# Strezov Sampling: Jade Ethnic Orchestra (A Review)



## ChrisSiuMusic (Jun 22, 2020)

Hello friends! In this sample library review, let's take a look at the newest offering by Strezov Sampling: Jade Ethnic Orchestra. Designed as a Chinese-focused ethnic library in a largely Western-oriented market, how does it hold up?


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## JohnG (Jun 22, 2020)

Glad to see your review up, Chris. This is one of the best libraries I've ever bought.


[note: I have received free products from Strezov Sampling]


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## Rory (Jun 22, 2020)

I thoroughly enjoyed your walkthrough. However, at €480 ex-VAT I imagine that this library is headed for a pretty niche market. It would be interesting to know whether Strezov is marketing the library at a lower price in China, which might be a smart thing to do. I'm also curious about whether Chinese nationals have created similar libraries, and if so how they sound.


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## ChrisSiuMusic (Jun 22, 2020)

JohnG said:


> Glad to see your review up, Chris. This is one of the best libraries I've ever bought.
> 
> 
> [note: I have received free products from Strezov Sampling]


Thanks John. Agreed!


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## ChrisSiuMusic (Jun 22, 2020)

Rory said:


> I thoroughly enjoyed your walkthrough. However, at €480 ex-VAT I imagine that this library is headed for a pretty niche market. It would be interesting to know whether Strezov is marketing the library at a lower price in China, which might be a smart thing to do. I'm also curious about whether Chinese nationals have created similar libraries, and if so how they sound.


Thanks Rory. That's definitely an interesting idea; I don't think that's what they're doing, although I could be wrong about that.


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## JohnG (Jun 22, 2020)

Selling in one market for cheap would undoubtedly destroy the value of what must have been an amazingly time-consuming, expensive effort. So I'd put it in the category of "wild speculation."


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## Rory (Jun 22, 2020)

JohnG said:


> Selling in one market for cheap would undoubtedly destroy the value of what must have been an amazingly time-consuming, expensive effort. So I'd put it in the category of "wild speculation."



Historically, selling a product for more in a wealthy market and for less in a poorer market is common. It's one of the reasons for carving out territories, and it's the very reason why grey market goods exist. In its earlier days, B&H made a profitable point of sourcing and selling grey market goods. Didn't destroy Canon or Nikon, and B&H may now be the biggest camera retailer in the world. In an odd case of similar markets, Mamiya U.S. sold its professional cameras for substantially more in the U.S. than in Europe for decades, yet remained an important player in the U.S. market. It is commonplace for European-based makers of electronics to market their wares in the U.S. at retail prices that equal the VAT-included price in Europe, which means an extra 20% in revenue on U.S. sales. It looks like this European "practice" may be coming to an end, coincident with Americans discovering that they can no longer dodge sales tax 

Strezov would have to be thick if it hasn't considered lower pricing for China. Given what it's selling, its cost is pretty much fixed, and it can use digital rights management to avoid grey market sales. I don't even see buyers in wealthier countries objecting.

In any event, I think it's highly likely that they've thought about it and I'm just curious about whether they might do it, given what appears to be a fairly niche market for this library outside Asia.

On the reasonable assumption that there are people in China making virtual instruments, I'm also interested in why we aren't seeing them. There may well be Chinese products that are competitive with Strezov's Jade Orchestra. Where are they? What platform are Chinese makers of virtual instruments using, or indeed makers elsewhere in Asia? Maybe I'm wrong, but Kontakt seems to be pretty European/American-centric when it comes to who's making the stuff.


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## constaneum (Jun 25, 2020)

Rory said:


> Historically, selling a product for more in a wealthy market and for less in a poorer market is common. It's one of the reasons for carving out territories, and it's the very reason why grey market goods exist. In its earlier days, B&H made a profitable point of sourcing and selling grey market goods. Didn't destroy Canon or Nikon, and B&H may now be the biggest camera retailer in the world. In an odd case of similar markets, Mamiya U.S. sold its professional cameras for substantially more in the U.S. than in Europe for decades, yet remained an important player in the U.S. market. It is commonplace for European-based makers of electronics to market their wares in the U.S. at retail prices that equal the VAT-included price in Europe, which means an extra 20% in revenue on U.S. sales. It looks like this European "practice" may be coming to an end, coincident with Americans discovering that they can no longer dodge sales tax
> 
> Strezov would have to be thick if it hasn't considered lower pricing for China. Given what it's selling, its cost is pretty much fixed, and it can use digital rights management to avoid grey market sales. I don't even see buyers in wealthier countries objecting.
> 
> ...



Chinese makers ? I believe it'll be the Kong Audio ?


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## JohnG (Jun 25, 2020)

Rory said:


> Historically, selling a product for more in a wealthy market and for less in a poorer market is common.



Rory can you offer an example of that when it comes to sample libraries? Other than currency conversions and VAT, I haven't. This is even more true for new products, and they just released it.

either way, I don't want to argue with your speculation. I'd rather focus on the library which is absolutely superb.


[note: I have received free products from Strezov Sampling]


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## doctoremmet (Jun 30, 2020)

Rory said:


> Where are they?


They are advertising on this very forum. Judging by (a) the fact that everybody here appears to be totally ignoring them and (b) that they charge very European prices, I doubt their current marketing is very succesful...


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## doctoremmet (Jun 30, 2020)

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## wwwm (Sep 14, 2020)

doctoremmet said:


> Home
> 
> 
> Introducing Electric Guitar T Fender's legendary Telecaster with VStomp Effect System Learn More Cadenza Guitars 3 guitars bundle with a very affordable
> ...


That suona looks interesting (really disappointed with the JEO one). The demos on some of their other libraries are pretty brutal, though.


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