HEAT UP 2 by INITIAL AUDIO Review
Heat Up 2 (Affiliate Link) is an instrument for your DAW that comes with sounds and tone across different genres. Included in Heat Up 2 bundle is RnB Essentials Expansion Pack. INITIAL AUDIO did send a review copy with no strings attached. We did also do receive BLACKOUT (Affiliate Link), HIPHOP LEGENDS (Affiliate Link), and TRAP OR DIE (Affiliate Link)as additional expansion.
Installation
After purchase, you download and install the packages and use the plugin as an instrument in your daw. I used it mainly in FL Studio (MAC) that has become recently my DAW of choice for selected genres where Heat Up 2 fits perfectly.
Sound
I never touched nexus and come from the Kontakt and other synths world. To be honest I was not sure what to expect. Heat Up 2 two has changed my opinion on a ROMpler. I will continue to call Heat Up 2 a virtual instrument. A ROMpler for me is a sample player (like Falcon or Kontakt) which is based on samples. Same as other players with some unique differences. Heat Up 2 content is packaged differently, and the expansions are glued into the Heat Up 2 ecosystem.
With the base bundle you receive a very good variety of sounds and instruments to start your next track. All sounds are geared towards EDM, hip-hop, lo-fi and fusion productions.
Included in Heat Up 2 are 808´s, Arps, Bass, Bells, Brass, Choirs, Drums, Keys, Leads, Pads, Plucks, Hits, Strings, Synths, Guitars, and you can easily expand this further with the additional expansion packs. I did have a lot of fun with the included presets and the three expansions, they have a good vibe and are dope.
After starting it the first time, I was able to find great sounding samples to create quickly my first test track in FL Studio. I used FL Studio (Review is incoming) here as it an agile and IMHO best tool to produce these kinds of music, compared to my other “main” DAWs which are Cubase and logic for the more complex and cinematic score and pro tools for mixing and mastering. Credit for convincing me to use and review FL Studio goes to MG The Future.
The sound produced by HEAT UP 2 can be shaped and changed. For that, you can use one of the many included effects, arpeggiator, gate and other tools. Alternative you can assign 3rd party plugins after the instrument to take the sound further and become an unheard new sound.
While doing the review of Heat Up 2 I could also take a deep dive into the expansions BLACKOUT, HIP-HOP LEGENDS, and TRAP OR DIE. I can only recommend all these expansions and plan to do a detailed review of the other available ones as well in the future. To cater for the need to have a new and fresh sound you can extend your talent across various music genres.
HIPHOP LEGENDS
365 additional Instrument, 12 GB Content
HipHop Legends is a must have if you were producing hip-hop, Westcoast, Rap, Trap, and RnB. Just great sound some you will recognize “somehow”.
BLACKOUT
500 additional Instrument, 29 New Skins, 17 GB Content
Blackout hits with 808´s, Bass, Bells, Brass, Choirs, Leads, Drums, Effects, Hits, Keys, Pads, Plucks, Strings, Synths, Harps, and Guitars. Great if you are producing Dubstep, Trap, Electro, House, and hip-hop. Blackout comes also with 29 additional Skins for Heat Up 2.
TRAP OR DIE
350 Additional Trap Genre Instruments, 12 GB Content
If you into this genre it is a no-brainer. Included are Bass, 808´s, Bells, Brass, Choirs, DrumKits, Keys, Leads, Pads, Plucks, Stabs, Stringed Instruments, Strings, and Synths.
Optional at a cost Expansion Packs for Heat Up2. The quality of the sounds included in the principal bundle and expansion I received is surpassing. If you work a lot with samples in your production to buy this package would give you a business advantage as you spend would be reduced, and you have a large combination that you can expand as needed.
User interface & Usability
After launching it did remind me of the nexus rompler which I did know remotely. The interface is quick to use and offers a great browser to run through the sounds on board or if purchased the expansion pack. The plugin is perfectly functional. The UI is resizable which is a plus.
If you are in the mood to change the skin of the instrument there are plenty available with the base product – I changed mine already.
Overall the tool loads the sounds fantastic fast. A beginner will experience a smooth start. Expansions can add skins to the list of new UI looks.
Rating: Five out of five stars
Heat Up 2 (Affiliate Link) is a phenomenal Virtual Instrument. You may call it a ROMpler that comes with a high-quality sound library. Heat Up two is quick to use due to its low CPU usage and interface. There is a surpassing asset of inspiring and just fitting sound to get you started and can be tweaked within the tool.
