Review Transport from Refractor Audio
Very focused in it's tonal canvas of modular synth loops.
A very well executed engine with 5 step-sequencers allowing you to craft the phrases/loops to really make them your own.
Registered users get free download of all samples as WAVs.
A very tonally focused modular synth canvas (I know that was one of the pros!) If you're not interested in analog drums & synth sounds this library won't be for you.
Transport covers analog synths with a huge selection of loops and phrases. The well thought out engine & interface includes 5 step-sequencers that will allow you to manipulate the sample into something entirely new and exciting.
Jump to Sample Library Review Patreon Page
Jump to the Demos of Transport
Jump to the Videos of Transport
Review Transport from Refractor Audio
Transport was created by Refractor Audio and lists for $250 USD.
TRANSPORT is currently on Sale for $199 at Plugin Boutique
Thoughts
When I first heard about Transport I thought: “great another hybrid instrument”. I have so many hybrid instruments it was going to take something special to make this one grab my attention. And it did.
With Transport it all starts with the source samples: a wonderful collection of synths loops, percussion hits, fx and beats generated from dozens of great analog modular synths.
Transport comes with huge selection of loops, phrases and hits (2000+) that were created by Klayton (known as Celldrewller) in his spaceship studio. Klayton has been creating and recording the loops for 3+ years for the instrument. After digging in and listening to the sample set I was excited. I am not a synth guy myself, so having an instrument like Transport, which is full of ferocious timbres is inspiring and exciting. The library goes far beyond just “blips & bleeps”.
Klayton (Celldweller) in his “spaceship” studio.
In the photo above we see the dozens of synths and modular synths that were used to create the sounds of the library.
The tonal canvas is just the tip of the iceberg with the power of Transport can do. The custom kontakt Probability Engine is well thought out with a fairly easy to use interface. The engine allows you to trigger jump between loop slices, across multiple loops. You do this easily by pressing 2 or more keys or programming multiple playback notes.
The 5 step-sequencers of the instrument (the hybrid part) really add an entirely new dimension to the sounds you are able to create. These sequencers allow you to manipulate the sample into something entirely new and exciting, manipulating the original loops and letting you make them your own. The 5 sequencers control Volume, Delay Send, Cutoff, Pitch, and Step Duration and run on a separate clock than the Probability Engine. With the sequencers you can playback the steps in order or randomly opening up the rhythmic, sonic and melodic possibilities to near limitless creations.
Transport in Volume edit step-sequence mode
“Transport also includes an advanced keyswitch presets function, keyswitch pitch shifting (in addition to the pitch sequencer,) a slice repeater and stepper, velocity sensitivity toggle, and other pop-up controls for each of the 5 sequencer tabs.”
For those composers like myself that don’t have any analog synth outboard gear, this library instantly adds a huge selection of fresh electronic fodder to work with.
Transport in DLT-SND step sequence edit mode
Even after filming the video first look and review I am still digging into all the features, ways to mix, mash and manipulate the samples in the library. Transport is a delight to play and the irony of my review is that the main pros and only cons to the instrument are the same: that it is so tonally specific. With the exception of the live drum loops Transport is all the weird and wonderful you can get out of analog synths tucked into a well thought out engine. If you’re not interested in that analog sound this library won’t be that useful for you.
As for me Transport will fulfill a huge amount of my analog synth sound needs, and I will be having a blast using it.
Facts
Transport is a Kontakt Player instrument so it is compatible with both the full and free version of Native Instruments kontakt.
The library downloads at just under 4GB and contains 1,400+ loops and 600+ one-shot samples.
The library was created using the following gear: Moog Voyager, Moog Vocoder, Swarmatron, Juno 60, Prophet 600, Dave Smith Instruments Evolver, Korg Volca series, Access Virus, Roland TB-303, along with a massive modular synth collection with modules from 4MS, Analogue Systems, Audio Damage, Buchla, Circuit Abbey, Cwejman, Doepfer, Hex Inverter, Intellijel, Make Noise, Malekko, Modcan, Moog, Mutable Instruments, Music Thing Modular, Pittsburgh Modular, Qu-Bit Electronics, Roland, Synthesizers.com, The Harvestman, Tip Top Audio, WMD, Erica Synths, Waldorf, Macbeth, Synthrotek, Dwarfcraft Devices, Din Sync, Tsyklon Labs, Synthesis Technology, Medic Modules, Steady State Fate, Xaoc Devices, and other outboard processing with gear from Metasonix, Teletronix, Empirical Labs, Universal Audio, Avalon, Source Audio, Sherman, API, SSL, Neve.
Transport was created by Refractor Audio and lists for $250 USD.
At time of posting, Transport had a special intro price of $199.99 at Plugin Boutique
