Every month seems to bring a new crop of sample players to the sonic field, and it's getting harder and harder to choose the right software.

Although Samplebase Satellite is similar to other soft samplers in many ways, it does have a number of features that set it apart. Firstly, Samplebase is an Ilio company — Ilio's samples have had rave reviews in SOS, as well as in the working world, and a superb sample library is a huge benefit for any sampler. Secondly, although Satellite might not be unique as a sample player, it does everything you could expect it to do, and then some. Perhaps the most interesting thing about Satellite though, is the sample library that comes with it — or, rather, doesn't come with it. You see, instead of coming with a massive sound library included, like much of the competition, the Samplebase library comes in the form of 'Soundblocks' — small collections of samples (typically between 20 and 200MB) which can be downloaded from their web site for a small fee — usually between $19 and $49. This allows you to build up a sample collection based on your own precise sonic needs and keeps the cost of the player down. Satellite comes in two flavours: a free 'preset' player and a highly editable Pro version that costs just $149.

Satellite works stand-alone or as a VST or AU plug-in and, at its most basic level, is a sample player. You load in a sound, adjust the envelope and filter settings, if you like, and play. You can stack and/or split multisamples and use granular synthesis to retune the sample and/or time-stretch it. Satellite will also load loops, including 'sliced' audio (REX or RX2 files). Finally, you can mix and match loops in a Multi, assign them to keys and then play them together.

I installed both the Free and Pro versions of Satellite for the PC. Both versions installed quickly on my PC and without a hitch. Satellite is advertised as being compatible with Mac OS 10.4 and Windows XP, as well as earlier PC operating systems, but I managed to run it on a Vista machine with no real problems.

Samplebase include a free 'Ignition' Soundblock to get you going. It's more of a teaser than anything else, but enough to see how the software functions....