KVR Audio

cowby · Post by **cowby** » Fri May 06, 2016 6:56 am

Hi all,

Just seeking advises from U guys. I have punch for more than a year and loved it sounds and tweaking features. However, as Heartbeat is on sales (yeah GAS), I'd like to know if it is worth to buy to complement each other ?

How's the sound and features of heartbeat comparing to Punch and does it rely on ilok?

Thanks!
Cowby

hivkorn · Post by **hivkorn** » Fri May 06, 2016 7:00 am

Yes , i have both and there are different machine.Heartbeat sound really good , a kind of 808 / 909 on steroïd ... the NI deal is actually a real bargain. (and heartbeat modules will be available in modular )

VariKusBrainZ · Post by **VariKusBrainZ** » Sat May 07, 2016 9:23 am

I sold Heartbeat immediately, I have a dozen soft drum machines and a Machinedrum and just don't get the hype.
Is has no mojo, limited tweakability and even the built in effects didn't bring it alive.

Might b fun to use when their Modular is released though.

Xoxo Bong sounds way better to my ears

masterhiggins · Post by **masterhiggins** » Sat May 07, 2016 9:39 am

Softube runs 50% off sales probably a couple times a year. With plugindiscounts/jrrshop/audiodeluxe offering their standard discounts, I wouldn't be surprised if Heartbeat's $100 again in the near future. If I recall, they usually do them in the summertime.

Igro · Post by **Igro** » Sat May 07, 2016 10:58 am

I haven't tried heartbeat, but checked the videos. It is one of those analogue recreation plugins. Like d16 stuff. Nice sounding and easy tweaking. Punch may not be that clean soundwise, but its capabilities go way beyond.

hivkorn · Post by **hivkorn** » Sat May 07, 2016 11:35 am

i don't know if we can compare D16 Nepheton / Drumazon /Nithonat and Punch with Heartbeat , in the past i owned all this D16 plugin and I own punch , they are excellent but in term of sound , heartbeat sound is more solid ...Punch have more possibility in sound design , but can't sound like heartbeat...the same way i have SparkLe and it sound different from heartbeat and D16 .....
The best thing to do would be to download a demo and try by yourself.

cowby · Post by **cowby** » Sat May 07, 2016 1:03 pm

tried it with the demo. Only the kick drum sound made me happy. Other sounds and features ... Hummm.. my personal taste back to Punch.

do_androids_dream · Post by **do_androids_dream** » Sat May 07, 2016 1:05 pm

Couldn't believe how flat and lifeless heartbeat sounded in the demos. Most free drum synths sound better.

Aiynzahev · Post by **Aiynzahev** » Sat May 07, 2016 3:07 pm

Punch sounds like a modern digital take on drum synthesis and very much "standard" or generic. The col thing about it is how it works as a whole with all the effects and modulation.

Heartbeat sounds like a collection of classic drum machine sounds, it only has a couple of effects but they are really good, it doesn't have a bag load of control over the drum sounds but those are also really.

I have both but I don't think there is much overlap. You need an ilok account for heartbeat, not the dongle though.

pheeleep · Post by **pheeleep** » Sat May 07, 2016 3:19 pm

I have Punch. I bought Heartbeat. I sold Heartbeat. I ended up buying the Valley People Dynamite compressor instead, which has a limited version included in Heartbeat that can only be applied to all the sounds (not one instance per module). I found Heartbeat to be too CPU intensive. I really like the Dynamite compressor though which I can now use multiple instances of, on any drum sound I want. I wouldn't have discovered Dynamite had I not gotten Heartbeat so no regrets. I found that Punch and my gazillion drum samples works for me better. I was having to bounce down the presets I was making in Heartbeat anyway due to the high CPU. Punch has way more features, sounds great, with lower CPU. I wasn't using any of the Heartbeat features aside from the modules. I hope that eventually folks will be able to add the Heartbeat modules in the new Softube modular synth without having to own Heartbeat on the side. I would consider getting the modules again. Heartbeat does sound very nice... I just have too many alternatives already (Drumazon, RMV, etc...)

Ah_Dziz · Post by **Ah_Dziz** » Wed May 11, 2016 5:22 pm

I don't have punch, but I do have Mutonic, drumatic, tattoo, tremor, lots of reaktor drum gadgets, lots of custom kontakt drum stuff, stylus rmx, and heartbeat ( might be leaving something out), and I find heartbeat to be a useful addition to my drum needs. It covers lots of straightforward x0x style sounds with minimal work and the additional processing onboard simplifies getting a good minimal drum machine sound quickly. It's a bit CPU heavy for simple drums. I find in lots of the presets and demos they overdo the saturation which makes it sound a bit crappy. It's worth it if you get a good price and also if you plan on getting the softube modular in my opinion.

Silaris · Post by **Silaris** » Wed May 11, 2016 7:26 pm

Aiynzahev wrote:I have both but I don't think there is much overlap.

+1

I have both and feel they both offer something different to users.

If I had to choose one, I would go for Punch. In addition to the ability to load samples, there are more available sound slots, greater sound shaping possibilities and a step sequencer, albeit a very limited one.

ruud07 · Post by **ruud07** » Wed May 11, 2016 7:47 pm

Heartbeat is one of the best xox style vst drum machines, I love it. I have Punch and Heartbeat. Both are excellent in their own right and complement each other well.

db3 · Post by **db3** » Wed May 11, 2016 9:23 pm

I picked up Heartbeat during the NI promo. I'm loving the immediate tweak-ability, feels like a real piece of old skool gear. I demo'd Punch and thought it was great, but I can already cover those areas with Maschine.

Punch users - will you buy Heartbeat ?