"Does half the price again to use the exact same samples on a different platform seem a bit steep to anyone?"
PA] No, not really. First, as you noted, Lee, you ARE getting two complete versions, with the second going for half-price. That's a total of 180GB.
"Wouldn't it be nicer if VSL was available in Intakt or Mach 5 format so it would be crossplatform, and usable in different contexts, without having to pay large, additional fees? "
PA] It would be nice, except those programs weren't really "around" when this project got going. At that time, GigaStudio had eclipsed the E4 as the leading sampler (try doing this library in a 128MB of RAM - how many E4s did you say?). It is STILL the dominant selling program. I can't speak for VSL, but I know the other programs aren't ready yet for this library. I do know that other formats are planned for. And as announced in one thread here, a VSL customer ably imported it into the current version of HALion with minor editing changes. So you do have the "Kontakt" option, except that Logic only supports audio units, and not the VST Plug-ins folder.
"I realize that it took significant effort to port VSL to EXS24, but it seems like a real penalty for going this route. EWQLSO, for instance, will play on either platform with no extra charge. "
PA] This is apples and oranges. The design and implementation concept behind the two programs is totally different.
"On top of that, EWQLSO doesn't require spending $699.99 (list) to buy GigaStudio 160 in the first place, "
PA] Tascam set set the price (for the first copy), and second, there are dealers here like myself who have it available at MAP pricing. Third, this is a design factor. NI makes software instruments that are first plug-ins and second, to a lesser extent, free standing. There have been NO announcements yet as to how many instances an EW/QLSO module can be opened on a PC or a Mac.
And that reminds me, it sounds like you're on a Mac. So to get the most out of EW/QLSO, Mac or PC, you must have at least one more machine, and in a public forum, it was announced that the dream machine (which we have available at www.truespec.com) is a 4GB system and you need three of them. That's three computers, three audio cards, three MIDI interfaces for each computer and matching MIDI interfaces on the Mac to control the MIDI send from the host computer.
If you're going to do the math, let's do all the math so we can see the complete picture. That's only fair.
"and it's 24 bits out of the gate (not 16), with more polyphony (on a powerful machine, of course). "
PA] That's a Tascam issue.
"Again, I realize that it's a significant effort and cost for VSL to develop for two platforms rather than one, but it's VSL's choice to do it this way, not ours. "
PA] Well, it IS a significant cost to develop two programs at once. But you're missing a major historical fact. On June 30, 2002, the EXS 24 existed on the PC. On July 1, 2002, it no longer existed on the PC with over 1/3 its user base dismissed. To his credit, Herb finished the project. And as a dealer for Herb. we're all hoping Mr. Jobs is selling as much as is hoped for and was promised. So what we have is a one platform sampler that only works as a plug-in. That call goes to Sven Kindel at Emagic and Steve Jobs at Apple.
http://www.emagic.de/company/contact/index.php?lang=EN
"As much as I like EXS24, I would prefer to see VSL move to a single release in a bundled format that's cross platform, and usable as either a stand alone application, or as a plug-in to a digital audio sequencer."
PA] It WAS cross platform until July 1. Right now, it's up to Apple/Emagic to design the EXS24 so that it can work as a free standing program. However, Lee, you keep omitting in your wish list that you need a second computer. The Mac's RAM will run out, so you need a second or third system anyway.
"At half again the initial purchase price, I believe I'll pass on the side license in favor of investing that money in other library products."
PA] On one hand, I think is a valid conclusion, but the problem is not VSL. Tascam is over a year late for 3.0, and on July 2, there was no PC version of the EXS 24. None of us know what was promised to VSL about the EXS24 and where it's development was going. Even so, at the time of VSL's release, EXS was one platform/plug in use and Giga was/is one platform, multiple systems possibly required. It is also a fact that if tomorrow, Apple announced a stand alone version of the EXS24, you'd still need multiple machines.
If you've followed my posts here, you know that normally, I very rarely respond to these kinds of comments. And I don't want you to feel "put down" or "picked on". But what I'm reacting adversely to is the concept of this word that runs throughout your post: should've.
They "should've" done this, and they "should've" done that. That's unfair.
That EXS24 users are limited to a single machine right now is Apple's fault, not VSL's. So if you're going to point fingers, let's aim to the correct part of the globe. Tell Sven and Steve Jobs how you feel about them costing you an extra fee. Had you considered this to be an act of graciousness on VSL's part to even HAVE a side license, since Apple/Emagic confined you to the single system and not VSL ?
My goodness, you're getting a second, COMPLETE library for half price.
In the word's of Charlie Brown, "Good Grief!"
Peter Alexander
peter@truesepc.com
www.truespec.com
310-559-3779
PA] No, not really. First, as you noted, Lee, you ARE getting two complete versions, with the second going for half-price. That's a total of 180GB.
"Wouldn't it be nicer if VSL was available in Intakt or Mach 5 format so it would be crossplatform, and usable in different contexts, without having to pay large, additional fees? "
PA] It would be nice, except those programs weren't really "around" when this project got going. At that time, GigaStudio had eclipsed the E4 as the leading sampler (try doing this library in a 128MB of RAM - how many E4s did you say?). It is STILL the dominant selling program. I can't speak for VSL, but I know the other programs aren't ready yet for this library. I do know that other formats are planned for. And as announced in one thread here, a VSL customer ably imported it into the current version of HALion with minor editing changes. So you do have the "Kontakt" option, except that Logic only supports audio units, and not the VST Plug-ins folder.
"I realize that it took significant effort to port VSL to EXS24, but it seems like a real penalty for going this route. EWQLSO, for instance, will play on either platform with no extra charge. "
PA] This is apples and oranges. The design and implementation concept behind the two programs is totally different.
"On top of that, EWQLSO doesn't require spending $699.99 (list) to buy GigaStudio 160 in the first place, "
PA] Tascam set set the price (for the first copy), and second, there are dealers here like myself who have it available at MAP pricing. Third, this is a design factor. NI makes software instruments that are first plug-ins and second, to a lesser extent, free standing. There have been NO announcements yet as to how many instances an EW/QLSO module can be opened on a PC or a Mac.
And that reminds me, it sounds like you're on a Mac. So to get the most out of EW/QLSO, Mac or PC, you must have at least one more machine, and in a public forum, it was announced that the dream machine (which we have available at www.truespec.com) is a 4GB system and you need three of them. That's three computers, three audio cards, three MIDI interfaces for each computer and matching MIDI interfaces on the Mac to control the MIDI send from the host computer.
If you're going to do the math, let's do all the math so we can see the complete picture. That's only fair.
"and it's 24 bits out of the gate (not 16), with more polyphony (on a powerful machine, of course). "
PA] That's a Tascam issue.
"Again, I realize that it's a significant effort and cost for VSL to develop for two platforms rather than one, but it's VSL's choice to do it this way, not ours. "
PA] Well, it IS a significant cost to develop two programs at once. But you're missing a major historical fact. On June 30, 2002, the EXS 24 existed on the PC. On July 1, 2002, it no longer existed on the PC with over 1/3 its user base dismissed. To his credit, Herb finished the project. And as a dealer for Herb. we're all hoping Mr. Jobs is selling as much as is hoped for and was promised. So what we have is a one platform sampler that only works as a plug-in. That call goes to Sven Kindel at Emagic and Steve Jobs at Apple.
http://www.emagic.de/company/contact/index.php?lang=EN
"As much as I like EXS24, I would prefer to see VSL move to a single release in a bundled format that's cross platform, and usable as either a stand alone application, or as a plug-in to a digital audio sequencer."
PA] It WAS cross platform until July 1. Right now, it's up to Apple/Emagic to design the EXS24 so that it can work as a free standing program. However, Lee, you keep omitting in your wish list that you need a second computer. The Mac's RAM will run out, so you need a second or third system anyway.
"At half again the initial purchase price, I believe I'll pass on the side license in favor of investing that money in other library products."
PA] On one hand, I think is a valid conclusion, but the problem is not VSL. Tascam is over a year late for 3.0, and on July 2, there was no PC version of the EXS 24. None of us know what was promised to VSL about the EXS24 and where it's development was going. Even so, at the time of VSL's release, EXS was one platform/plug in use and Giga was/is one platform, multiple systems possibly required. It is also a fact that if tomorrow, Apple announced a stand alone version of the EXS24, you'd still need multiple machines.
If you've followed my posts here, you know that normally, I very rarely respond to these kinds of comments. And I don't want you to feel "put down" or "picked on". But what I'm reacting adversely to is the concept of this word that runs throughout your post: should've.
They "should've" done this, and they "should've" done that. That's unfair.
That EXS24 users are limited to a single machine right now is Apple's fault, not VSL's. So if you're going to point fingers, let's aim to the correct part of the globe. Tell Sven and Steve Jobs how you feel about them costing you an extra fee. Had you considered this to be an act of graciousness on VSL's part to even HAVE a side license, since Apple/Emagic confined you to the single system and not VSL ?
My goodness, you're getting a second, COMPLETE library for half price.
In the word's of Charlie Brown, "Good Grief!"
Peter Alexander
peter@truesepc.com
www.truespec.com
310-559-3779
