KVR Audio

robotmonkey · Post by **robotmonkey** » Sun Aug 30, 2015 1:19 pm

Not all of the DSF soundpacks for the Proetus and Emulator X are the same ones as the original EMU Sound Central ones. EMU sound central patches are properly programmed with all the filters, modulation and effects like they were in original hardware modules.

And to make it even more confusing there are actually several versions of many libraries. There are the original EMU SC ROM's/patches, then there are the EMU SC high quality libraries that were the source of the EMU hardware module patches, and then there are the DSF libraries.

EMU Sound Central page is still up here: http://www.emu.com/index.php/menu3/e-mu-sound-central
These are the libraries you would want to get first. Plus the Modern Symphonic Orchestra.
The Proteus 2000 library is the default one included in Proteus VX.

deastman · Post by **deastman** » Sun Aug 30, 2015 1:52 pm

I also have a Proteus 1/2 in the garage, but I don't see using them ever again. Korg M1 and Wavestation VSTs are a good, affordable alternative. You could pick up some old Roland hardware for cheap, like s JV-1080.

Otherwise, Kontakt is the way to go. It is by far the most popular sampler format. You'll find any library you can imagine, at every possible price point all the way from free to stupid expensive.

tristan- · Post by **tristan-** » Sun Aug 30, 2015 2:01 pm

Purity, Xpand!2, Halion Sonic 2. These are the best true romplers around (there's also Sampletank 3, but has rather long load times - try to load a grand piano).

Omnisphere, Nexus are all different beasts but each great in its field.

kbaccki · Post by **kbaccki** » Sun Aug 30, 2015 2:49 pm

robotmonkey wrote:Not all of the DSF soundpacks for the Proetus and Emulator X are the same ones as the original EMU Sound Central ones. EMU sound central patches are properly programmed with all the filters, modulation and effects like they were in original hardware modules.

And to make it even more confusing there are actually several versions of many libraries. There are the original EMU SC ROM's/patches, then there are the EMU SC high quality libraries that were the source of the EMU hardware module patches, and then there are the DSF libraries.

Oh, I had no idea it was like that. Way to take something so simple and make it utterly confusing.

SparkySpark · Post by **SparkySpark** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 10:55 am

tristan- wrote:Purity, Xpand!2, Halion Sonic 2. These are the best true romplers around (there's also Sampletank 3, but has rather long load times - try to load a grand piano).

Omnisphere, Nexus are all different beasts but each great in its field.

Thank you so much for your reply to my original intended question.

I just downloaded SampleTank 3 Custom Shop (before I saw your message). The big libraries with long loading times etc are precisely what I wish to avoid, so I'll look into your suggestions. Thanks again!

SparkySpark · Post by **SparkySpark** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 10:59 am

deastman wrote:I also have a Proteus 1/2 in the garage, but I don't see using them ever again. Korg M1 and Wavestation VSTs are a good, affordable alternative. You could pick up some old Roland hardware for cheap, like s JV-1080.

Otherwise, Kontakt is the way to go. It is by far the most popular sampler format. You'll find any library you can imagine, at every possible price point all the way from free to stupid expensive.

Thanks. I recall the first time I saw the M1. It was at a music shop in Chevy Chase, Maryland, in 1989 or 1990 I think. It looked so incredibly cool, having almost no sliders or buttons at all, and when I hit a key it was like a whole song started by itself.

The JV-1080 was really a good hw module. In fact, we used it as a reference at the music company I worked at when playing back our software's (Igor) sheet music files.

SparkySpark · Post by **SparkySpark** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 11:10 am

deastman wrote:I also have a Proteus 1/2 in the garage, but I don't see using them ever again. Korg M1 and Wavestation VSTs are a good, affordable alternative. You could pick up some old Roland hardware for cheap, like s JV-1080.

Otherwise, Kontakt is the way to go. It is by far the most popular sampler format. You'll find any library you can imagine, at every possible price point all the way from free to stupid expensive.

A question again. I like the Proteus as the sounds are no-nonsense, really bread'n'butter. As I recall it, the Korg synths are more towards, well, synth sounds, soundscapes etc. Are they really superior to the Proteus VX when it comes to everyday rompler sounds (piano, strings, etc.)?

robotmonkey · Post by **robotmonkey** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 1:24 pm

SparkySpark wrote: A question again. I like the Proteus as the sounds are no-nonsense, really bread'n'butter. As I recall it, the Korg synths are more towards, well, synth sounds, soundscapes etc. Are they really superior to the Proteus VX when it comes to everyday rompler sounds (piano, strings, etc.)?

EMU definitely beats Korg Legacy in that regard. With EMU Sound Central libraries you also get much broader range of sounds. Also you can use bigger higher quality libraries (that are still comparatively small compared to today's standards) like the Vintage Pro X series, Modern Symphonic and World Instruments. One place where EMU blows Korg Legacy right out of the water is the drum sounds. EMU has a ton very cool drum and percussion sounds that Korg lacks.

deastman · Post by **deastman** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 2:44 pm

The thing is, you're going to get infinitely better results from third party Kontakt libraries. Pianos, strings, guitar, etc... There are some amazing, huge, extensively sampled libraries with custom scripting and custom interfaces which make no compromises. Stuff like the Proteus, M1, or Roland libraries is that they are decades old, optimized to fit into a small memory footprint, and will never come remotely close to what you can get from today's Kontakt libraries.

Kontakt isn't the only option, of course. There are some other really great piano options, and stuff like BFD for drums...

I guess I don't see the advantage in sticking to the ancient Emu library or anything like that.

spacekid · Post by **spacekid** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 9:00 pm

[quote="kbaccki"]
Personally, I stoppedusing the VX software because I just couldn't deal with the patch management... e.g. patches wouldnt save with SONAR project etc. Wasnt worth the effort to me relative to the sound... Proteus sound specifically was never a priority for me.... so bye bye VX. Even though I had all the banks from a EMU controller purchase.

quote]
I agree totally that the patch management is terrible, and caused me to stop using it as well. I switched to Kontakt and xils synths (Poly KB II player is a great intro point to check them out).

arkmabat · Post by **arkmabat** » Sat Sep 05, 2015 11:23 pm

E-MU Proteus Pack is $60 at DSF until the 8th. Not sure if you need the coupon code.

planetearth · Post by **planetearth** » Sun Sep 06, 2015 7:05 am

spacekid wrote:
kbaccki wrote: Personally, I stoppedusing the VX software because I just couldn't deal with the patch management... e.g. patches wouldnt save with SONAR project etc. Wasnt worth the effort to me relative to the sound... Proteus sound specifically was never a priority for me.... so bye bye VX. Even though I had all the banks from a EMU controller purchase.

quote]
I agree totally that the patch management is terrible, and caused me to stop using it as well. I switched to Kontakt and xils synths (Poly KB II player is a great intro point to check them out).

I never had a problem with it saving the patches with Sonar on my machine. It was quirky in the way it handled them, though; I'll give you that.

If you're not using those VX patches anymore, you could send them my way!

I still use the VX and the sounds I've bought (or made) for it. (I've just always loved the sound of late-'80s/early-'90s ROMplers, and I use those sounds more than I probably should!) I just have to start the track (or edit it) in the 32-bit version of Sonar.

And Poly KB II Player is a pretty good synth, too. Not a ROMpler like Proteus, but a pretty good analogue-style synth.

Steve

ChamomileShark · Post by **ChamomileShark** » Sun Sep 06, 2015 9:51 am

Just to add that Digital Audio Pro samples are back online - they have the Emulator X3 at a low price plus they do a number of the E-mu Sound central add ons.

IIRC the Emulator X3 came with the Emulator X2 conversion software - from that I converted a numbe rof other libraries I had into Emu format.

http://www.digitalproaudiosamples.com/# ... ries/c1tse

I have Kontakt 5 but I must admit although the Emulator is now very old I do like alot of the sounds. Don't quite know why. I also have the free Cyclone thing and I use some of those libraries too.

teacue · Post by **teacue** » Sun Sep 06, 2015 3:28 pm

ChamomileShark wrote:Just to add that Digital Audio Pro samples are back online - they have the Emulator X3 at a low price plus they do a number of the E-mu Sound central add ons.

IIRC the Emulator X3 came with the Emulator X2 conversion software - from that I converted a numbe rof other libraries I had into Emu format.

http://www.digitalproaudiosamples.com/# ... ries/c1tse

Wow, these are great news and the price is really low!
Do you know if the Emulator X3 is able to read the EIIIX Sound Library?
I still have images (iso) from several original disks of this library that I used with the ESI32.

Edit:
I found the answer in the Operation Manual of the software:
"The Emulator X file Converter can convert the following types of files into Emulator X
format:
...
• Emu E3/ESi
..."

ChamomileShark · Post by **ChamomileShark** » Sun Sep 06, 2015 3:36 pm

hi, I just had a look at the manual. It says you need the Converter software - I'm pretty sure I got that with Emulator X3 from Digital Pro Audio Samples - from the manual it suggests that not all vendors will bundle that with EX3

The manual says

"Supported File Types
The Translator Emulator X Converter can convert the following types of files into
Emulator X format:
• Akai S-1000/3000
• Akai MPC
• Emu EIII/ESi/Emax
• Tascam GigaStudio 1 + 2
• SoundFont
• Native Instruments Kontakt 1 + 2
• Steinberg HALion I and II
If you don’t have sounds for any of these products, you won’t need to use Translator.
Keep the application installed in case you ever want to convert file formats."

I think I found that the higher versions of Kontakt it can't handle.

Rompler replacement for Proteus VX