm not excited. Improved Arranger. - it's a little better, but I don't really see the benefit. All in all. Nothing worth paying for. I love my reason 12. Thanks for the video.
Reason used to be the perfect "initial DAW" for those familiar with hardware. Given how many are now starting music production through the DAWless movement and/or EMOM scene, it would make sense Reason to again be the perfect "first DAW" for those used to deal with hardware devices, audio & CV cables, etc. ...but, Reason is now increasingly behind and also a bit "lost" in what it is and should be, so you saying Reason 13.0 not being the best DAW to recommend as the first one, unfortunately makes some sense :(
Thing is I have like 3000+ projects tied up in Reason. I'll always use it, for certain kinds of music. Or even just to start ideas. And 13 *looks* and feels quite nice. The browser is great for finding cool sounds long before I have to reach for VSTs. And I guess the fact that the standalone got 'updated' at all shows that there's some intent there to keep it alive. I know a lot of people were worried that RRP would be the death knell of the DAW. Evidently that's not true, so that's good! Polytone and Ripley are lots of fun too. I also don't wanna diminish the amount of work that went into hand-tagging all the included content, and packs. That must've been a massive undertaking. The browser I'm mostly okay with but the lack of device favourites is mind blowing. I know RS had a period of surveying and consultation with focus groups....I'm trying to imagine what kind of users they actually spoke to, if none of them said "please don't take that away". Not everyone's a power user, but experience and proficiency aren't dirty words. Talk to the people who use this stuff professionally as well as hobbyists and beat makers. All of that said, I'd sort of imposed a bit of an ultimatum on myself before 13 was announced, which was that if I didn't get two features I really needed (MIDI note chase, and folders) I was gonna make a home elsewhere. So that's what I'm doing. Cubase 13 Pro, while not perfect, has 99% of what I need. It also has its quirks and annoyances, but I was a Cubase guy from version 2 on the Atari up to about 8 or 9, then I switched to Reason full time for a while. So I know my way around it. Plus I can still use all my favourite Reason synths in it thanks to RRP. Like you said, it's comparable to V collection or even Komplete in some regards as a big ol box of toys and sounds to produce with.
Im sorry but no way do i feel this is a good upgrade for reason 12 users. This should have been a free update or at most $50. I would never choose this over native instruments. NI komplete ultimate has 10 times more content than base reason. I wont be supporting it.
I was on the Beta. I liked some of the workflow improvements but they didn't go far enough and they missed a whole mess of obvious tweaks. The new devices are fine, but I'm not short of devices, I've been an enthusiastic Rack Extension customer. But the biggest issue is the upgrade price is way out of line for the value added, the improvements over 12 are not that great, I mean, I've learned to work with 12 just fine ( User since 2.5 ). I'm thinking I will skip or at least defer upgrading until I can get some kind of discount. I might have just bit the bullet at £129, but I can spend £199 elsewhere and get £199 of value...
This take is pretty normal every big release version. Will probably wait for a sale. Or like Reason has done before is just lower the price eventually. They need to recoup dev costs initially
@@pnutbuttajellee1394 They can recoup dev costs by selling more licenses at a lower price. In my case, they will never sell that license because I've moved on. I'm done with them. Glad they have you guys to make up for it, though!
I've been with Reason since 2.5 - absolutely no reason to upgrade at this price - most people transferred to other Daws years ago - very honest review, thanks.
Re: For first time users who are looking g for a first DAW, you’re not taking into account the value of Ryan’s videos for the new user and the depth of explanation one gets if it’s your first DAW. It’s definitely a “leading you by the hand approach” that I’m not seeing elsewhere .
Great point. I don’t understand all the hate Reason is getting. Reason is the most hands on DAW out there. Stop all the complaining and make some music.
Used Reason many years ago to produce radio promotions from scratch. Produced a few ambient dub tracks, all fully automated. Considered downloading 12, but thought I would wait 'til 13 arrived. Looks awesome. Been waiting years for the time to get back into music production, picked up a 49 key midi keyboard and been stashing vinyl for sampling. Guess all I have to do is pay for it and download Reason 13.
Reason user since version one here. No I'm not upgrading for that price. Not even at half price would I uograde to R13. I will spend that money on Fruity Loops as it's ts been over 20 years since I owned a licence to FL. I have lost all faith in Reason Studios the day it became Reason Studios. Nothing has changed and nothing will change.
i must disagree with you on the subject of beginners using reason, i started with sonar and i did struggle a bit, i then got reason 5 and onwards and found it very intuitive,i didn't need to read manual, but then again i did come from a using a real mixer/ 8 track and outboard gear , i currently use Reaper/ reason v11 and i did try ableton i couldn't get my head aroung it! so i think because reason hasn't got a vast amount of options like reaper it's fairly easy to use for beginners. i will not upgrade to reason 13 , my system was unable to run Reason 12 which i bought. so until i buy a new system i will stick with Reaper and reason v11.
I think you helped me with choosing it you're saying your system couldn't handle 12, I've got spec'd out 2013 MB pro and alongside using some new plugins like UJAM symphonic elements, it is just able to handle it with manually setting it to 4 cores max.
Hi my carillion pc system is about 6-7 years old , reason support did respond to my issue, saying my graphic card wasn't up to the job, I upgraded my card but the issue actually got worse! I gave up with reason 12 , and switched to reaper, I still use reason now and then plus as a vst inside reaper. My system is i7 6 core windows 10,
I think your age belies your PoV. Back then, it was more common for people to come from a hardware-oriented PoV when viewing production software. This is no longer the case. Many producers coming into the market NOW were barely alive when Reason 5 was released. They have never seen a hardware EQ or Compressor, and certainly not any modular synths and have probably never used a hardware synth at all. They're all PC-based, and Studio DAWs like Cubase operate more intuitively to them because they are closer to the UX of other desktop PC software those users are used to using. Many people are also visual learners, so having things like high resolution visualizers on almost every plug-in and on every mixer channel strip in other DAWs actually helps them learn more effectively. Most beginners, these days, are going to find Sonar easier to get to grips with than Reason, for that reason (sic.). It's an unfortunate situation they're in. The UX that they have developed, which was a selling point decades ago, is now vestigial and has ceased to be. It doesn't offer much value to the people entering the market today. Those people want features that cannot really be represented in a skeuomorphic fashion. MPE, ARA2, Folder Tracks, Better Controller Support (see Ableton/Bitwig), Video Support, Surround/Spatial Audio Support, etc. That is where the industry is going. This is why software design has been moving away from skeuomorphism. It makes less and less sense, now. Reason's core design philosophy is actually an impediment to it moving forward, and that is why they are in this position. The DAW has been heavily niched off, and that's unfortunate. If the DAW was as revolutionary as some people make it out to be, it would be far more heavily used in the current market... but that take is clearly not in line with reality. Even before those huge price increases (25% across the board), they were struggling just as much to compete.
Thanks for the early review. Getting an honest assessment before forking over one's hard-earned money is always helpful. While I understand and partially agree with what a few others have said about the $199 price tag, even for older Reason 12 users, it's reasonable for what we're getting. Depending on the project, I use Logic, Ableton, and Reason, along with Arturia, AAS, and NI, to dial in the feel and flavor in my head. I've upgraded each of those suits with each iteration. While I always have the same initial hesitation, I've never regretted upgrading, especially when that "one particular tool" causes me to try something I might not have considered. A $199 upgrade isn't enormous given the workflow improvements, not to mention the utilities and the Ripley effect I might have purchased as a rack extension. Circling back, I respect everyone's individual use case. I'm a yes on the upgrade; I only wish the guys across the pond would have shown even a little love for the folks who purchased Reason 12 the day it dropped. Finally, much respect to the author and those of you who took the time to articulate a helpful thought. I look forward to hearing and seeing how you leverage this iteration of our now 20-year-old and yet very relevant "DAW."
30 years later, reason still doesn't have a half decent stock rack eq and compressor 😳- or even vst - but it's worried it needed the 4,600th synth, and some more toys for the children. the moment it came up with the rack plugin - and the "reason studios" gimmick - i realized it didn't even intend to become a real daw, it will forever be a toy box, so i switched, and never coming back. too bad about that console - which would need inserts BETWEEN the gain and the other sections, and splittable filters - and the rack flexibility in provides. whenever i mentioned i was working in reason, everybody was like "but that's for hip-hoppers and edm-ers". I was answering "not necessarily", but, with the last few updates, yeah, it's exclusively that. and that's not - even remotely - a good thing. so, good luck with toying around in edm and hip hop. even at that, it sounds digital as hell. stock preamps, tapes, anything? forget about scream and the retro transformer, maybe something looking close to the real thing, instead of 200 year old toys. hey, it's a good thing they increased the price of the upgrade by about 60%, isn't it? at least it's still got the stability working for it - even though not as rock solid as it was, since the introduction of vsts - long overdue, itself. good review. i liked the honesty.
Reason as a DAW is dead. I think that because of the coding, it's just too much work for them to update it significantly. I think I'm done with Reason. It was never my main DAW but I think it's nearing it's end of life as a DAW, although I doubt Reason Studios and the Reason Stans will never admit that.
I've used Reason for a fair few years, and during that time I've dabbled in Cubase, Logic and to a lesser degree, Ableton. I find myself a little unsure of what you mean when you say that the Reason workflow is light years behind others. It'll always be a personal thing, but after dipping into all the DAWs mentioned above, I've never once thought that any one stands out from the others. I load them up, hit record and start smashing my midi keyboard. I might need to clean things up or use a drum sequencer/player to create patterns, but they all (DAWs) end up feeling really similar in my opinion, with no differences really hurting or hindering me from one DAW to another. What makes you feel that Reason is so "behind"? Any chance you could consider doing a comparison video with DAW workflows. Pros and Cons for each, I'd love to understand how they differ from the perspective of someone else.
I like Reason and so far I've stuck with version 11 Suite. I also have Cubase Elements and Renoise tracker and experience with FL Studio. It depends on what we compare, what kind of music you make and how much time and patience you have to first get used to DAW and learn how to control it. From my point of view Reason is very intuitive, including the back panel and with a very nice GUI. The problem is that the GUI control (I don't know in the current version) but it was not possible to set it up very user-friendly. Cubase and other DAWs are really quite different in this respect. Not to mention hard-coded hot keys and minimal configuration options. A lot of hot keys are also missing. Cubase is more for orchestral music and a person who wants to have more things "under control". For EDM music, however, I think there is no better DAW than Renoise in combination with Reason plugin.
I find the statements made by the UA-camr in this video very wrong because he sounds very condescending and claims that other music software is much more advanced and modern, but he apparently doesn't understand that with this software, a lot of emphasis has been placed on giving the user the feeling that they are looking at a real studio, and a very deliberate emphasis has been placed on ensuring that it doesn't look like any other DAW.
What do you mean it's lightyears behind other DAWs like Logic? I'm coming from Logic and will be switching to Reason 13 because it's so much better. What do you actually mean by lightyears behind Logic?
Pues como ejemplo el flujo de trabajo con samples directamente en el secuenciador es una basura. Solo puedo modificar la envolvente de entrada y salida y nada mas. Si no cargo la muestra en un sampler mierda.. y si quisiera retocar mas de una muestra del mismo canal cambiando el ataque y el sustain por ejemplo ya no puedo. Cuando duplicas un canal no te lo ordena bien, entremezcla las cosas. Cuando abro una automatizacion de cualquier plugin VST me crea un canal que nunca esta al lado de la pista en la que esta insertado el VST. Te pone la pista de la automatizacion donde le da la gana. Por no hablar de poder poner mas marcas y anotaciones. Notas midi de colores. Un piano roll donde pueda elegir la escala musical en la que trabajo y se refleje visualmente.. y me dejo alguna. Aun asi soy usuario de Reason 10,11,12.. y la verdad las verdaderas mejoras no las veo por ningun sitio. Menos al precio de 200$. Como comenta mas de uno seria mejor invertir esos 200 en otro DAW.
This is probably aimed at more advanced users. Reason was originally not a traditional DAW. Did not even have audio tracks and sequencer was very basic. It was basically a virtual hardware rack with cables. Totally different concept from a DAW where everything is centered around the arrangement view. Regarding the new editing panel where his Logic comparison comes in, DAWs haves had this basic function for decades.
I assume he’s talking about a lot of the workflow issues like automation options/capabilities, quality of stock plugins, AI integration, versatility (film scoring), etc.
The browser thing is slowing me down a lot. They coulda kept that concept and just kept it to the left and kept the fav list and colors . They overdid it with that
Well I don't like a new sequencer, I have Reason and Reason plus I can just install , but don't want too, a new stuff they added it's just nice , nothing Wow. Not gonna spend 200 bucks, for what? Maybe if they re work some stuff I'll think about it
@@HOLLASOUNDS i want to have an option to go back as it was,but they don't give it to us ,and i like where it was before,you can say matter of taste ,but its not a food we should have an options
I get this upgrade for free because I only bought Reason 12 a couple of months ago, but I don't actually know if I want to. Does anyone know if I can downgrade back to Reason 12 if I want to? And if so, how would I do that?
If you own the license to 12 you can go back to it if you don't like 13. I know this because I bought 12 on sale, didn't get on with it and reverted back to 11. Beware though, any songs I did in 12 won't open in 11.
@@ucheattoh okay thanks for letting me know. I've decided to stick with Reason 12 anyway. There is literally nothing about 13 that interests me, and for me personally some of the changes are actually downgrades
They have to pay their employees and know roughly how many users they have, so the calculation is simple: 100,000 copies sold = upgrade for 19.99 dollares 10,000 copies sold = upgrade for 199,-- (if they sold 10 million copies you would get money back if you decide to upgrade)😀
Definitely not worth the upgrade price. I am a 12 user. At this price I will definitely not be upgrading. They really will have to do better than this.
The new UI just sucks. Not the best reason at all. I've been using Reason from the version 1 so I know what I'm talking about. This browser update is hideous and needs to be rolled back asap.
Also Reason 1 user. I won't be going over to R13 because I can't believe they removed the favorite folders from the left hand side, looks like dragging in samples and VSTs will take longer than before.
I love reason I really love their version of melodyne its so good and easy to use. It's just so annoying how I need to now pay $200 to get features that any other DAW comes stock with.
I've been using reason since reason one. & To this day I haven't had the slightest urge to change to a different daw. I tried Ableton when it first came out but only because you could rewire eason into it. Even before they made it a vst. If it ain't broke don't fix they say. It's only gotten better.
Well I found Reason 13 upgrade for £99 on Andersons music and grabbed it as up upgrade from 11. Definitely worth it for that price I think. So VST 3 support great, as VSTs only use DSP when in use, so less drain on resources. New floating browser I really like. Pop it on when you need it and it disappears when you don't. Being able to move it around suits me as I use 3 monitors. Ripley is great. A nice new DDL addition to my FX and lots of control over parameters. The split editor is really useful to me. You can dissappear it if you don't need it, but it really helps to dig into editing sections while keeping the rest of the tracks in view. It automatically updates to a new track if you tap the track you want to work on, so very quick to get into micro editing.This is best new feature for me. Haven't used ploytone or the stereo tool etc. But I'm definitely glad I jumped from 11 to 13 at £99.
I have both Reason (12) and Logic, and agree that the functionality of Logic is more intuitive, but Reason is great for Ambient music. Thanks for the excellent overview.
I caved in and got the upgrade .. only because of the summer Summer sale ($119 vs. $199) .. There are some.things I'm looking forward to explore... but probably not the DAW part. I think my beef with Reason as a DAW is the fact that it does not allow for routing MIDI out directly from an instrument track. (Unlike most other DAWS current today) It's really baffling why they don't fix this long running flaw. Sure, there are complicated workarounds out there, but .. sheesh! who has the time? There are some VST's out there that (like Harmony Bloom). that are awesome sequencers. I hear that Reason has this restrictionbecause they wish to protect their family of Reason devices... but It's just one of the reasons why Reason is 10 years behind other DAWS. So I will mostly be using Reason devices as instruments in Ableton... or Bitwig.
You just went the wrong way. I’ve just bought reason and I’m an fl Studio user and found it to be easy to work on for music. What you saying is just nonsense. Reason 13 is way easier then the old versions in my opinion.
I've been using Reason since 6.5, when all the awesome features have been added. I'm a guitar player and always all the synths/FX features were great. If I remember well the other upgrades costed around 125 dollars or so, and sometimes I got upgrades for less because of 3rd party customers. 199 sounds too much. This price tag is not "Reasonable"
The upgrade price is absurd. You can get Logic Pro for $199.00. I've legit bought every copy of Reason since 1.0 but no more. The improvements in the upgrade are good but should have been there long before now. Yet Reason is still behind the curve when compared to other DAWs. I'll be interested to see if they provide interesting pricing during the holidays but it's gotta be aggressively discounted.
DAW preference is just that, preference, not one is better than the other, i can argue that reason is the only DAW that makes sense, there'll be a million Fruity Loops users who would beg to differ, honestly to each his own, as long as you get what you want out of you preferred DAW that's all that matters, great music, that's the desired outcome ultimately, not what you use to create the music with.
AFTER THE NEW UPDATE (13) THE SETTINGS ARE CORRUPTED... WHEN I OPEN MY SAVED WORK (90 BPM) AGAIN, IT OPENS AS 120 BPM THE OTHER PROBLEM IS BIGGER. EQ, COMP, VST... NOTHING THAT I ASSIGNED INTO THE MASTER SECTION IS WORKING. I WROTE MANY TIMES AND COULDN'T RECEIVE A COMPLETE ANSWER. I'VE BEEN USING REASON SINCE VERSION 5; BUT I THINK I SHOULD SWITCH TO STUDIO ONE.
long time reason user... very much underwhelmed. the sequencer update is LONG OVERDUE. & as mister stock musician emphasized numerous times, it's still WAY UNDERCOOKED. I have been an avid user of reason since version 2.0. I love it!! so much so that the clip-based workflow of bitwig & ableton are totally foreign to me, still to this day. but learning one of those--preferably bitwig--is also very curious & interesting to me. I think the underwhelming & downright questionable value of this $200 upgrade may just be the push I need...
Reason, is good, but have ignored de customers for years. No used for new or old musicaker. The working Flow is, in a trance. Company ear is just for the developers, and not for the customer.😢😢
I was like... "where have the lower controls to the sequencer gone !?" Then.... my thumb & fourth finger automatically showed me. Like so many times trying on Reason 12 without success. lol Wow. This alone is worth saying its an upgrade.
Why would I pay $200 a year ???? Been using Propellerhead products and Reason since inception. I understand inflation and yada yada. So, $199 is not horrible for the software upgrade, but it’s double the typical upgrade. Always used it with Cubase in Rewire as a plugin. Bought Record and got hosed on that. Not sure 13 is worth an upgrade, but reviews like this help sort it out. Thanks
I've been using Reason since version 3.0, and this could be the first time I've considered not upgrading. If there's a sale later this year, I might change my mind. Recently, I've been thinking about switching to Cubase 13. It's been more than 20 years since I last used Cubase; perhaps it's time to return to it. Cubase is an excellent DAW and a better sequencer in my opinion. For a little more than the $199 for Reason 13, I can upgrade to Cubase Artist 13.
I think that's it for me after 20 years with reason🤷 But I won't use the vst plugin version of reason in another daw. Reason Studios just doesn't really listen to what we want and takes far too long to incorporate good stuff...if at all. it's always only half-finished and implemented..I always wonder what they do all the time... not much comes out of it... always just the absolute minimum... we don't need any new effects and synth... there are 1000 and much better ones. I've from version 2.0 and at the moment I'm still on version 10.0. I won't update either. Maybe it's time to change the DAW
The last Reason I used was Reason 5 I think, I've been using Protools since then but I miss my old creative workflow, specially using the NNXT and DrRex as samplers, do you think it's worth it? Just looking at all the new (for me) instruments I'am feeling very tempted to try it out
I guess from \R 9, this is a must upgrade situation, VST3 support, I need this to Subscrribe to the new engine and subscription format from Cinesamples, for example. Butr 9.5 was such a big step forward ...
I'm still on version 10. The only one thing that I miss is VST3 support. Tried 12 and 13 beta, but I am having amazing flow with 10... With all that new stuff I get frustrated. 🙂
Canadian dollar cost for this upgrade is totally unacceptable. Just bought reason 12 in 2023 and now have to pay this amount , I could buy another DAW for the upgrade cost!!! Been purchasing reason since reason 5 and this is an insult!
Reason users since 2.5. First reason I will skip if the price remains 199€. They also remove lot of stuffs from the non sub version which is quite disappointing when you spend 499 euros. The new synth is glorious and also the fxs. The only thing that I really don’t like is the new browser.
Been with reason sinds te beginnen always upgraded and invested in RE and refills, with that I have a workflow developed which works great for me fast and have so many great favorites lists in my browser also for sorting the extensive list of RE and VST plug-ins and it’s there on the side but can be collapsed if you want more screen space, the new browser is what keeps me from upgrading for the first time Sind version 1.0 all fun and giggles the tags etc but that’s very catered to the new users I know where to look for my patches etc and I think the tags can withhold you from nice patch discoveries that are viable but fall out of the specific tags. So no I won’t be upgrading if they had offered a setting that you can also still use the old browser as in a veteran mode it would have been a yes I’ll upgrade asap, and another thing I think is just wrong that it uses your music folder on your C:\ as a library now while I keep my C as clean as possible and have dedicated drives for my studio files and another duplicate for the backup. Also this new folder is possibly useful for new users but Reason Studios is neglecting there old user base while I was always an advocate for Reason with the removal of the old browser they made me just pissed off the rest it’s fine new synth personally I don’t need it the delay is neat but the utilities again for new users it’s nice to have it included but there where already a plethora of options as RE and as daily user I invested in these tools already. Still a great fantastically powerful creative DAW but the company has lost in my opinion a bit of there mojo I know they need to make money and that’s fine but they forget that there are users with different needs and preferred workflow they which they keep neglecting over the last couple of versions. Now I hope that I’ll be able to use reason 12 without logging in every time for a long time because it’s my fear they will “rotate” that out within a few years. Thanx for the review and your other content!
The upgrade cost for perpetual license users is really not worth it... Specially if you're struggling or from a low-income country. Skip this, wait to 14. Maybe?
As a Live / RRP user I _shudder_ at the idea of having a floating browser window without the ability to dock it anywhere. That would *seriously* destroy my productivity.
Would have been interesting to see if you added also what you would have liked to have seen, since you say other daws are lightyears ahead. I like reason. I don't like other daws except Studio One. 199 is bit too steep maybe for this I think, but I use + so doesnt matter to me one bit.
Removing device favorites from the browser and a $199 upgrade price for R12 users is a deal breaker. Actually, even if it goes on sale I still wouldn’t buy it.
Disappointing would be the biggest takeaway after reading comments here and on reason studios. Not just the bad pricing but midi left alone and third party organization neglect are key takeaways.
It’s worth it at this point. With the recent workflow modifications I don’t see myself going back to the old ways. I’m getting acclimated to the new browser which is good! Reminds me of analog lab a bit!
For years I was dissapointed with reasons sequencer. I now feel Reason is the go to creative tool to come up with fresh ideas. So everything starts in reason, but I actually feel you can go right to the final mix now. Im upgrading.
I look to upgrade as i have not made music for a long while i am using R11 i would say i just want to get started again whole new sound work flow etc i am also gonna explore bitwig
A year ago I was trying to save space on my HD so I deleted R12 and all it's components. I never really used it that much. Then I got curious again and signed up for the R123 beta and downloaded it. For the most part I was pleasantly surprised. Polytone is a great sounding synth. The other enhancements and quality of life improvements you mentioned were not that substantial to get me to throw $199 at it. With that said, there is a Reason Eco System that inspires me to be more creative. While using the beta I rediscovered that. It is a fun program that offers just enough to spark the muses and keep me wanting to use it. But I will stick with R12 for now.
The last version of Reason I bought was 2.5. The fact that they have the same upgrade price as if you had version 12 it's a pretty good deal for me. However, I would be using it as a plug-in, which I've been testing, and it's pretty cool. I'm unsure if I could justify spending the upgrade price for the things I use, but we'll see.
Was upgrading from reason 7 till reason 11 and then one day decided to try reason plus subscription so I could try reason 12. Was working on the album at that time and after opening and working on every song in the album on reason 12 I have thought that It’s not really worth it for me to upgrade..but now all of the projects I opened and worked on on reason 12 are not able to load on Reason 11. Reason plus subscriber since then 😂 I know Reason is not the only one with the backward compatibility problem but still.. feel like I’ve been tricked))
I haven't downloaded the upgrade yet but going by the Reason groups I'm in on Facebook, this seems to be an underwhelming version. I subscribe to Reason, so the price won't affect me as much but they're definitely not happy
This is personally the most satisfied I've been with a Reason Update in a long long time. The sequencer updates, zoom control, edit window, new browser, and Ripley effect are all very welcome additions. I got into a real groove during the Beta with the new browser and sequencer and its the fastest I've ever been able work inside of the DAW itself. I get there will always be features users want but to me this is the best Reason has ever looked and certainly the quickest its ever felt.
Upgrade cost is terrible for existing users. They are just trying to force you on to a subscription, which I will never choose. This ain't worth it to me, and I would wait for a sale mid year or so.
You will have to wait for a sale if you want it right now you pay the price to have it first. Reason Studios has 2 one 3rd off and 2 half price sales every year. You can expect a 3rd off sale coming end of summer.
THat's how corporate bussineses work
The once so cool Propellerheads is dead , reasonstudios is al about investment capital
@@WARDISWARD I would disagree however the corporate influence was made obviouse when the new CEO come in, we had removing of lite and suite, increased the price by a 3rd introduction of plus subscription, a 12 that was rushed out unfinished to meet a investment deadline. Then during a livestream CEO comes on telling everyone they made plus to make the cost of entry for new Reason users was to high lol come on. I love Reason but wow they lost allot of users that year, and they seem to of had that as part of there plan to ditch long term users.
Yes, that is what it is: pushing you to subscribe, which I will never ever do.
@@alienmachine Neither will I.
Personally, I see a lot of value in a simplistic sequencer. It helps me keep ideas flowing out quickly, and forces more creativity with the arrangement and in the rack.
But why did they remove our ability to create favourite groups for our vsts/devices. such a poor decision. a big workflow killer....so disappointed
I think this was a massive bonus for Reason workflow, to sort folders as you want and see a thumbnail, drop it in quickly. And they get rid of it, why?
I love reason for creating, the colors n design make it the funnest to look at out of all the daws. When it comes to editing tho and workflow it’s definitely behind. I firmly believe if reason fixes this issue then it’ll be the top daw
I have a 6 month reason+ subscription. I do not use the DAW but the reason rack within bitwig is quite good I have to say!
I think im finally done!? 🤔 Reason will be used as a VST inside of Logic Pro! Which mind you, you get the full DAW for the price of the Reason Upgrade! They show no love for the loyalty I've shown since 2.0 😢 Note. im a buyer at 99.00 but not 199 😅
I started with reason about 5 years ago but moved over to Cubase about couple of years back. I still like reason for its instruments players and effects ( the Combinator is a still a great piece of kit IMO) and of course the Reason rack which I use often in Cubase. However as a DAW Reason is lacking in pro features.Cubase and many other DAWs have flexibily and features that far outstrip Reason. I recently updraded to Cubase 13 for £42 in the Steinberg summer sale. £199 for the latest Reason update is well overpriced for the few additions in R13.
I think that's it for me after 20 years with reason🤷
But I won't use the vst plugin version of reason in another daw.
Reason Studios just doesn't really listen to what we want and takes far too long to incorporate good stuff...if at all.
it's always only half-finished and implemented.. I always wonder what they do all the time... not much comes out of it... always just the absolute minimum... we don't need any new effects and synth... there are 1000 and much better ones. Coming from version 2.0 and at the moment I'm still on version 10.0. I won't update either. Maybe it's time to change the DAW
I used to use Reason as a DAW, and then I got tired of waiting for them to catch up. I bought Cubase 11, then upgraded to 12 and now 13. I still use Reason as a Rack plugin, on a daily basis. I'll skip this upgrade unless they drop a Hail Mary mid-cycle update that really pushes the value proposition.
The Ripley Delay is cool, but it's really the only aspect of Reason 13 that I'm even remotely interested in. They sold me a better browser last time, and now they're trying to sell me a better browser, again? The DAW features do nothing for me now that I use Cubase, and the utilities are relatively meaningless in Cubase land, too. The new synth? I have 20 VSTs of that flavor. This entire update is a misfire for me. So, I guess I'll see them in the next version.
The one feature that I would hit the Buy button for would be Windows ARM support. These new Windows ARM-based laptops, with their astounding 22-26 hours of battery life, are something I'm sold on. Cubase has already stated they're working on Native support. With how slowly Reason Studios is to do anything, and with their track record on how slowly they adopted Native Apple silicon, I seriously doubt it'll happen until Reason 14, or even 15.
The best I can do for Reason studios is... I might finally buy Objekt this year. Maybe. They've annoyed me quite a bit over the years with stubborn thinking and bad choices. I'm on the fence about supporting a company that doesn't seem to align with what I want as a customer. Only time will tell if they can win me back, I guess.
Also: Your reviews are great. I enjoy that you don't just sing their tune because you got a review copy, as many channels would.
Fully agree bud. Did the same journey. Will be a sale jobby.
Get a Mac. We’ve had that battery life and performance for years
@@xkidmidnightx Actually, you don't have 24-26 hour battery life on a MacBook. MacBooks top out at 19. I use Macs at work and hate MacOS. I'm happy for you that you enjoy the Apple experience. Not for me.
@@bloodswarms don’t trust any numbers Microsoft or Qualcomm give you.
@@xkidmidnightx MacBooks haven't gotten anywhere near that until M1 - I have always had both a PC and Mac Laptop :-P Battery Life on MBPs that were specced with high performance Intel CPUs (i.e. i7-H CPUs) were still pretty bad and the machines were basically rated for like 7-8 hours, which was always best-case scenario. You weren't producing music off-charger and getting anywhere near that. Even on M1, running Logic Pro or something off-charger is going to eat your battery alive. Also, M-series Macs topped out at 20H Rated Battery Life. But I don't think anyone really needs more than that, since you'll be able to charge by then, anyways.
I will probably upgrade to Reason 13 once it goes on sale. I use both Reason 11 and the free version of Ableton Live 12. A lot of things we take for granted in Reason like making midi notes the same length and velocity are unnecessarily complicated in Ableton.
It's easy to make midi notes same length in Ableton. There's a set length button above legato in the midi tab and you can use the drop down to pick divisions. And velocity settings are in the bottom area of the MIDI parts. I'm not sure though if they're there in the free version.
@@Noldy__ what I mean specifically is being able to type in a precise length and apply it to all the selected notes. And there is a velocity section, but it doesn't allow you to easily set all the selected notes to the same velocity. You have to select each note, drag the velocities all the way to 0, and then drag them to where you want, which to me is way more complicated than it needs to be.
@@_JSN Gotchu! Unless you want the lengths not to be specific to grid divisions then maybe I don't know how. regarding velocity, whatever you have selected, just type a number while midi is selected, press enter and they'll all be that velocity.
Nope not upgrading for that price...not worth it to me at all..tbh I upgraded from Reason 11 to Reason 12 and even that upgrade was kinda meh in my opinion. Im not really blown away by the new synth, I own the Arturia V Collection as well as Pigments, Serum and a few other 3rd party synths so I dont need to spend $199 for one more synth. I just feel like ReasonStudios doesnt value those of us who spent $500 to purchase a perpetual license whatsoever...not after they have our money...they're focused on people who pay for the subscription. And I agree that overall they are behind other Daws..I also own Logic Pro and Ableton and an Ableton Push 2. Ableton utterly smokes Reason imo...Im using Reason as a plugin more than as a Daw these days. Maybe Reason 14 will be worth upgrading to but Im staying with 12. Reason 13 doesnt interest me at all.
$200 is ridiculous for people who have 12.
I'll keep my 12 great vst .. I bought full bitwig this year . 300 cad for r13 update . ? Bitwig runs on Linux reason and logic don't even offer Lennox let alone logic only runs on one platform. Bitwig is the best .f:;k reason . Total garbage marketing management . Bitwig . Bitwig. Bitwig . Multiple usb clock outs . What I meant to say no more money to reason after 20 years .
costs too much, loyal customers is beeing spit on.
Scusate ma reason 13 suona anche meglio ....vale vale l'upgrade...
I'm gonna get it because I'm loyal..
But fuxx you guys
£199 is a bit of a kick in the balls for what one gets. Started with Reason 8, currently on 12 and this might be the occasion when I don't upgrade. This might sooner be the occasion to spend £199 on a different DAW and get the better MIDI implementation in the process.
I got Bitwig for less a few weeks ago. ( The sale has ended now alas )
No I'm not trying to push another product.....but.......for £100 more I can get the Signature version of FL Studio which comes with a ton of new stuff (as I will still be able to use my Reason Rack) and FL Studio has free updates for life. Also not writing of Luna for PC that is free but just haven't had the time to use it properly yet.
I've started using REAPER.I'm loving it.£50 for a license.They're not a mega-corporation trying to maximise profits,they have ethics.Reason 12 is just a plugin now.Never upgrading again.
When you compare the upgrade price of $199 to the upgrade to Logic Pro 11 of zero dollars, it’s no-brainer for Mac users.
@@TheRealWinsletFan Same. Lol. $162 from 8-Track to Studio. I already have Cubase Pro, but I figured if this is what Reason had on offer, I was better off just going there. I've since uninstalled Reason 12 and I kinda enjoy Bitwig for Beat-driven music and sound design. I still do most work in Cubase, though. Even as a Rack Plug-in, Reason makes little sense to even bother with since everything in it is beholden to its ability to run on the host OS/in the host DAW which will eventually force you to pay $200 just to maintain compatibility with that one or two devices you may have kept using.
Mind as well send it to pasture now and not have to deal with that headache down the road.
I use reason as a DAW. Sometimes I pass on an upgrade and wait for the next. I'll wait for the next.
Yup, I'm on the same page here.
On point guys.
Having been a loyal Reason user for almost 20 years, I was looking forward to the upgrade until I saw the price. Sales or no sales, I'll have to think twice on this one. I don't need another synth, although the effects look good, the only improvement I would want are the changes to the workflow, but they don't justify the price tag, sorry Reason Studios, you've completely missed the economic climate?
And the browser fucking sucks. Why would anyone pay for that crap?
@@noisefekt they copied logic's browser and seq + piano roll split view. R12 is my main daw but I also am FL and Logic user and the new split view and browser search setup is just clunky. they overcomplicated a really simple and smooth system they have in R12. it looks like I'll be using R12 for quite a long time now lol
@@usurptom yeah I just asked how to get back to R12 and they send the link so same thing here. R13 just isn't working for me at all.
Hasn't the update always been abouut 200 in the recent years?
@@LordOfSweden I think it used to be 100
Not for £199 upgrade price it isn't 😅
Don't get me wrong, I do love Reason... but £199.00 for this upgrade?1?1 Way overpriced, IMO, more especially for someone like me. I only ever use it as a plugin within Maschine and Logic. Lower prices would see sales go through the roof. Thanks for the video. As far as the upgrade goes, will have to sit this one out.
I'll be upgrading because it's still available as a perpetual license. Who knows how much longer this can last where everything in life is becoming a subscription.
Seriously, worried they're gonna pull the plug on perpetual licenses at some point. Every other company has, why shouldn't they join the a-hole brigade?
@@bosneb It's a strong business case to make Reason + the only choice someday.
Ableton, logic, reaper, renoise. Aren't subscription based @@bosneb
I was looking forward to it because i thought i was among the Reason 12 folks that could get the free upgrade. Since i got Reason about 7 months ago, i have to pay $200. I would've been ok upgrading if it was like $100. I dont think the upgrade is really worth it unless you've had Reason 12 for a longer period of time or an earlier version. Also, im one of the folks using it as a plugin (which you mentioned). I'm just going to wait for a sale.
Was part of the beta testing programm for Reason 13. I think there are some nice improvements, some missed opportunities and some good stuff that was removed or changed. For a perpetual license holder, the upgrade from R12 to R13 will prob. not be worth it, however, I think from every version before R12 you are making a good deal. The changes from R12 and R13 together add up quite nicely.
Thats what is making me want to just upgrade as I have 11 but its the last version that doesn't allow VST3s, so I may bite the bullet or at least wait until next holiday sale.
Polytone: nice - but unnecessary. I can achive the same with other synths, just on a different way.
All the new devices. Ok, but I'm not excited.
Improved Arranger. - it's a little better, but I don't really see the benefit.
All in all. Nothing worth paying for. I love my reason 12.
Thanks for the video.
Reason used to be the perfect "initial DAW" for those familiar with hardware. Given how many are now starting music production through the DAWless movement and/or EMOM scene, it would make sense Reason to again be the perfect "first DAW" for those used to deal with hardware devices, audio & CV cables, etc. ...but, Reason is now increasingly behind and also a bit "lost" in what it is and should be, so you saying Reason 13.0 not being the best DAW to recommend as the first one, unfortunately makes some sense :(
Thing is I have like 3000+ projects tied up in Reason. I'll always use it, for certain kinds of music. Or even just to start ideas. And 13 *looks* and feels quite nice. The browser is great for finding cool sounds long before I have to reach for VSTs. And I guess the fact that the standalone got 'updated' at all shows that there's some intent there to keep it alive. I know a lot of people were worried that RRP would be the death knell of the DAW. Evidently that's not true, so that's good! Polytone and Ripley are lots of fun too. I also don't wanna diminish the amount of work that went into hand-tagging all the included content, and packs. That must've been a massive undertaking. The browser I'm mostly okay with but the lack of device favourites is mind blowing. I know RS had a period of surveying and consultation with focus groups....I'm trying to imagine what kind of users they actually spoke to, if none of them said "please don't take that away". Not everyone's a power user, but experience and proficiency aren't dirty words. Talk to the people who use this stuff professionally as well as hobbyists and beat makers.
All of that said, I'd sort of imposed a bit of an ultimatum on myself before 13 was announced, which was that if I didn't get two features I really needed (MIDI note chase, and folders) I was gonna make a home elsewhere. So that's what I'm doing. Cubase 13 Pro, while not perfect, has 99% of what I need. It also has its quirks and annoyances, but I was a Cubase guy from version 2 on the Atari up to about 8 or 9, then I switched to Reason full time for a while. So I know my way around it. Plus I can still use all my favourite Reason synths in it thanks to RRP. Like you said, it's comparable to V collection or even Komplete in some regards as a big ol box of toys and sounds to produce with.
Im sorry but no way do i feel this is a good upgrade for reason 12 users. This should have been a free update or at most $50. I would never choose this over native instruments. NI komplete ultimate has 10 times more content than base reason. I wont be supporting it.
I was on the Beta. I liked some of the workflow improvements but they didn't go far enough and they missed a whole mess of obvious tweaks. The new devices are fine, but I'm not short of devices, I've been an enthusiastic Rack Extension customer. But the biggest issue is the upgrade price is way out of line for the value added, the improvements over 12 are not that great, I mean, I've learned to work with 12 just fine ( User since 2.5 ). I'm thinking I will skip or at least defer upgrading until I can get some kind of discount. I might have just bit the bullet at £129, but I can spend £199 elsewhere and get £199 of value...
Oh, and no more Midnight Blue. Wtf?
This take is pretty normal every big release version. Will probably wait for a sale. Or like Reason has done before is just lower the price eventually. They need to recoup dev costs initially
@@pnutbuttajellee1394 They can recoup dev costs by selling more licenses at a lower price. In my case, they will never sell that license because I've moved on. I'm done with them. Glad they have you guys to make up for it, though!
Well I've spent the money on something else now. Way to go Reason! 🙂
I've been with Reason since 2.5 - absolutely no reason to upgrade at this price - most people transferred to other Daws years ago - very honest review, thanks.
Reason Studios are money grabbing c*&ts - The upgrade is way too pricey for what you get.
Re: For first time users who are looking g for a first DAW, you’re not taking into account the value of Ryan’s videos for the new user and the depth of explanation one gets if it’s your first DAW. It’s definitely a “leading you by the hand approach” that I’m not seeing elsewhere .
Great point. I don’t understand all the hate Reason is getting. Reason is the most hands on DAW out there. Stop all the complaining and make some music.
Used Reason many years ago to produce radio promotions from scratch. Produced a few ambient dub tracks, all fully automated. Considered downloading 12, but thought I would wait 'til 13 arrived. Looks awesome.
Been waiting years for the time to get back into music production, picked up a 49 key midi keyboard and been stashing vinyl for sampling.
Guess all I have to do is pay for it and download Reason 13.
Not worth forking $199 for. I'll skip.
Reason user since version one here. No I'm not upgrading for that price. Not even at half price would I uograde to R13. I will spend that money on Fruity Loops as it's ts been over 20 years since I owned a licence to FL. I have lost all faith in Reason Studios the day it became Reason Studios. Nothing has changed and nothing will change.
i must disagree with you on the subject of beginners using reason, i started with sonar and i did struggle a bit, i then got reason 5 and onwards and found it very intuitive,i didn't need to read manual, but then again i did come from a using a real mixer/ 8 track and outboard gear , i currently use Reaper/ reason v11 and i did try ableton i couldn't get my head aroung it! so i think because reason hasn't got a vast amount of options like reaper it's fairly easy to use for beginners. i will not upgrade to reason 13 , my system was unable to run Reason 12 which i bought. so until i buy a new system i will stick with Reaper and reason v11.
I think you helped me with choosing it you're saying your system couldn't handle 12, I've got spec'd out 2013 MB pro and alongside using some new plugins like UJAM symphonic elements, it is just able to handle it with manually setting it to 4 cores max.
Hi my carillion pc system is about 6-7 years old , reason support did respond to my issue, saying my graphic card wasn't up to the job, I upgraded my card but the issue actually got worse! I gave up with reason 12 , and switched to reaper, I still use reason now and then plus as a vst inside reaper. My system is i7 6 core windows 10,
I think your age belies your PoV. Back then, it was more common for people to come from a hardware-oriented PoV when viewing production software. This is no longer the case. Many producers coming into the market NOW were barely alive when Reason 5 was released. They have never seen a hardware EQ or Compressor, and certainly not any modular synths and have probably never used a hardware synth at all. They're all PC-based, and Studio DAWs like Cubase operate more intuitively to them because they are closer to the UX of other desktop PC software those users are used to using. Many people are also visual learners, so having things like high resolution visualizers on almost every plug-in and on every mixer channel strip in other DAWs actually helps them learn more effectively.
Most beginners, these days, are going to find Sonar easier to get to grips with than Reason, for that reason (sic.). It's an unfortunate situation they're in. The UX that they have developed, which was a selling point decades ago, is now vestigial and has ceased to be. It doesn't offer much value to the people entering the market today. Those people want features that cannot really be represented in a skeuomorphic fashion. MPE, ARA2, Folder Tracks, Better Controller Support (see Ableton/Bitwig), Video Support, Surround/Spatial Audio Support, etc. That is where the industry is going. This is why software design has been moving away from skeuomorphism. It makes less and less sense, now.
Reason's core design philosophy is actually an impediment to it moving forward, and that is why they are in this position. The DAW has been heavily niched off, and that's unfortunate.
If the DAW was as revolutionary as some people make it out to be, it would be far more heavily used in the current market... but that take is clearly not in line with reality. Even before those huge price increases (25% across the board), they were struggling just as much to compete.
Thanks for the early review. Getting an honest assessment before forking over one's hard-earned money is always helpful. While I understand and partially agree with what a few others have said about the $199 price tag, even for older Reason 12 users, it's reasonable for what we're getting. Depending on the project, I use Logic, Ableton, and Reason, along with Arturia, AAS, and NI, to dial in the feel and flavor in my head. I've upgraded each of those suits with each iteration. While I always have the same initial hesitation, I've never regretted upgrading, especially when that "one particular tool" causes me to try something I might not have considered. A $199 upgrade isn't enormous given the workflow improvements, not to mention the utilities and the Ripley effect I might have purchased as a rack extension. Circling back, I respect everyone's individual use case. I'm a yes on the upgrade; I only wish the guys across the pond would have shown even a little love for the folks who purchased Reason 12 the day it dropped. Finally, much respect to the author and those of you who took the time to articulate a helpful thought. I look forward to hearing and seeing how you leverage this iteration of our now 20-year-old and yet very relevant "DAW."
30 years later, reason still doesn't have a half decent stock rack eq and compressor 😳- or even vst - but it's worried it needed the 4,600th synth, and some more toys for the children.
the moment it came up with the rack plugin - and the "reason studios" gimmick - i realized it didn't even intend to become a real daw, it will forever be a toy box, so i switched, and never coming back.
too bad about that console - which would need inserts BETWEEN the gain and the other sections, and splittable filters - and the rack flexibility in provides.
whenever i mentioned i was working in reason, everybody was like "but that's for hip-hoppers and edm-ers". I was answering "not necessarily", but, with the last few updates, yeah, it's exclusively that. and that's not - even remotely - a good thing. so, good luck with toying around in edm and hip hop.
even at that, it sounds digital as hell. stock preamps, tapes, anything? forget about scream and the retro transformer, maybe something looking close to the real thing, instead of 200 year old toys.
hey, it's a good thing they increased the price of the upgrade by about 60%, isn't it?
at least it's still got the stability working for it - even though not as rock solid as it was, since the introduction of vsts - long overdue, itself.
good review. i liked the honesty.
They missed the OBVIOUS feature to have separate patches for A/B in Polytone.
Though I hadn't considered such a feature, that would have been quite useful. Perhaps a point update might correct the apparent oversight.
Reason as a DAW is dead. I think that because of the coding, it's just too much work for them to update it significantly. I think I'm done with Reason. It was never my main DAW but I think it's nearing it's end of life as a DAW, although I doubt Reason Studios and the Reason Stans will never admit that.
I've used Reason for a fair few years, and during that time I've dabbled in Cubase, Logic and to a lesser degree, Ableton. I find myself a little unsure of what you mean when you say that the Reason workflow is light years behind others. It'll always be a personal thing, but after dipping into all the DAWs mentioned above, I've never once thought that any one stands out from the others.
I load them up, hit record and start smashing my midi keyboard. I might need to clean things up or use a drum sequencer/player to create patterns, but they all (DAWs) end up feeling really similar in my opinion, with no differences really hurting or hindering me from one DAW to another.
What makes you feel that Reason is so "behind"? Any chance you could consider doing a comparison video with DAW workflows. Pros and Cons for each, I'd love to understand how they differ from the perspective of someone else.
Great idea! I definitely will!
@@StockMusicMusician Would be really interesting. I don't see the big differences either, but I'm not up to date with other daws.
I like Reason and so far I've stuck with version 11 Suite. I also have Cubase Elements and Renoise tracker and experience with FL Studio.
It depends on what we compare, what kind of music you make and how much time and patience you have to first get used to DAW and learn how to control it.
From my point of view Reason is very intuitive, including the back panel and with a very nice GUI. The problem is that the GUI control (I don't know in the current version) but it was not possible to set it up very user-friendly.
Cubase and other DAWs are really quite different in this respect. Not to mention hard-coded hot keys and minimal configuration options. A lot of hot keys are also missing.
Cubase is more for orchestral music and a person who wants to have more things "under control". For EDM music, however, I think there is no better DAW than Renoise in combination with Reason plugin.
I find the statements made by the UA-camr in this video very wrong because he sounds very condescending and claims that other music software is much more advanced and modern, but he apparently doesn't understand that with this software, a lot of emphasis has been placed on giving the user the feeling that they are looking at a real studio, and a very deliberate emphasis has been placed on ensuring that it doesn't look like any other DAW.
My problem is with the browser it was perfect ....can you talk about refund steps? I can't find refund option on their website
What do you mean it's lightyears behind other DAWs like Logic? I'm coming from Logic and will be switching to Reason 13 because it's so much better. What do you actually mean by lightyears behind Logic?
Pues como ejemplo el flujo de trabajo con samples directamente en el secuenciador es una basura.
Solo puedo modificar la envolvente de entrada y salida y nada mas. Si no cargo la muestra en un sampler mierda.. y si quisiera retocar mas de una muestra del mismo canal cambiando el ataque y el sustain por ejemplo ya no puedo.
Cuando duplicas un canal no te lo ordena bien, entremezcla las cosas.
Cuando abro una automatizacion de cualquier plugin VST me crea un canal que nunca esta al lado de la pista en la que esta insertado el VST. Te pone la pista de la automatizacion donde le da la gana. Por no hablar de poder poner mas marcas y anotaciones.
Notas midi de colores. Un piano roll donde pueda elegir la escala musical en la que trabajo y se refleje visualmente.. y me dejo alguna.
Aun asi soy usuario de Reason 10,11,12.. y la verdad las verdaderas mejoras no las veo por ningun sitio. Menos al precio de 200$.
Como comenta mas de uno seria mejor invertir esos 200 en otro DAW.
This is probably aimed at more advanced users. Reason was originally not a traditional DAW. Did not even have audio tracks and sequencer was very basic. It was basically a virtual hardware rack with cables. Totally different concept from a DAW where everything is centered around the arrangement view. Regarding the new editing panel where his Logic comparison comes in, DAWs haves had this basic function for decades.
@@pnutbuttajellee1394 OK, but who cares about the past? Reason is pretty awesome right now.
Yea. If you want Logic buy Logic. I want Reason to be Reason. I'm not upgrading though lol
I assume he’s talking about a lot of the workflow issues like automation options/capabilities, quality of stock plugins, AI integration, versatility (film scoring), etc.
The browser thing is slowing me down a lot. They coulda kept that concept and just kept it to the left and kept the fav list and colors . They overdid it with that
Well I don't like a new sequencer, I have Reason and Reason plus I can just install , but don't want too, a new stuff they added it's just nice , nothing Wow. Not gonna spend 200 bucks, for what? Maybe if they re work some stuff I'll think about it
Whats wrong with the sequencer? I thought it was good.
@@HOLLASOUNDS The tool window ,whats really good about it?
@@djshmul1 It's good to have the tools there next to the midi its effecting however they need to add more midi change options.
@@HOLLASOUNDS i want to have an option to go back as it was,but they don't give it to us ,and i like where it was before,you can say matter of taste ,but its not a food we should have an options
@@djshmul1 You can carry on using Reason 12 if You prefer that to Reason 13.
I get this upgrade for free because I only bought Reason 12 a couple of months ago, but I don't actually know if I want to. Does anyone know if I can downgrade back to Reason 12 if I want to? And if so, how would I do that?
If you own the license to 12 you can go back to it if you don't like 13.
I know this because I bought 12 on sale, didn't get on with it and reverted back to 11.
Beware though, any songs I did in 12 won't open in 11.
apparently seems you cant.....there is no download option available for reason 12...
@@ucheattoh okay thanks for letting me know. I've decided to stick with Reason 12 anyway. There is literally nothing about 13 that interests me, and for me personally some of the changes are actually downgrades
They have to pay their employees and know roughly how many users they have, so the calculation is simple: 100,000 copies sold = upgrade for 19.99 dollares
10,000 copies sold = upgrade for 199,--
(if they sold 10 million copies you would get money back if you decide to upgrade)😀
Definitely not worth the upgrade price. I am a 12 user. At this price I will definitely not be upgrading. They really will have to do better than this.
A few really done-to-death plugins, a UI tweak and moved F8 to the side. Not worth £50 never mind £200.
@@forestsunset9617 Yes, my thoughts exactly. Well said.
The new UI just sucks. Not the best reason at all. I've been using Reason from the version 1 so I know what I'm talking about. This browser update is hideous and needs to be rolled back asap.
Also Reason 1 user. I won't be going over to R13 because I can't believe they removed the favorite folders from the left hand side, looks like dragging in samples and VSTs will take longer than before.
I love reason I really love their version of melodyne its so good and easy to use. It's just so annoying how I need to now pay $200 to get features that any other DAW comes stock with.
I've been using reason since reason one. & To this day I haven't had the slightest urge to change to a different daw. I tried Ableton when it first came out but only because you could rewire eason into it. Even before they made it a vst. If it ain't broke don't fix they say. It's only gotten better.
🚨HELP - How can I separate the windows (Mixer/Rack/Sequencer) for my workflow with a super wide screen???
Thank you. Very fair review. Nice version but I dont need it for the current price. Let us say, "old" half price is more suitable for what we get.
Well I found Reason 13 upgrade for £99 on Andersons music and grabbed it as up upgrade from 11.
Definitely worth it for that price I think.
So VST 3 support great, as VSTs only use DSP when in use, so less drain on resources.
New floating browser I really like. Pop it on when you need it and it disappears when you don't. Being able to move it around suits me as I use 3 monitors.
Ripley is great. A nice new DDL addition to my FX and lots of control over parameters.
The split editor is really useful to me. You can dissappear it if you don't need it, but it really helps to dig into editing sections while keeping the rest of the tracks in view. It automatically updates to a new track if you tap the track you want to work on, so very quick to get into micro editing.This is best new feature for me.
Haven't used ploytone or the stereo tool etc. But I'm definitely glad I jumped from 11 to 13 at £99.
I have both Reason (12) and Logic, and agree that the functionality of Logic is more intuitive, but Reason is great for Ambient music. Thanks for the excellent overview.
I caved in and got the upgrade .. only because of the summer Summer sale ($119 vs. $199) .. There are some.things I'm looking forward to explore... but probably not the DAW part. I think my beef with Reason as a DAW is the fact that it does not allow for routing MIDI out directly from an instrument track. (Unlike most other DAWS current today) It's really baffling why they don't fix this long running flaw. Sure, there are complicated workarounds out there, but .. sheesh! who has the time? There are some VST's out there that (like Harmony Bloom). that are awesome sequencers. I hear that Reason has this restrictionbecause they wish to protect their family of Reason devices... but It's just one of the reasons why Reason is 10 years behind other DAWS. So I will mostly be using Reason devices as instruments in Ableton... or Bitwig.
You just went the wrong way. I’ve just bought reason and I’m an fl Studio user and found it to be easy to work on for music. What you saying is just nonsense. Reason 13 is way easier then the old versions in my opinion.
I've been using Reason since 6.5, when all the awesome features have been added. I'm a guitar player and always all the synths/FX features were great. If I remember well the other upgrades costed around 125 dollars or so, and sometimes I got upgrades for less because of 3rd party customers. 199 sounds too much. This price tag is not "Reasonable"
The upgrade price is absurd. You can get Logic Pro for $199.00. I've legit bought every copy of Reason since 1.0 but no more. The improvements in the upgrade are good but should have been there long before now. Yet Reason is still behind the curve when compared to other DAWs. I'll be interested to see if they provide interesting pricing during the holidays but it's gotta be aggressively discounted.
DAW preference is just that, preference, not one is better than the other, i can argue that reason is the only DAW that makes sense, there'll be a million Fruity Loops users who would beg to differ, honestly to each his own, as long as you get what you want out of you preferred DAW that's all that matters, great music, that's the desired outcome ultimately, not what you use to create the music with.
$199 to upgrade. Nope.
AFTER THE NEW UPDATE (13) THE SETTINGS ARE CORRUPTED... WHEN I OPEN MY SAVED WORK (90 BPM) AGAIN, IT OPENS AS 120 BPM
THE OTHER PROBLEM IS BIGGER. EQ, COMP, VST... NOTHING THAT I ASSIGNED INTO THE MASTER SECTION IS WORKING. I WROTE MANY TIMES AND COULDN'T RECEIVE A COMPLETE ANSWER. I'VE BEEN USING REASON SINCE VERSION 5; BUT I THINK I SHOULD SWITCH TO STUDIO ONE.
long time reason user... very much underwhelmed.
the sequencer update is LONG OVERDUE. & as mister stock musician emphasized numerous times, it's still WAY UNDERCOOKED.
I have been an avid user of reason since version 2.0. I love it!! so much so that the clip-based workflow of bitwig & ableton are totally foreign to me, still to this day. but learning one of those--preferably bitwig--is also very curious & interesting to me. I think the underwhelming & downright questionable value of this $200 upgrade may just be the push I need...
Reason, is good, but have ignored de customers for years. No used for new or old musicaker. The working Flow is, in a trance. Company ear is just for the developers, and not for the customer.😢😢
I was like... "where have the lower controls to the sequencer gone !?" Then.... my thumb & fourth finger automatically showed me. Like so many times trying on Reason 12 without success. lol Wow. This alone is worth saying its an upgrade.
Why would
I pay $200 a year ???? Been using Propellerhead products and Reason since inception. I understand inflation and yada yada. So, $199 is not horrible for the software upgrade, but it’s double the typical upgrade. Always used it with Cubase in Rewire as a plugin. Bought Record and got hosed on that. Not sure 13 is worth an upgrade, but reviews like this help sort it out. Thanks
I've been using Reason since version 3.0, and this could be the first time I've considered not upgrading. If there's a sale later this year, I might change my mind. Recently, I've been thinking about switching to Cubase 13. It's been more than 20 years since I last used Cubase; perhaps it's time to return to it. Cubase is an excellent DAW and a better sequencer in my opinion. For a little more than the $199 for Reason 13, I can upgrade to Cubase Artist 13.
I think that's it for me after 20 years with reason🤷
But I won't use the vst plugin version of reason in another daw.
Reason Studios just doesn't really listen to what we want and takes far too long to incorporate good stuff...if at all.
it's always only half-finished and implemented..I always wonder what they do all the time... not much comes out of it... always just the absolute minimum... we don't need any new effects and synth... there are 1000 and much better ones. I've from version 2.0 and at the moment I'm still on version 10.0. I won't update either. Maybe it's time to change the DAW
The last Reason I used was Reason 5 I think, I've been using Protools since then but I miss my old creative workflow, specially using the NNXT and DrRex as samplers, do you think it's worth it? Just looking at all the new (for me) instruments I'am feeling very tempted to try it out
I guess from \R 9, this is a must upgrade situation, VST3 support, I need this to Subscrribe to the new engine and subscription format from Cinesamples, for example.
Butr 9.5 was such a big step forward ...
I'm still on version 10. The only one thing that I miss is VST3 support. Tried 12 and 13 beta, but I am having amazing flow with 10... With all that new stuff I get frustrated. 🙂
200 Hundred for upgrade?! Logic is 239 Euro ..... Im out reason
Reason original prices is $499
I think 399
Canadian dollar cost for this upgrade is totally unacceptable. Just bought reason 12 in 2023 and now have to pay this amount , I could buy another DAW for the upgrade cost!!! Been purchasing reason since reason 5 and this is an insult!
Reason users since 2.5. First reason I will skip if the price remains 199€. They also remove lot of stuffs from the non sub version which is quite disappointing when you spend 499 euros. The new synth is glorious and also the fxs. The only thing that I really don’t like is the new browser.
Been with reason sinds te beginnen always upgraded and invested in RE and refills, with that I have a workflow developed which works great for me fast and have so many great favorites lists in my browser also for sorting the extensive list of RE and VST plug-ins and it’s there on the side but can be collapsed if you want more screen space, the new browser is what keeps me from upgrading for the first time Sind version 1.0 all fun and giggles the tags etc but that’s very catered to the new users I know where to look for my patches etc and I think the tags can withhold you from nice patch discoveries that are viable but fall out of the specific tags. So no I won’t be upgrading if they had offered a setting that you can also still use the old browser as in a veteran mode it would have been a yes I’ll upgrade asap, and another thing I think is just wrong that it uses your music folder on your C:\ as a library now while I keep my C as clean as possible and have dedicated drives for my studio files and another duplicate for the backup. Also this new folder is possibly useful for new users but Reason Studios is neglecting there old user base while I was always an advocate for Reason with the removal of the old browser they made me just pissed off the rest it’s fine new synth personally I don’t need it the delay is neat but the utilities again for new users it’s nice to have it included but there where already a plethora of options as RE and as daily user I invested in these tools already. Still a great fantastically powerful creative DAW but the company has lost in my opinion a bit of there mojo I know they need to make money and that’s fine but they forget that there are users with different needs and preferred workflow they which they keep neglecting over the last couple of versions. Now I hope that I’ll be able to use reason 12 without logging in every time for a long time because it’s my fear they will “rotate” that out within a few years. Thanx for the review and your other content!
The upgrade cost for perpetual license users is really not worth it... Specially if you're struggling or from a low-income country. Skip this, wait to 14. Maybe?
As a Live / RRP user I _shudder_ at the idea of having a floating browser window without the ability to dock it anywhere. That would *seriously* destroy my productivity.
Would have been interesting to see if you added also what you would have liked to have seen, since you say other daws are lightyears ahead.
I like reason. I don't like other daws except Studio One. 199 is bit too steep maybe for this I think, but I use + so doesnt matter to me one bit.
Removing device favorites from the browser and a $199 upgrade price for R12 users is a deal breaker. Actually, even if it goes on sale I still wouldn’t buy it.
Disappointing would be the biggest takeaway after reading comments here and on reason studios. Not just the bad pricing but midi left alone and third party organization neglect are key takeaways.
It’s worth it at this point. With the recent workflow modifications I don’t see myself going back to the old ways. I’m getting acclimated to the new browser which is good! Reminds me of analog lab a bit!
I am surprised VST functionality wasn't updated. Still no multitimbral vst support, or support for vst's that out midi?
Reason coming with more updates....they have too
I sure hope so. I think in Sweden everyone goes on vacation in the summer, so hopefully we'll get a major patch in the early fall.
@@StockMusicMusician elaborate on they go on vacation? Do you nobody is working literally nobody
Wish they would of added MIDI tracks for multitimbral instruments like kontakt and Omnisphere
All i love in Reason been downgrated... browser, sequenser, workflow
For years I was dissapointed with reasons sequencer. I now feel Reason is the go to creative tool to come up with fresh ideas. So everything starts in reason, but I actually feel you can go right to the final mix now. Im upgrading.
I look to upgrade as i have not made music for a long while i am using R11 i would say i just want to get started again whole new sound work flow etc i am also gonna explore bitwig
A year ago I was trying to save space on my HD so I deleted R12 and all it's components. I never really used it that much. Then I got curious again and signed up for the R123 beta and downloaded it. For the most part I was pleasantly surprised. Polytone is a great sounding synth. The other enhancements and quality of life improvements you mentioned were not that substantial to get me to throw $199 at it. With that said, there is a Reason Eco System that inspires me to be more creative. While using the beta I rediscovered that. It is a fun program that offers just enough to spark the muses and keep me wanting to use it. But I will stick with R12 for now.
The last version of Reason I bought was 2.5. The fact that they have the same upgrade price as if you had version 12 it's a pretty good deal for me. However, I would be using it as a plug-in, which I've been testing, and it's pretty cool. I'm unsure if I could justify spending the upgrade price for the things I use, but we'll see.
Yeah, the price is way too high for me to upgrade from 12 and tyhere was already one upgrade I was really unhappy with, so Ill wait for a sale
Was upgrading from reason 7 till reason 11 and then one day decided to try reason plus subscription so I could try reason 12. Was working on the album at that time and after opening and working on every song in the album on reason 12 I have thought that It’s not really worth it for me to upgrade..but now all of the projects I opened and worked on on reason 12 are not able to load on Reason 11. Reason plus subscriber since then 😂 I know Reason is not the only one with the backward compatibility problem but still.. feel like I’ve been tricked))
Simple if upgraded to 13 you got robbed 😂
Brother, that may be true from Reason 12. I think if you'r coming from 11 or earlier it's probably worth it.
If you are coming from 12 you got robbed. Fully agree!
got 13 and got an arturia 49 got a mini fuse 2 machine to fire up in my room 😊
I haven't downloaded the upgrade yet but going by the Reason groups I'm in on Facebook, this seems to be an underwhelming version. I subscribe to Reason, so the price won't affect me as much but they're definitely not happy
It's definitely more of the same. But if you like, that's a good thing.
This is personally the most satisfied I've been with a Reason Update in a long long time. The sequencer updates, zoom control, edit window, new browser, and Ripley effect are all very welcome additions. I got into a real groove during the Beta with the new browser and sequencer and its the fastest I've ever been able work inside of the DAW itself. I get there will always be features users want but to me this is the best Reason has ever looked and certainly the quickest its ever felt.
I agree 🎉🎉🎉❤ . It’s really a groove in responsiveness and I feel the audio engine has changed a bit .
First upgrade I've not been tempted at all by.
Polytone =combinator,2 synth..done
The upgrade process should be 60 to 99 bucks
You didn’t comment on any of the new sound banks