Expanded/enhanced Combinator & audio/mix channels, please! (more programmer options, knobs, & CV inputs)

[DJMaytag]

I think the title says it all. Combinator V2 with enhancements that would build upon the old one (yet still maintaining backward compatibility) would be DOPE. Something as simple as adding 18-12 knobs, and 8-12 CV inputs would be amazing. Extra inputs, instead of having to wire up a 6:2 mixer, would go a long way toward making multi-synth patches cleaner on the UI. Scaling of ranges is something that would be cool, instead of simply filtering out things outside the range (ie velocity scaling of one synth in a layered patch).

In a similar vein, the mix/audio channels could do well to have expanded programmers as well. One thing that is strangely missing is the ability to target the SSL mixer parameters in the programmer, to use CV over various parameters. A similar expansion of CV inputs and knobs/buttons would be SUPER handy.

Anything else that could be enhanced in the Combinator and Mix/Audio Channels?

[chaosroyale]

This has been the number one feature request (*with hi-res GUI a close second) for the last 10 years at least. Reason Studios obviously know about it, and they obviously don't care. But you can make randomized drum beats and play sampled kalimbas! That's much more useful, right?

I think the title says it all. Combinator V2 with enhancements that would build upon the old one (yet still maintaining backward compatibility) would be DOPE. Something as simple as adding 18-12 knobs, and 8-12 CV inputs would be amazing. Extra inputs, instead of having to wire up a 6:2 mixer, would go a long way toward making multi-synth patches cleaner on the UI. Scaling of ranges is something that would be cool, instead of simply filtering out things outside the range (ie velocity scaling of one synth in a layered patch).

In a similar vein, the mix/audio channels could do well to have expanded programmers as well. One thing that is strangely missing is the ability to target the SSL mixer parameters in the programmer, to use CV over various parameters. A similar expansion of CV inputs and knobs/buttons would be SUPER handy.

Anything else that could be enhanced in the Combinator and Mix/Audio Channels?

[DJMaytag]

This has been the number one feature request (*with hi-res GUI a close second) for the last 10 years at least. Reason Studios obviously know about it, and they obviously don't care. But you can make randomized drum beats and play sampled kalimbas! That's much more useful, right?

TBH, I’ve barely used the Combinator to its fullest in the past year, and I don’t ever recall hearing much about improvements/expansions to it.

I posted something on the FB about CV control over SSL parameters. There really ought to be a way to target the SSL controls (besides level & pan) with CV or on the mixer programmer itself (knobs to access certain parameters you use a lot without having to leave the rack screen).

Higher resolution is on its way, so I’ve heard. I just hope it doesn’t come at the expense of dragging down my CPU.

[Arjanders]

Yes, but instead of dealing with backward compatibility just a new utility imo (:
And we should never stop asking for this and trowing some ideas at the props.
Here is my two cents: I want to have something like this in it to easily assign different stuff over multiple devices in the combinator.
Click, drag, done!

[zoidkirb]

More knobs, more buttons, more cv in's, but most importantly, WAY more matrix slots per device. Unlimited if possible.
It would have to be a new device because of backwards compatibility which leads to the problem of them justifying development time and money on a device that is just a utility/workflow update. It's probably not very marketable to a large audience. I think they'd rather put resources into stuff like Friktion, Beat map, to a lesser extent Complex-1.

I've given up hope at this point and have found my own workarounds, things like arcus user knobs and retouch morpher are great (not so great on modern RS devices with only 2 cv inputs)
More recently I'm moving towards Ableton Live and putting a Reason Rack into a Live rack, assigning all the parameters I want and then using dummy clips as kind of hybrid buttons/envelopes. I can also use Live's lfos and of course the existing combinator controls too. The end result is extremely flexible and powerful.

[Boombastix]

It is probably way better to do something more modern, rather than trying to add a couple of features to very old stuff.

I can Imagine something like Kontakt Kontrol/AKAI VIP (but having VST3 and multi layering) and the FX section inserts like Waves StudioRack, then add midi routing (notes + CC) and CV routing. Allowing mixing of RE and VSTs.

But I know this will not happen.

[chaosroyale]

..If anyone from Reason is reading this, I apologize for always being such a sarcastic dick. I like Reason, I just wish it was better, and the "Combinator 2" has been one of my top requests since...well, about since the first time I used the combinator and ran out of knobs and modulation slots straight away. It's soooo useful, but so unfortunately limited. Unlimited modulation slots would be nice. Unfiltered Audio's BYOME does a nice thing where every time you come to the last slot it just adds one more at the end. So you can keep the clean default layout but you never run into that brick wall. Likewise macros/knobs - I'm sure 4 looks great as standard, but plenty of controllers have way more than 4. Also sliders and XY pads are a thing these days. Adding more Macro controls should be as easy as adding another instrument or EQ inside the combi.

This has been the number one feature request (*with hi-res GUI a close second) for the last 10 years at least. Reason Studios obviously know about it, and they obviously don't care. But you can make randomized drum beats and play sampled kalimbas! That's much more useful, right?