# Is Superior Drummer 2 a good choice in 2020?



## Mikro93 (Jan 18, 2020)

Hi all, 

I have an opportunity to get Superior Drummer 2 and some extensions for a very good price. I understand a crossgrade to 3.0 is no longer possible. 

Is it still a good library to use these days? I only have Studio Drummer included in Komplete 11.

Thanks


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## wst3 (Jan 18, 2020)

My thoughts only - but SD2 ia a very capable drum tool, and the expansion packs range from really good to outstanding.

If you have no need for any of the SD3 only expansions then SD2 could be a good investment.

I did upgrade, and there is no audible difference for SD2 expansions. There are some nice new workflow features, but nothing I could not have lived without, I think?

Where SD3 shines is the new content. The library that is included sounds gorgeous, and adds a whole new palette of sounds.

But the real winners are the Decades expansion, which is becoming my first choice on a lot of things, and the orchestral library, which covers a lot of instruments really well. It is also becoming my first call.

If the new content is of interest then I'd probably save my pennies. If what you want is a really solid, really flexible set of drum sounds for rock/pop/metal, etc then SD2 will serve you very well. It is certainly a step up (again my opinion, and I've been using Toontrack drums since DKFH, so I may be biased) from most of the other drum tools.


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## lumcas (Jan 18, 2020)

I can't imagine going this route in 2020. Putting aside any compatibility issues and future proofing, I couldn't live without new SDXs anymore. But that's just me, anyway.


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## harmaes (Jan 18, 2020)

Superior 3.0 is far superior to v2. Version 2 is a platform which has no development anymore so I would never invest there. As mentioned using the S2 libraries in S3 has no advantage, it's the new content and features of S3 that are of interest.
I'm a beta tester for Toontrack and compared the sound of the S3 samples/libraries to S2 when it first arrived in beta and it really sounds so much better in comparison let alone that the feature set is much richer as well. No comparison. 
The orchestral library as mentioned is sounding superb IMO as well as new libraries like Decades, Rock Foundry.


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## zvenx (Jan 18, 2020)

I had SD2 and AD2 (XLn Addictive Drummer 2), and never really used SD2 much at the time. SD2 sounded ok on its own but I could always get AD2 to fit better into my projects. 

But then came SD3 and I don't use AD2 anymore in new projects.
As some may have hinted, the content in SD3 (Factory library and from what i have been hearing in Demo sounds of Decades (haven't bought it yet)), for me it is next level sh*t. Nothing I have heard sounds as good beyond being in a great room with a good drummer and drum set.

Plus the Machine learning technology with Grooves etc: creating variation of grooves from your library of sounds or whatever you tap in, or even searching your library for grooves similarly to the ones in your head (that you then tap out into SD3), are all for me next generation.
I would definitely not buy it and save up for SD3 instead.
rsp


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## Henu (Jan 18, 2020)

Same here, I didn't care that much for SD2 but I upgraded nevertheless to SD3 when I had the chance for being future-proof. And holy hell what an upgrade that was. I'm now a sworn SD3 devotee, and highly recommend that (plus the expansions) very warmly to anyone regardless of their favourite genre.


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## Guy Rowland (Jan 18, 2020)

Sorry to be dull, but I agree with everyone else. I never got on with SD2 at all... it wasn't the sound, it was just an incredibly unfriendly piece of software and I spent a few years with it uninstalled.

SD3 is pure genius.


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## Lee Blaske (Jan 18, 2020)

No upgrade path to retain compatibility with newer operating systems would be a big drawback for me.


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## rollasoc (Jan 20, 2020)

Have to agree with everyone else. Sorry. I have SD2, but rarely used it, prefering EZDrummer 2 for sheer speed of workflow. (though I did sometimes, then swap to SD2, to render the drums out). Upgraded to SD3 and now I don't use EZDrummer unless I am swapping the song with my guitarist.

I'd fire Toontrack an email, saying you have the opportunity to join their ecosystem, but the no upgrade from SD2 to 3 is a deal breaker. Is there anything they can do?


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## drumman (Jan 20, 2020)

Perhaps it depends on how much you can get SD2 for and how many extensions -- and which extensions. If you're talking dirt cheap ($50?, $75), it might be worth it. It's still a good library IMO. I upgraded to SD3 and, indeed, it's a very fine library. I use it almost exclusively. So, maybe get SD2 cheap and save up your spare change for SD3 someday? At some point, SD4 will be coming out, and I would imagine SD3 will be discounted just before it does (or something like "get on board now and get SD4 upgrade free").

Happy deciding!


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## Robert Kooijman (Jan 20, 2020)

I cannot praise SD3 enough. Anyone in for truly great drum sounds and ease of use should give it a go.


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## Mikro93 (Jan 20, 2020)

Thank you all 
Yes, about $130 for SD2 + both Roots expansions.
I used to be a drummer, and since I'm annoyed with having to enter the notes with a mouse, I planned to get a MIDI multipad and play my parts in real time. MIDI grooves are not really an argument.

Still thinking about it, and Progressive SDX is on my wishlist, it just sounds so good.


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## David Chappell (Jan 20, 2020)

Huh, guess I'll disagree with the majority here, I've gotten along rather nicely with SD2. I don't use drumkits all that often but it works just fine for my needs. Sufficiently so that I didn't see a need to upgrade to SD3, and what with it being a bit of a dick move (imo) for toontrack to stop offering that upgrade path, I doubt I ever will.


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## Dex (Jan 20, 2020)

Mikro93 said:


> Thank you all
> Yes, about $130 for SD2 + both Roots expansions.
> I used to be a drummer, and since I'm annoyed with having to enter the notes with a mouse, I planned to get a MIDI multipad and play my parts in real time. MIDI grooves are not really an argument.
> 
> Still thinking about it, and Progressive SDX is on my wishlist, it just sounds so good.


You'll get along with SD2 just fine then, and if you do ever decide to get SD3 you can continue using your SDX's in it. If you think of this deal as buying the roots SDX's and getting SD2 for free I think it's a pretty reasonable deal.


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## msorrels (Jan 20, 2020)

SD2 included what is now sold as New York Studios Vol.1 SDX. With no software upgrade value it's really worth just whatever New York Studios Vol 1 is worth, so at most about $70ish really. If/when you do buy SD3 having SD2 will give you the New York Studio Vol 1 content in SD3.


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## Mikro93 (Jan 20, 2020)

Okay, quick question for who knows:
Is it still possible to get 2.4 if I buy a boxed version of 2.0?


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## msorrels (Jan 20, 2020)

Mikro93 said:


> Okay, quick question for who knows:
> Is it still possible to get 2.4 if I buy a boxed version of 2.0?


Yes, the Toontrack Product manager offers up 2.4.4 for Mac and Windows to download.


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## KEM (Jan 20, 2020)

I’d recommend GetGood Drums personally.


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## Mikro93 (Jan 20, 2020)

msorrels said:


> Yes, the Toontrack Product manager offers up 2.4.4 for Mac and Windows to download.


Thank you!



KEM said:


> I’d recommend GetGood Drums personally.


That is a very nice sound. I was thinking of adding Progressive SDX to SD if I bought it, that would be an alternative. Dilemma.


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## J-M (Jan 21, 2020)

It depends on what you want to do. When I write for drums I usually want that snare to sound like it's being slammed by Thor...GetGoodDrums is my choice for that, Halpern (the drummer in that) is a beast!


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## Mikro93 (Jan 21, 2020)

By the way, I got in touch with Toontrack, an upgrade path is no longer an option, in case anybody wondered #surprise


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## Mikro93 (Jan 21, 2020)

Still can't make up my mind. With the idea of SD2 being equivalent to NY Vol.1, it is worth it. But as soon as I get SD3, which may or may not happen, it would be wasted money. Probably still a good deal since Roots is compatible with SD3.


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## Mark Schmieder (Jan 21, 2020)

Well, as you know, I just sold my copy of SD2 for $20, which is a bargain as the NYC Volume 1 Avatar library would still work once shelling out the dough for SD3. I don't use many of the older libraries now that I have migrated most projects to Decades, so thought I'd help out fellow forumites to get into the SD ecosystem on the cheap and thereby take off the taint of no longer getting an upgrade discount to SD3.

If someone else is offering a similar deal, or even SD2 for less than $70, it's still probably worth it, if you want the Avatar kits. And they're perfectly fine, but my own production style has shifted pretty significantly since I started working with Decades, and there's no going back. I don't do modern sounding music though. So I can't judge how appropriate the older libraries are for others. I did need to keep Metal Machinery and Rock Warehouse for some unique and also-dry sounds that complement Decades.


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