Mano1, I really enjoyed that! However, I also have some constructive criticism if you'll take it.
While we all want to have good words about our platform about in the press, and as a reviewer of the product, coming from this community, it can look kinda bad if your orgiastically praising CW stuff. Granted, MiniMax is probably the most tonally successful synth plugin so far (anywhere) you still run the risk of being called a shill if you don't keep some professional distance when you praise the product and it's makers.
I think the fact that you explained your process of getting to know the synth with MP3's at each juncture was fairly watershed. I'm really surprised I haven't seen that in other online reviews before. And I think that level of detail gives more credibility to your praise of the product. Especially that filter sweep demo. Most MP3 review samples are very clinical and non-artistic. I really got juiced about the synth and pulled it out after hearing a couple of examples, tweaking to my hearts content.
Just try and keep your tone neutral until you're done with the background and exposition. Then when you discuss your hands on experiences, readers will be able to evaluate your investigation without necessarily knowing the punchline.
It doesn't hurt to give a brief summary of what your final opinion is at the start, but looking at this paragraph:
"Creamware, well known for their mighty-powerful hardware accelerated SCOPE Fusion Platform, are growing stronger and stronger each year. While innovative products such as NOAH put Creamware on the headlines of all the major music magazines this year, they also focused on developing several impressive devices for their DSP platforms."
You make CW to sound like an industry juggernaut that no one has noticed, but everyone knows that they are in financial trouble (regardless of the reason or their so-far favorable outcome).
People will read the review, see that you own the cards, and if they hold that emotional bias to CW (you all know how we have our emotionally binding snobbery about what products are good and what sucks) they'll think you made some dough off of your "review" and tune out.
It might be more effective to be honest about their financial problems (by which I mean forthcoming --and not to insinuate that you were being dishonest) and explain for the record what CW's stance is, and why they hit that point. Or provide a link to their official statements.
Remind people that Alesis is still around and doing good work. Then go into your experiences with MiniMax. That way, when readers get all the information, especially that which calmly, and without unnecessary adulation, addresses the rumors, outdated information, and general fears that people might be armed with when they come to your site, they might be better able to take away a more reasonable view to Creamware's position in the audio world.
Anyway, I hope that doesn't sound harsh. I thought it was a great piece. I just want to make sure we're as careful as possible about how we present ourselves to the non-CW world. (i.e. the unenlightened
)
Sam
