Five reasons why you should you buy a Receptor instead of a second computer, laptop, or sound module

1. Receptor has low latency and pristine sound

Because Receptor is a purpose-built device, Muse Research has been able to optimize it to do one thing — run great sounding VST synths and effects. Receptor doesn't check your email or double as a fax machine. It doesn't edit vacation photos or balance your checkbook. Receptor is a sound and effects module. And, as such, it is fully optimized to perform this function, with built-in 24-bit/96kHz fidelity and measured latency figures as low as 2ms from the time you touch a MIDI keyboard until you hear sound come out of Receptor. To put this in perspective, 2ms is about the amount if time it takes for sound to travel 2/3 of a meter (a little over 2 feet). In other words, there is as much audible latency between a pianist's left and right hands as there is in Receptor.

2. Receptor plays today's synths and effects... and tomorrow's, too

Unlike a sound module, which is limited to creating today's sounds with today's technology, Receptor is totally software based. This means that, not only can it play today's most popular synthesizers, samplers, drum modules, and effects—but it's fully compatible with synths, samplers, and effects that haven't even been invented yet. That's a trick you'll never be able to teach your old workstation or sound module. With Receptor, obsolescence is obsolete (yes, that's an oxymoron, but just go with it)...

3. Receptor is rugged, robust, and built for the rigors of the road

Receptor is housed in a road-worthy, metal, rack-mount enclosure with a robust power supply, ultra-quiet fans and enough internal air space to keep components running cool. All this, obviously makes Receptor physically more rugged than a laptop.

But robustness is not just a mechanical function — Receptor's software is robust, as well. Receptor, unlike a PC, runs a dedicated operating system and purpose-built software. This means Receptor is less likely to crash and, if for some reason it does crash (like when your roadie kicks out the power cable), Receptor will reboot itself within 5 seconds and it will reboot into the configuration it was in before it crashed. And, while we're talking startup times, a totally shut down Receptor turns on and loads its most recent state within 1 minute. Most PC's take longer just to turn on — and that doesn't even take into account the amount of time it takes to boot a VST hosting application or return to the state you were in when you shut down the computer.

4. Receptor integrates seamlessly with your computer-based studio

Receptor, thanks to its revolutionary new UniWire™ technology, can connect to a computer-based digital audio workstation using only Ethernet cables—no audio or midi cables are needed. In addition, UniWire instrument and effects plugins are installed on your host computer, which allow your digital audio workstation to communicate with Receptor as if it were both a virtual instrument and a virtual effect plugins. This means that, unlike 'old school' external sound and effects modules or computers saddled with additional MIDI and audio interfaces, Receptor integrates with your digital audio workstation exactly like a locally hosted plugin—but without using your host computer's precious CPU cycles.

5. Receptor is ridiculously simple

It's actually complicated to describe just how simple Receptor is to use. That's because, in order to understand the brilliance of Receptor, you need to discuss all the barriers that your traditional or computer-based sound modules place between you and your music—none of which are required by Receptor.

For example, if you want to integrate a traditional sound module into a computer environment, you need to connect a bunch of MIDI and audio cables to your computer, then configure two tracks in your sequencer: a MIDI track to send MIDI data to your sound module, and an audio track to record audio coming from the sound module. And you need to do all this while trying to align MIDI delays and latencies with your sequencer's own latency. With Receptor you just plug in one Ethernet cable and communicate with it using a plugin—just like you'd do with a software synth or effect running natively on your computer. Latency compensation is handled by your host sequencer and Receptor flows into your standard workflow, enhancing your creativity rather than hindering it.

And pity the poor people who try to configure an off-the-shelf PC as a sound module. Not only are they running an operating system that isn't geared for audio, but they're having to buy all sorts of third-party add-ons: like a MIDI interface; an audio interface; and another copy of their plugin host application. Then, when they get it all wired up, they realize that the MIDI instruments on their custom built "sound module" PC can't sync to MIDI beat clock, nor can they change patches via standard MIDI program change messages. And, to top it all off, they need a mouse, monitor, and keyboard to configure it all. Compare that with Receptor—which can be programmed using it's own front panel; which has MIDI and impeccable audio capabilities built-in; and which features a complete and thorough MIDI implementation—including the elusive MIDI Beat Clock and Patch Change features you need.

So you're that hard to convince, eh? For even more reasons why you should buy a Receptor instead of a second computer, laptop, or sound module go to the Muse Research Website.....