Quantum leap East West samples your opinions?

[Musicman2008]

Quantum leap is having a sale where you buy 1 library you get 1 free .

Not all libraries are included in this deal but the 2 I might want to look into are Colossus and Ministry of rock.
I want Goliath but it is not part of this 2 for 1 deal, I will upgrade to Goliath in the future though.
I am new to sample Libraries.
I have been using a Motif Es 6 to compose the last couple of years but now I want something that sounds like the real deal.
I am also upgrading my computer to a Mac pro 2.8 8 core with RAM that I will upgrade to run these samples.

I produce rock and pop music. I play piano keyboard and guitar and bass. I want samples that sound realistic for strings, pianos, guitars, drums and bass. I want to fool people into thinking its a real band. Can I do it with these libraries.

Colossus is $595 so for $595 I get Colossus and Ministry of rock is this a good deal and then I will upgrade to Goliath.

Have you used these samples in the rock pop genre?
Are there any other samples libraries for this genre that I should also look at?
What are your opinions?

Thank you in advance.

[djwayne]

I had EWQL Symphonic Orchestra Silver, and liked it so much I upgraded to the Gold Complete package. I found the samples to sound better than expected, very realistic and very usable. The whole package worked out very well for me, and have had no problems with service. They even have a web page where you can talk with the developers and other users.

Getting their programs during a sale is the way to go and this particular sale sounds pretty good to me. I don't have any experience with the programs you mentioned, but I have heard nothing but good things about them, so I'll give it a thumbs up.

Is it a good deal ?? I think $300 for each program is a very good deal...compare them to outboard hardware sound modules like the Roland 1080 at $1,100 new...and you'll see it's a very good deal.

[Windshore]

careful though their stuff has been on a lot of forums for compatibility issues. They're moving away from Kontact Player to their own player and so they aren't updating the old, and the new is very buggy..... look around before you leap. That's why there's a sale.

[djwayne]

I like the old Kompackt player because it has no dongle.

Yes, be sure you read and understand the system requirements beforehand.

[DarkEcho]

Yeah, I am currently stuck with the Hardcorebass library not working, even in Kontakt 3 --which I got specifically because their own players arent working. Nothing works or it's half working...

Beware until they fix this!!!! I'm Steamed!

[musikwerks]

This is only my opinion.... but I have purchased a heap of their stuff so feel somewhat qualified to comment.

East West are just trying to move old stock. They say the PLAY upgrades are coming but... so is christmas. I bought a swag of them under a similar deal and now I have a bunch of them for sale or sold because I got tired of waiting.

If you have Intel Mac stay faaaaaar away from any non PLAY East West samples. Which is basically their entire catalogue except for 5 or 6 titles.

Anyone want to buy Ra, Collossus, Symphonic Choirs or Platinum Symphony then drop me a line. We can work out a deal.

[djwayne]

You might want to check this, but I don't think any of the East West stuff is transferable, legally.

[musikwerks]

None of mine are registered or installed so I'm good.

[elambo]

Originally Posted by djwayne

I like the old Kompackt player because it has no dongle.

Yes, be sure you read and understand the system requirements beforehand.

So the new PLAY version WILL use a dongle?

[Alndln]

Originally Posted by Musicman2008

I want samples that sound realistic for strings, pianos, guitars, drums and bass.

I really like some of their stuff, especially the exotic stuff, but I was never happy with any of their drum kit and bass offerings. They weren't bad but I personally think that Spectrasonics Trilogy(Bass module) and either Toontrak or FXPansion for drums pretty much kills East/West in those categories at least. I like some of their percussion stuff like Storm Drum and Percussive Adventures though.

[musikwerks]

Originally Posted by elambo

So the new PLAY version WILL use a dongle?

yep... ilok.

[Arcana]

I love East west/Quantum leap's stuff.

I just got Ministry of Rock yesterday - haven't tried it much yet as it took 2 hours to install - at 18 GB. There's only a handful of drumkits, basses and guitars, but they sound terrific.
I'll be getting Voices of passion as the freebie. Can't wait to my own Lisa Gerrard on the HD

I've also got RA which is a great ethnic library and EWQLSO Silver which I must admit I haven't used much but that's probably because I realised I haven't got a clue regarding orchestral music.

Judging from the demos Collosus sounds very good as well. It's not a library I would get but it's good if you haven't got any libraries and are looking for an all round library.

[terminal3]

I picked up Symphonic Choirs and I'm sending away for Ra. They've said those two will be migrated to PLAY eventually so they'll work on my intel mac, but in the meantime I might actually pick up a seperate PC to run them on just for the sheer power.

[djwayne]

Originally Posted by elambo

So the new PLAY version WILL use a dongle?

Yep, that's one reason I wanted to buy Gold Complete right away, I don't want any dongles. EW insists that dongles are necessary to fight piracy.

[Roger Starr]

Why Collossus? Goliath is around E500,- which contains Collossus as well some extra very good stuff. Don't know if it is performing well tho'.

BTW, I have a PIV3,2GHZ with 2GHZ RAM, would that be good enough for Goliath?

Regards,

Roger

[terminal3]

Originally Posted by Roger Starr

Why Collossus? Goliath is around E500,- which contains Collossus as well some extra very good stuff. Don't know if it is performing well tho'.

Goliath isn't included in the 2 for 1 offer...

[Roger Starr]

Originally Posted by terminal3

Goliath isn't included in the 2 for 1 offer...

Ah, I see.

BTW, I have a PIV3,2GHZ with 2GHZ RAM, would that be good enough for Goliath?

Regards,

Roger

[Spec]

the real problem with their orchestral stuff (and i bet some of the other libraries as well) is that it is made to play as is -straight out of the box - comes with natural reverb already on the sample. great for quick and simple projects. however if the reverb on the sample does not fit your project you are in trouble.

e.g. to get a close mic position in the orcherstral stuff you have to buy the plantinum package and that is not cheap even in the sale they had end of last year.

that said i am v. keen to hear their new piano library just released. 4 X pianos and about 250 gig in total. i have heard the steinway is excellent.

spek

[Tui]

Originally Posted by musikwerks

If you have Intel Mac stay faaaaaar away from any non PLAY East West samples. Which is basically their entire catalogue except for 5 or 6 titles.

I'm not sure what you mean. I use RA every day in Kontakt 2 on a Mac Pro and MacBook Pro. Works brilliantly (and sounds even better). Am I just lucky?

The new Play engine is obviously easier to use than Kontakt, although Play has certain limitations, such as tuning of individual samples, which it can't do. I also use Play with SD2, and it has been quite stable so far.

[statikcat]

I like East West stuff but be warmed Colossus is sub par. The orchestra section is garbage. its basically "decent" everything. YOu are better off buying specific libraries at a time unfortunately. Everything else they make I have used or heard sounds amazing.. but Colossus was a big let down. The new Goliath is probably a better option I think it is an updated version of Colossus.

[musikwerks]

no, Goliath is pretty un-inspiring as well.

[celticrogues]

Hey all,
So noob question about this: I own Sibelius 5, which comes with the Kontakt Player 2. Would this work for playing the EWQLSO libraries on my Intel Mac (the website just says I need Kontakt 2.2 or later), or would I still need to buy the full version of Kontakt in order for it to work. I don't really care if I can't get in and tweak tiny little details and stuff, I just want it to work

Thanks!
-Mike

[MrTom]

Originally Posted by musikwerks

This is only my opinion.... but I have purchased a heap of their stuff so feel somewhat qualified to comment.

East West are just trying to move old stock. They say the PLAY upgrades are coming but... so is christmas. I bought a swag of them under a similar deal and now I have a bunch of them for sale or sold because I got tired of waiting.

If you have Intel Mac stay faaaaaar away from any non PLAY East West samples. Which is basically their entire catalogue except for 5 or 6 titles.

Anyone want to buy Ra, Collossus, Symphonic Choirs or Platinum Symphony then drop me a line. We can work out a deal.

How could you sell them? They told me it is not be possible to sell their
software, regardless if it is working or not.

[daeschner]

if i bought an external hard drive to put QL piano, would a usb or firewire be fast enough to transfer the data?

i have core 2 duo 2.5 / 3G ram / vista 32

[cane creek]

Im interested in buying Voices of passion & Gypsy , does anybody know if these librarys will work ok with Mac pro/Leopard/Logic 8 ?

[terminal3]

Originally Posted by cane creek

Im interested in buying Voices of passion & Gypsy , does anybody know if these librarys will work ok with Mac pro/Leopard/Logic 8 ?

they should, they both use the PLAY engine.

[celticrogues]

Originally Posted by celticrogues

Hey all,
So noob question about this: I own Sibelius 5, which comes with the Kontakt Player 2. Would this work for playing the EWQLSO libraries on my Intel Mac (the website just says I need Kontakt 2.2 or later), or would I still need to buy the full version of Kontakt in order for it to work. I don't really care if I can't get in and tweak tiny little details and stuff, I just want it to work

Thanks!
-Mike

Anyone know about this?

-Mike

[jdvmi]

Originally Posted by celticrogues

Anyone know about this?

-Mike

I think it will work. EWQLSO comes with it's own kontakt player or you can always use Kontakt 2.2 or higher.

[Tui]

Originally Posted by celticrogues

Hey all,
So noob question about this: I own Sibelius 5, which comes with the Kontakt Player 2. Would this work for playing the EWQLSO libraries on my Intel Mac (the website just says I need Kontakt 2.2 or later), or would I still need to buy the full version of Kontakt in order for it to work. I don't really care if I can't get in and tweak tiny little details and stuff, I just want it to work

Thanks!
-Mike

I use RA in Kontakt 2.2 on an Intel Mac. Works perfectly.

[reid]

Originally Posted by Arcana

I'll be getting Voices of passion as the freebie. Can't wait to my own Lisa Gerrard on the HD

Don't count on it.

Voices of Passion is a big disappointment for me - I was expecting (hoping) for a Gerrard sound-a-like and some super evocative 'Voix de Bulgare' eastern european quater tone singing. Somewhere along the line things got messed up and I got the tribute band version of Lisa Gerrard (too much predictable vibrato and a real absence of emotion or energy) and a singer who sounds like she might know where to find Bulgaria on a map, but hasn't ever actually been there (let alone have been born, bred, taught and steeped in centuries of Bulgarian singing tradition).

Not one of East West's finer moments.....