SS2 and Sample Tank purchase

[sax_fan]

Hi all,

I'm thinking about buying SS2 and ST2 and could use some input from users as to whether this makes sense for me. I use (and am new to) Sonar (and Band In a Box for fun) and the only sounds I am using currently are those in the edirol plug in -- I also have Reason Adapted that I have played around with. So, clearly, I need some sounds. I am not, however, an accomplished piano player. I play woodwinds, but I do have some, but a limited, facility with keyboard. I am also new to the world of sequencing. I'm interested in playing/recording jazz and pop music.

As I'm relatively new to all of this I'm still trying to decide from the millions of products out there.

I know you guys are probably all very biased towards SS2 and ST2, but perhaps you could also give me some idea as to whether these compete with or are complimentary to something like Kontakt or Kompakt. I've also heard a lot about these.

Any and all opinions and/or advice are greatly appreciated.

[Squids]

Well, the Saxes in particular are fantastic! I'll let some users answer this one for you. But, you might want to make your decision quick enough to get in on the bundle on www.esoundz.com of the two of them. It is a temporary offer that was part of a Group Buy deal. Anyway, the offer ends early this week.

Good luck! Go to esoundz and pick up a lot of info there in the meantime. It was also reviewed in the May issue of Keyboard magazine. It won the Key Buy award. Even this month they review Colossus which is a Kompakt module and they say that Sonik Synth 2 beats it in many ways. Not that this is the only opinion you should take but Craig Anderton is pretty high up on the respected writers list I think.

[Tritonman1]

I'm a Sonar user as well and bought the bundle pack..I recently sold my Korg Triton Studio 88 key and went the full midi route and was looking for a comprehensive sound pack.

I couldnt ask for a more complete sound pack from both applications. You will have access to thousands of sounds at your disposal. I suggest you view these videos at the link below which are a good demonstration of ST2 and its powerful engine. compile SS2 on that and you are a virtual studio in sonar.

http://www.sampletank.com/STDemoVideoST2.html

Im a new customer so my opinion is completely unbiased. Plus i have been browsing these forums pre-purchase and the customer support and service is impeccible along with the customer group support from other SS2 and ST2 users.

[Squids]

Whose the fool? The fool or the fool who follows?

Both are fools. But, I think the quote was "Who is more a fool?" which in that case would be the fool that follows.

Thanks for the kind words btw.

[harmony gardens]

I stand by my enthusiastic bias,,, lol. Follow me fools, and we will stand on the mountain top together. Why would anyone want to stand on the summit of a mountain, huh? LOL

Sampletank 2 and Sonik Synth 2 are hands down the BEST purchases I've made for sounds. My personal bias is based on being a keyboard player/recording enthusiast for 40 years, and buying product after product over the years. The VFM factor of these packages exceed anything I've purchased.

Case in point, a previous favorite purchase was the Alesis SR. I got 640 nice sounds in a rack mount unit for around $700 about 10 years ago. Sound upgrade cards were around $75. For a little over half that price I got around 7,500 better sounds with a free sound upgrade to arrive soon.

I'm an esoundz fanboy, true, but it's not blind following. It's based on my expirience. Squids is very elequent and convincing in his posts, but I've found every word he's written to be right on. I don't work for esoundz, so I have no stake in what I say, other than the truth (in my opinion), and a few epointz I get from people using me as a referrer.

[progfusion74]

Getting the two together is preferable IMO, since you get the flexibility (and sounds) of the ST2 engine, with the wonderful SS2 library. Plus you can mix and match SS2 sounds with SS1 sounds, ST2 sounds and any others you deem fit

[telebunke]

OK, so let me add something from my side. I ordered SS2 and ST2 and don't have it yet.
I ordered them because I want a rich choice of sounds. Even though, I already have Hypersonic, which offers about 1000 patches (500 sounds), I wanted more. Too often that I didn't find a sound that I wanted right now.
That said, SS2 and ST2 offer a mutitude of sounds (is it 7500?), which increases my choice sooo much.
If I was starting out today, not having anything yet, I'd surely go for the Sonic Tank bundle, because it offers a lot of value for the money.
http://www.esoundz.com/details/viewDeta ... ductID=490

- SampleTank 2L (uograde to ST2XL possible
- Sonik Synth 2
- AmpliTube
- Choose your own Expansion sound

All that for $320? Almost ridiculous.

You are invited to refer to user telebunke, when buing it - that'll give us both $5 epointz credit.

tele

[sax_fan]

Thanks everyone. Assuming I go ahead and get the Group Buy Bundle, any suggestions for which expansion pack to go for (or the capsule).

[harmony gardens]

Any of them is a great choice. Think about what your focus is,,, That said, the Strings Capsule is probably my favorite. It's the biggest seller. You get a rediculous number of sounds with that deal, but you'll want more.