Installing IK Multimedia SampleTank 4 - WTF

[soulata]

After reading through this thread and experienced many of the issues here - espeically the single worst installer I have ever seen - AND having hit the "please pay to download your stuff again" roadblock a few days ago - I have decided to strip all my IK stuff off the DAW this weekend.

Enough is enough - there are much better options than using clunky ST4 sounds these days.

VP

Well, I have Total Studio 3.5 and won't install ST or Synthtronic at all. Still worth it.

[machinesworking]

Mostly what happens here is Sample Tank 4 cannot find libraries that are installed from about half of my installed IK libraries. I see the preset, click and it says files are missing. I go into ST4's library manager and the path is there, but no dice. This includes most all ST3 libraries, all but one Syntronic library, and a good portion of the extra content I got with their 25 for 1 sale. Their authorization system is hopelessly broken I guess, It's all authorized etc. I went rounds with tech support as well and in the end I think the only solution is a complete reinstall, which just sucks.

For a company that pushes their Total Studio and 10-25 for one sales all the time they simply should not be happy with this type of thread popping up over and over again.

[darkogav]

Works fine for me here. make sure the path is correct. and re-scan. ST is a fine product.

[daychase]

I wish I could call it a fine product. I genuinely enjoy SampleTank's library throughout the 2.5, 3 and 4 content, in many ways over Kontakt's factory library (which is itself outdated in many ways)! But after backing my installed libraries up to a different drive in order to format the drive I had the SampleTank library installed on, I find myself facing the exact same kind of problem that machinesworking is experiencing.

And this is the only piece of software I've encountered where it fails to detect the content it's supposed to search for even when the path is clearly specified to it. Kontakt, various DAWs, they all have zero issue with this; it's just SampleTank in my experience.

I wish I could recommend IK Multimedia's products, but between this, the download expiration, the fact that T-Racks seems to just install all the plugins automatically even if you didn't purchase some of them and can't use them, and how out of touch their customer support and forums seem to be, I just can't. I've lost more sleep with SampleTank than I have with any other VST, and while I'm trying to get the issue fixed (I'll probably just have to end up buying the download credit and actually back up the installer this time), I don't really think it's worth it.

[Vocalpoint Studios]

I don't really think it's worth it.

I cleaned up the DAW of all IK Multimedia stuff this past weekend and won't be going back to it. There are so many better sounding libraries in my collection that I go to now - it is pointless for me to keep this old stuff installed.

Cheers

VP

[machinesworking]

Works fine for me here. make sure the path is correct. and re-scan. ST is a fine product.

Like daychase mentions, it doesn't matter if the path is correct, if the library is authorized, Sample tank is the only sampler I own that can't find it's own libraries if some odd arbitrary point is broken that can't be detected by me, it's product manager, anything really.

The only option at this point is a total reinstall of all the ST3 and ST4 libraries I own in hopes that solves it.

[hotmitts]

These are not the only problems IK has for me, does the Amplitube still have the built-in online shop where you can't tell which presets contain bits you own or not ?
Also the 10 authorisation lifetime limit seems really not a good move, it doesn't have any purpose really other than to annoy?
Also the way they introduced a charge for retrieving lost back-ups.
These things should have changed long ago, there's no excuses really in my book.

[Vocalpoint Studios]

Does the Amplitube still have the built-in online shop where you can't tell which presets contain bits you own or not ?

I cannot properly describe (without swearing excessively) how utterly annoying this specific lack of function is.

Every time I tried to use Amplitube and mistakenly clicked on something (anything) I did not own - I repeatedly got drilled into "error mode" telling me I did own this or that - killing any sort of vibe or forward motion.

That was a huge part of my decision to drop IK completely. They clearly have no idea how to come up with a smooth user experience based on what I do own. While I totally get what they are trying to do by allowing all the "non purchased" presets to appear (and error out) hoping I might "give in" and buy them to stop the madenss - this will never work for me. The more you try to stop me with roadblocks - the closer I get to hitting that uninstall button.

Glad I did not spend a fortune with these guys but I am glad it's over.

VP

[daychase]

Also the 10 authorisation lifetime limit seems really not a good move, it doesn't have any purpose really other than to annoy?

It's actually the most customer-friendly aspect of IK Multimedia, in my opinion. The thing is that you can deauthorize a machine in order to get that authorization back, so unlike a lot of iLok-protected software that have excessively small simultaneous installations and authorization limitations, IK Multimedia is actually quite generous in that regard.

Not to say that I'm a fan of the company, or intend to defend them, but credit where credit is due.

[seangm]

Also the 10 authorisation lifetime limit seems really not a good move, it doesn't have any purpose really other than to annoy?

It's actually the most customer-friendly aspect of IK Multimedia, in my opinion. The thing is that you can deauthorize a machine in order to get that authorization back, so unlike a lot of iLok-protected software that have excessively small simultaneous installations and authorization limitations, IK Multimedia is actually quite generous in that regard.

Not to say that I'm a fan of the company, or intend to defend them, but credit where credit is due.

Yeah the number of authorizations and how they are handled is the only part of their ecosystem I don't mind. It's better than Waves "one machine per license" BS. IK's installation is a nightmare though and the Amplitube thing yelling at you that you don't own this or that pisses me off. But I do like the sound of most of their stuff once I get past all of that.

[hotmitts]

Well I've been casting around for alternatives to my old Sampletank 2 banks - I guess Kontakt is the alternative for 'bread and butter' instrument collecions.MMn I'm making myself hungry

[glokraw]

The Sampletank gui is great for creating multi's. Make some that you love easily, and replicate them in Kontakt, if you like the sounds better. The K6 gui to me, is a distraction compared to Sampletank for such creative tasks. But I love the non-bread & butter sounds in K6, and 3rd party collections, which are it's main selling point for many musicians.
Cheers

[daychase]

Well I've been casting around for alternatives to my old Sampletank 2 banks - I guess Kontakt is the alternative for 'bread and butter' instrument collecions.MMn I'm making myself hungry

Out of curiosity, have you looked at EastWest Goliath? It's a pretty old library now, but so are SampleTank 2 and Kontakt Factory Library. I believe it should also be upgraded to EastWest's Opus player if their website is any indication.

After backing my installed libraries up to a different drive in order to format the drive I had the SampleTank library installed on, I find myself facing the exact same kind of problem that machinesworking is experiencing.

And this is the only piece of software I've encountered where it fails to detect the content it's supposed to search for even when the path is clearly specified to it. Kontakt, various DAWs, they all have zero issue with this; it's just SampleTank in my experience.

I've decided to go through with the IK Multimedia support ticket process to see if they can figure this mess out for me, because I really shouldn't be the one to have to after paying for SampleTank - fingers crossed

[daychase]

Mostly what happens here is Sample Tank 4 cannot find libraries that are installed from about half of my installed IK libraries. I see the preset, click and it says files are missing. I go into ST4's library manager and the path is there, but no dice. This includes most all ST3 libraries, all but one Syntronic library, and a good portion of the extra content I got with their 25 for 1 sale. Their authorization system is hopelessly broken I guess, It's all authorized etc. I went rounds with tech support as well and in the end I think the only solution is a complete reinstall, which just sucks.

I got a response back from IK! What ended up working for me was to go into the Custom Shop application, press the arrow to the right of my username, select the "Restore My Purchases" option in the menu that shows up, and then open SampleTank and do a full rescan of my libraries. I hope that helps!

I'll admit, I'm honestly impressed with how the support staff handled it this time, although maybe this should be a given. I honestly just expected to have to wait a few weeks only to be told to purchase a download credit. There are still some issues I have with IK, but this doesn't seem to be one of them anymore.

Also, Xpand!2 is a decent and affordable alternative to bread-and-butter, ROMpler-esque samples for anyone who still needs one, come to think of it. I can't believe I failed to mention that before.

[Examigan]

I haven't had any issues with Sampletank 3 and then later upgrading to Total Studio 2 MAX (I didn't upgrade to v3 when it arrived). Like others mentioned here, my only gripe is I wish they wouldn't have every possible plugin in there as a demo version if you don't own a license. It's a bit confusing if you can't remember what plugin was in the deal/package you ended up buying. There are a tons of them in Total Studio 2 MAX (of course 3.5 has many more than that) , so maybe I will make cheatsheet for what I have and just print it out to keep near by.