Muse Receptor?

AlanRatcliffe

I'm busy looking at the Muse Receptor as a possible near-future purchase. Anyone know these, or use one (or even just see one in action)? Any opinions?
http://www.museresearch.com/receptor2.php

Basically it's a hardware VST host, allowing you to gig with VST effects and softsynths without having to worry about the reliability and durability of using a PC on stage. If I do get one, I'll get the version with NI Komplete preinstalled, as that's mostly what I use.

My main thing is it would allow me to run an instance or two of Guitar Rig with a range of softsynths for MIDIguitar without a torturous stage setup and still get consistent results and not have to worry about babying a PC during transport. It also seems to be powerful enough (even the basic model) to simultaneously run all the things I like to use: my Bosendorfer 209 piano library, Miroslav Philharmonic, Absynth, B4 and at least one instance of Guitar rig (for piezos), possibly two. It also means my wife would be able to tap into it for B4, pianos and keys. Another major benefit is it can operate as part of a DAW system, offloading effect and softsynth stresses from my DAW and integrates nicely.

My only real concerns at the moment (aside from the $2K price tag) are:
* hardware obsolescence - is it going to become my most expensive paperweight in five year's time?
* Will it lock me into specific versions of software (I know it allows software updates, but what if a new VST standard comes out and the newer software needs it?)
* it only has one instrument input, which would mean adding in a channel strip to the rack if I want to use it live for both mags and piezos simultaneously
* It has lots of USB ports, but I'm not sure if you can load drivers for things like my GI-20 (or even extra MIDI and audio interfaces?). I know I can use the MIDI output at a small latency cost, but then I'm going to have to add in a MIDI merger to drive it from guitar and keyboard controllers at the same time.

In some ways, something like this seems ideal, but I've spent the last ten years moving away from hardware, doing as much as possible "in the box", dropping from 22U of gear to five and I really don't want to go too seriously down that route again. So I'm a little trepidacious.

IceCreamMan

thats some serious kit ..... dayum ....

guitarboy2828

Wow, i didn't even know things like this existed... It is a rather interesting concept. So, is it all controlled via midi foot controller? Do you set patches through computer or all on board? I'd get most frustrated having to dial in patches and sounds on that thing because the interface doesn't seem to easy to navigate.

If it works well, it's a pretty amazing piece of gear, considering what it can do. Really could become an all in one everything!

Mr-M

Drop my colleague Paul a mail. He'll be able to give you some useful advice on this.

AlanRatcliffe

guitarboy2828 wrote: So, is it all controlled via midi foot controller?

Yes. It's MIDI, so you can use it with any common MIDI device: floorboard, sequencer, or any controls on your keyboard or control interface - and they can control either the global controls for the Receptor (for things like patch changes) or on individual "channels". The MIDI mapping is comprehensive, allowing you to layer, split and even velocity layer very easily. I'm pretty certain that anything with a MIDI out can be utilised, but I also know that some USB devices (like Rig Kontrol for Guitar Rig) are not. Also it only has one set of MIDI IN/OUT/THRU sockets, so if you want to run it with a host of things like floor controllers, keyboards, guitar synths, sequencers all at once, you'll need a capable MIDI merge unit, simply to connect them all to it.

Do you set patches through computer or all on board?

It integrates pretty smartly into a computer setup (or vice versa) via LAN, offering full-size settings screens on the control computer. It even has standard video outs and legacy USB ports to connect a monitor, keyboard and mouse to it directly, so you don't have to use a computer to edit it.

The GUI looks real simple and effective - similar to a software mixer or your mixer view in a DAW. You have a choice to edit each plug onscreen (either local or remote) using either it's own interface or via a "pro" matrix that simply lists parameter and value for each editable parameter the plug has. So if you are already comfy with working with softsynths and effects, you get exactly the same user experience.

You can be even optimise the small front panel display by choosing which parameters you want accessible for each and every synth/plug individually, so you can simplify each to just show the parameters you would want to edit regularly.

This thing is pretty mind boggling, combining the best of software and hardware features together and integrating them nicely. it's kind of a live DAW. Another exciting thing is that each channel can have three effects added and you also have two separate FX busses that you can use for things like reverb (and you could rout your analogue desk's output or FX sends in to the line inputs and take advantage of your plugins).

AlanRatcliffe

Mr TM wrote: Drop my colleague Paul a mail. He'll be able to give you some useful advice on this.

Thanks - I've dealt with Paul before. Not sure if I still have his email though, so if you could PM it to me I'd be grateful. I'm not quite ready to do so yet though - I first want to make sure that this is the direction I want to go in and want to investigate everything thoroughly and learn as much as I can so I don't waste his (or my) time with stupid questions. ?

Mr-M

Pm'd

AlanRatcliffe

Merci beaucoup mon ami!