IK Multimedia Xpansion Tank 2 Group Buy

[Mike777]

Apparently the Xpansion Tank 2 sound collections are downloads? I found this at ikmultimedia:

"Xpansion Tank 2 sound collections are available as downloadable versions only (Digital Delivery) and can be purchased from the IK online store or from your preferred IK dealer."

But when I add the GB to my checkout cart at esoundz it says I can't use my epointz:

"ePointz™ cannot not applied because you have at least one physical product in your cart. ePointz only apply on downloads."

Can I use my epointz with this GB?

[torgo]

$25-$50 can easily be made back by using just a couple of these sounds on something you do as a commissioned piece, for example.

Or just skip going to the movies this weekend and do the Group Buy thing instead.


Two movie tickets, large popcorn, two sodas, plus a quick dinner at the food court before the show...

... or SampleTank XT plus Vintage Keys, Acoustic Guitar Collection 2, Electric Guitar Collection 2, Acoustic Drums Collection 2, World Instruments, Cinematik, Omnisynth 2, and Bass Collection 2.



Three hours later you could be rocking out with all your new sound toys.

Or you could be driving home with an upset stomach and amazement at what a crappy movie "Prince Of Persia" turned out to be.

Yeah, that was a real tough decision - all three times I joined.

[torgo]

Apparently the Xpansion Tank 2 sound collections are downloads? I found this at ikmultimedia:

"Xpansion Tank 2 sound collections are available as downloadable versions only (Digital Delivery) and can be purchased from the IK online store or from your preferred IK dealer."

But when I add the GB to my checkout cart at esoundz it says I can't use my epointz:

"ePointz™ cannot not applied because you have at least one physical product in your cart. ePointz only apply on downloads."

Can I use my epointz with this GB?

epointz, NO. You can't use epointz with group buys, coupon codes, or most sale items. That's the downside. The upside is you get one of the bonus choice selections plus the upcoming Squids Mystery Wild Card set as extras.

But if you skip the extras, you CAN use your Jampoints from IK to cover up to half the price. So if you buy on IK, you can get it for as low as $25.

You could also check other dealers for discounts if you're going to have to buy it with cash. One option is Little Fish Audio, who has it for nearly 15% off if you click on their "email me your best price" link.

[VitaminD]

$25-$50 can easily be made back by using just a couple of these sounds on something you do as a commissioned piece, for example.

Or just skip going to the movies this weekend and do the Group Buy thing instead.


Two movie tickets, large popcorn, two sodas, plus a quick dinner at the food court before the show...

... or SampleTank XT plus Vintage Keys, Acoustic Guitar Collection 2, Electric Guitar Collection 2, Acoustic Drums Collection 2, World Instruments, Cinematik, Omnisynth 2, and Bass Collection 2.



Three hours later you could be rocking out with all your new sound toys.

Or you could be driving home with an upset stomach and amazement at what a crappy movie "Prince Of Persia" turned out to be.

Yeah, that was a real tough decision - all three times I joined.

If you want to sell it to yourself that way sure.. but you could slop on all kinds of extra fees in a lot of situations.. it doesnt mean this is a great deal just because its cheap.. its only a deal if you're going to be using it. Otherwise you might as well call yourself a hoarder..

[gmorgan]

we said from the very beginning to check back this week for the "Exclusive Extra On Top" if you buy it from www.esoundz.com

Actually you were 30 minutes late. I saw the first post in this thread an purchased right away. Not your fault just a spot of bad luck for me.

But, you CAN also buy it again!R

Only if the additional content is worth it as I already have the titles I wanted.

I will share with you all some time next week what our exclusive extra library is about. Honestly I think it is worth a good $50 just on its own - it is THAT good - just to know. But I will have more details soon so you can make that decision yourself... or just take a leap of faith and join again on esoundz. At least you get to pick out ANOTHER 3 titles (maybe more) plus this exclusive bonus Wild Card Raise the Bar Deluxe Deluxe Uber Deluxe Pack from SR.

By the way, another thing to know is that I am planning on making some extra patches for some of the titles. I was going through it and thought it could use some extra TLC - such as the Cinematik which is very basic and once you put some nice longer releases, delays and reverb it comes alive so I will be doing that later this month and that WILL be a free update for ANYONE who joined - not just esoundz customers. Some extra patches courtesy of El Squidsarino.

Personally I am hoping for some new Chamberlin/Optigan items...please throw us Sampltroners something new to play with!

And if there are any 3/4 time drum patches lurking about the dusty corners of the SR sound lab, those would be SO useful to those of us who tend to write songs in that under-served time signature!

You would be amazed how few good drum loops there are for us waltzers available. Of course the Optigan has some great ones, but they are only at one speed unless you have an Optigan....

[JavaJ]

There are some good things in the offerings- but I will say that I am not impressed that these packs are selling normally for $50 each- yet the quality of the presets are not always professional (at least for the Vocal Collection). It was great that I got to get in there and do my own fixes (which I posted in the bank section of KVR for anyone that has yet to hear me advertise this)- but if I paid $50 per pack- I think I would have been very dissapointed. So regardless of the deal- the truth is that more attention needs to be done professionally at IK on the quality of what they sell-regardless of the price. I never had any dealings with IK before this and although I got a ton of stuff that I can find some useful parts of- I would have a hard time paying full price with the experience I had thusfar.
But then again, I am also coming it at from a Komplete/Omnisphere/Trilian point of view- which may mean the bar is really high in my eyes to start.

For anyone that doesn't have the more expensive instruments though- for $50- you will find a lot of useful and inspiring content- and even more if you are willing to create your own sounds and combinations.

Hopefully IK will take some of the 1/3 million they made on this group buy and focus on QUALITY presets for everyone that bough in- and not just abandon them.

Just my 2 cents.

[ViktorW]

I have to say that the Expansion Tank 2 loop library Country Folk Rhythm is a bit of a mess. Some of the programs are just weird at best, useless at worst.

Why are there (in the Bass Notes category) programs with just a single bass note sample, and the different notes spread over several programs. In case I just need to play a D? Useless. Why not make it a multi-sample?
There are more examples like this, sounds spread out over a multitude of programs, when a single program containing all the samples over the whole keyboard would have made more sense.
Instead of putting all the major chords played by a guitar into one program, it's spread over dozens of programs, making it ridiculously difficult to actually play it.

The actual quality of the samples is okay, but the Sampletank programs aren't.
I don't know about other loop libraries in this series, but this one needs a usability update, badly!

P.S.: Gotta say, I like a lot of the multi-sample collections, good basic workstation type stuff.

[torgo]

If you want to sell it to yourself that way sure.. but you could slop on all kinds of extra fees in a lot of situations.. it doesnt mean this is a great deal just because its cheap.. its only a deal if you're going to be using it. Otherwise you might as well call yourself a hoarder..

Vitamin D - Peter was simply noting how easy it would be to recoup the ultra-low cost of this package in a professional situation.

And I was adding that even if you don't use it professionally, it's not difficult to recoup the low cost.

[torgo]

I have to say that the Expansion Tank 2 loop library Country Folk Rhythm is a bit of a mess. The naming of the programs isn't always self-explanatory, and some of the programs are just weird at best, useless at worst.

Thanks for the heads-up! I still haven't picked out my final choices - with some decisions to make between Hip Hop Instruments, Country Folk Rhythms, Dirty South Grooves, Down Tempo, and the Electronic Drums package.

I had been thinking I'd go with Country Folk + Down Tempo + Dirty South, but if some of the grooves packages aren't all that, I might go for the Hip Hop Instruments instead.

[VitaminD]

If you want to sell it to yourself that way sure.. but you could slop on all kinds of extra fees in a lot of situations.. it doesnt mean this is a great deal just because its cheap.. its only a deal if you're going to be using it. Otherwise you might as well call yourself a hoarder..

Vitamin D - Peter was simply noting how easy it would be to recoup the ultra-low cost of this package in a professional situation.

And I was adding that even if you don't use it professionally, it's not difficult to recoup the low cost.

What point are you trying to make here?

ah read what I said again.. I thought it rather clear :p

[ViktorW]

You also often find very uneven volume output in the programs, like in the (basically good sounding) SampleOB package. A lot of the pads are super quiet, can just about hear something if I turn up all volume knobs.

Some of the packages in this group buy need some attention from the developer, I think.

[zedd]

For people trying to decide on which groove packs to select for your extra picks, I would recommend listening to the demos for the RAW packs of the same name. Each pack has different sounding drums, and if you are not going to select all of them, then you would be advised to choose the packs whose drums best suit your tastes.

http://www.esoundz.com/details.php?ProductID=1480
Demos for other packs are on the lower right hand side of that page.

I like the Country Folk Rhythm pack, both for the sound of the drum loops, and for all the guitar and other instrument stuff included in that pack. It was actually my first pick, and was not a disappointment. But since then, I ended up with all the groove and construction packs.

[eDrummist]

...you might as well call yourself a hoarder..

Man, you're right. I think your post could result in a KVR-wide epiphany. Reading your words, it all finally occurred to me.

Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) = Hoarding.

Developers (e.g., IK, eSoundz) -- and especially developers that have group buys = Enablers.

VitaminD = Interventionist.

KVR Users = Hoarders.

It kinda reminds me of something I once saw:

[Okay, in all seriousness -- lighten up!]

[VitaminD]

...you might as well call yourself a hoarder..

Man, you're right. I think your post could result in a KVR-wide epiphany. Reading your words, it all finally occurred to me.

Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) = Hoarding.

Developers (e.g., IK, eSoundz) -- and especially developers that have group buys = Enablers.

VitaminD = Interventionist.

KVR Users = Hoarders.

It kinda reminds me of something I once saw:

[Okay, in all seriousness -- lighten up!]

haha thats a funny vid and we are lightened. hence the :p I never was in a bad mood or pushing things meanly.. I'm pointing out that just because its on sale doesnt make it a deal.. if its going to collect dust on the bookcase then its a waste of money..

[torgo]

if its going to collect dust on the bookcase then its a waste of money..

That's precisely why I suggested earlier that the guy who just bought the Independence Pro library or that users of Kontact, Wusik, etc have an idea of what exactly they're looking for in this deal.

Having to deal with a proprietary sample format and yet another playback engine only adds to the likelihood that these sets would end up going unused.





It blows my mind to hear negative comments about the Independence Pro program and its library. Even with its "fire sale", you could get two entries in this group buy AND the Wusik package for the same price.

For that kind of cost, it had bloody well better be a spectacular sound set. Finding users expressing disappointment makes me think it's way overrated and glad to have skipped that sale.



An extra that hasn't been linked for many, many pages now:
http://asseca.com/wiki/MGUI/SampleTank25GUI