Exactly!

 

This isn't Reddit or a thread even created by some novice asking for a DAW version of My Little Pony. It's multiple pages of Reaper users trying to explain why their DAW is <whatever to them>. Most coming across as waterboys like the commenter who is so impressed with themself about the fact they finally learned a single DAW. It's not any heated argument because dealing with someone making those sorts of comments barely qualifies itself as lightwork. I see no confusion about the matter at all.

If someone cannot figure out what is meant by the words "similarity", "open-source", "customizable"; maybe Reaper is not the DAW for them. That's almost as impressive as letting your DAW turn you into an unpaid hobbyist programmer.

To the DAW agnostic, this "argument" as you call it, is about as exciting as watching a OpenOffice Libre vs. MS Excel brawl develop between some accountants.

 

Don't forget "The reaper Stash"

 

why participate in it then if you don't care? especially if you feel like you're above the fray such participation resembles incitement instead of trying to get to the truth

 

don't forget Presonus Exchange or the same user exchange of Bitwig https://bitwig.community/presets or https://bitwiggers.com/

 

... or Max4Live or Reasen Rack Extensions...

 

R2R is your friend , do a little dip here nad there and you get a slight idea acording to your approach in needs for a DAW

perception my friend ..perception
for me it sounds like a compliment.that linux bashing from certain people is always just showing their lack in knowledge of IT,coding,OS scripting,shortpath thru command line and what not.
...and im just a mouse and application user myself but i know very well that bashing is stupid.
///
for me
its
ABLETON
-----------(REASON)
REAPER



S1 and FL imo have terrible gui workflow/cluttering in different ways

...but it should be equal to you cause im not you .


---------------
the real interssting point which could someone point out pls is ,what someone said in a anoher have DAW different audio sound thread .
its bout harrison mixbus and that the dev coded some analog circuit imperfections or so into the DAW output/audio engine or however .
??

 

Ah but access is forbidden to the Presonus Exchange unless you have a legit copy of Studio one.

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/audioengin...4/the_harrison_mixbus_sound_does_it_have_one/

 

while yes there's no perfect DAW i found that FL studio is the one with less hassle. For composing is the fastest yet most complete one imho

 

It is really good that you added 'imho". Because reading this post makes clear that there is no best DAW in the world. There is however a DAW that fits best to a person's need to make music in that person's most convenient way.
Everybody involved in making music has to find the tools that fit their needs best. I found, the tools don't matter. It's just about your feeling to make music.
Oh, and BTW, imho.........

 

1- That doesn't make it look better - it is just an explanation.
2. So every other application in MacOS supports that it automatically uses the prefered color scheme of the OS but Reaper - the one that uses generic UI elements of the OS, to make it more performant (and ugly) - does not support it and i have to manually adjust the setting. Alright...

I do not care that programming and routing parameters have been an integral production in the past, nor do I want to write a few single lines of code every time I come across an annoyance. I code for work, not to make music.

I am sorry, but the price is an argument that is so often brought up its kinda strange. Reaper is 225$. Logic is 200$ (and I paid it once a decade ago), that comes with a plethora of effects instruments etc (not one upgrade price). FL Studio All Plugins Edition is around 380$ at a sale (with always updates). Now it is cheaper than Cubase, Ableton, but these also come with a plethora of more effects and instruments - and if you need any of those you would need to buy them seperately. Now I can already see the argument of that you can use that saved money to buy what you need. But if it is already better and more CPU friendly implemented in the DAW, why not use that.

___

I am not sure about the developers. Yes for two people they are incredible, but if you compare it to the updates of Logic, Ableton and Cubase - they quite often pale in comparison.

The thing is we all use the DAW we most enjoy and are most comfortable with. Reaper is an incredible DAW with by far the best philosophy. But it does have it weaknesses - just like other DAWs do too.

 

Last edited: Sep 5, 2025

Most of Reaper users are Discounters, and that is $60. Does Logic has that option too?
And the update versions run up to over 6 years. I don't know how you get to use it for free after 10 years, but I checked and with Logic 10 arrived in 2013 and v11 in 2024. It is not possible to update for free to 11. Also because v11 needs an upgrade or so. Reaper 7 still runs on my 2007 notebook. Reaper works on Win XP, Win Vista, Win 7, Win 10 and Win 11. Also, I started using Reaper when I was on Windows. Now I am on Linux and all my configuration is valid on Linux. And if I would have way too much money to be able to afford a Mac, I could still keep using Reaper and the same configuration.

And about the extra stuff you get with Logic: that is correct. But.....it's only useful if they fit your needs. I buy what I need. I don't have to pay for stuff I don't use or need.

First: the company maybe owned by 2 persons, the community (voluntary or payed dkdc) is much bigger. Take just for example Kenny Gioia who makes video's of all new versions and updates with explanations of all the new features? Even I as a noob can understand them!

What are you claiming about updates? Reaper bugs are repaired within 1 or 2 days. At least once (usually 2 or even more) a month an update is released with new features, mostly new features asked for by members.

Well, finally one thing we agree on. Everybody needs to use the stuff that fits best. I don't mind what people use, I even don't mind if people hate Reaper for it's GUI or whatever. But please don't say things that are not true about Reaper.

 

My point wasn't to change your subjective opinion about how REAPER looks, but to highlight the conscious design decision behind it: It's a trade-off where a modern GUI design is intentionally sacrificed for maximum performance, backward compatibility, and an extremely small codebase. This is the core of REAPERs design philosophy. Whether you see that as a pro or a con is up to you. It's not really worth debating, because a discussion like this will just go in circles.

My point about the dark mode was just a correction of your claim that REAPER doesn't have one. That it doesn't switch automatically is a separate, valid critique, but that's beside the point. Again...

On the topic of coding, the original context is key. I only suggested it as a one-off fix for a very specific issue, not as something you always have to do. I was responding to a user who was completely dismissing any free downloadable extensions, labeling REAPER as the "worst DAW for music production", and making a bunch of apples-to-oranges comparisons. Let's be clear: You don't have to code in REAPER, any more than you have to code in Live or FL Studio. Honestly, REAPER is the only DAW I'm aware of where downloading free extra content is criticized as a negative, and where people seem to judge that content by who coded it, instead of by its actual usefulness.

You seem to be anticipating an argument about using the saved money to buy plugins, but that's not the point I was making at all.
My point was that REAPERs price is only possible because of its small team. That's a comment on their business model, not a debate about whether Reaper is worth it compared to other DAWs. And even if we were to get into that debate, the comparisons you're making are classic apples-to-oranges. The math for Logic, for instance, works completely different.

Logic is just one piece of the Apple ecosystem, which operates on a blended pricing model. Apple buys up plugins and features, gives them a makeover, and optimizes them for their own processors. The deal is: want Logic? Buy a Mac. Want to update Logic in a few years? You'll need a new Mac. Most Logic users are buying mid-to-high-spec Macs anyway, so the model pays off for Apple over time. So sure, if you're already in the Apple ecosystem, Logic is a great deal. If you have to buy a Mac just to run Logic, it's a very expensive DAW, isn't it?

And the FL Studio price comparison is another case of apples and oranges.
The FL Studio All Plugins Edition costs $630 normally, not $380! The price you brought up is a temporary sale.
REAPER is $60, unless you're a business making over $20k a year. For the standard price of FL Studio, the overwhelming majority of people could get 63 years of REAPER updates. I guess we can chalk that up to "with always updates" too, can't we? Granted, that's assuming these companies and their DAWs are even still a thing in 63 years. And let's be honest, I have my serious doubts about that.

 

Last edited: Sep 7, 2025

Let’s be honest: one of Reaper’s biggest blunders (and it’s been a while) is the lack of a decent score editor. I’m not even asking for anything extraordinary like what comes with Nuendo, Cubase, or Logic. But Reaper’s notation editor, with its barebones features, simply doesn’t match the DAW’s power. It’s like having a Michelin-starred French chef cook instant ramen as if it were haute cuisine...

The most frustrating part? Development once showed promise, but somewhere along the way it got tossed aside like an old plugin nobody wants to maintain. The result? Users having to whip up wild extensions just to patch holes that shouldn’t even exist. And let’s be real: a proper score editor is basic infrastructure for any DAW that dares to call itself professional, as proven by Cubase, Nuendo, Logic, Digital Performer, and Studio One!

These days, my workaround has been using Nuendo’s score editor. It gives me everything I need... (and then some advanced post-production tools, like robust syncing between video and music, Dolby Atmos support, Game Audio Connect integration, Netflix loudness metering... the whole arsenal). It fills Reaper’s gaps with ease!

And yes, I’ll admit that many of these features aren’t strictly essential (a lot can be replicated in Reaper with enough patience and creativity). But let’s not kid ourselves: Nuendo trades performance and customization for convenience, and that’s the deal. Still, if Reaper had a real score editor, I wouldn’t even glance at Nuendo. But since that’s not the case... well, I keep on 'Steinberging' my way!

 

Last edited: Sep 7, 2025

No Logic does not have that option, but Logic 11 upgrade is free. I am not sure what the comment "way too much money to be able to afford a mac" means. A Mac Mini is basically impossible to match in terms of price to performance.

And that is a strength of Reaper - cross compatibility. We are talking about things that other DAWs have that Reaper does not.

Logic comes with so much stuff. If we are talking music production even with the 60$ price point, you are way above Logic price if you buy even basic stuff.

Look at the big updates. How many new features, instruments etc other DAWs bring. Reaper does not bring any instruments, doesn't bring a lot of other features like samplers etc.

This thread is about things that other DAW have that Reaper does not. It wasn't : "What trade-off for better performance did Reaper take". Reaper has complicated menues and by all objective UI/UX perspectives an ugly UI.

But it is the worst DAW for music comparison. It doesn't include any vst instruments, doesn't include a proper sampler (MK Splicer is absolutely a horrific workflow), needs tons of "one-off" fixes etc. I couldn't care less who coded it, I want it to work and be useable.

No, because many people do have a Mac and purposefully choose it (even if they don't use Logic). Again we are talking abut what Reaper doesn't do.

If a sale is often, than that price is the default. Or would you say each UAD plugin for example is the full non-dicounted price. Because this would be actually an argument against Reaper - as one need to buy the full price plugins to get to a similar feature list then.

 

Bloatware and a lot of unnecessary code.

 

And thank God, I see what kind of bloatwear modern daws are turning to, it makes me sick, I don't need GPT Chat and ridiculous web services for downloading/buying cheap samples or stems, leave my creativity alone.

All menus can be edited you can shuffle them as you like it, even leave there two or three sections you really use, as for UI/UX then I don't need a Christmas garland in my DAW I need a clear responsive interface that I don't notice while working

Its a plus too developers do what they are good at and spend resources on more important things making Reaper more solid, I don't need half-working VST instruments that I will never use, there are a lot of free and paid tools, it's not the late 90s or 2000s. Third party VSTs will still be better than what the author of the Reaper will spend time on, so why bother

It's funny,much of that you listed are advantages of Reaper.

 

Last edited: Sep 11, 2025

A fair and honest discussion about a product's "flaws" must inevitably include the "why" behind them.
Let me summarize your approach here:

1. You make a claim
2. I provide a factual counter-argument that provides context
3. Since you have no substantive response to my argument, you evade it and unilaterally declare it off-topic, while simultaneously trying to bend the rules of the discussion to make your original claim immune to any criticism

You repeatedly try to frame my context as irrelevant because it dismantles your critique. That's not how you argue in good faith, my friend.

Again, two rhetorical tactics in one sentence... and besides, your statement is objectively false!

1. Aesthetics are the very definition of subjective. There is no objective perspective that can classify a UI as ugly. You're selling your personal opinion as an indisputable fact. REAPERs UI is plain, not objectively ugly.
2. Your claim of an objectively bad UX is simply wrong. UX is measured by criteria like consistency, efficiency, and logical architecture - and in these areas, REAPER is extremely strong. REAPER has a steep learning curve, but its onboarding is being actively improved, as recent updates show.

And now that you've tried to unilaterally change the rules of the debate to your favor, here comes the classic barrage of unsubstantiated claims, half-truths, and exaggerations, hoping that the sheer quantity of nonsense will distract from the lack of quality in your "arguments".
I've been really patient with you, but frankly, your behavior is really starting to piss me off.


Alright, so let's play another round of Bullshit Bingo:

That's polemics, not an argument.

You're cherry-picking a fact that supports your thesis while ignoring the entire context. Yes, REAPER doesn't come with a large instrument library. That's a fundamental part of REAPERs purpose! It's literally what they advertise. Especially since a lot producers prefer third-party instruments anyway. Thanks for stating the obvious for everyone. I'm sure no one would have figured that out on their own.

This is the most dishonest part of your argument and a repeated, deliberate misrepresentation. You're taking ONE suggestion I made for ONE highly specific problem that carrots brought up, and you're twisting it into the lie that REAPER is broken software that needs "tons" of constant fixes. That is simply manipulative... a classic straw man...

This directly contradicts your own previous argument. You started this debate from the exact opposite position. You can't first reject a tool because you don't like who coded it or how it's offered, and then a few posts later claim you don't care "who coded it". You don't have a consistent position. You say whatever you think is most convenient for your attack at that moment. That's hypocritical.

So, now that we've checked off your polemics, cherry-picking, straw man, and hypocrisy, let's get to the grand finale of your Bullshit Bingo: the price comparisons, where you try to cement your shaky argument with numbers.

My argument was that Apple's business model cross-subsidizes the low price of Logic through expensive hardware sales. Your "rebuttal" that "many people have a Mac anyway" has absolutely nothing to do with that point logically. It's an observation that's irrelevant to the topic. So you're actually doing the very thing you keep accusing me of: being irrelevant and off-topic.

And when you realize your "argument" is going nowhere, you flee to your favorite tactic: your argumentative emergency exit. Every time you are substantively refuted, you try to declare the debate "off-topic", even though you started it yourself.

You got caught passing off a temporary sale price as the standard price. Instead of admitting this simple mistake, you just invent your own economic reality. Okay... Fine, I'll play along in your new reality:
Since REAPER can be used indefinitely for free without a valid license, then free is now the new standard price for REAPER. Let's compare that to Logic. Logic costs $200, but you need a Mac for it, so let's use an M4 Pro Mac Mini for $1,400 for comparison. That makes Logic cost $1,600, and Logic updates cost about $1,400 every 6 years. REAPER updates cost nothing because, you know, the standard price is $0. And you might have to update your computer maybe once every 20 years.

Your false analogy with UAD plugins, by the way, only makes it much worse, as their business model is notorious for being based on artificially high list prices. Honestly, you could hardly have picked a worse example... unless maybe you'd chosen Waves.

Ah yes, the final, desperate leap:
As you realize your entire price argument is collapsing, you make a panicked leap back to your old "REAPER has no plugins" argument.
Changing the subject seems to be "your thing" anyway. Argument collapses, quick subject change, or declare everything irrelevant and then quickly change the subject.

Like I said: I'm not here arguing for REAPER, I'm arguing against BULLSHIT. And I'm fully aware of what this thread is about.

"Oooh, that's a Bingo! Is that the way you say it? That's a Bingo?"