IK Multimedia Xpansion Tank 2 Group Buy

[VitaminD]

I could even get around it for the sheer amount of samples provided in the deal if it wasnt for the fact that Sampletank2 demo seems to CRASH my host..

now im pondering if its really worth spending the money on this..

You folks who have an issue with the size of the GUI might want to consider that this may be addressed in the SampleTank 3 release which is somewhere around the corner (albeit probably several months away). I like the size of the GUI, myself, but my eyesight is pretty good and I use quality monitors.

With a response like this.

Do I really want to travel the slope of answering this:

What host are you using?

Btw I've put in a ticket with IK perhaps they'll get to it before the deal is over.. hehe

[zedd]

With a response like this.

Do I really want to travel the slope of answering this:

What host are you using?

???

Not sure I understand. You mean my comment about "quality monitors"?

[Reverend Rhythm]

For Mr. barbecutie

IK Multimedia Xpansion Tank 2 Group Buy

Now 5X1! Currently at 3778 users. Need 222 more users for 6X1!


http://www.ikmultimedia.com/xtgroupbuy

and

http://www.esoundz.com/details.php?ProductID=4293

BBC

esoundz user: BarBeCutie or see epointz referral thread below for other users:

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... ht=epointz

[blueman]

I would hope that DrumCore 3 has actually dealt with this and that you can just import a mother folder and it will automatically assign the separate Groovesets. But I don't know this for sure.

I just hope that all my hard work will easily transfer over to DrumCore 3 when I do decide to upgrade.

Great description Zedd! Sadly, DC 3 did nothing to change the database import functionality It adds a few gigs of GREAT new sample content but the new interface is horrible IMO. I would stick to DC 2.5 unless you want to upgrade for the sounds only.

Also, I would encourage anyone using DC to copy and back up the "Database" folder with the most recent database ("drumcore.contentDB") and backup database files. Store this copy on another drive and update it every time you change the db. You'd hate to lose all of the hard work and time it took to import.

I've put a few hours in to setting up and organizing my loops in DC and yes, it is WELL worth the effort! I use DrumCore as a library for all of my loops (now) in addition to its great drum sounds.

[VitaminD]

With a response like this.

Do I really want to travel the slope of answering this:

What host are you using?

???

Not sure I understand. You mean my comment about "quality monitors"?

I'm sure you do... Where you stated your superiority over us.

But its fine.. I'll see what IK have to say.

[Ceej]

I'm sure you do... Where you stated your superiority over us.

I'm confused. Are you seriously about attacking him for what he said, or is this some advanced form of irony?

'cause if you're serious... dude.

[raintalk]

I think those complaining about the size and readability of SampleTank are justified. Accessibility is important in all software. You can't rely on Acessories -> Accessibility -> Magnify
That's just the minimum tool only for basic applications.
It just like sample libs, need to have window that scales - go buy a library.

Sampletank 3 is coming, the next version is always coming, but at what price?
The group buy is probably a good way to get people to ramp up on samples so they want to upgrade SampleTank 3. Smart Move by IK.
It's still a incredible bargain. I'm enjoying every sample. Great fun! Good sound.

[VitaminD]

I think those complaining about the size and readability of SampleTank are justified. Accessibility is important in all software. You can't rely on Acessories -> Accessibility -> Magnify
That's just the minimum tool only for basic applications.
It just like sample libs, need to have window that scales - go buy a library.

Sampletank 3 is coming, the next version is always coming, but at what price?
The group buy is probably a good way to get people to ramp up on samples so they want to upgrade SampleTank 3. Smart Move by IK.
It's still a incredible bargain. I'm enjoying every sample. Great fun! Good sound.

Yes. Agreed! If they work for you then awesome.. its a great bargain.

However ST3 has been mentioned for well over 2 years now.. and IIRC the file extensions between ST1 and ST2 changed.. are ST1 sounds compatible in ST2? Perhaps thats the issue I'm having with the ST2 demo and the free sounds they provide - they are in an *.st* format where all the patch labels for ST2 are *.ikmp hmmm.. the thing I'm thinking is, sure, ST3 could resolve a lot of issues from ST2, but we are simply guessing it will, there is no defined release date, nor any promise (that I've seen) that it will fully load these ST2 formatted samples? Heres to hoping at least

[Ceej]

I agree, the GUI overall could certainly use a little TLC. It'd really be nice if the scrollwheel worked when using the VST version, for instance. (Maybe there's some host-based reason that can't be possible, but it's still really annoying.) There's also far too many click-points that are too small, and the fact that the hot-point of the cursor seems to be about half-way down the cursor arrow makes that a much bigger problem. Also, the fact that there's no indication that the MIDI input channels are changeable (and you can only change them with an invisible click-and-drag) is poor; I bet a lot of people don't even realize they CAN be changed, but that's a key thing to do to get some layering action going.

I am glad that I can change the color away from the original garish red, at least!

[Ceej]

are ST1 sounds compatible in ST2?

They seem to be; my old ST1-era Expansion Tanks still show up and play fine. I'm not familiar enough with the sounds to swear they sound identical, but I don't have any reason to suspect they don't.

[VitaminD]

are ST1 sounds compatible in ST2?

They seem to be; my old ST1-era Expansion Tanks still show up and play fine. I'm not familiar enough with the sounds to swear they sound identical, but I don't have any reason to suspect they don't.

Thanks.. just knowing they load is a positive start


Edit: I have got the old Sampletank free sounds to play in ST2 demo.. THEY DONT TELL YOU THIS but you must make an Instrument folder and move the free sound folders into that folder.. THEN they are visible through the ST2 gui... The installer documentation makes no mention of this. I had to scour the web and found a site that made passing reference to an Instrument folder.. so I tried it.. and it actually worked.

[zedd]

Not sure I understand. You mean my comment about "quality monitors"?

I'm sure you do... Where you stated your superiority over us.

That's an interesting interpretation. But you totally misunderstood my intent.

While I wrote the thing about the monitors I was thinking about how I needed to buy a new monitor a couple of years back and I ended up buying 3 monitors and returning them (one after the other) because I was unhappy with them for assorted reasons. And one thing I noticed was that different monitors had some very different pixel resolutions. There were some where the type and the icons (i.e. everything and anything on the screen) was way too small. The resolution was so fine that it was very hard on my eyes, and it was unacceptable. I ended up finally getting a monitor that didn't shrink everything down so small.

My comment was not at all meant in a "superiority" sort of way. And if you hung around this thread long enough you might discover you'd probably discover that I am not at all how you have interpreted me.

As for your issue with .ikmp files, I believe those are combi patches and not instrument presets, so they have to be loaded in the window at the top of the GUI where it says LOAD. If that is where you are attempting to load them, and it is crashing your DAW then it may very well be that the Combis are trying to find instruments that you don't have on your system.

[VitaminD]

Not sure I understand. You mean my comment about "quality monitors"?

I'm sure you do... Where you stated your superiority over us.

That's an interesting interpretation. But you totally misunderstood my intent.

While I wrote the thing about the monitors I was thinking about how I needed to buy a new monitor a couple of years back and I ended up buying 3 monitors and returning them (one after the other) because I was unhappy with them for assorted reasons. And one thing I noticed was that different monitors had some very different pixel resolutions. There were some where the type and the icons (i.e. everything and anything on the screen) was way too small. The resolution was so fine that it was very hard on my eyes, and it was unacceptable. I ended up finally getting a monitor that didn't shrink everything down so small.

My comment was not at all meant in a "superiority" sort of way. And if you hung around this thread long enough you might discover you'd probably discover that I am not at all how you have interpreted me.

As for your issue with .ikmp files, I believe those are combi patches and not instrument presets, so they have to be loaded in the window at the top of the GUI where it says LOAD. If that is where you are attempting to load them, and it is crashing your DAW then it may very well be that the Combis are trying to find instruments that you don't have on your system.

Its all good. No worries. I simply don't/didn't want to get into a host war when I simply need(ed) help.

I'm using a 22" HP with a 1680x1050 resolution. I bought it 3 years ago because, as far as TN panels go, it was the highest rated - indeed it looks gorgeous. As well as the 1680x1050 resolution which is pretty small for a 22" - this means most stuff isn't the size of postage stamps.. as far as I'm concerned thats a good thing. The thing with sampletank is it was created (~7 years ago??) in a time when large, widescreen monitors were just coming on to the market.. the GUI wasn't made for today. Hopefully, when/if ST3 finally makes it's debut it will have a resizable GUI. OR, at the very least, I'd like to see them increase the static one by ~30%.

Yeah for the moment, with the 2 free sounds I downloaded, it is not crashing at all.. I went ahead and ordered the deal.. we'll see how that goes.

[zedd]

Great description Zedd! Sadly, DC 3 did nothing to change the database import functionality It adds a few gigs of GREAT new sample content but the new interface is horrible IMO. I would stick to DC 2.5 unless you want to upgrade for the sounds only.

Thanks for that blueman. I'm glad that I didn't upgrade... I was trying to figure out what the advantage would be and I couldn't see any. Eventually I'll jump in for the content, I'm sure, but I'm in no rush.

Also, I would encourage anyone using DC to copy and back up the "Database" folder with the most recent database ("drumcore.contentDB") and backup database files. Store this copy on another drive and update it every time you change the db. You'd hate to lose all of the hard work and time it took to import.

Yes, yes, yes! That is and important bit of information and you have reminded me of something else I should have included it in my post...

DrumCore is prone to crashing when you spend a lot of time importing libraries, and when it crashes it FORGETS EVERYTHING that you have done since you last opened it. So you need to do two things to avoid disaster...

(1) In order to actually permanently save the work that you have done, you need to quit DrumCore. So I would quit DrumCore after every 15 minutes or so of importing libraries. And then you can open it up again immediately afterward and the database will have been rewritten and stored.

(2) As blueman mentioned, you should make backup copies of that database file in case you make a mistake and want to go back to a previous version, or if the database file gets corrupt when DrumCore crashes.

You find the database file at Drumcore Date > Database > drumcore.contentDB

Thanks for the reminder blueman! Hope you are reading this BERFAB.

[barbecutie]

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