Digidesign's Structure Vs. Kontakt

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I would like to preface my post,by stating that my query is for curiosity purposes....rather than to make some critical decision on either of these programs.

I am already firm in my decision to go with structure(via the expansion bundle),because I emphatically oppose NI as a company.
This is not to say that I don't love Kontakt's quality...as indeed I do,but whenever I've run into a technical problem,N's "support", has failed miserably every time.

While I certainly don't expect Structure to quite measure up to Kontakt 5,I am just looking to upgrade from Reason's archaic scripting and based on the demo's I've heard of Structure,I believe this is an upgrade.

It would be nice if Structure supported Kontakt 4 samples,but I still believe that Structure is the best available alternative to Native Instruments at the moment(especially considering that Structure originally went for $500).

Since many of Air's instruments are now VST's and the $300 bundle pack includes some mind-blowingly impressive synths like Loom & Vacuum Pro...I see no reason not to jump on it and if I had $300 at the moment,I would not hesitate to pull the trigger.

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So what's the point ? Structure is really good for the price and the sounds are top notch (in par with kontakt factory sound bank), but the gui needs (imo) an overhaul to implement drag and drop, bigger gui, etc. This will probably come with v3.

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AlesisVi61 wrote:because I emphatically oppose NI as a company.

This is not to say that I don't love Kontakt's quality...as indeed I do,but whenever I've run into a technical problem,N's "support", has failed miserably every time.
Sorry you loose me there, based on that I take it this thread is not so much about the actual product, but more a NI bashing tread :?

I've used Kontakt as Player and the last year as full version, I've had no techical problems at all.

I have contacted NI support a couple of times, and they have responded and solved the question I had within a couple of days.

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Actually as far as functionality goes, the best available alternative to Kontakt is MOTU MachFive 3...

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budweiser wrote:So what's the point ? Structure is really good for the price and the sounds are top notch (in par with kontakt factory sound bank), but the gui needs (imo) an overhaul to implement drag and drop, bigger gui, etc. This will probably come with v3.
Look....I'm not saying that Structure isn't a good value(as it's seems a tremendous value)...but Structure is now part of a $300 bundle pack(whereas formerly,Structure alone..was $500).
That being said,I don't necessarily expect Structure's sample engine to be on par with Kontakt's current one.Please...explain,how would you define "top notch"..exactly?
Here is MY point...my sound arsenal is already replete with mediocre samples(particularly in the area of brass and string ensembles) and I would like to have at least,Kontakt 4 quality.
To my knowledge,Structure only supports Kontakt 3 samples.I realize that there have been some updates to Structure over the years,but if it were on the level of Native Instruments,I seriously doubt Structure would be part of a $300 bundle pack.
It goes without saying,that Air's $300 library is an incredible deal,no matter how you look at it...but I won't know exactly what I'm getting with Structure...until I actually buy it and demo it all in detail for myself...so that I may compare it to my old NI Komplete 6).

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Numanoid wrote:
AlesisVi61 wrote:because I emphatically oppose NI as a company.

This is not to say that I don't love Kontakt's quality...as indeed I do,but whenever I've run into a technical problem,N's "support", has failed miserably every time.
Sorry you loose me there, based on that I take it this thread is not so much about the actual product, but more a NI bashing tread :?

I've used Kontakt as Player and the last year as full version, I've had no techical problems at all.

I have contacted NI support a couple of times, and they have responded and solved the question I had within a couple of days.
When I first bought NI's Komplete 6 many years ago(I was still relatively new to computer software)...so I had trouble installing this program(in fact,I had an impossible time doing so) and NOBODY at NI had a clue,in how to help me.
All I dealt with at NI...was a bunch of telemarketers that were fumbling through a manual...in trying to help me on the fly...which was utterly ridiculous.
If it weren't for a member on the Presonus forum that helped me install NI K6 in my S1 DAW...I would have never been able to use this program.
There was another instance...where I had bought an NI Kontrol 1 audio interface and it came with an LE version of a NI program and I ran into a tech issue with the websites licensing application and again...NI's support was of no help...whatsoever.
A couple years later(having lost my PC to a virus infection)..I bought a new PC and was unsuccessful in installing my K6 on that PC as well and I never did install it on my new PC at that time.

Some months later...I bought a Kontakt bass VST from Big Fish Audio and had trouble installing it in my S1 DAW and instead of contacting NI support,a guy from Big Fish Audio had me up & running in a matter of minutes(in the same day I purchased the program).
Not only do Big Fish Audio know what they are doing,they also are easy to get in touch with by phone.

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EvilDragon wrote:Actually as far as functionality goes, the best available alternative to Kontakt is MOTU MachFive 3...
Thank you for the info,as MOTU is very interesting...but I do not want to mess with iLok and besides,$459 for just a sample player..versus..a sample player,3 synth engines,a drum module,a groove module and an e.piano module for $300?
I don't doubt MOTU's sample engine quality...but I know a very fluent computer geek who HATES iLok and well...Digidesign's Loom & Vacuum Pro synths are too good to pass up(not to mention that I have budgetary concerns regarding my maxed out plastic).

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MF3 has more than just a sampler, it also has a VA engine, a wavetable engine, a granular engine, exquisite quality timestretch (IRCAM)... and topnotch effects too.

Using it with iLok without any issues over here. Mind you, I also own AIEP so I know the differences. MF3 is on a whole other level compared to Structure. Structure is relatively cool, but it's limping behind the pack a bit, just my 2c.

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AlesisVi61 wrote:When I first bought NI's Komplete 6 many years ago(I was still relatively new to computer software)...so I had trouble installing this program(in fact,I had an impossible time doing so) and NOBODY at NI had a clue,in how to help me.
What was the problem with the installation?

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EvilDragon wrote:MF3 has more than just a sampler, it also has a VA engine, a wavetable engine, a granular engine, exquisite quality timestretch (IRCAM)... and topnotch effects too.

Using it with iLok without any issues over here. Mind you, I also own AIEP so I know the differences. MF3 is on a whole other level compared to Structure. Structure is relatively cool, but it's limping behind the pack a bit, just my 2c.
I appreciate you illustrating the contrasts in quality among the two,but I am not the most adept computer user & at times,my troubleshooting skills(or lack thereof)..has gotten me into some really precarious predicaments in the past.
So...the simplicity,customer support and the iLok-free aspects of AirMusicTech is far more important to me,above anything else.

The thing is...I don't see Propellerhead making any advances in their sample engines any time soon...if ever,so for me...something like Structure is a step in the right direction(maybe not the ideal one)...but it will be an improvement nonetheless.

I love Propellerhead immensely,but Digidesign's bundle pack will be a wonderful & affordable reprieve from Reason...when I need a hiatus from it(or if I need to utilize both,for large projects).

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Numanoid wrote:
AlesisVi61 wrote:When I first bought NI's Komplete 6 many years ago(I was still relatively new to computer software)...so I had trouble installing this program(in fact,I had an impossible time doing so) and NOBODY at NI had a clue,in how to help me.
What was the problem with the installation?
I don't recall the exact nature of the problem when I first bought the software...so all I remember,is that I could not get K6 to appear in my Studio One DAW..whatsoever.
The second time I tried installing K6 on a different computer..well..I bought some weird,obscure gaming PC from Walmart and for some reason,certain programs just refused to upload to my PC and I never figured out what the cause was.

The point is,Native Instruments tech support is far more inept at trouble-shooting problems than I am...which is absurdly pathetic.

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BTW didn't you know that AIR plugins DO use the iLok driver in their CP back-end, and in an incoming update will employ PACE Eden soft licence transferrable to an actual iLok (if one wants to have it that way)?

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EvilDragon wrote:BTW didn't you know that AIR plugins DO use the iLok driver in their CP back-end, and in an incoming update will employ PACE Eden soft licence transferrable to an actual iLok (if one wants to have it that way)?
Look...all I know,is that I had read that the AIR bundle didn't REQUIRE an iLok.So then..."if one wants to have it that way"...then how does that impose a problem for myself?

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AlesisVi61 wrote:The second time I tried installing K6 on a different computer..well..I bought some weird,obscure gaming PC from Walmart and for some reason,certain programs just refused to upload to my PC and I never figured out what the cause was.
You managed to install Pro Tools on that PC? I mean, as you have been using Structure.

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Numanoid wrote:
AlesisVi61 wrote: You managed to install Pro Tools on that PC? I mean, as you have been using Structure.
What are you talking about?I never had Pro Tools.Not that it's important now,as I no longer have that PC anyhow...but I did have Propellerhead and Presonus S1 successfully installed on my former PC.

What makes you think I have been using Structure at all?I was merely talking about making a future purchase of it(one of the main reasons being,that I had mentioned earlier),is that it is now in VST format.

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