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Hey guys, I'm most experienced using Avid's ProTools and Sony products (Vegas, Forge, & Acid) for sound designing, mixing, and mastering.

I'll be in a pickle for the next few months designing 5 short films and I will continue to use Sound Forge and ProTools for fine edits, v/o, adr, foley, and mixing to stereo/5.1. But for the dialogue, bg, and sfx assembly (majority of my time) I will not be using ProTools. I've used Vegas and Acid before but I do not wish to continue with it for various reasons. I am familiar on a basic level with Reaper and even though I don't like to make any changes mid project I believe it's a necessary sacrafice.

A couple questions: (1) How does Reaper using PC 32, 64 bit, and/or OSX respond to Waves VST plugins? Lag? Errors? (2) Does Cockos have a broadband noise reduction plugin? I'll primarily be using eq, reverb, compression, and maybe some others. Maybe I can just rely on Cockos plugins. I do enjoy using Waves Dorrough plugin for reference though. (3) As I'll be using Forge for fine tuning, any noticable disadvantages using Reaper as a multitrack DAW for editing sound to picture? I've got AATranslator so omf, aaf, edl will work fine. Necessary especially for going between ProTools and Reaper. (4) I will also be using Reaktor a little for musical sfx and I'd prefer to use it as a plugin as opposed to it as an external software. Reaper okay with it? (4) Excluding the external and desktop specs, can Reaper as a DAW handle 14 hour days?

I need a bit more assurance before I make the move. Any feedback whatsoever would be much appreciated!

-Pat

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  • I love Reaper but have had a lot of trouble with it being stable with video--perhaps this is a codec thing but I generally work with H.264. Often the video window will just go black or the program will freeze up entirely. And the lack of simple transfer for OMF AAF is definitely a really big problem.
    – ashellinthepit
    Feb 10, 2013 at 19:50
  • just wanted to say that video decoding in reaper gets better if you have VLC installed...vlc btw is my favourite video player, that decodes everything very well.
    – Linas
    Feb 11, 2013 at 7:57
  • Okay. I really like SUPER as an encoder/renderer for picture editing as well. It's a German company that seems to have similar objectives to Reaper. Free product and is the fastest, simplest, and gives the most options than any encoder programs I've used. It also does batch processing which is so useful if you've got hundreds of video files. It's the best for PC in my opinion.
    – patman25
    Feb 11, 2013 at 20:25
  • Do you guys know how to snap fades on one region in relation to another region on a seperate track, aligning the two for a precise cross fade? Snapping length of regions compared to other tracks, though a little fimicky, works fine, but quick accurate fade snapping isn't working for me. And I haven't found this pop up on the Cockos forum yet.
    – patman25
    Feb 17, 2013 at 7:33

5 Answers 5

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Just curious why you would want to use Reaper when the final mix will be in Pro Tools? Not hating on Reaper (never used it) just thinking that you're making more work for yourself and the possibility for problems going back and forth between multiple DAWs especially if a majority of the dia, fx and bgs editorial will be done in Reaper. I have yet to see an omf or aaf translate everything properly into pro tools. Not so much with audio files but with volume automation, fades etc. Not saying this isn't user error on my or the other persons part but I would definitely test it out before you make the move to make sure your not going to be re-doing any editorial work. Especially if that's where most of your time is going to be spent.

I had an old percussion teacher tell me once, K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) :-)

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  • That's funny, my old drum teacher said the same. I have difficulty remembering it though. I want to use Reaper for various reasons. I'll do a few tests from Reaper to ProTools but you're right, that is a problem especially with the time crunch. I'll see if I can use their studio's interface and install Reaper (all with a USB stick - another great feature of Reaper) for the final week of mixing. If not, due to time, I'll prefer to optimize my own 5.1 setup and bounce an interleaved file and reference it with their Dolby setup as opposed to sticking with PT from beg - end. Thanks.
    – patman25
    Feb 11, 2013 at 19:51
  • Plus with AATranslator, ProTools 9 session and Reaper can be compatable. Markers and fades are kept and I believe automation is as well. I'll give it a test!
    – patman25
    Feb 11, 2013 at 21:11
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Hi,

You can download the free trial from the Reaper website and try that everything that you need works.

I think Reaper is one of the best things to come around in the DAW market. The only thing that would make it even better would be if the source code was open to enable community driven development. But as a DAW, it's the one that's constantly resolving the problems and proprietary nonsense that exist in other DAWs, like paid upgrades for features that should be standard and are not really new or innovative, proprietary file formats and lacking interconnectivity, long waiting time in bug fixing etc. Of course sound work can be done in many of the available softwares, but Reaper is a project that aims to be the best and with the most reasonable business model from the user's point of view.

(1) They should handle fine, but try them out to be sure.

(2) It comes with ReaFIR that has noise reduction. There are some free and low-cost (as well as the "standard" proprietary) VST plug-ins around as well and there could be something developed in Reaper's JS plug-in format.

(3) Other than sharing project files with people using other closed DAWs, I don't think so.

(4) I've tested Reaktor to be functional.

(5) Why wouldn't it handle? It's developed to be robust.

Overall, I recommend test driving Reaper with your own collection of plug-ins and external software that you need to use to see that everything works and is like it needs to be.

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  • Yes, I'll have a few days where I can go to the studio with ProTools and compare the features I'll be using with Reaper to make sure it's a smooth process. Thank you.
    – patman25
    Feb 11, 2013 at 19:54
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I use REAPER almost exclusively for all of my post production work. I jumped off the ProTools train a few years ago and have never looked back!

In answer to your questions:

(1) How does Reaper using PC 32, 64 bit, and/or OSX respond to Waves VST plugins? Lag? Errors?

Never had a problem using Waves plugins.

(2) Does Cockos have a broadband noise reduction plugin? I'll primarily be using eq, reverb, compression, and maybe some others. Maybe I can just rely on Cockos plugins. I do enjoy using Waves Dorrough plugin for reference though.

I use RX for noise reduction so can't comment on REAPER's capabilities there. The REAPER EQ and compression isn't bad but I tend to stick to other plugins there as well.

(3) As I'll be using Forge for fine tuning, any noticable disadvantages using Reaper as a multitrack DAW for editing sound to picture? I've got AATranslator so omf, aaf, edl will work fine. Necessary especially for going between ProTools and Reaper.

I've never had a problem using REAPER doing anything! As mentioned some people seem to get problems with the video decoding but I've never experienced this. I always receive video files as H.264.

(4) I will also be using Reaktor a little for musical sfx and I'd prefer to use it as a plugin as opposed to it as an external software. Reaper okay with it?

Have only used Reaktor a tiny bit but never had a problem with it.

(5) Excluding the external and desktop specs, can Reaper as a DAW handle 14 hour days?

Yep! It's an incredibly stable program.

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  • Great! Ya, I'll use z-noise for broadband removal and c6 for compressionfrom from Waves. I've been told really good things of the combo between ReaEQ and ReaFir EQ. I'd like to give it a shot instead of sticking with the Waves bundle. Ya, I really like how the Reaper company is run, the response to their clients, it's consistent and responsive updates, it's compatibility, and personalization like recording your own impulses. I'm excited to get into that and understanding Reaper more personally after these projects! Thanks!
    – patman25
    Feb 11, 2013 at 20:18
  • that's incredibly brave. you should post details on your setup and learning experience somewhere if possible. it may end up being really disruptive.
    – georgi
    Feb 12, 2013 at 21:10
  • What would you like to know Georgi.m?
    – Joseph Dutaillis
    Mar 15, 2013 at 0:25
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I recently cleaned up some audio using exactly the ReaEQ/ReaFir combo you mention. Feels kind of like a hack really, but I believe I used the eq to cut some highs from the signal before ReaFir (which should be set to subtract mode). That way, when you record the noise profile in ReaFir, it doesn't affect the highs as much in your material - and you can tune out the worst of the "underwater" sound often associated with noise reduction software. Takes a bit of trial and error.

If I had the cash, I would go RX all the way though...

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Look into Samplitude. Apparently, you can export into ProTools format and open said sessions as well. It is also a really good DAW, all around. Be warned, Samplitude is not meant for exporting video and you have to be careful as to what video format you import. With audio, you're golden. If you want to swap files with industry people, Samplitude seems a good, pragmatic route.

Yes, I also have/use Reaper and am very aware of its video import/export capabilities. Not my favorite DAW, but to each their own.

Given the parameters the OP specified, Samplitude seems a good fit and know it is very capable for pro work flows.

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