Plays back multiple file formats, functions in multiple plug-in formats.
55 People rated this product : 7 out of 10
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8 People wrote reviews |
Read all Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU) MachFive Universal Sampler Plug-In reviews... |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 9 out of 10
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Feature:
I'm no engineer. In fact, I didn't buy Mach 5 until I was certain this would be easy to use. And it is. Works great with Digital Performer 4. Had worried that loading samples would be beyond me: without reading the manual loaded 10 CDs full of samples. Dead easy.
Quality:
I'm not fond of the toggle... was disappointed to learn that it couldn't be used with a laptop...
Value:
The Mach 5 has made my recording life a dream. Love it.
Desirability:
Glad my version came without bugs! I love it.
Sound:
On my system, wonderful sound.
Support:
MOTU is pretty lousy when it come to support... I can't figure out why they don't take all of our questons and all of their answers and make them available. Seems to me it'd be a win/win. Oh well...
Overall:
I've tried to use other samplers, and hated them. Mach 5 rules in my books.
Submitted: 12/6/2004
Style of Music: prog rock
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 5 out of 10
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zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us. |
Feature:
THIS SOFTWARE ONLY RUNS properly ON MAC.
MachFive has a goofy browser interface when looking for files, but still better than NI Kontakt, so since there isn't much competition, what right do I have to complain?
It runs any sample libray format, where no one else does. That seals the deal for me. I grew up in hardware samplers, and it loads my old EMU libraries, I am happy I don't lose years of sample work.
Quality:
THIS SOFTWARE ONLY RUNS ON MAC.
It is software, so it has no moving parts to break. It has not crashed once on My 2.6 ghz 7200 rpm 4 Gb Macbook Pro running OSX and CoreAudio. If your laptop will hold up on the road, so will MOTU MachFive. I'd automate everything within your host sequencer. I Would hate trying to manipulate everything in this with no mapped controller.
Value:
THIS SOFTWARE ONLY RUNS properly ON MAC.
No, Mac?, don't buy it.
Desirability:
I wanted it to work so bad, had to buy a MACbook Pro So, in all it turned out to be a $3500 dollar multi-format sampler.
Sound:
THIS SOFTWARE ONLY RUNS properly ON MAC.
Sound is very subjective question, and depends on your perceptions, soundcard convertors, drivers (latency, anyone?- CoreAudio Mac vs. ASIO PC) et. al- Crap in, crap out- as your engineering skillz are.
I use this as a VST plugin within Cubase Studio 4.1 rewired with Ableton Live 6.0 and Propellerhead's Reason 4.0. I use the MACbook Pro (new one) as my CUBASE host sequencer and VST plug-in player and compostional platform, as I can take those anywhere and just midi into the Mac with any old little midi keyboard (I use M-Audio Oxygen8 v2-cheap, good). The MachFive sits within Cubase nicely. I use the Macbook Pro ONLY as a sequencer and VST player, no Audio-don't think it is powerful enough to do both so I don't risk it; I then audio out the MOTU traveller into a Tascam DM 3200 digital mixer, and sync the Mac and The DM 3200 via MOTU Traveller MIDI to get my outboard synths included in the mix. The Firewirecard in the DM 3200 sends all the audio to Cubase 4.1 on a home built Shuttle XPC barebones I built from scratch running Intel Q6600 Quadfour processor under Windows XP 64 bit and 8GB RAM.
This was the cheapest setup I could build to get semi-pro results
Ease of Use:
THIS SOFTWARE ONLY RUNS properly ON MAC.
I like the graphics..sweet....the single screen interface and the color scheme is a rich, deep blue hue so if your screen is relatively high contrast and greater then 15", you'll have no eye fatigue using it unless your vision is not correctable. You might have trouble with a little screen. Nice thing is, MachFive has no multiple windows to fuss with so it isn't cluttered. I suggest running your 'puter into your HDTV if your eyesight sucks like mine. This makes it easy to see the little icons and control the program while sitting in bed looking at the TV (no, really!). Just need a long Midi cable from your controller and a wireless USB keyboard.
Support:
THIS SOFTWARE ONLY RUNS ON MAC.
I tried to install Machfive on 4 different PC systems and I got install DLL errors, stating upon firing up MachFive, "The software cannot find the required user interface DLL. Please reinstall the software and try again." This occured on both an XP 64 based XPC barebones system and on three different ( Toshiba, Sony and HP) laptops. After repeated installs and uninstalls, the only system that would run it was my HP dv 8301nr turion 64 bit ready system, but not without adding removing hardware, RAM, drives and reinstalling Windows Vista. I finally gaveup after MachFive screen would sluggishly hang when I tried to run it within cubase and crash within Ableton Live. I left an email, no response for a week. When I did get response, where the tech Ben stated:
"The user interface DLL error is actually an issue with Windows Vista.
Please try logging into another user account and launching MachFive 2.
If this works, you should contact Microsoft to correct the user DLL error.
I did as ben directed and the same problem. I gave up.
MOTU sucks for tech support.
From their website they are looking for engineers that can write C++ and tech support folks. Must be a high turnover if I had to listen to people like myself all day on tech support, I'd quit too.
MOTU DP supports only Mac as does their audio software that comes free with the interfaces.
I suggest they quit lying, address the issue before a class action lawsuit comes their way.
Comeon, simply ditch PC support and stick with Mac. It works flawlessly on a Mac OSX system.
Overall:
I will use it until I die. Gonna learn it inside and out and just stick with what I know. Now that I converted to MAC, I am sure all will be good with it.
Submitted: 3/9/2008
Style of Music: downtempo, ambient, triphop
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Read all Mark of the Unicorn (MOTU) MachFive Universal Sampler Plug-In reviews...
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