Momentum vs Redux

Momentum is a free loop and sample plugin and application for editing loops and shaping sound. It works with leading DAWs and can also run as a standalone app on Mac and PC. Its web edition lets users browse, audition, and download from the Big Fish Audio catalog, with filters for attributes such as instrument, genre, key, and tempo. Users can apply 18 effects to individual loop sections, including pitch, stutter, delay, and reverse. Each slice is assigned a MIDI note automatically, so sections can be rearranged and played. The free app accepts WAV and AIFF files. Momentum Pro adds MP3 support, personal audio importing and organization, and individual loop purchases; subscribers receive monthly or annual points for adding samples, kits, or full products. Minimum requirements include Windows 10 or later (64-bit) or macOS 12 Monterey or later, 8 GB RAM, 1440×900 resolution, and an internet connection. Big Fish Audio says legitimate purchases grant unlimited rights to use its license-free sounds in musical compositions without additional license fees.

Redux is a sample-based instrument that combines a phrase sequencer with MIDI implementation. Its tracker notation lets users enter notes and control sample playback precisely, while the sequencer creates phrases using notes and program-change events. Redux can send MIDI note events to its host so the tracker interface can trigger instruments in a DAW. Effects and a quasi-modular system let devices modulate one another. The waveform editor can adjust volume, remove leading or trailing silence, apply effects, and slice samples; those edits are saved with the preset. A built-in recorder and draw tool support sample creation, and drag-and-drop import accepts common audio formats, including SFZ multisamples. Users can save and recall presets by section, add content libraries by dragging and dropping, and connect eight global macro controls to multiple parameters and functions. Redux is a plugin, not a standalone app, and runs in a DAW that supports VST3 or Audio Unit. It is available for Linux, macOS, and Windows. The demo is otherwise fully functional but generates a subtle hiss. A Redux license costs $5,600 as a one-time purchase and covers versions 1.4.4 to 2.4.4.