How much did you pay for it?

I find that is gets the job done, but the price tag I felt was slightly steep.

I've been looking at picking up EastWest Symphony Orhcestra Gold; but I just checked out MOTU Symphonic Instrument and it is, well, an awful lot less cash.

Has anybody used both and can compare? The MOTU Demo MP3s sound impressive enough.

I swear by many East West/Quantum Leap products: RA, Symphonic Orchestra and Symphonic Choirs are three I've purchased recently.

I would advise, if you're looking for a cheaper option, to go with Symphonic Orchestra SILVER Edition. The entire series of samples were recorded with three microphone positions. SILVER uses the close-up microphones so you'll need to create some virtual atmosphere to make them sound "professionally" recorded. GOLD includes a lot more articulations and instruments, but unfortunately loses the choir and Steinway piano that come with SILVER. The choir that comes with SILVER is nothing to write home about but definitely a nice addition. The samples were recorded with brilliant custom-built mics and I cannot stress how good the quality of the samples is. One other drawback with SILVER is that it does not include the 'release trails', which is the natural sound after the note has finished playing. Garritan Personal Orchestra has a vast collection of instruments but the recording sample rate is much lower and therefore they don't sound as 'clear', yet they're definitly worth a look. You might want to wait around until the release of Garritan Personal Orchestra II, which includes ProjectSAM Horns.
As Rain 7 said, if you feel like purchasing GOLD you can deduct the entire price of the SILVER package from the price of GOLD when you reach the checkout (if you own SILVER of course!)

I hope this was of some help in your overall choice.

Quote: Original post by BodweiserVII
I swear by many East West/Quantum Leap products: RA, Symphonic Orchestra and Symphonic Choirs are three I've purchased recently.

I would advise, if you're looking for a cheaper option, to go with Symphonic Orchestra SILVER Edition. The entire series of samples were recorded with three microphone positions. SILVER uses the close-up microphones so you'll need to create some virtual atmosphere to make them sound "professionally" recorded. GOLD includes a lot more articulations and instruments, but unfortunately loses the choir and Steinway piano that come with SILVER. The choir that comes with SILVER is nothing to write home about but definitely a nice addition. The samples were recorded with brilliant custom-built mics and I cannot stress how good the quality of the samples is. One other drawback with SILVER is that it does not include the 'release trails', which is the natural sound after the note has finished playing. Garritan Personal Orchestra has a vast collection of instruments but the recording sample rate is much lower and therefore they don't sound as 'clear', yet they're definitly worth a look. You might want to wait around until the release of Garritan Personal Orchestra II, which includes ProjectSAM Horns.
As Rain 7 said, if you feel like purchasing GOLD you can deduct the entire price of the SILVER package from the price of GOLD when you reach the checkout (if you own SILVER of course!)

I hope this was of some help in your overall choice.

So, if I understand what you're saying; I may as well purcahse the Silver edition, and then immediately purchase the Gold edition if I'm going to buy it anyway, and then I will have both the Gold edition, and the Piano + Choirs in Silver edition?

Or when you "trade up" do you have to return your original DVD(s)?

I have EWQLSO Platinum.

Even after paying nearly $5000 aussie dollars it is just not what they claim it to be.

The Strings are sluggish and the quality of Customer support is pathetic.

There is a further upgrade to Platinum but they will have to work hard to get me to part with any more big dollars for it or anything else from Native Instruments.

I am still awaiting delivery of my MSI and I hope I will not be dissappointed with it.

I actually sent an email a week ago for some help but looks like their service is not so good either?

Early days I admit.

Time will reveal all!

EWQLSO Platinum, aiong with all of East West products are very good, and they can do what you want them to do if you know how to program and sequence with samples. (Not to be rude)

Sean

I should also note that MOTU's Orchestra plugin use live instruments in the demos as well. So don't be completely fooled by what you hear. They got a lot of crap for it, but have yet to resovle the problem.

Why would you place live instruments in a promo demo and not tell people?

Quote: Original post by Sean R Beeson
I should also note that MOTU's Orchestra plugin use live instruments in the demos as well. So don't be completely fooled by what you hear. They got a lot of crap for it, but have yet to resovle the problem.

Why would you place live instruments in a promo demo and not tell people?

I thought something was up when I listened to them.

Why aren't more of you trying out Synful Orchestra? It's easily the best non-sample based orchestra I've heard or used. Easy to manipulate phrasings, easily change section parameters, extremely expressive, no HUGE samples to store/stream, easy interface, cheap.

It is synthesis so occasionally you run into some bad sounding registers when playing outside or fringe ranges of certain instruments, but it's easy to tweak and mold and mixes real well with other instruments.

Synful Orchestra

They give you a 2 week demo. What surprised me was how quickly I got results that impressed me. So you'll know within 2 weeks whether you should purchase it I'd say. I'm pretty sure I posted about this before. Here are some demos they have to listen to:

Beethoven Quartet

Rites of Spring

I don't know, it impressed me.

Tony

the problem with synful is that it completely lacks orchestral percussion...