Halion Sonic 2 = NI Massive

Virtual instruments
#1

Just bought Halion Sonic 2 couple of months ago and it sounds very good. All the presets and build-in synthesizers/drum machine make it even more excited BUT comparing it with NI Massive all my excitement go down in the drain. :-/
I produce psytrance music and Massive give me amazing psychedelic sounds which I can’t found/create with HS2.
Am I missing something or is actually HS2 different from Massive?
Please correct if I am wrong. I do want like HS2 even more and be able to create such sounds.
I just want to create my setup based on Steinberg products only (software/hardware) but I want be sure the VSTi will give me the sounds I need to.
So my final question is:

Is HS2 any close to sound creation as Native Instrument Massive?

Many thanks

#2

In terms of Steinberg creation tool, I think you would have to go with HALion 5, rather than HALion Sonic 2. HS2 is more of a “performance” tool in comparison to H5. (I am sure there is a fair upgrade path for you though.)

I have never used “NI Massive” so I cannot opinionate on a comparative level.

I love H5 and it’s almost the only thing I use anymore. I do use other plugins, but find myself, sort of without choosing, still ending up in HALion 5. I believe it’s the structure/layout that really makes me come back. There is a tree view in which you organize your sound, pretty much any which way you can imagine. A little different than a “macro” editor a’la Padshop and Retrologue, but straight forward and visually sensible.

Like anything though, opinions and perception are personal, so it may not be the same for you, and I am not really interested in steering you, one way or the other, at all. What truly matters is how you feel about these products. Maybe there is a demo of H5 so you can try it out?

#3

You’re comparing very different generators.

Massive is a full blown synth, I reckon it to Gladiator or Z3TA. HALion Sonic is closer to a Sampletank, H5 gets you into Omnisphere, Kontact territory.

At the end, I’m sure you’re concerned about the sound. I like Gladiator and Tone 2 stuff, H5 is pretty flexible but kinda deep in terms of using it like a traditional synth. I prefer osc direct to filters and envs on one page with mods and stuff.

#4

Thank you two guys.
I may add massive to my arsenal though.
Still HS2 is a monster on it own way.
Halion 5 well complex.

Cheers

#5

you are right in my opinion since massive is very strong on its oscillator configuration allowing looping, efx inserts and feedback in the program structure. Nothing that halion sonic has can compete with that.
massive is also one of the most powerfull engines for some years on that point and very popular also in the common crowd for that reason.

Other brands are battling the now aged massive on that point.

halion sonic is a workstation. In my opinion it is not marketed-wise in any competition with massive.
It outperformes massive in many ways by offering a sample engine, granular engine and drumstuff and so on that is not present in massive, and allowing you to make combinations of those in to a single sound concept that is matched to your needs.
but: The analog|digital synths that are also offered in Halion sonic are indeed not a match for massive though

On the Halion 5 front. There is certainly competition there (motu mach 5 and kontakt is also going in the same direction and so on) but in my opinion, given that new user interface that you certainly should try on multiple screens, and thinking about the engines integrated within it… i think there is a reason why they are having this price winner awarded by several reviewers. (and i do not think there is any reason for steinberg to buy those guys off, because this is indeed a very serious beast imho on the vsti front)

kind regards,
R.

#6

Similar sounds that are found in Massive can be made using Retrologue but usually I find that HS2 will handle a majority of the sounds I need. Other than that I use Massive or Padshop Pro in just about everything.

#7

Horses for courses?

Massive is a modular synth; flexible signal routing is part of the package. It also has wavetables - which opens up other sonic ability.
HS is however much more than sample playback, it’s ability to layer and blend sounds (sample + modelled) is pretty awesome.

I personally am weary of a tool defining my sound - anyone can buy the same tool? Is rather find new ways of creating sonic scapes