Is Renoise worth the $$$?

[Taiyal]

My birthday is tomorrow, and I've been considering purchasing Renoise with my birthday money. However, I'm not sure if I really want to pay US$67 for a tracker.

Here is my situation:

Computers:
My PC - Windows XP, 300MHz, 192MB RAM, 4GB HDD
My Laptop - iBook G3 running GNU/Linux, 600 MHz, 128MB RAM, 20GB HDD

I use ModPlug Tracker, and it can do pretty much anything I would want in a tracker.
So, I would like input from SDCompo as to whether Renoise is worth the money for me.

(Subjective, biased opinions are welcome ^_^ if I wanted objectivity I'd just go to wikipedia)

[aged]

My birthday is tomorrow, and I've been considering purchasing Renoise with my birthday money. However, I'm not sure if I really want to pay US$67 for a tracker.

I'm not considering Renoise that much as "only a tracker" anymore.
So for me it was money well spent

Computers:
My PC - Windows XP, 300MHz, 192MB RAM, 4GB HDD
My Laptop - iBook G3 running GNU/Linux, 600 MHz, 128MB RAM, 20GB HDD

It looks like you are not going to run any VST's on renoise, and I don't know how much the built-in fx are going to use CPU... ...

What else can I say? Try the demo and give it some time. That should help you to make up your mind
I've been happy with renoise and it's development... (it even supports AudioUnits now =))


Oh ... CONGRATS IN ADVANCE!!

[chunter]

You should pay for Renoise now before the Euro goes up against the US Dollar.

[organic io]

I vote Modplug only because of your low system specs. Without being able to run vst's you are pretty much missing out on one of the main reasons Renoise is so awesome. So save up for new hardware first before you get Renoise. Of course try the demo, there are ways around the not being able to render wav issue anyway.

[Sonicade]

Oops sorry I voted for Renoise without looking at your system specs. I'm with Organic IO if your system specs wont take advantage of Renoise which it looks like they wont. Save your $67 toward a more modern computer before picking up Renoise.

Renoise is hands down worth its purchase price but first you need an environment to run it in.

[chunter]

I'm the sort that I buy things in anticipation of being able to actually use them later, so I still say buy Renoise if the exchange rate for your currency is good; I bet you'll own a computer that runs it well eventually.

Furthermore, I'm the sort that takes pride in getting an underpowered computer to run something it shouldn't be able to run. Good luck!

I have nothing directly personal against MPT besides that my couple tries to use it failed, I just don't get around on it well so I'm not wont to use it as a tool for anything. I feel the same way about MilkyTracker, and felt the same way about FasTracker 2 after I switched to Impulse Tracker.

Like anything in life I suppose, find the tool that works best for you.

[aGIANTpupafish]

I vote Modplug only because of your low system specs. Without being able to run vst's you are pretty much missing out on one of the main reasons Renoise is so awesome.

OpenMPT can run VSTs too.

it's not so hot on the automation, but it can be done.

Personally (but it's up to you of course!) I would put that money towards a better computer, and stay with modplug for now at least. Then try the Renoise demo for a while, see if you like it, then consider buying it.

But maybe I'm just biased 'cos i like seeing entries where I know what every single number in the effects column means. Although I have learnt so much from looking at your effects chains renoisers.

[Taiyal]

I just tried the demo the other day... It says that Renoise uses a CPU instruction set called SSE (or something like that), and my processor doesn't have SSE support. (It's an AMD K6 btw, not a Pentium)

So, money or not, it seems my comp has made the choice for me >_<

Luckily, I might be getting a 500 MHz iMac G3 (This sounds exciting to me, lol). Of course, I'd have to use one of the Linux trackers.

Seriously, ModPlug not being for Linux is the only reason my desktop computer runs Windows. >_< (/end rant)

So yes, as some in this thread said, I'll be putting more effort into getting better hardware.

[Sonicade]

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Both would run Renoise with flying colors.

[Taiyal]

About the 'old hardware' problem:

I recently got a used PowerMac G4 Cube from my friend because the company he works at is moving its location and they didn't want it anymore.

So now I have this setup:

Computer: Apple PowerMac G4 Cube (no CPU upgrades)
CPU: 450 MHz G4(but it has some coprocessor or something)
HD: 18 GiB
RAM: 448 MiB (soon to be 512 ^_^)
OS: OSX 10.4 Tiger
Music Software installed:
Renoise (works great on this comp)
miniAudicle
Audacity
MilkyTracker

I haven't played around much with Renoise, but it looks easy to use. I just wish it had an interface more like ModPlug so it would be easy to learn. >_<

And as for those linux trackers: Linux on PPC is a nightmare. Getting it installed on my iBook took a ton of effort. (of course, there is barely any support or help available... nobody uses PPC so nobody develops or maintains for PPC... I have to build everything from source and I need to reconfigure sleep on my iBook so it doesn't crash on awakening >_<)

So, it looks like the Cube is keeping the OSX it came with.

[aged]

About the 'old hardware' problem:

I recently got a used PowerMac G4 Cube from my friend because the company he works at is moving its location and they didn't want it anymore.

That's cool!

So, it looks like the Cube is keeping the OSX it came with.

Sounds like a wise decision Just don't update it to Leopard, at least not yet. There's many VST related problems etc...

[Taiyal]

New Computer again!

P3 1GHz
384 MB RAM
28 + 4 GB HDD (yes, that's the one from my old PC)
Turtle Beach Santa Cruz soundcard (YES!!!!)
NVIDIA RIVA TNT2 64 (or something) video card

Still a P3, so no SSE and no Renoise...
But that's OK, since I like Modplug better anyway and...
I can do VSTi rounds now ^_^ (with only 30ms buffer!)

So, Modplug for me it seems shall be.

[organic io]

Good luck dude

P.S... I'm glad you mentioned the Turtle Beach. I just checked on ebay and it turns out people are still paying $20-30 for them. Which means I can make a little cash off mine which I never use