# METROPOLIS ARK I decisions (split off thread)



## dpasdernick (Dec 10, 2015)

[This thread was split off from the Metropolis thread in Commercial Announcements by moderator]

Man I want this but I already have:

Symphobia 1
Symphobia 2
Albion
Vienna SE (with the epic 8 horns)
Vienna Fanfare Trumpets
Vienna Appasionatta Stirngs full set
East West Gold Pro
Kirk Hunter Diamond
East West Choirs
Requiem

It seems I would be just buying different samples of the same sounds?


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## Karl Feuerstake (Dec 10, 2015)

dpasdernick said:


> Man I want this but I already have:
> 
> Symphobia 1
> Symphobia 2
> ...



Ugh, I can't stand VSL stuff... too many headaches with mixing in the room..

There are some assets in Metropolis that you wouldn't have; ensembles of Bass Trombones + Cimbassi + Tubas + Bassoons + Contrabassoons, and maybe the percussion seeing as you didn't list any of that. Of course the other elements (Strings / Choir) are recorded very, very loud (from mf - fff) so that may pose an advantage over your other content.


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## Jimmy Hellfire (Dec 10, 2015)

Karl Feuerstake said:


> Ugh, I can't stand VSL stuff... too many headaches with mixing in the room..



Never quite understood this. The correct stereo width & image is easily set up with their own very good powerpan. Send to reverb, push back the direct portion quite a bit, done. Or load MIRx - perfect spatial placement, great sounding room, character EQ and natural volume with one click, set and forget. I feel that this "VSL is incredibly hard to mix" thing has long turned into a sort of urban myth that kind of lives on on its own ... /shrug


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## ModalRealist (Dec 10, 2015)

@dpasdernick: from my experience, two sample sets of the same instrument, playing the same articulation, are never, ever "the same sounds!" The question is never, "do I need another X?", but rather, "would this X bring something new to my work, or fill in something missing?"

As for me, though I will wait for a walkthrough - out of respect for the death of my bank balance - I can't wait to play with Metropolis (even though, with a complete EW Hollywood Orchestra sitting on my drive, you might think in the first instance I'd have no need for it!).


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## BlueLight675 (Dec 10, 2015)

Here is my question regarding Ark I...

If you had to choose between Ark 1, Majestica or Albion One, which one would you?

They seem to have similar philosophies (middle-of-the-line between Symphobia and individual sections of say CineSamples or HW Orchestra), though Majestica/Ark seem to focusing on massive/loud. It seems to me that Albion One might be a little more flexible, considering you can go pp to ff, and if you need 100 string players you could layer with another library, say Symphobia.

What would you guys choose?


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## Karl Feuerstake (Dec 10, 2015)

Jimmy Hellfire said:


> Never quite understood this. The correct stereo width & image is easily set up with their own very good powerpan. Send to reverb, push back the direct portion quite a bit, done. Or load MIRx - perfect spatial placement, great sounding room, character EQ and natural volume with one click, set and forget. I feel that this "VSL is incredibly hard to mix" thing has long turned into a sort of urban myth that kind of lives on on its own ... /shrug



I don't own nor have any intention to buy their reverb software. I prefer libs that don't require additional thousand-dollar purchases to make them work.

Stuff I value works straight out of the box.


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## Karl Feuerstake (Dec 10, 2015)

robhoward83 said:


> Here is my question regarding Ark I...
> 
> If you had to choose between Ark 1, Majestica or Albion One, which one would you?
> 
> ...



Albion ONE is the most versatile and offers the most bang for the buck. It is also the closest to the 'traditional' kind of Orchestral sound (though quite large), with Majestica focusing on a ridiculously massive Orchestra, and Metropolis focusing on very loud dynamics.

I own ONE and 8W Silver (which is 99% the same as Majestica.) I am considering getting Metropolis but, after recently spending quite some money on the above libraries, it'll be a tough choice.


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## BlueLight675 (Dec 10, 2015)

Karl Feuerstake said:


> ...after recently spending quite some money on the above libraries



The one thing these sample devs are best at - pillaging our wallets! :D


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## ChazC (Dec 10, 2015)

robhoward83 said:


> If you had to choose between Ark 1, Majestica or Albion One, which one would you?



Well, I didn't like the sound of the Majestica strings & I have regular orchestral stuff covered so Albion One isn't on my current shopping list (although will probably pick it up when it comes up on sale) and I haven't heard enough of Ark 1 to make an informed choice yet. As I'm covered for choirs & the majority of ensemble percussion it's only the strings & brass in Ark I'm interested in so a lot depends on the forthcoming walk through. The pre-order incentive is a big plus point & OT need congratulating on that regardless.

What I didn't like about Majestica (& did about Ark) is the provided demos - all the Majestica tracks were enhanced with other libraries whereas Ark had demos produced with only the product. On the other hand 8Dio were very quick to bring out individual walk throughs of each section of the library and we're still waiting on OT! Anyway, as I say I didn't like the Majestica strings at all so that's out of the running.


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## BlueLight675 (Dec 10, 2015)

I like that a choir is included in Ark (I didn't see if it was included in Majestica) - but after listening to the walkthru's for Albion, I might go with it and hold off for the others later, even though I might miss that nice 150 dollar discount.


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## Jimmy Hellfire (Dec 10, 2015)

Karl Feuerstake said:


> I prefer libs that don't require additional thousand-dollar purchases to make them work.



Since they charge ~70 bucks for a MIRx venue and something like EW Spaces can be bought for around 150 these days, I've been able to keep the bigger part of those thousands for booze, chips and ladies


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## Karl Feuerstake (Dec 10, 2015)

Jimmy Hellfire said:


> Since they charge ~70 bucks for a MIRx venue and something like EW Spaces can be bought for around 150 these days, I've been able to keep the bigger part of those thousands for booze, chips and ladies



MIRx is 380 of my dollars.. room packs over 150 of my dollars (they vary from pack to pack but that's the min)... and MIR Pro is 970 of my dollars. I'll pass.


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## Shubus (Dec 15, 2015)

I agree a MIRx setup is just too pricey, but am quite happy with IRCAM tools


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## ModalRealist (Dec 15, 2015)

Karl Feuerstake said:


> MIRx is 380 of my dollars.. room packs over 150 of my dollars (they vary from pack to pack but that's the min)... and MIR Pro is 970 of my dollars. I'll pass.



(And @Shubus)

You must be thinking of Mir24? "MirX" only costs the room pack, and runs inside Vienna Instruments (Standard or Pro). I spent just €70 on MirX Teldex and run it in the standard Vienna Instruments player.


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## X-Bassist (Dec 15, 2015)

robhoward83 said:


> Here is my question regarding Ark I...
> 
> If you had to choose between Ark 1, Majestica or Albion One, which one would you?
> 
> ...



After looking at the walkthrough, if you think you'll need really big stuff, then Ark may be your ticket. I also love the low and high strings, even at softest levels, for quick, running lines. I have Albion one and it has a sweet sound, like Hollywood strings, but neither gets this big or sharp. If you dont think you'll need sounds this big or exotic (all bassoon woodwinds) go for Alboni one. But remember OT rarely sells at a discount besides pre-orders, its kind of a one time deal.


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## BlueLight675 (Dec 15, 2015)

Yup that's what I'm thinking. I'll probably grab Ark I then save up and next month or so get Albion.


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## SeattleComposer (Dec 16, 2015)

I am listening to Daniel James and asking what there is that I cannot do with other libraries? I have drums, libraries, Spitfire BML, and V8P. The recordings here sound very clear, and the discount is a big incentive, and the hype is driving me nuts. But I do not "need" this library. But I totally want it. Ugh.


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## Brendon Williams (Dec 16, 2015)

SeattleComposer said:


> I am listening to Daniel James and asking what there is that I cannot do with other libraries? I have drums, libraries, Spitfire BML, and V8P. The recordings here sound very clear, and the discount is a big incentive, and the hype is driving me nuts. But I do not "need" this library. But I totally want it. Ugh.



Same here, haha


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## mc_deli (Dec 16, 2015)

What other libs apart from SSB have the choice of brass swells, cres and dim type artics that sound so good?


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## Lassi Tani (Dec 16, 2015)

SeattleComposer said:


> I am listening to Daniel James and asking what there is that I cannot do with other libraries? I have drums, libraries, Spitfire BML, and V8P. The recordings here sound very clear, and the discount is a big incentive, and the hype is driving me nuts. But I do not "need" this library. But I totally want it. Ugh.



Sharp, big sound, not muddy at all, and playing fast blends the sections together beautifully in a same space. Even if I have all kind of libraries and drums, this is something new .


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## Jan16 (Dec 16, 2015)

The Metropolis Ark I has its own unique Metropolis character, the mezmerizing choir, the powerful brass.
Even though I intended to save up some money this simply was an offer I could not resist.


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## Lassi Tani (Dec 16, 2015)

It's like mass hypnosis. I tried resisting it, but I think I can't after watching Daniel's sneak peek :D.


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## ryanstrong (Dec 16, 2015)

dpasdernick said:


> Man I want this but I already have:
> 
> Symphobia 1
> Symphobia 2
> Albion



Personally I feel if you have these 3 already not sure why you would need Metro. To me once I have those kind of libraries already I would want to start honing in and buying specific libraries for each section. Just a thought.


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## Craig Sharmat (Dec 16, 2015)

ryanstrong said:


> Personally I feel if you have these 3 already not sure why you would need Metro. To me once I have those kind of libraries already I would want to start honing in and buying specific libraries for each section. Just a thought.



It depends on what your work situation is. If you need to do epic or if you have a show or a game which needs to get big, Metropolis will get you there bigger. I have 8Dio Black and while it has things MA does not have MA appears to be more flexible and clearer. Symphobia can do the same work but it is not as large sounding (To me maybe the best thing about Symphobia is the instant work flow). Go through the walk through slowly and call up corresponding patches when Hendrik plays them, play what he plays when you can and compare. I think you will come to the conclusion that MA has a lot of useful tools that sound different and often better than what is out there.


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## kaiyoti (Dec 16, 2015)

Craig Sharmat said:


> It depends on what your work situation is. If you need to do epic or if you have a show or a game which needs to get big, Metropolis will get you there bigger. I have 8Dio Black and while it has things MA does not have MA appears to be more flexible and clearer. Symphobia can do the same work but it is not as large sounding (To me maybe the best thing about Symphobia is the instant work flow). Go through the walk through slowly and call up corresponding patches when Hendrik plays them, play what he plays when you can and compare. I think you will come to the conclusion that MA has a lot of useful tools that sound different and often better than what is out there.



Agree with this. 8Dio Black have strengths in areas but articulation/flexibility is not one of them.


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## brett (Dec 16, 2015)

This is a tough one for me. The library sounds great. Truly amazing. And I love the epic genre as much as anyone else which is why this is so tempting. However, how many of us are commissioned to write this sort of thing on a regular basis? I know I'm not, it's the exception not the rule. In fact often, unless the scale of the production itself matches the music, going epic sometimes detracts from something that is more modest in budget or ambition. I know it as listed as mf to ffff and I hoped you could convincingly go softer but I suspect trying to use M-Ark in a context other than it was designed wouldn't be getting the best out of it.

Now if I had more gigs scoring for reality tv shows I'd be all over this, but in the doco world....not so much.


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## Hat_Tricky (Dec 16, 2015)

I am just starting out, and writing lots of "trailer" music right now (mind you, i'm still a beginner)

I have Albion One, Albion Legacy, just got Majestica, and now I want this. And that discount is so tempting. UGH. I dont really need this because I have those other libraries, but what I DONT own is any kind of guitar or drum set. I feel like the ones in Metro are just out of the box awesome in an orchestral setting, and I really dont know how long or expensive it would be to get that sound out of some random drum library. I'm assuming rock kit with big reverb and compression to tighten up the bass drum so it isn't too boomy?

Basically, wondering if buying Metro is worth it if i DONT own any guitar, drums - and I am concentrating on "trailer music" for now, but already own Albion One AND Majestica (and Lacrimosa choir as well)


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## ChazC (Dec 16, 2015)

Hat_Tricky said:


> I am just starting out, and writing lots of "trailer" music right now (mind you, i'm still a beginner)
> 
> I have Albion One, Albion Legacy, just got Majestica, and now I want this. And that discount is so tempting. UGH. I dont really need this because I have those other libraries, but what I DONT own is any kind of guitar or drum set. I feel like the ones in Metro are just out of the box awesome in an orchestral setting, and I really dont know how long or expensive it would be to get that sound out of some random drum library. I'm assuming rock kit with big reverb and compression to tighten up the bass drum so it isn't too boomy?
> 
> Basically, wondering if buying Metro is worth it if i DONT own any guitar, drums - and I am concentrating on "trailer music" for now, but already own Albion One AND Majestica (and Lacrimosa choir as well)


Well I certainly wouldn't buy it if it was just for bass and drums. You could get a lot more variety in both of those for less cash.

Shreddage II (if I'm not recording live) & Slate Drums and/or BFD3 are my go to's for those across most genres , not just trailers.


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## zolhof (Dec 16, 2015)

Hello, Hat. I think guitars are the _only_ weak point in Metropolis. Terrible tone and zero flexibility. If this is important to you, definitely look elsewhere (Prominy or Ample Sound).

Drums were a big surprise, they sound awesome! I have most of the usual suspects (Toontrack stuff, SSD, Blackbird) and still gonna use the heck out of MA drums. It's nice to have something different these days, I just can't stand hearing the same old drum samples over and over again..


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## Brendon Williams (Dec 16, 2015)

zolhof said:


> Drums were a big surprise, they sound awesome! I have most of the usual suspects (Toontrack stuff, SSD, Blackbird) and still gonna use the heck out of MA drums. It's nice to have something different these days, I just can't stand hearing the same old drum samples over and over again..



What are the mic options for the drums? So far I've only heard it extremely wet, which is a nice sound, but it'd be cool to do some proper mixing with close mics and then use the hall mics to get that big natural reverb. Would I have that kind of flexibility with it?


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## Hat_Tricky (Dec 16, 2015)

ChazC said:


> Well I certainly wouldn't buy it if it was just for bass and drums. You could get a lot more variety in both of those for less cash.
> 
> Shreddage II (if I'm not recording live) & Slate Drums and/or BFD3 are my go to's for those across most genres , not just trailers.


thank you!

i will look into those. I figured getting seperate drums would be wise (i am also collabing with a singer songwriter so i need a versitile drum set, as well as bass and electric guitar) i was looking at Blackbird from 8dio as well, and maybe the stuff in KOMPLETE if i want to pony up for it if it goes on sale this christmas.


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## Hat_Tricky (Dec 16, 2015)

zolhof said:


> Hello, Hat. I think guitars are the _only_ weak point in Metropolis. Terrible tone and zero flexibility. If this is important to you, definitely look elsewhere (Prominy or Ample Sound).
> 
> Drums were a big surprise, they sound awesome! I have most of the usual suspects (Toontrack stuff, SSD, Blackbird) and still gonna use the heck out of MA drums. It's nice to have something different these days, I just can't stand hearing the same old drum samples over and over again..


TY so much for the inside info on the guitars from Metro. I had a feeling it would be lackluster, and the more i thought about it i realized getting seperate libraries for less is probably the better option.

But Metros brass sound so good.....lol


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## stonzthro (Dec 16, 2015)

Funny - I thought the guitar was the weakest of the bunch in the walkthrough. I think it would really have benefitted from a direct version too - maybe in an update?


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## dpasdernick (Dec 16, 2015)

ryanstrong said:


> Personally I feel if you have these 3 already not sure why you would need Metro. To me once I have those kind of libraries already I would want to start honing in and buying specific libraries for each section. Just a thought.



Ryan,

Right you are my friend except for one thing... I have more money than brains so I bought it anyway.


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## jacobthestupendous (Dec 16, 2015)

Agree with other comments about guitars being the weak spot and drums sounding killer.



stonzthro said:


> Funny - I thought the guitar was the weakest of the bunch in the walkthrough. I think it would really have benefitted from a direct version too - maybe in an update?



Tobias said today, during DJ's live stream, that the guitars are also available direct so you can apply your own processing of you don't love the sound of cheesy gain filling up Teldex.


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## Ryan99 (Dec 16, 2015)

Hat_Tricky said:


> I am just starting out, and writing lots of "trailer" music right now (mind you, i'm still a beginner)
> 
> I have Albion One, Albion Legacy, just got Majestica, and now I want this. And that discount is so tempting. UGH. I dont really need this because I have those other libraries, but what I DONT own is any kind of guitar or drum set. I feel like the ones in Metro are just out of the box awesome in an orchestral setting, and I really dont know how long or expensive it would be to get that sound out of some random drum library. I'm assuming rock kit with big reverb and compression to tighten up the bass drum so it isn't too boomy?
> 
> Basically, wondering if buying Metro is worth it if i DONT own any guitar, drums - and I am concentrating on "trailer music" for now, but already own Albion One AND Majestica (and Lacrimosa choir as well)



Like you, I also have Albion One, Albion Legacy, Majestica and Lacrimosa.

I decided to buy Metropolis, but not for the guitar or drum. They seem very basic. If you want a good drum library, high quality options are available, like Steven Slate Drums 4 Platinum, EZDrummer 2, Superior Drummer 2, BFD 3, etc. For massive percussions, my favorite library is Soundiron Apocalypse Percussion.

For guitars, there are a lot of options like Orange Tree Samples, Ilya Efimov, Eastwest Ministry of Rock 1 or 2, etc.


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## BNRSound (Dec 16, 2015)

Well bought and paid for. Not a big fan of the guitar tone, but I can cover that myself. Everything sounds pretty damn tasty. The product should be renamed the "Brian Tyler starter kit".


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## Guffy (Dec 16, 2015)

Keep in mind those guitars arent meant to be used to create the next epic djent album.
Judging by the sound i heard in DJ's livestream, i think they might work pretty well in an orchestral/hybrid setting.
Loved the bass atleast.


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## ryanstrong (Dec 16, 2015)

Craig Sharmat said:


> It depends on what your work situation is. If you need to do epic or if you have a show or a game which needs to get big, Metropolis will get you there bigger. I have 8Dio Black and while it has things MA does not have MA appears to be more flexible and clearer. Symphobia can do the same work but it is not as large sounding (To me maybe the best thing about Symphobia is the instant work flow). Go through the walk through slowly and call up corresponding patches when Hendrik plays them, play what he plays when you can and compare. I think you will come to the conclusion that MA has a lot of useful tools that sound different and often better than what is out there.


Yep all depends on what you want to do for sure.


dpasdernick said:


> Ryan,
> 
> Right you are my friend except for one thing... I have more money than brains so I bought it anyway.


@dpasdernick In true VI form. Well played. In that spirit if you write for strings often you should very seriously consider Spitfire's BML Sable, a must have as you grow your library.


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## zolhof (Dec 16, 2015)

jacobthestupendous said:


> Tobias said today, during DJ's live stream, that the guitars are also available direct so you can apply your own processing of you don't love the sound of cheesy gain filling up Teldex.



That's nice to know, thanks!


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## zolhof (Dec 16, 2015)

Brendon Williams said:


> What are the mic options for the drums? So far I've only heard it extremely wet, which is a nice sound, but it'd be cool to do some proper mixing with close mics and then use the hall mics to get that big natural reverb. Would I have that kind of flexibility with it?



Yeap, close mics are available. Orchestral Tools will release a dedicated drums library in the future, Metropolis drumkit is a glimpse of what is coming. I'm sold already!


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## Pixelee (Dec 16, 2015)

If I have Albion One and Cinesymphony, do I really need Metro?


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## mickeyl (Dec 17, 2015)

I'm sure you don't _need_ it, but... you _want_ it


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## Polarity (Dec 17, 2015)

I got Albion One (just after Black Friday sales) and bought yesterday Metropolis Ark 1 (downloading it now)...
I'll waive 8Dio Majestica... half of the walkthroughs didn't convince me.
With those two and all I had already (Cinesamples, AudioBro, EastWest) I believe I have all what I need for epic-strong-thick orchestral sounds.
I'm sure that layering all among them could get huge orchestral number of players too.

MA1: I think that the guitars are the weakest section... sounded almost terrible to me sometimes in the various walkthroughs... it's very hard that I will ever use them.
Perhaps OT should have avoided them at all in the "already distorted" form.
Nowadays direct/dry guitars to be effected later are the best option.


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## nineofkings (Dec 17, 2015)

Jimmy Hellfire said:


> Since they charge ~70 bucks for a MIRx venue and something like EW Spaces can be bought for around 150 these days, I've been able to keep the bigger part of those thousands for booze, chips and ladies


Alternatively, any convolution reverb, a good hall IR, tweak pre-delay, you're 99% there for hardly any money. My DAW came with a convolution plugin. I'm 99% of the way there for free with VSL. It can seem tedious, but you set it up once in a template and it's just minor tweaks from there. Don't mean to be too OT, but seriously, the flexibility is far and away worth what little time and resourcefulness you need to find a suitable hall reverb.


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## dpasdernick (Dec 17, 2015)

I just got Metropolis installed. Wow. Just Wow. No regrets. The only thing I would add is that when you use the mod wheel to change the forte to triple forte the "FFF" icon should just turn into a middle digit raised in the air. Oh And the library should come with a set of depends underwear for when you play the low brass... 

Thank you OT for making this library.


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## Vastman (Dec 18, 2015)

As to the guitars, I agree this is the weak point... I have all the Shreddage guitarz but have fallen in love with Orange Tree's Banshee, Stratosphere, and Strawberry. Greg's evolution engine is just fantastic, the samples are pristine, his strumming/riffing system and presets are truly useful, flexible and realistic and to top it all off, his huge selection of custom amp sims, ranging from Floydesk to massive metal/country/funk are all included... Great sale going on also.

I have PS OE1&2, all Albions, various others and just couldn't resist the Ark! It doesn't have vib controls but the swells are lovely. For vib, and less drama, Albion One is just perfect. I think the two would blend well and cover most bases. May offload OE1&2 and some others...

While not into the whole orchestra thing like many of you all, I think I'll end up using primarily Albion One for the softer, Ark for the OTT drama, and the phrase libs going forward (minimal, action, emotive.)

I had no idea ARK 1 existed till today... random chance looky at the thread... struggled with it all day at work as I'm beyond tapped out but it was irresistable... the price is soooo generous for what you get. 

Yes, thank you OT btw, pre-release price is still up!


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## zakufan (Dec 18, 2015)

just when I hit the confirm order button it became 399e. now I have another 2 weeks to think about it


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## mc_deli (Dec 18, 2015)

zakufan said:


> just when I hit the confirm order button it became 399e. now I have another 2 weeks to think about it


Or if you get it you have another 2 weeks to use it


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## Reynder (Dec 18, 2015)

Im dying to get to use it. Picked it up for the sale price before the 17th, been downloading ever since. Stuck on vacation with 2Mbps internet...maybe in 3-4 days i'll get to throw something together!


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## Soundhound (Dec 18, 2015)

got it. have to go out for a few hours to visit the mother in law. trying to think of excuses not to go. plague? this thing sounds incredible. I started two ideas before breakfast. now, being an instant gratification junkie, wouldn't a quiet version of this be amazing?(loegria vs iceni for example)

Merchant Ivory Ark II?


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## MrCambiata (Dec 18, 2015)

Bought last night and have downloaded 57% so far. Slowly but steadily...


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## Hanu_H (Dec 18, 2015)

If you could have only one...Metropolis Ark 1 or Albion One?

-Hannes


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## Hat_Tricky (Dec 18, 2015)

zakufan said:


> just when I hit the confirm order button it became 399e. now I have another 2 weeks to think about it



Is there a 2 week retrun policy or something?

EDIT: n/m i see now they have updated the page to extend the intro price to jan 1


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## zakufan (Dec 18, 2015)

mc_deli said:


> Or if you get it you have another 2 weeks to use it


I have a project due in 2 weeks. If I don't find myself craving for some extra loud instruments, one less reason to buy


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## Revenant (Dec 18, 2015)

Hanu_H said:


> If you could have only one...Metropolis Ark 1 or Albion One?
> 
> -Hannes



I think it depends entirely on what you're after and have at your disposal alredy. Alb One seems like a more complete package, including softer and more delicate articulations like con sord longs, complete WW ensembles, etc.

However, if you want something very powerful (remember that Ark is supposed to range only from mf to fff), in this case including even an electric guitar with various articulations and great-sounding choirs, Ark would seem the better choice.

My 2c.


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## Guy Rowland (Dec 18, 2015)

Hanu_H said:


> If you could have only one...Metropolis Ark 1 or Albion One?
> 
> -Hannes



A lot of people seem to be asking this rather odd question - I guess the only reason its being asked at all is that they are libraries covering a fair bit of ground released recently. A more realistic competitor to the Ark is Albion 3. There's really nothing else in common - just ask yourself what you need more. AONE is a complete ensemble-based orchestra with a buttery fairly sweet tone with some hybrid material, ARK1 is for blowing peoples heads off with FFF orchestral stuff, bass and drums.


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## StatKsn (Dec 19, 2015)

I thought there is no DI for guitars, but I found that AMP1 is almost DI (mildly pre-amped or EQ'd sound). This library is not an all-rounder like Symphobia or Albion, and it is not capable of doing subtle stuff AT ALL (but who really wants to do subtle stuff with this libary?!) I must say I love the sound. <3


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## Baron Greuner (Dec 19, 2015)

Guy nice video run through as usual. Always enjoyable. Very loud but thats what they're meant to be!

Would I buy this? Probably not atm. I would need to be heavily into that type of bombastic genre and be able to somehow justify writing appropriate material that would at least give me an even chance of breaking even. I hate losses.


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## Vastman (Dec 19, 2015)

Baron Greuner said:


> Guy nice video run through as usual. Always enjoyable. Very loud but thats what they're meant to be!
> 
> Would I buy this? Probably not atm. I would need to be heavily into that type of bombastic genre and be able to somehow justify writing appropriate material that would at least give me an even chance of breaking even. I hate losses.



I wish I could make money at this! Personally I chose it as, unlike the Albions which I have and are all premixed, ARK breaks things down into distinct sections, like trumpets and bones, a bit akin to Phalanx idb... thus resulting in much more control over individual instrument sounds. Might not matter so much if you have all the Murals and stuff...oh, and the BIG, MONSTEROUS EPIC thingy too...which as Daniel noted at the end of his stream is unparalleled. 

oh, and Guy... yea, mucho thanks...although I'd already hocked my house and bought...


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## Vastman (Dec 19, 2015)

I think another not much talked about element of ARK is CAPSULE... I've always struggled with the Spitfire GUI being so small and challenging for these old eyes... let alone figuring it out. But, I love the sound and am invested... just don't use much of it properly...

While I haven't cracked the manual, I realized how easy it is to set multiple articulation crossfades... a simple thing as just simultaneously hitting 2 or 3 of the keyswitches does it and this allows for quick, fluid shifting between poly articulations. *And you SEE IT, visually... as you do it... it's labled, where you are dynamically moves visually...*My muscle memory can handle this!

I ain't nothin' when it comes to all you folks do but man, for me... this GUI just feels nice, powerful, and easier to navigate... the primary reason I love FabFilter's tools above all others...


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## Vastman (Dec 20, 2015)

ARK is FUN! just been jammin' with myself, real time on two keybds at once, one with Orange Tree Strawberry's "Dangeresque" patch and my 88 keyboard with the piano layered with Finckenstein Strings high (sustain unison locked) and Wolfenstein low (creshendo long locked)...

Just playing it all, just riffin' realtime... was a Floydish experience...(thanks in no part to Greg's wonderful Evolution engine but....without ARK, which enfolds it completely...just WOW!) I'm totally f'n lovin' this library like no other for it's intuitive realtime multi playability...

Earlier someone poo pooed the piano... well, I've got EWplantinum and a half dozen others and even EW's, loaded up with three pianos and multi-miced doesn't have the balls and clarity of ARK's which loads lickety split vs 3 to 4 minutes for the EW multi I've worked on to achieve "power"... it is the perfect complement to ARK's orchestra... and cuts thru delicately or like a hammer...Sorry to blather on so but haven't had this fun shakin' the entire canyon outside the walls of my studio cottage in years... Just doodlin' live is a gas!

This is me:  or maybe this:

ARK, paired with Virharmonic's Bohemian Violin which I just jumped on after an innocent thread click (another first of a kind OMf'nG moment), are truly a game changing package... for this little ole singer/songwriter...

Never imagined a week like this... NEVER!


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## Wes Antczak (Dec 20, 2015)

I don't have Ark1 _yet_ (keyword = yet) but I am just about sold on it. Listening to some of the walkthroughs now. Not having some of the other libraries mentioned (sometimes there's a benefit to being poor, lol) it seems that there will be very little to no overlap with the other libraries I already have. So, it seems that Ark1 is a perfect fit for me! 

Reading through the thread I saw the mention of additional reverb. One thing that immediately came to mind for something like this is EAReverb. I cannot say too much about this yet as I only picked it up last night. For me it was a very low price since it was an upgrade. 

What I like about EAReverb is that it can sound very natural and very transparent, while also offering a lot of tweakability. At first glance it seems like it might be a perfect and relatively inexpensive fit especially for this particular library - which has such a beautiful clarity, depth and presence. 

By extrapolation, the power of the strings and brass in Ark1 reminded me very much of what Kurzweil was to some of the more 'vanilla' romplers back in the old days. Good stuff!


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## MrCambiata (Dec 20, 2015)

After spending some time with this library, I'm very happy with my purchase. As others have mentioned, the lower brass and horns are especially superb. I wish they make legato for the trumpets someday, as they are most exposed in their range. For low dynamics the bass trombones are able to do the job but that's not their strongest side of course. They work great with spitfire bones, which have that richness and warmth in the lower dynamics. The same goes for the trumpets but I still don't have the bones equivalent. 

Strangely, listening to the 4 bassoons with headphones on higher volume I can clearly hear background noises on every single sustain tone upon release. Don't think anyone is going to hear it when not exposed or without headphones but still that's something you don't hear in VSL libraries for example. By the way I also hear it in other OT libraries which I have: in Berlin Strings expansion B and in Berlin Brass Horn sfx. No one has mentioned it though so I might be too judgmental...

The strings are very nice and sound massive but I still want to get Berlin Strings after listening to the amazing new violin spicatos in version 2.0. Of course not only for that This library has much sharper spicatos because that's what it was intended to do so don't expect it to be a bread and butter / do it all kind of a product. It excels in what it was made for, which is not something you can say about some products on the market.


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## Jan16 (Dec 20, 2015)

It's important to keep in mind that the library is very focused and specialized and therefore limited in its application, but it's very good at what it does, and it has a distinct sound character of its own.
There are many areas where Metropolis Ark I could be expanded in the future to make it more versatile, not in the least by adding a 'soft' expansion pack and more woodwinds. I'm sure Hendrik and his team already have plans for Metropolis Ark II and what they want to include.


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## Lassi Tani (Dec 20, 2015)

I'm very happy with it. I can't keep my hands off the library. I have many sample libraries, and this is not overlapping them, but it's extending them. I haven't yet tested Ark I with BWW, only with Piccolo, and at high register it cuts through the brass and dense strings nicely. Can't wait for more new libraries from OT. And I have to say that this library made me look into Berlin Strings too


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## DocMidi657 (Dec 20, 2015)

One thing I haven't seen mentioned about this library is the drum kit that OT included, it works/blends/projects extremely well with the orchestral instruments of Metropolis 1.


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## evilantal (Dec 21, 2015)

Damn...I just thought I'd settled on Bravura + free Rhapsody Orchestral Colours + free Furia.
Only able to get one at most :(

Would I be better off getting this?


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## davidgary73 (Dec 21, 2015)

evilantal said:


> Damn...I just thought I'd settled on Bravura + free Rhapsody Orchestral Colours + free Furia.
> Only able to get one at most :(
> 
> Would I be better off getting this?



MA1 is a good buy now since it's still at a intro special price of 399 Euros. You can check out the audio/video demos and and see which one lib you like most and go with it 

I bought it and am really having a blast with MA1. The low strings is just fantastic and the percussion hits sounds huge. The drums is really good as well but its baked with the hall verb. No dry samples. 

Overall, best buy lib of the year for me


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## evilantal (Dec 21, 2015)

davidgary73 said:


> MA1 is a good buy now since it's still at a intro special price of 399 Euros. You can check out the audio/video demos and and see which one lib you like most and go with it
> 
> I bought it and am really having a blast with MA1. The low strings is just fantastic and the percussion hits sounds huge. The drums is really good as well but its baked with the hall verb. No dry samples.
> 
> Overall, best buy lib of the year for me



Thanks for that, will do! VAT puts it at about €482 for me, though :(

As an aside: Would I be able to comfortably run this on 16GB of RAM?


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## ysnyvz (Dec 21, 2015)

DocMidi657 said:


> One thing I haven't seen mentioned about this library is the drum kit that OT included, it works/blends/projects extremely well with the orchestral instruments of Metropolis 1.


I was curious about this before buying. Because even though I processed some other drumkit libraries a lot, I wasn't satisfied with results. They didn't feel like playing together with orchestra. So this is the first thing I tried with library:


Obviously it's not a fully deep sampled drumkit but works really well. I only used some eq.
At first you might think guitars are weak. But when you layer them with orchestra, they add a nice color.


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## jononotbono (Dec 21, 2015)

Hanu_H said:


> If you could have only one...Metropolis Ark 1 or Albion One?
> 
> -Hannes



Definitely both. I only have Albion One but I think they are very different libraries from everything I have heard so far. It feels like they will compliment one another rather splendiferously and the Ark could well be the adrenaline needle to Albion's massive heart. Haha! I have to find the money before Jan 1st!


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## Pixelee (Jan 2, 2016)

So does anyone have both Albion One and Metropolis Ark 1 can shed light? I'm still on the fence as I have Albion One and cinesymphony


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## ysnyvz (Jan 2, 2016)

Pixelee said:


> So does anyone have both Albion One and Metropolis Ark 1 can shed light? I'm still on the fence as I have Albion One and cinesymphony


They are very different. Albion One is like bread and butter. Soft and smooth sound.
Metropolis is like a beast waiting in its cage. When you hit keys, you release it. Growling strings, buzzy brass, pounding drums, screaming choir.
I'm using them together. You can actually mix them, if you be careful.


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## Chris Hurst (Jan 2, 2016)

Similar idea but executed quite differently. Albion is very smooth (although you can get a bit more aggressive with it if required) and sounds amazing to my ears.

Metropolis is designed to be more aggressive, so that is what you get. I think they executed it brilliantly and it also sounds amazing.

I'd say there is room for both and which one I would use would depend on each track, but I'd probably think Albion One for cinematic and Metropolis for a more in your face 'Trailer' type sound.

Both fantastic though in my opinion.


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## ag75 (Jan 2, 2016)

evilantal said:


> Thanks for that, will do! VAT puts it at about €482 for me, though :(
> 
> As an aside: Would I be able to comfortably run this on 16GB of RAM?




I'm on the road at the moment so I have been running it on my laptop with 16gig and have had absolutely no problems what so ever.


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## Guffy (Jan 3, 2016)

I gotta say, i'm blown away by this library.
It seems to fill all the holes in my template 

The choir is definitely my favourite part of it. It sounds pretty different from everything else out there.
Tight, smooth and powerful, and saves me time with the automatic phrase-building.

Did a quick test with the library today (97% here is ARK1)
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/25538565/Arkham.wav


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## RiffWraith (Jan 3, 2016)

Fugdup said:


> Did a quick test with the library today (97% here is ARK1)
> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/25538565/Arkham.wav



VERY good!


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## jsp21 (Jan 3, 2016)

Drats! As usual, I'm late to the party. I missed this release entirely.


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## Kaufmanmoon (Jan 4, 2016)

Good work, are they singing about Sausages?


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## Guffy (Jan 4, 2016)

Kaufmanmoon said:


> Good work, are they singing about Sausages?



Hard to not hear it now! Guess i should swap out that RR


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## Baron Greuner (Jan 4, 2016)

Fugdup said:


> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/25538565/Arkham.wav




Best demo of this library by a mile so far.


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## Kaufmanmoon (Jan 4, 2016)

Sorry, it's a great piece.


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## prodigalson (Jan 5, 2016)

jsp21 said:


> Drats! As usual, I'm late to the party. I missed this release entirely.



Don't panic, it's still available haha. They've extended the promo price through January which is still 150 euro cheaper than the final price.


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