NN-XT Advanced Sampler
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The NN-XT Advanced Sampler is a multi-keyzone sampler for Propellerhead's Reason. A natural evolution of the NN-19, the NN-XT includes vastly extended and improved controls for editing keyzone samples. It allows you to layer samples across keyzones allowing for more than one sample to play on a single keypress. NN-XT has velocity crossfading controls to enable different samples between keypresses to fade seamlessly into each other, and also allows different zones and ranges to be output to any of its 16 mono (or 8 stereo-pair) outputs.
An example of key zones can be found in any high-quality piano sample-set. Using one sample for the entire range of a piano would sound good near the original pitch of the sample, but would start to sound sped up at higher ranges, or slowed down at lower ranges. If one sample was taken from the middle of each octave in the piano, then each individual sample would have to be pitch shifted much less before moving to the next higher (or lower) sample. Very high quality piano sample sets will often have several samples in the span of one octave, further reducing the amount of pitch-shifting needed.
Velocity zones work in the same manner, but are triggered by velocity ranges instead of key ranges. Continuing the piano as an example, there is a difference in tone between a softly-played note and a forcefully-played note. Using velocity zones, each pitch sample from the above paragraph could have a 'soft' and 'loud' sample, and low-velocity notes would play the soft sample while high velocity notes would play the loud sample. This can double or triple the amount of samples needed in a set, but can make large leaps toward making the sampled instrument sound like the real item.
Velocity zones don't have to be related samples at different volumes. Many GS and GM Midi boxes have electric bass patches that are a normal fingered bass with velocities 0-125, while notes played at velocity 126 are a bass slap and notes at velocity 127 are a bass pop. This allows a user to lay down a funk bassline with slaps and pops while still only using one patch. The same effect is easily done with the NN-XT's velocity zones.
The NN-XT's 16 mono outputs allow a large amount of flexibility when programming a new sample set. Sound effects could be programmed into keyranges and output on separate outputs, allowing them to be sent to separate mixer channels or through different processors before being mixed. The NN-XT could also be set up with a variety of percussion samples that the user might not want (or need) in the ReDrum, but can be sent to the mixer individually so their levels can be fine-tuned with the rest of the mix.
The NN-XT is more compact than its predecessor, taking up only 2 rack units. Commonly used controls for the filter and envelopes are placed on the front for easy, quick tuning. More in-depth sample editing and tweaking is done through the NN-XT Remote Editor. This outboard module is connected to the NN-XT and contains the bulk of the controls and indicators, plus a large, easy to read display screen. Not needing all the controls and screen on the box itself (as was the case for the NN-19) allows it to be smaller, taking up less rack space.
| Propellerhead's Reason |
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| Synths and samplers: SubTractor Analog Synthesizer | Malström Graintable Synthesizer | NN-19 Digital Sampler | NN-XT Advanced Sampler | Dr.REX Loop Player | Redrum Drum Computer |
| Effect devices: RV-7 Reverb | DDL-1 Delay Line | D-11 Foldback Distortion | ECF-42 Envelope Filter | CF-101 Flanger | PH-90 Phaser | COMP-01 Compressor | PEQ-2 Parametric Equalizer | UN-19 Unison | RV7000 Reverb | Scream 4 Distortion | BV-512 Vocoder |
| Other devices: MClass Mastering Suite | [[Mixer 14:2]] | Matrix Pattern Sequencer | ReBirth Input Machine | Spider Audio Merger & Splitter | Spider CV Merger & Splitter | Combinator | [[Line Mixer 6:2]] |
| Related articles: Propellerhead Software | ReCycle |
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