KVR Audio

bigcat1969 · Post by **bigcat1969** » Sat Nov 21, 2015 4:58 pm

If you don't already have Ilok or vienna copy protection that is another question you need to consider. I got the free test of Eastwest and IMO Ilok significantly hurt my machine's performance. That is an advantage to Kontakt based instruments. not trying to start a fight, just an observation that invasive copy protection schemes can create problems and need to be considered.

murnau · Post by **murnau** » Sat Nov 21, 2015 5:02 pm

I have two ILOK and two eLic Dongles always in one active hub and never ever have a problem, really true.

bigcat1969 · Post by **bigcat1969** » Sat Nov 21, 2015 5:36 pm

Fair enough. It obviously doesn't cause problems for everyone.
My best buddy is the network admin tech type guy for a school and his comment when I tried to explain what I was trying uninstall which was roughly "What the #@^% did you do? I thought you knew better than to install a rootkit!" might be coloring my perspective.

softska · Post by **softska** » Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:08 pm

bigcat1969 wrote:I got the free test of Eastwest and IMO Ilok significantly hurt my machine's performance.

Probably more of Play engine than ilok. Maybe things had changed for the better since, but I watched too many sad students with their Play on an old macbook.

I know we're mostly talking sampler lib for DAW here, but if by chance the school isn't stuck on Finale (and if you aren't living in piano roll), Sibelius + Note performer interpretation is so damn good

http://www.noteperformer.com

nineofkings · Post by **nineofkings** » Sat Nov 21, 2015 9:52 pm

I have soft-iLok on my computer without any problems, so I don't think whatever FKA Synchrosoft is called now should cause massive issues

.

It looks like the majority opinion is "save up and get VSL." I'm in no hurry to purchase, but if there are intense Black Friday deals, we'll see. Getting Kontakt would be a pretty big strategic shift, it would enable me to pursue a lot more possibilities, but I don't know if that's what I need right now. Plus there's no way I could get Kontakt + a KH or KH-esque library for this price point.

The Composers Cloud makes sense financially assuming I use it for less than 10 months, but I'm kinda philosophically opposed to subscription-based software, mostly because of that caveat. I can see how that would be useful for single projects; if I were scoring a TV show, for example, and I only needed one or two pieces with an orchestra, I could get Composer's Cloud for a month or two and use what I need just for those cues for a ridiculously low price. But what if this is something I want to continue with? I'd prefer to own the software.

bigcat1969 · Post by **bigcat1969** » Sat Nov 21, 2015 10:40 pm

Agreed if I could do somethings over. I would not buy somethings I have and get VSL instead.

For the future If it still works and get Kontakt cheapish. Get free Drum'ica and install it and register it. This should make you eligible for the upgrade sale. Wait til the Summer and upgrade for $125 to $150 bucks.

jancivil · Post by **jancivil** » Sat Nov 21, 2015 11:30 pm

Play is not as efficient an engine as Kontakt, I would bet on this as a fact. The bigger the library the more this is going to count. iLok as the culprit seems very unlikely on a technical basis. The modus operandi of EWQL is demonstrably inferior as to keyswitching articulations - example Hollywood Strings - compare a well-made Kontakt library or particularly VSL. VSL as an virtual orchestra is just coherent. There are a couple of your more recent innovations that VSL has not followed but all in all as an initial 'investment' it's a basis to grow from. And their stuff is truly designed towards maximizing use of resources. I just find EWQL dodgy, with hasty decisions and a lack of a cohesiveness or overview, especially given their position and longevity in the marketplace.

jancivil · Post by **jancivil** » Sat Nov 21, 2015 11:35 pm

I believe in 'buy wise or buy twice' as near axiomatic.

SampleScience · Post by **SampleScience** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 1:17 pm

flugel45 wrote:Since you're already familiar with VSL libs, this might be worth a look (although I don't know how the sum total of these sections compares with the VSL SE1 collection you're already considering).

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 3&t=450884

Personally, I don't think you can go wrong with the VSL SE1.

You might also want to consider getting Miroslav Philharmonic v1 (Can be had really cheaply nowadays - on sale, or secondhand in the marketplace). While it wouldn't be my first choice for an all-in-one orchestral lib/inst, as a supplement to one of the other libraries (ie. VSL SE1), it would add a ton of usable sounds and expand your orchestral palette greatly, especially in some key areas (choirs, for example). It was going for something like $42 in one sale this past summer. Now that Miroslav v2 has been announced, I wouldn't be surprised if v1 got "blown out" cheaply again for Black Friday.

Totally agree about Miroslav Philharmonic v1, I bought it at 49$ a couple of weeks ago and for the price I can't complaint. In fact, I'm already producing commercial music with it (library music) and got great feedback about it so far.

soundbylaura · Post by **soundbylaura** » Sun Nov 22, 2015 1:22 pm

Forgot to mention, there is a student-priced version of Composers Cloud. I understand it's not for everyone but here's the info anyway.

"ComposerCloud Student is a monthly or yearly plan for students and teachers, renewed automatically unless you cancel before the end of your subscription period and costs US$14.99 per month or US$161.89 per year (plus tax where applicable), and gives members instant access to 7 products of your choice in ComposerCloud."

nineofkings · Post by **nineofkings** » Wed Nov 25, 2015 6:36 pm

I was afraid this would happen: Black Friday sale of Sonivox Film Score Companion for under $100. Some of the demos sound fantastic.

filkertom · Post by **filkertom** » Wed Nov 25, 2015 7:04 pm

nineofkings wrote:I was afraid this would happen: Black Friday sale of Sonivox Film Score Companion for under $100. Some of the demos sound fantastic.

Where? Not obvious on the product page. And their main page links to a Plugin Boutique "sale", where the Companion is the same as on Sonivox, $299.

nineofkings · Post by **nineofkings** » Wed Nov 25, 2015 8:03 pm

It starts Friday. Advertised on KVRDeals

murnau · Post by **murnau** » Wed Nov 25, 2015 9:04 pm

filkertom wrote:
nineofkings wrote:I was afraid this would happen: Black Friday sale of Sonivox Film Score Companion for under $100. Some of the demos sound fantastic.
Where? Not obvious on the product page. And their main page links to a Plugin Boutique "sale", where the Companion is the same as on Sonivox, $299.

This can't compete with VSL SE. Why you would buy a mediocre sounding library like this? Better buy a pro basic lib and move to the additional libraries if you feel the need for as to waste your money for a non expandable GM library.

JonSolo · Post by **JonSolo** » Wed Nov 25, 2015 9:12 pm

I'll second that comment.

VSL and EWQL are tops. Spitfire offers some great stuff but may be out of budget. Most other libraries are "ok" but lack the richness offered by the aforementioned.

At the very least, demo the Composer Cloud. If you are looking for inexpensive it runs about $300 per year...and what you get FAR outweighs most libraries in general, more or less an orchestral library. VSL would be the quick fix solution if I "needed" to own the collection.

Or save another $300 and own EWQL Hollywood Diamond complete.

Sufficient Orchestral Library for <$300?