So.. How are you liking Retrologue 2 so far ?

I think I hate it?

The browser import and save system is below what can be expected of today. It takes forever for Retrologue to scan the database upon opening it for the first time in a project (I am on SSD). The preset browser is of corurse very Steinberg and has a structure from last century. It is very difficult to see the same structure as the different folders on the computer has. Sometimes presets are displayed double, sometimes not. 3. party preset structure is impossible to import. This is far, far away from things like Zebra, Omnisphere, Massive and Serum, just to mention some soft synths from other developers. Even Dune (even Dune 1) and the very complex Razor is better in this respect. It does not help if it is good sounding. There are soooooo many good sounding synths out there. What they then compete in is price and GUI. Retrologue is free with Cubase. Unbeatable price, but the GUI sucks and I rather then invest a couple of hundred dollars to get an annoying free interface.

I have the same “relationship” to HALion 4, 5 and 6 and Padshop. It seems to me that Steinberg does not want 3. party developers to enter that realm. There are very few that developes soundsets for Steinberg and it is a very compex affair to have a practical relationship to the few soundsets available. Seems like Steinberg has the policy of controlling this market. Also seems like the developers that has tried has given up due to the GUI complexity and the number of frustrated customers. Omnisphere rules in this respect. Fully open for 3. party and has a great GUI and browser. Toontrack too, but that is of course drum software, but it shows how to build a decent GUI.

Logics equivalent to Retrologue is Alchemy (in resepct of “Synths that come free with DAW”). Look what they do in respect of saving own sounds and importing sounds from friends/customers and 3. party developers and how the GUI displays them.

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