Sonik Synth and Sample Tank

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sax_fan
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2005/06/03 16:46:56 (permalink)

Sonik Synth and Sample Tank

Hi everyone.

I'm new to Sonar and to the forum. I have seen a number of posts about Sonik Synth 2 and Sample Tank 2 and was just trying to decide if they are the right products for me. I play around with keyboard -- meaning I have some facility, but it is not my primary instrument. I generally am into more mainstream music (e.g., Jazz and pop rather than techno, trance, etc.). I am just getting into recording (although I have been playing music for sometime) and am not terribly interested in sound creation. I'm just looking for a good set of inspiring sounds and ease of use. I love music, but the recording is definitely a hobby for me, not my profession (although I can always dream). I don't have any sounds currently except the Sonar plugins.

My PC is a 3.0 GHZ Pentium 4 with 1 Gig of Ram and a 250 MB hard drive. It currently has the stock audigy 2 sound card in it -- upgrade to come, I hope.

Hopefully this gives you enough information about me and what I am doing. With that in mind, are these good products? Are there perhaps better choices? Perhaps I should look at hardware?

Your thoughts are appreciated.

Thanks in advance

SF
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10 Replies Related Threads

    bbarnes
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    RE: Sonik Synth and Sample Tank 2005/06/03 17:20:37 (permalink)
    I got sonic synth 1 and sampletank 2 LE a while back in a group buy. The sounds are awesome. Lots of sounds to choose from so you're bound to find what you're looking for.
    If you decide to get it, buy it from here: http://www.esoundz.com/
    This is a great company. Case in point. Some of the Sonic Synth 1 sounds wouldn't work with the new Sampletank 2 engine so they fixed all the sounds and sent everyone in the group buy a disk with the updated sounds for free. Now thats service.

    Bill
    #2
    Blades
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    RE: Sonik Synth and Sample Tank 2005/06/03 17:36:48 (permalink)
    Also, ST2 is getting an upgrade to version 2.1 "soon", which will also include a new sound set that is a repaired, tweaked, enhanced, and grown version of the old sound set. As far as I know, if you buy ST2.1 now, you'll get the new sounds free when they come out - for those of us who ought before, we will get the new sounds at a reduced rate. SS2 is also really good - a ton of sounds in all sorts of genres, leaning towards synths of all kinds. It is basically a workstation keyboard in software (like a Trinity, Triton kinda thing).

    The ST2 engine has a few things in it that are extra cool that the SS2 engine can't do on its own, so it's a good reason to get ST2 and then later add SS2 (who's sounds will load right up into the ST2 interface or operate in its on plugin GUI without the extra engine features). Another option would be to get SS2 and the "full STank engine upgrade" which would give you the SS2 sounds and the ST2 engine (but not IT'S sounds).

    Both good options you can't go wrong with - but you'll want a low latency sound card or you'll be in for frustration.

    Hope that helps.


    Blades
    www.blades.technology  - Technology Info and Tutorials for Music and Web
    #3
    sax_fan
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    RE: Sonik Synth and Sample Tank 2005/06/03 20:04:38 (permalink)
    Thank you both. Sounds like it might be what I'm looking for.

    Bill, if I make the purchase it will be from Esoundz.
    I had seen a number of positive posts about the company.

    Blades, no need to choose between the two, as I would be purchasing both. It looks like Esoundz is still selling ST2L and SS2 together at the group buy price for a limited time. I ought to be naking a decision shortly.

    What would you recommend as a sound card? It's just me, so for now I don't think I'll need more than one I/O. How would the M-Audio 2496 work?

    Also, I think if I buy the bundle, I get a choice of ST Expansion packs. Which are the better ones, or are they all good?

    Thanks.
    #4
    Blades
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    RE: Sonik Synth and Sample Tank 2005/06/03 21:34:09 (permalink)
    The 2496 is rated pretty good, though I don't know from a latency perspective, nor do I know if it is better in that card's case to use ASIO or WDM for the best softsynth performance.

    Have you listened to the demos of the two programs? Have you checked out the Sonic Reality forum (over at www.kvraudio.com )? "Squids" (Dave Kerzner - sp?), the guy in charge posts very frequently over there and SS2 is his brainchild - along with other libraries, like the Philharmonic (read: Miraslov) set that's coming out. Also, you can ask him just about anything you want to know and he is pretty good about answering them. There are a number of user demos out there off that forum as well, showcasing some of the possibilities of the different SR libraries (different from the standard stuff at the vendor web sites).

    Esoundz also has a great little epoints system, where if you pout down the "recommender" in your order, they get $5 off their next order (which can accumulate up to free stuff) and you get $5 off your order. It's a nice "pat on the back system" (I'm actually Baldes there due to a mis-spelling on my part if you feel like giving me the $5 (or bbarnes may have an account there as well, since he was the first to recommend). Also, they have opened up the option of downloadable esounds, where you can get individual sounds for the ST engine for pretty cheap, so you can get just some of the sounds that you want rather than buying a whole library. They just started doing this, so they don't have THAT many samples for download yet.

    I've heard decent things about the string capsule, though I don't have any of them. SS2 has SO many pianos (acoustic and electric) that are supposedly better quality than the ones in the piano expansion. I'm not into guitar libs, there are a ton of basses available in the other packages, a lot of drums as well (and I think the "studio drums capsule" is supposed to be better than the acdrums one). I don't do loops and they seem like they may be a bit limited audience oriented. I'd go with the strings in this case, I guess.

    I hope that's helpful.

    Blades
    www.blades.technology  - Technology Info and Tutorials for Music and Web
    #5
    jmeredith
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    RE: Sonik Synth and Sample Tank 2005/06/03 22:56:32 (permalink)
    Although it's not mentioned on the Group Buy page... you can also upgrade ST2L to XL for another $99

    Here is the thread that mentions these extras (about halfway down the first page - see quote below)

    There are a couple of other benefits of this:

    1. Deal also qualifies for $150 off of Miroslav Philharmonik when it comes out.

    2. Pay only $99 more and get ST2XL instead of L with a free upgrade to the 2.1 sound set (over 7 gigs making it all over 15 gigs of sounds).

    3. Deal ALSO qualifies for discounted upgrade to AmpliTube 2 when it comes out (I think less than $200 to get AT2 upgrade and you still get to keep your AT1 which will sound and work different- the best of both worlds).


    Just got an email confirming that my group buy order shipped today woohooey
    #6
    The Scar
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    RE: Sonik Synth and Sample Tank 2005/06/03 22:58:28 (permalink)
    I just got Sonik Synth on eBay, and it's pretty good.
    Frankly, I'd get P5 instead. Loads of sounds, plugs, etc. I think that should be your first port of call. Dimension (included in P5) has stuff that sounds way better than Sonik.. that said, I like Sonik a LOT... I just like P5 more.

    Electro Punk 'n' Roll at www.myspace.com/thescar
    #7
    The Scar
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    RE: Sonik Synth and Sample Tank 2005/06/03 22:59:57 (permalink)
    Also... look at the thread on the top of this forum: registered Sonar users get a massive discount on P5 -- it's really a no brainer if you ask me.

    Electro Punk 'n' Roll at www.myspace.com/thescar
    #8
    sax_fan
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    RE: Sonik Synth and Sample Tank 2005/06/04 08:25:46 (permalink)
    Thanks everyone for the helpful opinions.

    ORIGINAL: Blades

    Have you listened to the demos of the two programs? Have you checked out the Sonic Reality forum (over at www.kvraudio.com )? "Squids" (Dave Kerzner - sp?), the guy in charge posts very frequently over there and SS2 is his brainchild - along with other libraries, like the Philharmonic (read: Miraslov) set that's coming out.



    Blades, I have listened to the demos and downloaded the free versions of the software as well. I'll need to go over to KVR and get some more info and listen to some of the music from members.

    Thought about Miraslov. I've heard great things about this, but I actually had been thinking about getting in on the Garritan group buy -- at the price I'm just not sure it can be beat. Even if Philharmonik is going to be great, it's still going to be a good bit more expensive ($500, I think I heard) and for the use of strings, etc. that I have -- i.e., for jazz and pop, I'm not sure I can justify the additional cost. I happen to be one who thinks that most of the Garritan demos sound good. Thoughts?
    #9
    harmony gardens
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    RE: Sonik Synth and Sample Tank 2005/06/04 09:21:42 (permalink)
    Hi Sax fan, and welcome to the forum. I'm a huge Sampletank fan. I will also give sufficient acklowledgement to Dimension, which I consider a tremendous synth, too.

    Basically, Sonik Synth 2 is a sound set. The SS2 engine is the same as Sampletank but will only load native SS2 sounds. The advantage of Sampletank, is that the engine will run SS2 as well as it's own sound set, and can serve as a master engine for Sonik Synth 2, Sampletank, the upcoming Mirslov Philharmonik and Studiophonik products, as well the Sonik Caplsule and expansion tank sets. You can also import wav samples and Akai 1000/3000 samples. This makes it a very powerful system, with tons of reasonably priced sounds available, and esoundz is the best place, IMHO, to get those sounds. Combined, the Sampletank 2 XL sound set, along with Sonik Synth 2, make a huge library of sounds for most any musical application.

    As a librarian, Sampletank is easy to learn, and VERY powerful. Since it's modeled after a hardware workstation, it gives you all the simplicity of use on a large readable screen. It also works extremely well with Sonar or Project 5. Like a hardware workstation, it's simple to access any sound in your library, and by using more than one sound on the same midi channel, you can blend any sound in your library with other sounds to create very complex textures. To me, this is where Sampletank shines, and what makes Sampletank such a pleasure to use.

    Here is a great discussion on orchestral sets.

    http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=87488

    Good luck with your decision. If your thinking of getting it, the group buy is a tremendous oppertunity.


    #10
    wz061s
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    RE: Sonik Synth and Sample Tank 2005/06/04 21:34:56 (permalink)
    Wow! Dimension better than Sonic Synth 2? That's a pretty bold statement, but I guess there is room for personal taste here.

    I just upgraded to P5v2, and I do like Dimension. I also have Sonic Synth 1 and all the add on capsules.

    Right now, Sonic synth 1 is the center of my studio. The playability of the sounds is very gratifying and inspiring. As a VST, it is also portable to all my hosts. I like the SampleTank engine - I upgraded to the full engine version via eSoundz so I can run multiple instances of Sonic Synth in my projects.

    I upgraded to P5v2 mostly for the arpeggiator, but the hype over Dimension was a part of my choice as well. Dimension? I do think it is a nice plug, and I am not complaining at all. I own other RGC audio products and it is of the same high quality. Rene has done it again!

    I would compare Dimension to something like Emu's EmulatorX, which I also have. In other words, it is a very nice soft sampler with a large collection of fairly good samples. However, I find the dynamic range and playability inherent in the samples and sample mapping to be lacking a bit compared to Sonic Synth. Just my .02

    If I want to grab a piano, bass, electric piano, electric guitar, Hammond organ, or acoustic drum set to build out a realistic foundation for a song, I head to Sonic Synth first.

    ORIGINAL: The Scar

    I just got Sonik Synth on eBay, and it's pretty good.
    Frankly, I'd get P5 instead. Loads of sounds, plugs, etc. I think that should be your first port of call. Dimension (included in P5) has stuff that sounds way better than Sonik.. that said, I like Sonik a LOT... I just like P5 more.

    post edited by wz061s - 2005/06/05 11:16:59
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