The consensus: Massive and Vengeance?

L

leetheperm

New Member
Joined
May 12, 2014
I have recently been getting back into producing after a few years of going live, and a lot has changed. When I used to read about some of the producers that I admired, there equipment list seemed to vary and it was almost making me dizzy trying to try them out. However, in recent years NI Massive and Vengeance samples seem to have almost standardized the production of drum and bass (regarding bass and drums not other lead synths). I, personally use both of them and find their sounds almost incomparable but I'm wondering if there is anything out there that compares? Are they actually running the production show or am I hard not looking hard enough. I'm hoping this causes a debate between massive loyalists and users of other VSTs.

Your thoughts?
 
I highly rate Massive but have never really used vengeance samples. I normally find samples more specific to drum and bass but that's just me. I know a lot of people here rate a lot of other synths over massive but it's all down to preference. Imo if you really wanna step up your game, get a virus (polar maybe)
 
Massive is a great synth, straight out. Vengeance sample are very commercial highly processed samples, that are rarely useful in the production of dnb. When you say standardised dnb production, thats kinda untrue. Vengeance samples arent very common, and there are very few tracks around that have sounds that are distictly massive.
 
Yukon said:
I highly rate Massive but have never really used vengeance samples. I normally find samples more specific to drum and bass but that's just me. I know a lot of people here rate a lot of other synths over massive but it's all down to preference. Imo if you really wanna step up your game, get a virus (polar maybe)
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I've been talking to people who are using a virus for their production and they told me that vsts nowadays are as good as a virus, because it's all digital. Well, probably a matter of taste :)

I personally use a lot of vengeance drum hits for my productions because they always come with a nice punch and clearness. But there are also alot of other great sample packs out there that provide fat, punchy kicks & clear hats...
 
Mania said:
Massive is a great synth, straight out. Vengeance sample are very commercial highly processed samples, that are rarely useful in the production of dnb. When you say standardised dnb production, thats kinda untrue. Vengeance samples arent very common, and there are very few tracks around that have sounds that are distictly massive.
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really? shall i?


massive on the intro and lead like almost every other delta heavy song.


same. its even a vengeance snare i think.

now some new ones:


that one seems to be only massive..


pretty sure thats a vengeance snare.

just saying, theyre pretty much everywhere!
 
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I use neither. I'd probably use massive if I had it though. Not many producers have a unique sound now because they are all using the same sample packs.
 
I have massive and a virus c. If you start using the built in eq in the virus, its sound is far fuller than if you do it using only software. I havnt used a vengeance sample in a while, I have started buying some dub sample packs and a couple of dnb packs, even though nearly every dnb pack is shit, there are a couple gems, you get a couple that are authentic, but for a proper snare you gotta layer that shit, I aint found a snare on its own good enough in.
 
I get the impression that massive is a really good synth, but there are maybe three or four other synths that are just as good but don't get as much press...
 
I use massive on most of my tracks. So far, it's the synth I feel most comfortable to use. But, for basses, I always end up making a bass patch on massive, and resample it on Harmor.
 
Don't think we've ever used vengeance stuff out right and if we did it would've been something like white noise fx out of pure laziness.

Massive is the basis to most of our sounds but again, its never on its own, always layered up or resampled. I am personally steering clear of massive now as much as i can. Once I get an upgrade of Ram i will officially say bye to it. Just not impressed with it compared to other (cheaper) lesser known vst's or in built daw oscillators.

Massive used poorly is very noticable. It may to some ears 'do the same thing' but take a raw saw wave in massive and compare it to abletons saw wave. It's like night n day. Something about massive masks a sound to make it sound pretty shit imo.
 
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groelle said:
really?

just saying, theyre pretty much everywhere!
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lol i guess ive been listening to the wrong tunes to say that then. Probably cause i think its all shit. That being said, massive is a very versatile synth and it isnt too hard to make sounds that havent already been heard 1000 times before
 
I second what Dexcell said with regards to how noticeable a poor use of Massive is. The norm has become to stack up formant heavy waveforms, modulate the Phase OSC and slap a soaking wet setting of Dimensional Expander to top it off–or to Unison spread way too many voices for a wide sound the carries little weight...

If you dig deep into some of the lesser known wavetable shapes, there are really some solid bits within Massive. The performer is fun as well, but I've been using XFer LFO tool as a "Performer" so that I can apply it to other synths...

Cheers.
 
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