AD2 is pretty rad, nice and fast editing of things. Very elegant.
 
I wish some of their kits were....weirder. I've already got a dump truck of regular kits samples. Toontrack's Twisted kit is one of my go-tos and there's not really anything like it (yet) in AD2. 

I've used both. I started on EZ Drummer and then upgraded to Superior 2.0. I checked out AD since it came with X3 and found it much easier to get the sound I wanted so I never went back. And the Fairfax kit pretty much sealed the deal.

I've checked out every drum program there is and I can't say one's better than others.
 
Superior is probably where I would have landed if AD1 hadn't fell into my lap, but I'm happy.
 
The one thing I can say about the AD2 pack (kits) demos do include a lot of processing that became irritating after hearing everything twice, but as stickman said you can use all the kits dry & I think they're all distinctive.
 
Drums have always been the most difficult thing about music for me, but what's now easy and beloved by me isn't going to necessarily be the best thing for anybody else.
 
   

I do mostly Traditional Country and some Texas Western Swing.  Neither is in AD2.  I looked at the add on packages and there are none for these music genre's.

fireberd
I do mostly Traditional Country and some Texas Western Swing.  Neither is in AD2.  I looked at the add on packages and there are none for these music genre's.

I think many of the kits for AD will work with your genres, they just don't bill them as such. I think that is the drawback when giving these kits genre labels. I can understand it with the midipaks, but I have never seen a country music drummer sit on a throne and say "can't do this, it's  a classic rock kit". I know there are slight differences on small things  but most of those can be overcome by switching out kit components.
 
I'm still deciding on which ones to get. I have been mostly ignoring the genre labels and listening for samples. I wish the demos also played the samples dry too. Right now I am thinking of getting vintage dry and the jazz brushes. A quality brush kit seems harder to find than most types of kits for me. Not even sure i will use it but my son is a jazz drummer so he might. Only tried SD briefly. Honestly they seem close eniugh that there is no wrong choice, but having it come with Sonar made it an easy choice for me. 

AD2 would compare more favourably with EZDrummer than Superior Drummer.

SD2 samples are not treated so it's like starting with a live drum kit ready for treatment in your mix just as if you recorded them yourself. The SD2 Presets help side to side step that problem.

If you don't want control or don't want to spend the time then AD2 would seem quicker to work with out of the box.

I prefer full control.

I have BFD, AD2, and Superior Drummer 2. SD2 wins across the board but I have quite a collection of kits, too. SD2 has a very steep learning grade but it is well worth the effort. AD2 gets a little use from time to time but I only had the kits that came with it. Now with the Platinum update I plan to take advantage of the Producer's Bundle and pick up the Black Velvet and Fairfax 1 & 2 Kits.
I still am so satisfied with Toontrack I will probably still stick most of the time to SD2. But, after all! It's all about options! LOL

jmagerman
Hey All,
 
 
I currently have X3e Studio, which has been an amazing (I'm still finding my way around).  I thought about getting Producer back then, but it seemed the biggest difference was the inclusion of Addictive Drums.  I already had Toontrack's Superior Drummer 2.3, so I figured I'd just go with Studio.  

I did the same (Studio) as I have a ton of other stuff.  I never gelled with Superior, I don't have the patience or skill. EZ  2 is extremely impressive, especially for those of us who stocked up on expansions. Never cared for AD although some folks get great results from it.
 
A plug for Abbey Road 80s drummer: if you like clean drums (and many people don't), they are pristine. They aren't really "80s" as the gated reverb is not sampled. They are my favorite at the moment because they are so easy to fit in a mix. 

Ya know ...the real test is what YOU like ... like many in this thread ... I absolutely loved EZ Drummer when it first came out ... the Drumkit from Hell expansion rapidly became my favorite because I could get the kick drum to sound like I wanted ... I have used Superior Drummer and Session Drummer extensively ...purchased lots of expansions for both ... things worked out well when I used them.

THEN ...I got my mitts on Addictive Drums ...totally LOVED it.
AD2 ...to my ears... is the go to drum program here in my studio... the metal kit is my favorite but all the kits have characteristics I enjoy working with from project to project.

Here's my humble opinion: I work with them all for various sounds ... Addictive Drums 2 remains my favorite thus far.... I create music for private clients who go on to sell the heck out of the products... 

OH ... Battery 4 is a lot of fun...

In the end ... I wish you all the money you need to purchase all of these and more...

dubdisciple

fireberd
I do mostly Traditional Country and some Texas Western Swing.  Neither is in AD2.  I looked at the add on packages and there are none for these music genre's.

I think many of the kits for AD will work with your genres, they just don't bill them as such. I think that is the drawback when giving these kits genre labels. I can understand it with the midipaks, but I have never seen a country music drummer sit on a throne and say "can't do this, it's  a classic rock kit". I know there are slight differences on small things  but most of those can be overcome by switching out kit components.
 
I'm still deciding on which ones to get. I have been mostly ignoring the genre labels and listening for samples. I wish the demos also played the samples dry too. Right now I am thinking of getting vintage dry and the jazz brushes. A quality brush kit seems harder to find than most types of kits for me. Not even sure i will use it but my son is a jazz drummer so he might. Only tried SD briefly. Honestly they seem close eniugh that there is no wrong choice, but having it come with Sonar made it an easy choice for me. 
.

A good example of this is the Jazz Brushes Demos. I listened to the and felt, yeah they'll do, sounds Jazzy, but then one of the demos is a modern folk track, it sounded very different. That swung (unintentional punn) it for me. 
 
Fairfaxes went on offer, I was too rash, and although they interest
 me, they are not exactly my thing. Good to have. But then a 2 adpak offer came up, so I took Brush and Dry (sounds lke a hairdressers), These are much more me and am very happy with me.
 
If the did a hotrods kit, and a Mallet kit, I'd also be interested.