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Description

Elevate your drum tracks with the XLN Audio Addictive Drums, a versatile and robust drum machine software designed for musicians and producers who demand high-quality sound and flexibility. Whether you're crafting intricate beats for your next hit or laying down a solid groove for a new track, Addictive Drums offers an expansive library of professionally recorded drum kits and beats to suit any genre. With its intuitive user interface, this plugin makes it easy to customize sounds, tweak performances, and mix tracks without getting lost in technical complexities.

Addictive Drums is not just a virtual instrument; it's a comprehensive solution for creating realistic drum tracks. Its seamless integration into any DAW ensures that you can start working on your projects with minimal setup. Each drum kit is meticulously sampled, allowing for expressive playing and realistic dynamics. From acoustic jazz to heavy metal, the software delivers authentic sounds that will have your listeners swearing they’re hearing a live drummer.

Key Features:

  • Over 130 production-ready presets to jump-start your creativity
  • Studio-quality sound with multiple microphone setup options
  • Customizable kit pieces with a wide selection of drums and cymbals
  • Real-time control over dynamics and articulation for expressive performances
  • Advanced sampling engine providing authentic sound reproduction
  • Compatible with all major DAWs, including Ableton Live, Logic Pro, and Pro Tools
  • MIDI Learn function for easy integration with electronic drum kits and controllers

Product specs

Plugin Format VST, AU, AAX
Operating Systems Mac, Windows
XLN Audio

XLN Audio

This is Addictive Drums 2

Video thumbnail for This is Addictive Drums 2 by XLN Audio

This is Addictive Drums 2

XLN Audio

XLN Audio

Video thumbnail for Building a beat with Addictive Drums 2 by XLN Audio

Building a beat with Addictive Drums 2

XLN Audio

XLN Audio

Video thumbnail for What Makes This Plugin So Great? Addictive Drums 2 by Creative Sauce

What Makes This Plugin So Great? Addictive Drums 2

Creative Sauce

Creative Sauce

Video thumbnail for Addictive Drums 2 ADpak Overview: Studio Rock by XLN Audio

Addictive Drums 2 ADpak Overview: Studio Rock

XLN Audio

XLN Audio

Video thumbnail for Addictive Drums 2 Tutorial by Tec Raven

Addictive Drums 2 Tutorial

Tec Raven

Video thumbnail for Addictive Drums 2 ADpak Overview: Reel Machines by XLN Audio

Addictive Drums 2 ADpak Overview: Reel Machines

XLN Audio

XLN Audio

Video thumbnail for Getting Started With Addictive Drums 2 (Crash-Course) by The Indie Music Lab

Getting Started With Addictive Drums 2 (Crash-Course)

The Indie Music Lab

The Indie Music Lab

Video thumbnail for Making Realistic Kits in Addictive Drums 2 by Josh Trinnaman

Making Realistic Kits in Addictive Drums 2

Josh Trinnaman

Josh Trinnaman

Video thumbnail for XLN AUDIO Addictive Drums 2  LE TUTO MAO GRATUIT by Tutoriels MAO

XLN AUDIO Addictive Drums 2 LE TUTO MAO GRATUIT

Tutoriels MAO

Tutoriels MAO

Reviews

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about XLN Audio Addictive Drums.

Use cases and applications

  • The Vintage Dry kit is highly recommended for achieving an indie style, similar to Men I Trust and Mac DeMarco.

    Source
  • Multiple packs like Indie, United Pop, and Black Oyster are recommended for covering genres from indie to classic rock effectively.

    Source
  • Addictive Drums 2 is praised for providing realistic tones and fills, beneficial for those with band experience looking for natural-sounding digital drums.

    Source
  • AD2 users frequently pair it with electric drum kits, citing its vast kit presets and ease of use as reasons for its suitability in electronic setups.

    Source

Comparisons

  • Addictive Drums 2 is noted for being more polished and pristine compared to Past To Future's raw-sounding Mac DeMarco kits.

    Source
  • While Superior Drummer is noted for its realism and depth, users feel Addictive Drums 2 offers a fair price and sufficient quality for those not requiring extensive setup.

    Source
  • Addictive Drums (AD2) is noted as being more user-friendly and visually appealing compared to EZDrummer, making it advantageous for beginners seeking simplicity.

    Source

Features and functionality

  • Users appreciate the ability to layer AD2 sounds with external samples to enhance the overall drum sound.

    Source
  • Addictive Drums 2 allows users to purchase a collection without committing to all kits upfront, offering flexibility to choose libraries as needs evolve.

    Source
  • Owners appreciate AD2’s capability to process each drum instrument individually using multiple outputs, enhancing mixing flexibility beyond preset mixes.

    Source

Value and pricing

  • Owners suggest waiting for Black Friday sales to purchase AD2 at a potentially 50% discounted price.

    Source
  • Some users suggest that Addictive Drums 2's current sale price is favorable, though historical sales might offer slightly better discounts.

    Source

Software and compatibility

  • AD2 works well with Logic Drummer, allowing for MIDI arrangements that can be converted and enhanced with AD2's sound library.

    Source
  • AD2 integrates well with Ableton, providing a seamless experience for users who want to map drum sounds directly or drag MIDI patterns into Ableton clips.

    Source

User experience

  • The built-in mixing tools are praised for allowing quick sound shaping within the plugin, providing a fast workflow for users.

    Source
  • Owners find Addictive Drums 2 intuitive after a short learning curve, making it easier to achieve natural drum tones compared to manual beat building in Ableton.

    Source

Critic Reviews

XLN Addictive Drums 2

soundonsound.com

XLN Audio's Addictive Drums 2 is a compelling upgrade that tackles previous limitations while introducing valuable new features. With enhancements like additional kitpiece slots, improved effects, and a revamped Beats page, it remains intuitive yet powerful. Despite its lack of extreme customizability compared to some competitors, AD2's ease of use and sound quality make it a solid choice for musicians seeking both creative flexibility and polished results. The product's sensible pricing structure and compatibility with older presets further bolster its appeal. Ultimately, AD2 sounds fantastic, offering a robust virtual drumming solution with minimal fuss.

positive
Add

4.5 out of 5

Based on 4 Reviews and 34 Ratings

5 star
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paradigm

A versatile and convincing drum program for any genre

I love XLN's products. I've tried many different drum programs and this by far is the most convincing for me. I've spent enough time with the different samples that I know exactly how to tweak for what genre i'm using them in. Couldn't be happier.

jeffleuterio

Simply amazing

sounds very real, very user friendly and hq sound

D

REALISTIC TONES!!

I have kontakt 5 drums but nahhhh! this beats it! SORRY!

sirserge

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Flux Pavilion uses XLN Audio Addictive Drums

Flux Pavilion

Music Producer

...
Verified via YouTube

At 6:42 he explains how he uses Addictive Drums.

See how Underworld uses XLN Audio Addictive Drums

Underworld

Music Producer

Freur

...
Verified via MusicRadar

This article on the recording of the "Barking" album describes the band's then-current studio setup. Rick Smith explans, "It’s difficult to name a main drum machine... The sounds come in from [iZotope] iDrum, [FXpansion] Guru, Logic’s Ultrabeat and ESX24 sampler, and Drumazon, which is this TR-909 modeled plug-in from D16 Group. I use all of that, really, with some Addictive Drums, a live drum plug-in."

See how The Glitch Mob uses XLN Audio Addictive Drums

The Glitch Mob

Music Producer

...
Verified via Emusician

"We used [XLN Audio] Addictive Drums quite a bit and it was processed. And we also used [Quantum Leap] Stormdrum and [Toontrack] Superior Drummer 2."

See how !llmind uses XLN Audio Addictive Drums

!llmind

Music Producer, DJ

...
Verified via YouTube
See how DJ Dahi uses XLN Audio Addictive Drums

DJ Dahi

Music Producer

D.R.U.G.$.

...
Verified via YouTube

On this breakdown of the Kendrick Lamar hit song "Money Trees". It appears the vst on the minute 4:14

See how Lustmord uses XLN Audio Addictive Drums

Lustmord

Music Producer

SPK

...
Verified via Lustmord

In this list of Lustmord's software, he has Logic Pro X, Addictive Drums, Alitverb, XILS3, and ReCycle.

See how Lenno uses XLN Audio Addictive Drums

Lenno

Music Producer

...
Verified via reddit

Lenno mentions using Addictive Drums for his track 'Mind the gap'.

See how Current Value uses XLN Audio Addictive Drums

Current Value

Music Producer, DJ

...
Verified via Xlnaudio

"It was as well as with "2012 - The Day Of Silence" where I used Addictive Drums more or less dedicated to a certain way of making music."

See how Xtrullor uses XLN Audio Addictive Drums

Xtrullor

Music Producer

...
Verified via Newgrounds.com

Here's a list of most of the additional plugins and things that I generally use in my production:

Waves Gold bundle (an awesome set of mixing plugins) Waves TransX (my favorite transient shaper plugin) EWQL Symphonic Orchestra Gold EWQL Stormdrum 2 Olympus Symphonic Choir (Kontakt 5 library) Addictive Drums

See how Guy Sigsworth uses XLN Audio Addictive Drums

Guy Sigsworth

Composer, Music Producer

Frou Frou

...
Verified via Soundonsound

"In cases where we wanted to make the drums sound like a real drummer, we went for [Toontrack] Superior Drummer, [XLN] Addictive Drums and Steven Slate Drums.” - Guy Sigsworth quoted in Sound On Sound, October 2012, talking about the initial production of Alanis Morissette's album "Havoc And Bright Lights". Addictive Drums v1 was the only version available at the time of the interview.

See how Janet Weiss uses XLN Audio Addictive Drums

Janet Weiss

Drummer

Sleater-Kinney

...
Verified via Hypebot

"For demoing into the real computer I recently was gifted Addictive Drumsoftware that makes the electronic pads sound pretty incredible"

See how Aviators uses XLN Audio Addictive Drums

Aviators

Singer, Music Producer

...
Verified via Aviators

"VST Plugins: Sylenth1, Kontakt 5, Guitar Rig 5, Massive, FM8, Addictive Drums, Addictive Keys, Harmor, Toxic Biohazard"

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use XLN Audio Addictive Drums, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

1 alternative for XLN Audio Addictive Drums, curated by the Equipboard community.

XLN Audio Addictive Drums 2

 

newer

Newer version of Addictive Drums from XLN Audio is now available.

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