NEXUS 5

Name: NEXUS 5
Price: 179 USD
Author: reFX

by reFX · Sampler · Preset-based synth workstation

Not rated yet

NEXUS 5 is reFX's preset-based synth workstation, with eight synthesis engines and a library of 5,454 presets in the Starter edition.

It now lets you load your own samples and build sounds, and more than 200 expansions are sold separately. The Starter edition is on sale for $179 (regular $249).

Best for: Keys & Synths, Bass, Drums, Sound Design. Genres: Electronic & EDM, Pop, Hip-Hop & Trap.

Keywords: preset-driven, beginner-friendly, arpeggiator, sample-based, sound design, basses, BBD, CPU-light, flat UI, FM, leads, pads, plucks, retro, granular, wavetable.

What it does

NEXUS 5 is the latest version of reFX's long-running preset instrument, built around a huge library of ready-to-play sounds and expansions. The developer calls it "ideal for producers at any level", and version 5 opens up the engine for your own samples and routings.

Eight generators: Virtual Analog, Sampler, Wavetable, Time Stretcher, Retro Sampler, Grain, Cloud and FM.
Open architecture: load your own samples, build your own routings and even your own expansions.
Sample editor: slicing, looping and crossfade options.
Rhythm tools: an arpeggiator with 119 presets and a trancegate with 52 presets.
Effects: dozens of effects, including the new Bucket Brigade Delay, Particle Reverb, Vowel Filter, Rotary and Pusher.
Library: a librarian for browsing over 5,300 factory presets in 26 categories, and 207 expansions covering EDM, techno, house, hip-hop, trance and more.
loads older NEXUS projects and libraries, with an optional retro NEXUS2 skin.

Starter comes with 5,454 presets; Bundle Builder adds 5, 10 or 15 expansions; Complete includes all 207 expansions and 33,352 presets.

Source: reFX product page

When to use it

NEXUS 5 is the better pick when you want polished, mix-ready EDM, pop and hip-hop presets fast, without programming. Compared with Omnisphere 3, it is narrower in sound design but more focused on current dance and urban sounds, with a far larger catalogue of genre expansions. Compared with Kontakt 8, it is a single instrument with its own expansion format rather than a platform for third-party libraries. Version 5's own sample loading and routings make it more open than earlier NEXUS versions, but it still goes less deep than Serum 2 or Pigments 7 for building sounds from scratch.

Best for: quickly finding leads, plucks, pads, basses and arps, and trancegated chords.
Genres: EDM, trance, house, techno, pop and hip-hop.
Look elsewhere if: you want to program sounds from scratch (Serum 2 or Pigments 7), or you mind the cost of building a full expansion library.

What producers say

Users praise the sound quality and the easy interface, but recent reviews are much more critical of pricing, licensing and support.

KVR users rate NEXUS 3.79 out of 5 from 14 reviews across all versions (2008 to 2024), praising the preset quality, the clean interface and low CPU use for dance and trance work.
Criticisms: KVR reviewers describe it as a rompler with limited tweaking, and mention feeling "punished for not upgrading" when expansions need newer versions.
Support: some recent KVR reviewers reported unhelpful customer support.

KVR user reviews

Where to buy

reFX: $179 (regular $249) (Starter edition (plugin plus 5,454 presets). The Complete edition with all 207 expansions is $1,999 on sale (regular $5,099).)

Tutorials and reviews

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