# NI Symphony Series Strings VS Cinematic Studio Strings



## rconn (Nov 19, 2017)

Which is a better purchase? Looking for real world experience with each library.


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## sostenuto (Nov 19, 2017)

rconn said:


> Which is a better purchase? Looking for real world experience with each library.


I would have hesitated to post such .... but then, I'm a real _wimp_ !!  
So many solid Libs out there, but NI_Symphony Series Strings seems to offer solid, capable content (@ $149.) from which to branch out as individual needs and preferences dictate. 
Watching with honest interest.


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## kavinsky (Nov 19, 2017)

Please don't ever buy NI strings(4RRs in spiccs is just ridiculous).
CSS is a far, far superior product.


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## sostenuto (Nov 19, 2017)

kavinsky said:


> Please don't ever buy NI strings(4RRs in spiccs is just ridiculous).
> CSS is a far, far superior product.



Ha!!!  Don't be bashful... say what you really think ! ....


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## Alex Fraser (Nov 19, 2017)

You're asking this question on VI control, so the answer you'll get is* CSS*, as it's a popular library around here.
The better answer is: Whatever you like the sound of best and what you think might suit your workflow.
I have the NI library so can answer any questions you have about it - just hit me up.


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## wpc982 (Nov 19, 2017)

Evaluating a library by how many RRs in spiccato seems like a pretty poor criterion. It's a little hard to imagine a real string section having more than 3 RRs: up down and oops.


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## rconn (Nov 19, 2017)

kavinsky said:


> Please don't ever buy NI strings(4RRs in spiccs is just ridiculous).
> CSS is a far, far superior product.



I have the NI essentials that came with Komplete and aren’t convinced the complete versions would be better. Essentials doesn’t sound bad...buggy here and there. Do you have real world experience with both libraries? I haven’t been able to find many people talking about it from experience...just based upon demos and tech specs.


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## sostenuto (Nov 19, 2017)

Alex Fraser said:


> You're asking this question on VI control, so the answer you'll get is* CSS*, as it's a popular library around here.
> The better answer is: Whatever you like the sound of best and what you think might suit your workflow.
> I have the NI library so can answer any questions you have about it - just hit me up.



THX ... and will, without hesitation.
Honestly, long leaning toward LASS, with steady probing to make sure NI_SS does not get close.
LASS Full 2.5 is lotsa _clams_, so first move is likely to [_ LASS Lite 2.0 + First Chair 2.0 Bundle _] at current promo cost. 
No divisi, but seems about time for a notable enhancement .......


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## rconn (Nov 19, 2017)

Alex Fraser said:


> You're asking this question on VI control, so the answer you'll get is* CSS*, as it's a popular library around here.
> The better answer is: Whatever you like the sound of best and what you think might suit your workflow.
> I have the NI library so can answer any questions you have about it - just hit me up.



That’s the thing. I really like the demos of CSS and I know they get lots of here on VI-Control. I have a little experience with the NI so I understand the workflow. I just want to know if there are glaring issues with the NI library or just lack of adoption.


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## Alex Fraser (Nov 19, 2017)

rconn said:


> I have the NI essentials that came with Komplete and aren’t convinced the complete versions would be better. Essentials doesn’t sound bad...buggy here and there. Do you have real world experience with both libraries? I haven’t been able to find many people talking about it from experience...just based upon demos and tech specs.


The 4RR thing is only an issue if you play 4 notes one after the other at the same pitch and velocity. Which is missing the point.

Whilst the library is new to me, I've put a fair bit of time into it and will jot down my thoughts tomorrow (it's nearly 2am here.)


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## procreative (Nov 19, 2017)

Got both. Major workflow killer for me is that NI Strings is the only string library I have where you HAVE to leave a small gap between notes to trigger legato. And its very tricky to do this in real time as the gap must be very small.

The only nice unique feature is the ability to divide the sections into smaller groups.

Every other library uses overlapped notes to do this. If you overlap notes in SS Strings it does NOT play them Legato.

Very strange concept and makes sharing midi with other libraries impossible.

If cost is not the issue CSS every time. IMO Strings is the weakest link in the NI SS.


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## Alex Fraser (Nov 19, 2017)

procreative said:


> Every other library uses overlapped notes to do this. If you overlap notes in SS Strings it does NOT play them Legato.


You sure? Not looking to start an argument (genuinely curious) but that's not my experience here. If I leave gaps, I get a slow attack sustain. If I play legato, I get legato. Strange..

Edit: Or do you mean placing a small gap between the first note of the phrase before the rest of the legato passage? Interesting..


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## procreative (Nov 19, 2017)

Not got it running at moment but THINK it might be when auto divisi is on only. But I am sure it needs a small gap to play legato otherwise the notes play like a sustain patch.


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## constaneum (Nov 19, 2017)

Between these two, i'll recommend CSS for its sound but in terms of workflow, i'll opt for Native Instruments Symphony Series Strings. Based on the video on the auto-divisi for Native Instruments Symphony Series Strings, i really love the easy and smart way of dealing with divisi strings writing. Pretty solid and smart approach in terms of scripting by Audio Bro. How i really wish this could be applied to LASS. Who knows perhaps the future LASS 3.0?

But if you're given a chance to wait, i'll try to wait for Chris Hein's upcoming Orchestral Strings library which he has showcased lately in one of the strings comparisons demos. Sounds beautiful even though it's not a finished product yet. To me seems like a few more scripting or programming touch up and i'm guessing it'll be out Q1 2018. Base on my experience with CH's solo strings libraries, his scripting and articulation switching is very fluid and i'm having a very positive mindset on his upcoming Orchestral Strings. I cant wait to hear its release.


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## Quasar (Nov 19, 2017)

rconn said:


> Which is a better purchase? Looking for real world experience with each library.


I asked this exact same question here before CSS came out between NISSS and CS2, and ended up getting CS2. 

The divisi feature on the NI offering was alluring to me too, but Kirk Hunter CS3 has an auto dvisi that works quite well, and can sometimes be gotten very inexpensively on sale.


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## NoamL (Nov 19, 2017)

This might be useful to you

LA Scoring Strings - 62 players
Trailer Strings - 60 players (Vln1+2 recorded as one section; no legatos)
NI Symphonic Series Strings - 60 players
Spitfire Symphonic Strings - 60 players
Hollywood Strings - 57 players
Cinestrings Core - 55 players

---

Cinematic Strings2 - 40 players
Soaring Strings & Adventure Strings - I can't find any info but I think they're around 40
Albion ONE - 37 players (only high/low string sections available)
Cinematic Studio Strings - 35 players (39 with added Solo Strings)
Berlin Strings - 28 players (32 with added First Chairs)

---

Auddict United Strings of Europe - 20 players
Light & Sound Chamber Strings - 18 players
Spitfire Chamber Strings - 16 players

Small differences don't really matter.... but there is a fairly large difference in sound between the three "weight classes" I just outlined - a 60ish piece "symphonic" or "Hollywood sized" string orchestra; a 25-40 piece studio string section, and a 15-20 piece chamber orchestra.

So if you are interested in one of these libraries perhaps your best move would be to check out other libraries in the same "weight class."


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## InLight-Tone (Nov 19, 2017)

CSS is popular but has a dark almost dated sound from years ago, almost nostalgic to my ears. It really depends on what kind of sound you want and what style of music you write, though of course that can be multiple styles and sounds, so buy them all!


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## WindcryMusic (Nov 19, 2017)

I have both, and I cast my vote for CSS. Not to say that CSS is perfect, but I find that I can get better results with it. The legato especially is incredibly different between the two: CSS has the multiple legato transitions that can be demanding to perform with but which can sound very real. Whereas NI String's legato is a glaring weak spot in my opinion … to me it sounds more like a synthesizer pitch bend than it does a group of physical instruments, and I really can't bring myself to use it.


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## Alex Fraser (Nov 20, 2017)

NoamL said:


> This might be useful to you
> 
> LA Scoring Strings - 62 players
> Trailer Strings - 60 players (Vln1+2 recorded as one section; no legatos)
> ...


Wow, amazing. This should probably be pinned at the top of the forum.


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## Saxer (Nov 20, 2017)

I tried NSSS but I was missing charm and elegance. Though this are very subjective parameters it was reason enough for me not to use them any more. But that's just me.


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## Puzzlefactory (Nov 20, 2017)

Personally, I don't like the way the NISSS strings sounds, especially the short articulations, so for that reason I would say CSS (which is my favourite string library that I own).


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## Casiquire (Nov 20, 2017)

I always say stray away from polling an incredibly popular library here. If I were to make a poll here saying "Who's better at getting to the moon, NASA or Spitfire Audio?" I'd be willing to bet Spitfire would win.


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## Alex Fraser (Nov 20, 2017)

Righty-ho. As SSSE user, here are my thoughts. Hope it helps someone.

*The legato. *
No question, CSS is better here, providing the delay compensation is something you can integrate into your workflow.
SSSE has a workable legato but it’s a little tricky to get right in practice. Getting a flowing passage requires the right amount of legato playing, the correct velocity to switch between portamento and legato… and a spot of mod wheel control to smooth some of the note attacks. It also really helps to “think strings” whilst programming.

It’s a lot to juggle. It took me a solid hour of noodling and tweaking before I could “dial it in.” Without a bit of practice, you’ll yo-yo between sweeping portamento and hard bowed legato like a drunk string section.

CSS looks to be a lot easier but I know the delay compensation would drive me up the wall. A personal preference though.

*The sound.*
Out of the box uses a basic stereo mix, paired with convolution reverb. This can be improved upon with the separate mic mixes, both in width and space. The library is still quite dry compared to the rest of the Symphony Series and doesn’t quite reach that “air studios” luxury vibe.


*The Auto-Divisi..*
…is a thing of magic and witchcraft. I though it would be a gimmick but in practice it’s really useful and generally gets out of the way. You can also split the desks into separate library loads for the ultimate in tweakability, or create a smaller orchestra size. The divisi is the big USP here.


*Other thoughts.*
The demos on the NI site for the most part really don’t show off the library to full effect. 
It’s capable of a lot more. There’s more vibrato and “life” in the library to be had if you use the separate “vibrato via cc control” patches, for example.

IMO, the library sings *if* you play it like a proper string section. I can understand (some of the) unfavourable first impressions. It’s not an Albion ONE style library that “does what it does” right out of the box. It requires a little love, time…and if we’re being honest, some good playing/programming chops.

It’s also a screaming bargain right now for Komplete users.

As for CSS, I think it sounds lovely and creamy and completely understand the love for it. But SSSE has an unfair bad rep for sure. So I'd vote for both if possible. To answer the original OP.. it's unanswerable. Depends on what you want from both sound and workflow. Get both!


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## rconn (Nov 20, 2017)

constaneum said:


> Between these two, i'll recommend CSS for its sound but in terms of workflow, i'll opt for Native Instruments Symphony Series Strings. Based on the video on the auto-divisi for Native Instruments Symphony Series Strings, i really love the easy and smart way of dealing with divisi strings writing. Pretty solid and smart approach in terms of scripting by Audio Bro. How i really wish this could be applied to LASS. Who knows perhaps the future LASS 3.0?
> 
> But if you're given a chance to wait, i'll try to wait for Chris Hein's upcoming Orchestral Strings library which he has showcased lately in one of the strings comparisons demos. Sounds beautiful even though it's not a finished product yet. To me seems like a few more scripting or programming touch up and i'm guessing it'll be out Q1 2018. Base on my experience with CH's solo strings libraries, his scripting and articulation switching is very fluid and i'm having a very positive mindset on his upcoming Orchestral Strings. I cant wait to hear its release.



I have Chris's solo strings and they are really good.


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## rconn (Nov 20, 2017)

Casiquire said:


> I always say stray away from polling an incredibly popular library here. If I were to make a poll here saying "Who's better at getting to the moon, NASA or Spitfire Audio?" I'd be willing to bet Spitfire would win.



LOL! I knew I would get some bias when I asked this question. The only reason I asked in the first place is because after a lot of research and scouring the forums, I haven't found very many, maybe 8 people total, that talk about NISSE and why they like/loath it. It's just not talked about...so without a healthy discussion from people who own and use the library, it can be a little daunting to try and make a solid decision.

The one thing I can appreciate about EastWest is the composer cloud...while I know a lot of people don't like subscription models, I love them. It gives you a chance to really try the sample library before committing to shell out your hard earned cash to buy it.


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## Alex Fraser (Nov 20, 2017)

rconn said:


> LOL! I knew I would get some bias when I asked this question. The only reason I asked in the first place is because after a lot of research and scouring the forums, I haven't found very many, maybe 8 people total, that talk about NISSE and why they like/loath it. It's just not talked about...so without a healthy discussion from people who own and use the library, it can be a little daunting to try and make a solid decision.


Absolutely. In my research I came up against the same wall of silence, hence my longer post above.

I think a straight comparison between the two libraries is perhaps a little unfair, as they have completely different design specs from the start. SSSE is all about the divisi and everything flows around it. CCS is focused on the world's best legato. Different rooms, section sizes etc..


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## rottoy (Nov 20, 2017)

I'm really curious to hear more examples of the auto-divisi feature in action. It really is something that more string ensemble libraries should incorporate as a standard.


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## leon chevalier (Nov 20, 2017)

Casiquire said:


> "Who's better at getting to the moon, NASA or Spitfire Audio?"


Easy : Spitfire audio !

The only valuable question is :
who's better at getting at the moon, Paul Thomson or Christian Henson ?


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## Sid Francis (Nov 20, 2017)

"it´s not talked about" is my main criterium after some time in this forum since americans are so damn polite... In german forums there would be far less people trying to be diplomatic all the time. For this reason "it´s not talked about" gives me a lot of the information I need for a purchase. If the audio demos were ravishing I would give a damn about the opinion of others but there was not even one I could listen to to the end. By the way: I loaded and activated demos for NI Woodwinds and Brass and played with them for 3 minutes, then deleted them. I did not even install the strings then. Thats the reason I did not talk about them... And I had so much wished I could "get there" for so little money. But these are products which are , ahm..."not talked about".


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## sostenuto (Nov 20, 2017)

Understand the OP's Thread title ... but continue to wonder why Audiobro's LASS does not enter the discussion. 
Do those who define clear reasons against NI_SSS, find similar issues with LASS ?? 
NI offer is attractive, and this Thread is most helpful. LASS represents far more investment, and more related comment surely seems appropriate here ?


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## Sears Poncho (Nov 20, 2017)

sostenuto said:


> Understand the OP's Thread title ... but continue to wonder why Audiobro's LASS does not enter the discussion.


Because the NI offering is 150 bucks, that's why. 

Like others, I am intrigued by the capabilities and certainly the price. But the demos aren't selling the product (2 sound pretty good). I'd at least like to hear some of the smaller sections straight up with no other instruments.


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## sostenuto (Nov 20, 2017)

Sears Poncho said:


> Because the NI offering is 150 bucks, that's why.
> 
> Like others, I am intrigued by the capabilities and certainly the price. But the demos aren't selling the product (2 sound pretty good). I'd at least like to hear some of the smaller sections straight up with no other instruments.



Reasonable criticism for sure .... NI/Audibro clearly have resources to provide best possible exposure to their products, especially when normal pricing is much higher. 
Makes it even tougher to sort current offer, if LASS differences are not so great.


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## ism (Nov 20, 2017)

How is the dynamic cross fade in SSSE? 

This is what really bothers me in the NI solo brass - it has some sampled dynamic arcs, but even the sustain patches come in soft and loud patches with no playable cross fade between dynamics. The arcs do sound good, but I find them very cumbersome, and not at all playable. ( And perhaps a bit cynically, I wonder if they're primarily there to allow demos to give the impression that it can do dynamics better that it does.) I find this is an utterly fatal flaw, especially in a brass library. 

Maybe it's an idiosyncrasy, but the ability to start very softly and crescendo convincingly has become my litmus test of a great library. And it can be very hard to tell from demos just how well a library does this (or, if you prefer, easy to conceal limitations via careful marketing).

Any thoughts on how well SSSE does this?


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## Alex Fraser (Nov 20, 2017)

ism said:


> How is the dynamic cross fade in SSSE?
> 
> This is what really bothers me in the NI solo brass - it has some sampled dynamic arcs, but even the sustain patches come in soft and loud patches with no playable cross fade between dynamics. The arcs do sound good, but I find them very cumbersome, and not at all playable. ( And perhaps a bit cynically, I wonder if they're primarily there to allow demos to give the impression that it can do dynamics better that it does.) I find this is an utterly fatal flaw, especially in a brass library.
> 
> ...


It doesn't follow the same pattern - the legato is a single layered patch over (I think) 4 velocity layers. Sometimes I can hear "the joins" if I listen hard enough, but you can further "blur" things by cc controlling the modulation.


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## rconn (Nov 20, 2017)

It


sostenuto said:


> Understand the OP's Thread title ... but continue to wonder why Audiobro's LASS does not enter the discussion.
> Do those who define clear reasons against NI_SSS, find similar issues with LASS ??
> NI offer is attractive, and this Thread is most helpful. LASS represents far more investment, and more related comment surely seems appropriate here ?



I have had experience with LASS and used it when working on projects in the past. I sit in the middle on that library when it comes to love/hate. It's not something I would consider owning as my workhorse library. Part of the reason its not in the poll. I use EastWest Hollywood Strings for a lot of stuff now but I'm no exactly thrilled with its sound. It takes quite a bit of work and is a cumbersome workflow. I've already wasted so much of my creativity time making templates for HS library.


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## rconn (Nov 20, 2017)

Sid Francis said:


> "it´s not talked about" is my main criterium after some time in this forum since americans are so damn polite... In german forums there would be far less people trying to be diplomatic all the time. For this reason "it´s not talked about" gives me a lot of the information I need for a purchase. If the audio demos were ravishing I would give a damn about the opinion of others but there was not even one I could listen to to the end. By the way: I loaded and activated demos for NI Woodwinds and Brass and played with them for 3 minutes, then deleted them. I did not even install the strings then. Thats the reason I did not talk about them... And I had so much wished I could "get there" for so little money. But these are products which are , ahm..."not talked about".



You're definitely not wrong about a lot being said about a library when "its not talked about", especially one that has been out for a couple years. So, I see your point...part of the reason I asked in the first place. However, I have learned in the past that just because something isn't the most popular thing, doesn't mean its bad. Musician's tend to jump on "bandwagons" when it comes to gear and then bash anything they are not familiar with.

I just wanted objective feedback on people who actually made the purchase of NI SSE and CSS and can give a valid opinion about the library. Every library has a learning curve, some more than others. For example, EastWest HS takes a lot of setup in the beginning, and I wouldn't say they are playable out of the box, however they can sound really good.


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## sostenuto (Nov 20, 2017)

rconn said:


> It
> 
> 
> I have had experience with LASS and used it when working on projects in the past. I sit in the middle on that library when it comes to love/hate. It's not something I would consider owning as my workhorse library. Part of the reason its not in the poll. I use EastWest Hollywood Strings for a lot of stuff now but I'm no exactly thrilled with its sound. It takes quite a bit of work and is a cumbersome workflow. I've already wasted so much of my creativity time making templates for HS library.



Thank-you for helping. Will not pester this Thread in other directions, but wanting to 'avoid' exactly what you describe with E/WS HS, if at all possible. So tough now to commit in just one direction (for strings/brass/woods/perc/choir/etc) .... perhaps not practical any more.


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## rconn (Nov 20, 2017)

sostenuto said:


> Thank-you for helping. Will not pester this Thread in other directions, but wanting to 'avoid' exactly what you describe with E/WS HS, if at all possible. So tough now to commit in just one direction (for strings/brass/woods/perc/choir/etc) .... perhaps not practical any more.



No problem, and I don't think you are pestering the thread. We're all trying to make solid decisions with our money. Musical instruments are personal...the issue with virtual instruments is that you rarely get a chance to try before you buy...unlike traditional hardware. This means there is a lot uncertainty whether you're making a good or bad choice.


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## ism (Nov 20, 2017)

leon chevalier said:


> Easy : Spitfire audio !
> 
> The only valuable question is :
> who's better at getting at the moon, Paul Thomson or Christian Henson ?



Relevant to this thread though, if Spitfire and certain other companies who I won't name, put out some marketing videos, including a detailed walkthrough and some demos of actually trips to the moon, then all things being equal, I'm likely to trust Spitfire to actually get to the moon over certain of the others. Sure Spifire lunar travel would probably cost a little more that some of the competitors, and if, say, Embertone or Alex from CSS has a similar travel package I'm going to give those some serious thought also. But the reality is that there does exist a certain class of competitor who, while perhaps perfectly capable of getting to the moon, are going are going to sell it as a trip Jupiter and so when you arrive on the moon, you're disappointed and checking your ticket to see if you actually just paid for a trip to the moon after all, or if, had you waited for an inevitable sale, it might have been a pretty good price for a trip to the moon, as opposed to too good to be true price to get to Jupiter.

Hence my question about dynamic crossfades.


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## mc_deli (Nov 20, 2017)

ism said:


> Relevant to this thread though, if Spitfire and certain other companies who I won't name, put out some marketing videos, including a detailed walkthrough and some demos of actually trips to the moon, then all things being equal, I'm likely to trust Spitfire to actually get to the moon over certain of the others. Sure Spifire lunar travel would probably cost a little more that some of the competitors, and if, say, Embertone or Alex from CSS has a similar travel package I'm going to give those some serious thought also. But the reality is that there does exist a certain class of competitor who, while perhaps perfectly capable of getting to the moon, are going are going to sell it as a trip Jupiter and so when you arrive on the moon, you're disappointed and checking your ticket to see if you actually just paid for a trip to the moon after all, or if, had you waited for an inevitable sale, it might have been a pretty good price for a trip to the moon, as opposed to too good to be try price to get to Jupiter.
> 
> Hence my question about dynamic crossfades.


I was thinking the same... I hope my legs don't break

Back on topic, this thread is good. I have SSBrass and do like the sound of it. More to the point, I have CS2 and am thinking seriously about CSS and there is great info here as usual. Reading the legato timing threads is a bit daunting... I guess that's my question: what's the easiest large string lib to use that has good legato... don't tell me I should save up for SA SS...?


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## Casiquire (Nov 20, 2017)

I totally disagree with the idea that an under the radar library must be poorer quality. There are a lot of libraries out there that don't get as much attention but are really amazing. I don't think people in this forum are too diplomatic to criticize any library. We get a bit fanatical instead about the ones we love, sometimes drowning out the voices of some very good libraries along the way.

And I have to agree regarding the EastWest subscription service. Overall I'm not their biggest fan but that's a brilliant move and I wish more developers would do it. They got some more of my money after I swore they would never get any more of my money lol!


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## Alex Fraser (Nov 20, 2017)

Yep, this forum is definitely faddish when it comes to libraries. Shiney toys etc. 

I’d say broadly speaking the NI Symphony Series has met my expectations for the price. I wasn’t expecting Spitfire levels of detail and haven’t got them. As I explore the collection, I find things I love, other bits I’m not so keen on. And that’s been my experience with every library I’ve brought.

Beat of luck to those looking to spend hard earned coin. I’m gonna bow out of this thread as that little red notification icon is getting addictive and I’ve got work to do!


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## Michael Antrum (Nov 20, 2017)

So they are all a bunch of space cadets then ? - Well I'm not completely surprised.


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## sostenuto (Nov 20, 2017)

Alex Fraser said:


> Yep, this forum is definitely faddish when it comes to libraries. Shiney toys etc.
> 
> I’d say broadly speaking the NI Symphony Series has met my expectations for the price. I wasn’t expecting Spitfire levels of detail and haven’t got them. As I explore the collection, I find things I love, other bits I’m not so keen on. And that’s been my experience with every library I’ve brought.
> 
> Beat of luck to those looking to spend hard earned coin. I’m gonna bow out of this thread as that little red notification icon is getting addictive and I’ve got work to do!


 
Might add __ can relate to OP comment about time/effort making templates for another Library. If your considered comments factor in some of this .... in terms of NI_SSS .... then its attractiveness improves again.
Otherwise, gotta weigh Spitfire_SSS ( _or other lib_ ) incremental cost against template time, etc.


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## Michael Antrum (Nov 20, 2017)

Also, NISSS is from NI, and you can resell their libraries.......


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## novaburst (Nov 20, 2017)

rconn said:


> However, I have learned in the past that just because something isn't the most popular thing, doesn't mean its bad. Musician's tend to jump on "bandwagons" when it comes to gear and then bash anything they are not familiar with.



✓


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## rconn (Nov 20, 2017)

Alex Fraser said:


> Yep, this forum is definitely faddish when it comes to libraries. Shiney toys etc.
> 
> I’d say broadly speaking the NI Symphony Series has met my expectations for the price. I wasn’t expecting Spitfire levels of detail and haven’t got them. As I explore the collection, I find things I love, other bits I’m not so keen on. And that’s been my experience with every library I’ve brought.
> 
> Beat of luck to those looking to spend hard earned coin. I’m gonna bow out of this thread as that little red notification icon is getting addictive and I’ve got work to do!



Thank you so much for your input on both the libraries. I appreciate that you took the time to go over the things you liked. It’s the kind of response I was hoping to get from the community. Cheers!


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## ism (Nov 20, 2017)

mikeybabes said:


> So they are all a bunch of space cadets then ? - Well I'm not completely surprised.



Yep. And continuing to abuse the metaphor, this thread has me seriously thinking about NI strings at the sale price. Ie. whether to save for a trip to the moon - which I think for me means Spitfire Chamber stings - or to go with NI strings. Because $150 sounds like a great price to get to, say, Australia. I'd love to go to Austalia.


Helpful thread (my tendencies toward the abuse of metaphors notwithstanding).


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## Jaybee (Nov 20, 2017)

mc_deli said:


> Reading the legato timing threads is a bit daunting... I guess that's my question: what's the easiest large string lib to use that has good legato... don't tell me I should save up for SA SS...?



CSS advanced legato is amazing but does take a bit of massaging in midi to correct timings however it's totally worth the time. That said the new CSS v1.5 patch that was released at the same time as CSSS(!) makes the CSS legato a real breeze to play in. No noticeable lag. Easily 'good enough' as it is. If you really want the ultimate then apply your played in midi to a regular CSS Advanced Legato patch and adjust the Midi timings to taste (there are some scripts around on VIC that do just that depending on which DAW you use).


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## Michael Antrum (Nov 20, 2017)

ism said:


> Yep. And continuing to abuse the metaphor, this thread has me seriously thinking about NI strings at the sale price. Ie. whether to save for a trip to the moon - which I think for me means Spitfire Chamber stings - or to go with NI strings. Because $150 sounds like a great price to get to, say, Australia. I'd love to go to Austalia.
> 
> 
> Helpful thread (my tendencies toward the abuse of metaphors notwithstanding).



Actually, I can absolutely confirm to you that the best string library for your needs is the one you haven't got. It's the cornerstone of the whole VI business.


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