Propellerhead Reason 9

Reason FAQ

• When is it coming?
  Reason 9.5 is currently in beta testing and the final release will be on May 29th 2017!

• How much is it?
  If you own Reason 9, then the new version is a free update. Any purchase of the Reason 9 upgrade or Reason 9 full version will get you Reason 9.5 when it’s released, for free.

• How do I get it?
  Do you own Reason 9? In that case, just let Reason download the update when it’s available on May 29th. Otherwise, just buy Reason or upgrade to Reason 9 now, and get the updated version for free on May 29th.

• Can I beta test?
  If you own Reason 9 or Reason Essentials 9, we’d be happy if you help us test Reason 9.5. You can sign up here.

• Now that Reason has VST support, will you kill the Rack Extension technology?
  Absolutely not! Reason now supports two plugin formats and Rack Extensions will remain a key Reason technology. In fact, combining VSTs and Rack Extensions open up fantastic music making possibilities! Having VSTs in the rack will let us focus our development of the Rack Extension platform even more.

• Will Reason 9.5 support all VST plugins?
  Reason’s VST implementation is based on VST 2.4. Any 2.4 compliant instrument or effect plugin (that’s just about every VST out there) will work in Reason.

• Can I use VSTs with other Reason devices?
  Sure! In that regard, there is no difference between VSTs and other Reason devices. Play them with Players, put them in combinators, add Reason effects, patch audio and CV to them – just like you always do in Reason. The only difference is that the VST plugins open in a separate window.

• How are VSTs used in Reason 9.5?
  Reason will find any VST plugin that you have installed on your computer. The VST plugins can then be found among Reason’s own devices and Rack Extensions in the browser. Drag your desired instrument or effect to the rack and it’s there! VST plugins live inside the new plugin host device in the rack. This is where you can route audio and CV and open the plugin’s own window.

• How does the delay compensation work?
  Some effects in a signal chain will introduce delay in the timing. With the delay compensation on, Reason will calculate the total delay in each signal path and adjust the timing of each discrete signal path accordingly, to assure perfectly timed, phase correct playback. The adjustment is automatic but can also be set manually for each mixer channel.

• What about stability? Will Reason be less stable now?
  We’ve implemented a limited crash protection system for VSTs that means we attempt to detect crashes in the VST and prevent the plugin from crashing Reason. Since VST plugins are third-party code, it is still possible to experience problems with plugins. Keep in mind that our VST support in Reason in itself doesn’t make the application less stable if you don’t have or use any VST plugins.

• What are the system requirements?
  The minimum requirements are listed below. Please note that using third party plugins can require significantly higher performance, and that some third party plugins come with different minimum requirements than these.

  Mac OS X:

  • Fast, stable internet connection for installation and registration required!
  • Intel Mac with dual core processor
  • 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended for large ReFills or Rack Extensions)
  • 4 GB free hard disk space (program may use up to 20 GB scratch disk space)
  • Mac OS X 10.7 or later (64-bit)
  • Monitor with at least 1280×768 resolution
  • CoreAudio compliant audio interface or built-in audio hardware
  • MIDI interface and a MIDI keyboard recommended

  Windows:

  • Fast, stable internet connection for installation and registration required!
  • Intel or AMD processor with dual cores
  • 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended for large ReFills or Rack Extensions)
  • 4 GB free hard disk space (program may use up to 20 GB scratch disk space)
  • Windows 7 or later (64-bit)
  • Monitor with at least 1280×768 resolution
  • Audio Interface with ASIO driver
  • MIDI interface and a MIDI keyboard recommended