Nestor wrote:If I’m wrong, I would be extremely surprised at the reasons given. There are even free sample players that would work faster, better and more reliably than any STS does. I loved it much, but its time I think, it’s well over.
Well, the answer is quite "simple" ...
I mentioned in another tread already but cannot find it ATM,-
WHEN you are old enough and own the original hardware incl. all the sample libraries,- and in my case that´s still 1 S-1000 and 2 S-1100 as well as a EMU E64 samplers and 2 Oberheim DPX-1 (sample players) and own at least 1 SCOPE PCI card or/and XITE-1 as well (I own both too), you´ll recognize the STS samplers sound excellent compared to the original hardware and not enough, the filters in STS sound much better than any filter in AKAI hardware samplers.
Kontakt ...
I own Komplete 7 ...
I imported countless sample CDs into Halion and Kontakt using CDXtract,- the almost complete EMU EIII library too,- and I have all these EII "Universe of Sounds" and factory stuff left ...
The AKAI library sounds mediocre in Kontakt when format converted,- but not in STS since it loads AKAI sample CDs.
According to EMU,- I´d wish we had direct import into STS, but also EMU import into Kontakt is mediocre,- and more than AKAI is.
Don´t forget,- when converting sample formats and program parameters, that´s the digital info only.
The sound of the hardware isn´t included and that´s SSM/CEM, AKAI / Roland and EMU (Z-Plane) filters and VCAs, sometimes also discrete design using OTAs ...
Its´s absolutely the same like it is w/ vintage synths.
Now don´t think I´m a purist ... at least I WAS a pro for about 40 years and used what was available in new technology when I was able to afford it.
I take what works and when I was touring, I urgently NEEDED gear that works.
Now you might come up and say, "who needs those old sample libraries anyway ?" and "all these gigabyte Kontakt libraries are awesome".
And I say: "Yes, they are awesome but every idiot buys these libraries and all use ´em and sound the same while going different ways is already fresh again and one of these ways is using the old libraries which were good enough creating tons of millionseller hits as also esoteric artwork in the past and still can.
It´s all about how you or any other user prefers to use samples in his composition/arrangements.
OTOH, I agree on realistic samples of acoustic instruments like orchestra, guitar and piano work (but don´t sound) better in Kontakt,- up to now !
But there´s also Kurzweil offering very usable orchestral library stuff in hardware instruments using small ROM size (PC3 series) and latest FORTE series which streams from about 3 gigabytes of flash memory while booting in only a few seconds vs. the KORG Kronos running Linux; WINE and native VSTis.
Who tells us when STS sampler(s) will be upgraded, what features we´ll see then ?
The sound is great already ... but maybe it will stream from disc in future too,- who knows ?
So, I don´t prefer using samples for synth sounds ´cause my preference is hardware synths followed by SCOPE DSP and the there are a few native VSTis l use too.
Most VSTis I check out I leave behind very quick.
I also hate the hunt after the latest and greatest as also fastest computer all the time just only because band limited OSCs and zero feedback filters in native software eat CPU at breakfast.
But there are a lot of noises and sampled instruments quite usable in pro productions even they are 16Bit/44.1K and sample length is "short" (which is in deed relative).
When I look at the legendary Clavia Nord DDrum III drum sampler, which I loved a lot,- that was all AKAI S1000/3000 format samples and there was much more excellent stuff out there you might look for in vain in today´s gigabyte sample library djungle.
That said,- I like to own and use ALL and for what it does best,- the original hardware as long as it lives, the STS and Kontakt too.
But Kontakt will never sound like the original hardware or STS,- and I dislike I have to upgrade computers and OS all the time for Kontakt or other apps,- so it might be the 1st item I give up SOON.
I really hate that native software business, you know,- and I´m sure I´m not alone.
In fact I think about buying a hardware recorder in addition to SCOPE and leave the native DAW route almost completely.
I come from times we recorded to tape w/ all it´s limited editing capabilities.
I practise my parts when I´m unable to do it in a one-take, then record.
Not much editing needed ...
Well, that´s why I appreciate the release of SCOPE v7 so much, even it´s "only" the beginning and there are bugfixes waiting.
I´m pretty sure it will move on faster now.
I hoped for SCOPE 6 and when it was abandoned, I still hoped for v7 but thought it will never come anymore.
Big "hats off" for the S|C enthusiastic team,- they did it !
And now, I believe we´ll see most stuff included in SCOPE also working in 64Bit next future too,- w/ "
all" the advantage 64Bit offers for a sampler,-
which is nothing more than adressing more memory and eventually stream from disc.
Bud