KVR :: Instruments » Superior Drummer vs Steven Slate Drum [View Original Topic]
There are 34 posts in this topic.
ThroneRoomEncounters - Sat Feb 27, 2010 6:47 pm
I would like to know the difference between Superior Drummer and Steve Slate Drum. From what I read and what I listen to on their wed sites it seems to me that SSD has richer sounds that could easily be added to the mix. It seems that SD is more flexible and allows access to the raw sounds and process editing.
1)Does both VST come with midi file with loops. Which one has the more and best loops. Can you comment please?
2)How does the sound editing compare from one VST to the other?
3)Which one would me more expandable?
4) Do they both work in 64 bits?
I will be using cubase5 and RMX Omnisphere.
PS This is my first post.
Thanks
ThroneRoomEncounters
gmontano - Sat Feb 27, 2010 8:06 pm
I have both SD 2.0 with all of the SDX expansions and SSD Platinum.
Quote:
1)Does both VST come with midi file with loops. Which one has the more and best loops. Can you comment please?
SD2 prob has more. What is "best" is really subjective
Quote:
2)How does the sound editing compare from one VST to the other?
SD2.0 has a full fledged mixer and pretty detailed mic control and selection. SSD also has a bunch of parameters and editing but needs to rely on the Kontakt mixer which is pretty limited. Of course you can send the outputs to Cubase and do you work there.
Quote:
3)Which one would me more expandable?
If you get SSD Platinum, that's the whole shebang until Deluxe comes out. SD 2.0 has a bunch of SDX expansion kits plus you can use the EZ Drummer EZX kits.
Quote:
4) Do they both work in 64 bits?
SD.20 has a 64 bit beta out and I believe Kontakt 4 (which is what SSD works through) is also available in 64 bit.
I'd say what is better depends on what type of music you like and how much of a tweaker you are. I for one really don't like the Kontakt interface at all. To me it is square peg in a round hole. I can see why sound companies like it (they don't to develop there own engine, there is a player version available, etc.) but the work flow in it for me at least is severely lacking.
With all this being said, check out BFD2. That is my favorite. SD 2.0 is right behind. Lots of people here also like Addictive Drums.
If Kontakt doesn't bother you check out SSD (as mentioned), Sonic Reality's Drum Masters 2 (which has much more advanced scripting and has tons of content), Ocean Way Drums, Studiocat's Jet City Drums, AcousticSamples stuff.
The good news is that there are lots of choices!
hibidy - Sat Feb 27, 2010 8:42 pm
Quote:
1)Does both VST come with midi file with loops. Which one has the more and best loops. Can you comment please?
Does SSD have a groove player/integrated browser?
Slate - Sat Feb 27, 2010 9:24 pm
SSD and Superior are both great. Both Superior and SSD have decent mixing functionality and routing etc.. Superior has more tweakability and options such as leakage etc.. and the drums are completely unprocessed. SSD on the otherhand is recorded to analog tape and processed with hardware eqs and compressors in order to be easy to fit in a mix with little processing. Superior comes with 5 really well recorded drumkits and has various expansions that work with it. SSD Platinum has about 40 drumkits and also has some that are soundalikes of famous drumsounds such as a Metallica kit, a Led Zep kit, Nirvana kit, Steely Dan kit, etc.
Just two different concepts in drum instruments. The upcoming Deluxe update will make them more similar.
Uncle E - Sat Feb 27, 2010 10:12 pm
The Slate drums sound finished while the SSD drums are raw, which to me seems like the most important factor when choosing one over the other.
Exhile - Sat Feb 27, 2010 10:27 pm
Uncle E wrote:
The Slate drums sound finished while the SSD drums are raw, which to me seems like the most important factor when choosing one over the other.
The superior drums don't sound raw to be. They sound processed when compared to bfd which is completely raw. Allso there arnt 5 kits included in the basic version of superior are there?
JamieSkeen - Sun Feb 28, 2010 12:46 am
I have been using superior since version 1, I love it. I have the NY expansion pack and the old version 1 kits. I hear the metal foundy expansion is very nice. The Steven Slate demos just didn't do it for me, IMO BFD and superior are the best choices for drums.
dodokvr - Sun Feb 28, 2010 1:06 am
Two different things. SSD is more of a finished treated sound. Superior Drummer is raw. Superior can go from dry to wet and all the sounds in between so is excellent if you like to create your drum sound. SSD is to be used more or less as is, which is the idea of them. Don't buy either for the loops. The loops are not the main focus of either programme. You can buy 3rd party ones. Superior has plenty of add-ons - the whole toontrack range works in it but it'll cost you. Similarly, SSD is $59 a pop for each expansion.
I'd buy the no-brainer for SSD. Then deal permitting on Toontrack stuff, I'd buy EzDrummer and get the free expansion, then crossgrade to Superior Drummer 2.0 and buy the NY exp pack and then wallow in your own drum smugness.
Cyrosis - Sun Feb 28, 2010 1:34 am
Exhile wrote:
Uncle E wrote:
The Slate drums sound finished while the SSD drums are raw, which to me seems like the most important factor when choosing one over the other.
The superior drums don't sound raw to be. They sound processed when compared to bfd which is completely raw. Allso there arnt 5 kits included in the basic version of superior are there?
ozmoz2008 - Sun Feb 28, 2010 11:42 am
dodokvr wrote:
I'd buy the no-brainer for SSD. Then deal permitting on Toontrack stuff, I'd buy EzDrummer and get the free expansion, then crossgrade to Superior Drummer 2.0 and buy the NY exp pack and then wallow in your own drum smugness.
Good suggestion if you want to taste both!
Some interesting post here.
ThroneRoomEncounters - Sun Feb 28, 2010 1:08 pm
dodokvr wrote:
Quote:
Don't buy either for the loops. The loops are not the main focus of either programme. You can buy 3rd party ones.
Any tips for 3rd party loops?
Slate wrote:
Quote:
Just two different concepts in drum instruments. The upcoming Deluxe update will make them more similar.
I'm planning to start with SSD Platinum wait for Deluxe to come out and expand from there.
I will start with sounds that are inspiring. After I get some experience and I have some music ready for a final mix, I will see at that time what is best.
Thanks for your help
standalone - Sun Feb 28, 2010 1:12 pm
ThroneRoomEncounters wrote:
Any tips for 3rd party loops?
This is all you need:
http://www.oddgrooves.com/
http://www.groovemonkee.com/
ThroneRoomEncounters - Sun Feb 28, 2010 1:48 pm
Thanks!!!
ThroneRoomEncounters - Sun Feb 28, 2010 9:26 pm
Slate:
I didn't find anything about SSD Deluxe. Do you have a date when it should come out? Do you have details as to how flexible it will be to modify the sounds to our needs. If we can have access to the original sound EQ and modify only delays and reverbs and placement This would be great I think
Thanks
Time+Space - Mon Mar 01, 2010 4:47 am
We've just launched an offer for Superior Drummer 2.0 which may sway your decision!
If you buy Superior Drummer 2.0 in March, you can claim a free SDX expansion pack (worth £119) of your choice
For full details visit: http://www.timespace.com/news/1509/
Thanks!
Time+Space
Exhile - Mon Mar 01, 2010 4:53 am
Time+Space wrote:
We've just launched an offer for Superior Drummer 2.0 which may sway your decision!
If you buy Superior Drummer 2.0 in March, you can claim a free SDX expansion pack (worth £119) of your choice
For full details visit: http://www.timespace.com/news/1509/
Thanks!
Time+Space
If you buy Superior Drummer 2.0 in March, you can claim a free SDX expansion pack (worth £119) of your choice
For full details visit: http://www.timespace.com/news/1509/
Thanks!
Time+Space
Is this allso valid for the crossgrade from ezdrummer?
Time+Space - Mon Mar 01, 2010 4:57 am
The offer only applies to the full version of Superior Drummer 2.0 (RRP £199).
Thanks
Time+Space
Lunatique - Mon Mar 01, 2010 6:21 am
To my ears, Steven Slate drums are one of the best sounding drums on the market. They pretty much sound like my idea of the perfect drum sounds. Luckily I found out about the no-brainer deal on the last day and managed to squeeze in. While it's possible to dial in similar sounds with other products, you'd have to take the time to tweak the sounds. When I just want to practice drumming or have some fun, I think having the ideal sounds without any fuss is great. I'm also a big Addictive Drums user--it's one of the best drum products out there.
Exhile - Mon Mar 01, 2010 6:35 am
Does superior allso include all THE midi files from ezdrummer?
standalone - Mon Mar 01, 2010 6:39 am
Exhile wrote:
Does superior allso include all THE midi files from ezdrummer?
If I remember this right, it doesn't. They are different sets.
Exhile - Mon Mar 01, 2010 6:41 am
standalone wrote:
Exhile wrote:
Does superior allso include all THE midi files from ezdrummer?
If I remember this right, it doesn't. They are different sets.
Ok thats dissapointing. How many midi files are included with superior?
s_sibs - Mon Mar 01, 2010 1:52 pm
Exhile wrote:
standalone wrote:
Exhile wrote:
Does superior allso include all THE midi files from ezdrummer?
If I remember this right, it doesn't. They are different sets.
Ok thats dissapointing. How many midi files are included with superior?
S2 ships with about 1500 MIDI files with the Avatar library.
The Lost NY Studios around 620.
Metal Foundry SDX around 1500.
C&V SDX about 750.
Evil Drums SDX about 330
There are currently 5 MIDI packs available from Toontrack for TT samplers.
hibidy - Mon Mar 01, 2010 3:13 pm
I'm still trying to get an answer from a previous post. Does SSD have a groove player?
Superior Drummer has such a great groove browser (and allot of good grooves) that can be auditioned and drag/dropped into your host. As scott pointed out, there are several midi packs they sell and there are other 3rd party companies that cater to SD specifically (groove monkey for example) Also, SD2 comes with EZPlayer pro (I think it still does??) which provides extra functionality.
I would think that this would at least be a consideration when making a choice
dodokvr - Mon Mar 01, 2010 3:42 pm
I just link Ezplayer Pro to SSD or you can use the media browser in Sonar.
Tom music - Mon Mar 01, 2010 4:41 pm
Thought I would chime in about the Superior vs Slate drums. Okay, if money is not a problem I would get both. What I did was look at it kinda like CLA would. I use Superior drums because they sound "to me" more like I just recorded a drummer in a great studio. Then I use SSD to add the "life" to the drums. So for me it is getting the best of both worlds!! I simply create a midi track with Superior and then just drop it to my SSD track and im happy. I usually dont use the SSD Hihat,Cymbals just because the Superior's sounds a bit more "real". I LOVE the Superior rooms!! And when you add that to everything man it is HUGE!! Anyway, just a thought and hope I didnt crash this post
)) dysfunctionz - Mon Mar 01, 2010 8:29 pm
Slate wrote:
SSD and Superior are both great. Both Superior and SSD have decent mixing functionality and routing etc.. Superior has more tweakability and options such as leakage etc.. and the drums are completely unprocessed. SSD on the otherhand is recorded to analog tape and processed with hardware eqs and compressors in order to be easy to fit in a mix with little processing. Superior comes with 5 really well recorded drumkits and has various expansions that work with it. SSD Platinum has about 40 drumkits and also has some that are soundalikes of famous drumsounds such as a Metallica kit, a Led Zep kit, Nirvana kit, Steely Dan kit, etc.
Just two different concepts in drum instruments. The upcoming Deluxe update will make them more similar.
Just two different concepts in drum instruments. The upcoming Deluxe update will make them more similar.
That was a very fair description of both products, Slate. I'd like to add that IMHO SSD is not sampled as deeply as Superior; it doesn't have as many articulations, velocity layers, or round robins. Also, Superior may not have as much pre-processing and may not be as 'ready-to-go', but it has 'combined presets' from well-known producers using its built-in mixer and effects. Obviously these aren't going to be as high-quality effects as the hardware units used to pre-process SSD (or the small amount of pre-processing on SD for that matter), but on the other hand you can tweak them yourself.
Cyrosis - Mon Mar 01, 2010 10:32 pm
dysfunctionz wrote:
That was a very fair description of both products, Slate. I'd like to add that IMHO SSD is not sampled as deeply as Superior; it doesn't have as many articulations, velocity layers, or round robins. Also, Superior may not have as much pre-processing and may not be as 'ready-to-go', but it has 'combined presets' from well-known producers using its built-in mixer and effects. Obviously these aren't going to be as high-quality effects as the hardware units used to pre-process SSD (or the small amount of pre-processing on SD for that matter), but on the other hand you can tweak them yourself.
There is actually a pack of these mixer presets done by Steven Slate for S2.0 that was released at a recent trade show, and apparently will go public sometime in the future.
I second what you said however, S2.0 offers much more detail and realism, which is why it has much fewer kits than SSD.
ozinga - Tue Mar 02, 2010 1:44 am
I have both and and both of them get used accordingly. BTW I recently purchased Oceanway drums downloadable and the kits are pretty amazing. I find my self more on more reaching to OWD. Worth a look.
Oz
standalone - Tue Mar 02, 2010 2:12 am
hibidy wrote:
I'm still trying to get an answer from a previous post. Does SSD have a groove player?
Superior Drummer has such a great groove browser (and allot of good grooves) that can be auditioned and drag/dropped into your host. As scott pointed out, there are several midi packs they sell and there are other 3rd party companies that cater to SD specifically (groove monkey for example) Also, SD2 comes with EZPlayer pro (I think it still does??) which provides extra functionality.
I would think that this would at least be a consideration when making a choice
Superior Drummer has such a great groove browser (and allot of good grooves) that can be auditioned and drag/dropped into your host. As scott pointed out, there are several midi packs they sell and there are other 3rd party companies that cater to SD specifically (groove monkey for example) Also, SD2 comes with EZPlayer pro (I think it still does??) which provides extra functionality.
I would think that this would at least be a consideration when making a choice
SSD works inside Kontakt Player or the full Kontakt, so it doesn't have any midi-loop functionality. It does come with it's own midi files and Groove Monkey and Oddgrooves support SSD format.
EZPlayer Pro is great, I purchased this separately it and has put an end to my previous nightmares with the preview of midi-loops and the conversion between different formats.
hacked_to_pieces - Tue Apr 06, 2010 3:46 pm
hibidy wrote:
I'm still trying to get an answer from a previous post. Does SSD have a groove player?
It didn't come with one when I purchased SSD Platinum, but since you have to use it in a DAW it doesn't really need a "groove player" the actually midi track is the groove player. I also own SD 2.0 I would recommend both. You can also purchase EZplayer pro which is a universal midi groove player and comes included with SD 2.0.
hibidy - Tue Apr 06, 2010 3:53 pm
I see, thanks!
SJ_Digriz - Tue Apr 06, 2010 5:43 pm
Guitar Center is selling SD 2.0 for $149 online right now. That's a pretty good deal.
Why isn't BFD2 in your interest list? I find it superior to SD in many ways.
Moonlight - Tue Apr 06, 2010 6:44 pm
I have both. I use SD very rarely. It's good, but needs too much time for processing.
As for SSD, I use it in 99% of my tracks. It sounds great. And it need almost no processing. Just a bit of algo reverb, eq and a bit of glue.
Also SSD has 45 amazing snares! 45 different snares! And 2 different rooms. One big and processed, and another - unprocessed NRG room.
skank - Wed Apr 07, 2010 9:02 am
Moonlight wrote:
I have both. I use SD very rarely. It's good, but needs too much time for processing.
As for SSD, I use it in 99% of my tracks. It sounds great. And it need almost no processing. Just a bit of algo reverb, eq and a bit of glue.
Also SSD has 45 amazing snares! 45 different snares! And 2 different rooms. One big and processed, and another - unprocessed NRG room.
As for SSD, I use it in 99% of my tracks. It sounds great. And it need almost no processing. Just a bit of algo reverb, eq and a bit of glue.
Also SSD has 45 amazing snares! 45 different snares! And 2 different rooms. One big and processed, and another - unprocessed NRG room.
Not to hijack thread but how does SSD compare to Virtual Drummer? I'm about to purchase also.
/S
There are 34 posts in this topic.