Orchestral Libraries...

[DevonB]

Have you checked http://www.projectsam.com/libraries.html ?

Don't know if it's phrase sampled ...

They aren't phrases, and I have Horns and Bones. They are truely excellent. Ok, the clusters are 'phrases' I suppose, but that's it. It does have some interval work, but once you play the mod wheel sustain patches...

Devon

[beatles1970]

I bought the Papelmedia SF2 also. Great samples; Disappointing library. Many instruments are clumsily looped; some instruments (e.g., flute) are not looped at all. Unless you're buying it for the samples, I would avoid it.

[Rellik]

Since you original mentioned that you're considering SampleTank 2XL or an expansion pack, here are two pieces I've done; one uses SampleTank2XL exclusively, the other uses EWQLSO Silver exclusively. You can see that ST2XL is able to create quite reasonable orchestral pieces. You'll also see that EWQLSO Silver is a very warm lush, full sounding orchestral library.

SampleTank 2XL

EWQLSO Silver

I guess it comes down to budget and what sort of sound you want to get. We are spoilt by choice these days though.

Honestly, the ST2XL one doesn't sound "quite reasonable" to me. I don't mean that it's a bad piece, but its realism factor is terrible, and synthiness abounds. It would have sounded far worse than this, though, if the ensemble you chose for the piece had not been so complimentary with ST2XL's strong-suits - the legato strings are where it really excels in the orchestral department, and it has a few patches that have some nice short, clear, although slightly shrimpy, brass.

By the way, in answer to the question, keep an eye out for IK's Philharmonik. We'll see when it comes out, but I have some confindence that it will kick QLSO Gold's butt, for only a slightly greater price than Gold's group buy - only time will tell though.

[FlounderEye]

By the way, in answer to the question, keep an eye out for IK's Philharmonik. We'll see when it comes out, but I have some confindence that it will kick QLSO Gold's butt, for only a slightly greater price than Gold's group buy - only time will tell though.

Is that opinion based on your experience with the Miroslav Vitous library they're using? I've heard good things about it. Is it capable of generating realistic performances like the EWQLSO series?

Speaking of IK's Philharmonik: does anyone know if current Sampletank users will be able to get a crossgrade price?

[Rellik]

By the way, in answer to the question, keep an eye out for IK's Philharmonik. We'll see when it comes out, but I have some confindence that it will kick QLSO Gold's butt, for only a slightly greater price than Gold's group buy - only time will tell though.

Is that opinion based on your experience with the Miroslav Vitous library they're using? I've heard good things about it. Is it capable of generating realistic performances like the EWQLSO series?

Speaking of IK's Philharmonik: does anyone know if current Sampletank users will be able to get a crossgrade price?

I certainly hope so, about the crossgrade thing. If ST2 -> SS2 gets it, why not ST2 -> Philharmonik? Maybe there's some reason, but I don't know why that would be.

I haven't used Miroslav, just going by the demos, which sound great. Honestly, I'm also going substantially by the IK-generated hype, because I'd rather go with the hype and be disappointed (not after having made the purchase, of course, just disappointed that it's not as great as I had hoped) than be a skeptic and say it won't be any good - because honestly, if Philharmonik is as good as they say it is, I'm going to be very happy, even despite the large price I'll still be able to get it eventually at some point.

My impression is that it is a full-featured fully-fleshed-out orchestral package, like the QLSO series, and should be capable of doing the same sorts of ensembles, and others, realistically. If I'm wrong I'll be pretty sad

[zircon]

Erm.. Miroslav is not necessarily better than QLSO Gold. It has less content, fewer articulations, and older recordings (etc). I'm sure it's going to be great, but there's nothing about it that would indicate to me that it would be automatically better than Gold.

[Rellik]

Then why would it sell for more than Gold's group-buy-time price? If it's not better than it, that seems like a pretty big mistake to me.

Remember, Philharmonik contains much more than Miroslav contained in the past. I have no way of comparing them, since I don't own Philharmonik, and I don't own Gold, but it will be interesting to see.

I dont think it's "automatically" better than Gold, they will both obviously have their strengths and weaknesses. Big strength for Miroslav: dry samples. I assume. Uh oh, I haven't seen anywhere that the samples actually ARE dry - I hope they are. Anyway, I wouldn't really say that Miroslav has less content than Gold. From what I've read, they seem about equivalent - Miroslav is just much more stingy on the gigabytes, reutilizing the same sample for multiple things, which I honestly have no real problem with. I have my doubts about Philharmonik, believe you me - but we will all have to see when the time comes.

[Herman Witkam]

Then why would it sell for more than Gold's group-buy-time price? If it's not better than it, that seems like a pretty big mistake to me.

Well, you know how much the whole Miroslav package costs. At a European reseller it's 3390 € for the whole package, and I guess in its current state it's not worth more than a tenth of that price.

[Lawnmower Of The Damned]

You can't judge quality by price. You'll get burned every damn day of the week if you make quality assessments based largely on price.

I'm not saying that a Porsche isn't nicer than a Kia, because it obviously is. However, it's not the Porsche's high price tag that makes it better. Nor does a Kia's low price tag make it a better car.

The libraries are what they are (Or will be what they will be, I guess) and only the sounds will tell us which one is truly better, and I haven't heard any of those yet. Have you?