I've been using symphonic gold & goliath since sonar 7 and it through X1 and has always worked about 90 %. I have engine drop outs that will not come back without exiting and re starting sonar. Also have some stuck note issues. Nobody at eastwest or cakewalk have ever been able to solve these issues. through the years, I have been on several different high end pcs. but overall I have been able to live with the qwerks and it sounds great

I have been using EastWest libraries since Sonar 7 and have never had any issues. Play3  plays very nice with X2 so far.  Their forum is almost as good as this one. A lot of experts with a lot of advice and love for their libraries.

Scott is right about install issues, though.  They are huge libraries and installing them takes time.  If you think the install is finished but you're not being told that it's finished... wait. Disabling virus checks and Internet while installing is not a bad idea either.  Do understand that they use ILok... a good thing but confusing to some.

I use Kontakt 5 along side Eastwest with no issues.

Best,
Rob

I've used EW in X1 and X2 on win7 64 bit for quite a while. 

The only issue I get sometimes is the notes get cut short, usually after running for over an hour or so, reloading the project cures it.

Other than that they are rock solid and I use them in just about everything I do.

Good info Rob, thanks. Yea I use iLok's otherwise in my pro audio work, they are not an issue at all for me.

Shambler, have you tried increasing the MIDI buffer in preferences? That might help...


By the way, is the PLAY interface automatible? To me that's a big plus. 

rock solid here also

I was also concerned about my EW library. but after a week in X2 not one issue. This update is becoming the best $99 dollars I have invested in my rig in quite some time. As said previously be sure to have the most current version of Play. 

tom1


rock solid here also

Tom how do you find the RAM usage with Hollywood Strings? Does it really push the system having most articulations loaded? 

My system flies with 15-20 instances (24 bit samples) of the 'Play' engine; Haven't had to freeze yet; but I haven't pushed my system beyond this. If I did larger projects I think I would add ram just to be on the safe side.
 
A bit off topic:
I find the loading times of East West samples take longer than some other libraries;
 
LASS (for instance) seems to load the files faster; Not a big deal but when you're searching for just the right sound these seconds add up.

Ok, so when you mention 15 to 20 instances, what does this imply exactly (sorry I'm not familiar with PLAY at all)? In other words, is it something like this: Violins 1 and all of its art's in one instance of PLAY? Also, 15 - 20 instances uses how much RAM on your system?  

To add: how does one go about switching between patches within an instrument articulation? Does it use keyswitches as well? For example: going off a demo vid, let's say you are in 1st violin, short tight.I see there is a Xfade patch for Spiccato to Marc and another patch below that Stac to Marc. So how would you switch within a composition?   

Yea loading times I suppose are the trade-off for certain libraries, depending on the size. 

I've not tried automating it yet, looking into it when I am off next.