KVR Audio

chroma · Post by **chroma** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:16 pm

if you need the scripting, even for just the GUI - then you definitely need kontakt or something similar (which kontakt has been the only player here for so long, even if other competitors exist now, it will take them a while to catch up, and they have disadvantages like ilok which will limit them too).

if you don't need scripting, then it makes a lot of sense to use sfz, or at least offer both kontakt & sfz mappings. Most other formats can import one (or both) of those anyways. Only including konkakt is a shame, especially considering how many free sample players can play them.

for libraries which use nki but deliver the raw samples too - it's legal to write an sfz wrapper and distribute that, as long as you don't distribute the samples.

BERFAB · Post by **BERFAB** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:26 pm

No one mentioning Halion 5? Every review I've seen gives this very high marks.

I don't have it (yet), but if the new Halion Sonic 2 is any indication, it has to be up there.

-B

osiris · Post by **osiris** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:27 pm

My problem is there are some libraries I'd like to have that are only available for Kontakt 5....
I only have v4....

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:33 pm

stanlea wrote:There's maybe another reason : protection. With the latest NI format, it's not so easy to pirate libraries

Unfortunately, this is 100% untrue.

murnau · Post by **murnau** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:35 pm

osiris wrote:My problem is there are some libraries I'd like to have that are only available for Kontakt 5....
I only have v4....

thats understandable.. ..but the users wich own v5 moan that a v4 compatible lib don't benefit from the great new v5 features.. glad i'm not a developer, a real dilemma nowdays..

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:36 pm

BERFAB wrote:No one mentioning Halion 5? Every review I've seen gives this very high marks.

Probably because of the dongle, also it doesn't have scripting really. I'm not sure how it is regarding DFD/CPU/RAM performance compared to Kontakt, I'd have to own it to test that, but I'm not really in need of YET ANOTHER sampler.

osiris · Post by **osiris** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:42 pm

Yeah, I know the scripting is supposed to be better in 5, ...

Re": Sfz. Wusikstation would load these and it plays beautifully, but the problem with Sfz was , it never knew where the files were located.
I know Kontakt can do this, but it also learns where the samples are located and it's the dedicated Kontakt folder, so no big deal.
Wusik would ask for every sample.
No good.

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:48 pm

SAW75 wrote:NI installs are rather bloat-y but that's not really my "beef" with them.

Well, an installer contains standalone executable, 32-bit VST, 64-bit VST, RTAS, 32-bit AAX and 64-bit AAX plugins, so that's not "bloat", that's necessity. Kontakt's executable is around 40 MB, and plugin DLL is roughly similar. Multiply that with the number of formats and you get why the installers are relatively "big". That is not "bloat", far from it.

For Kontakt, there's also a few hundreds of MB of IRs that are installed along other factory presets. Again, that is not "bloat".

SAW75 wrote:They are just generally horrible people and I find it odd that developers en masse would add value to their product like it's the universal solution sent down from god.

Never had any problems in dealing with NI... and the developers are developing for the product which is the most widespread and has the biggest userbase, whether you like it or not. It was exactly the same situation back when GigaStudio was king.

osiris · Post by **osiris** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:52 pm

I have to agree. And people on the NI forum are very helpful for any question. The whole scripting thing, I just can't wrap my head around, though.

murnau · Post by **murnau** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:55 pm

osiris wrote:Yeah, I know the scripting is supposed to be better in 5, ...

not that, i remember more:

new pro effects
over 30 new filter
new time machine
16 channel bus system
midi file support

The_Hidden_Goose · Post by **The_Hidden_Goose** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 3:59 pm

I would possibly have delved into Halion 5 if I didn't need a dongle just to demo it. I don't have one and would rather avoid it if possible, but would get one if something I wanted seemed worth it to me. Not going to buy one just to demo stuff though.

In terms of sound design possibilities there's plenty in there that appeals to me in theory, not least the granular engine.

SAW75 · Post by **SAW75** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 4:14 pm

EvilDragon wrote:Again, that is not "bloat"...

Never had any problems in dealing with NI...

Yeah, sorry... "service" center is bloat. We can agree to disagree. In terms of their support? Public Enemy #1. Again we can agree to disagree. Only Arturia for bad service and Cycling 74 for bad attitude give them a run for absolute worst.

That's not really what this thread is about though.

Kontakt is the most popular obviously. Regardless of intricacy of sample sets, developers use it almost exclusively. I find that unfortunate because I'd like to buy some of these sets I see.

I guess the copy protection thing makes sense too.

Oh well. Less for me to buy.

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 4:18 pm

Service Center is 50 MB total on the hard drive. Wow, so much "bloat".

Again, NI's support is definitely not as bad as you're depicting it. There is no "agree to disagree" here, really. Considering the size of company and their userbase, NI fares quite well will their support. If e-mails don't come through (as it can happen with any company, really), they are really extremeyl courteous over the phone.

SAW75 · Post by **SAW75** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 4:23 pm

EvilDragon wrote:Service Center is 50 MB total on the hard drive. Wow, so much "bloat".

Not sure what your problem is... I'm not counting megabytes really though 50 MB for copy protection that has to auto-update itself with another download right after install to work kinda stinks. Not to mention how NI installers throw files all over your computer... that's also been mentioned before.

Whatever. I just think there should be alternatives.

Kontakt is expensive too. It's stupid to limit your user base to people that have bought a $200 piece of software. That is only my opinion.

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Wed Mar 05, 2014 4:24 pm

SAW75 wrote:Not to mention how NI installers throw files all over your computer... that's also been mentioned before.

NI is following Microsoft's guidelines regarding that. You're barking up the wrong tree here.

Anyways, there are alternatives, as mentioned. They just don't have that much 3rd party content. The reasons were already stated before.

Also, the best way to get Kontakt is either via Komplete, or when one of NI's seasonal sales are abound.

I guess Kontakt is the only way...