BitRate II & Monoboy by Heavyocity Reaktor ensemble interface

BitRate II & Monoboy: Retro Drum and Melodic Synth Ensemble for Reaktor

Rated 4.6/5 on Plugin Boutique (48 ratings)

BitRate II & Monoboy is a Reaktor ensemble from Heavyocity that pairs a retro digital drum instrument with a melodic companion. BitRate II uses chipsound, FM, lofi sampling and circuit-bending engines, and MonoBoy shares those sound engines in a playing-focused interface.

REQUIRESReaktorHost player sold separately

ReaktorWindowsmacOS64-bit

AVAILABLE ATPlugin Boutique

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01Overview

BitRate II & Monoboy is built around retro digital synthesis and sampling. BitRate II focuses on drums, using several sound engines that cover chipsounds, FM synthesis, lofi sampling and glitchy circuit bending. MonoBoy is bundled as its melodic counterpart, using similar sound engines in an interface designed for playing lines and chords. The ensemble is developed by Icebreaker Audio and sold by Heavyocity as a direct download for Reaktor.

Best for

Lofi drum programming
Retro chipsound beats
Glitchy percussion design
Melodic chiptune lines
Lo-fi production

Developer: Heavyocity
Category: Reaktor Ensembles
Requires: Reaktor
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Retro digital drum synthesis and sampling in one instrument
Chipsound, FM, lofi sampling and circuit-bending engines
5-track mixer with per-track sound control
Master FX with analogue-modelled EQ, bus compressor and speaker simulator
Two modulation sequences per drum, routable to many parameters
MIDI triggering or internal sequencer for drums
MonoBoy melodic instrument with DM sampler and arpeggiator
140 preset snapshots included

03In depth

Drum sounds and sound engines in BitRate II

BitRate II uses multiple methods of retro digital synthesis and sampling to produce nostalgic drum sounds. The included sound engines cover chipsounds, FM synthesis, lofi sampling and glitchy circuit bending.

A 5-track mixer sits alongside a master FX section. It includes an analogue-modelled EQ, a bus compressor and a speaker simulator for added lo-fi character. Drums can be triggered via MIDI or from the internal sequencer, which provides two modulation sequences per drum. Those sequences can be routed to a wide range of sound parameters.

MonoBoy for melodic playing

MonoBoy uses similar sound engines in an interface more suited to melodic playing. Its three sound generator modes include a DM sampler, an arpeggiator and Voice Controls. It also offers two modulation sequences and a master FX section with the Bit Delay effect.

Because both instruments share sound engines, they are designed to work together as a drum and melody pair within the same retro sound palette.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	Heavyocity
Type	Plugin
Category	Reaktor Ensemble
Requires	Reaktor
Formats	Reaktor
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What do I need to use BitRate II & Monoboy?

BitRate II & Monoboy requires the full version of Reaktor 5, version 5.9.0 or later. It is powered by the Reaktor Engine, and Reaktor or Reaktor Player version 6.2 or later is required.

Which operating systems and formats are supported?

The ensemble runs in Reaktor on Windows and macOS. The listed minimum requirements are macOS 10.10, 10.11 or 10.12 on Mac, and Windows 7, 8 or 10 on a 32- or 64-bit Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon 64 X2 PC.