This category includes two long-established and well-featured programs: Magix's Samplitude/Sequoia and MOTU's Digital Performer. The result is that, in the UK at least, some very capable recording packages have remained minority options, never quite having snowballed through word of mouth. It would certainly be a rare newcomer who would sit down and put all the different music software through its paces, in order to make an informed and rational choice. Perhaps we had friends who used the same software, or it was taught us at college, or used in the first studio we visited.

But how did we get to know what we know in the first place? I suspect that many people actually become Pro Tools or Cubase or Logic users by imitation and accident. Today's recording and mixing software can be so complex that most of us are understandably keen to stick with what we know.

Can its new look and feel, 64-bit code base and killer feature-set help Magix's heavyweight DAW muscle its way to a bigger market share?

Samplitude pro x 2