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Most Disappointing Library Purchase?

Albion One. I quickly discovered that I have no real interest in combined instruments and the loss of control that comes with it. I use it very little now.
 
robgb said:
Albion One. I quickly discovered that I have no real interest in combined instruments and the loss of control that comes with it. I use it very little now.
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robgb said:
This is precisely why returns or exchanges should be allowed by every developer.
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Yes, and yes. Albion One is an okay option for ideas, but that baked in sound...I'd recommend the Hollywood or Hein before that one.

Iceni was another that was so hard to deal with in a mix...until I checked out videos online on how to deal with it better. I never got past it in Albion One, but Iceni is working in my mixes better and better for me now (great library btw, and not just for rugged stuff).

Sometimes I wonder if I was able to accommodate the baked in reverb in Iceni better than Alb 1 because I just plain LIKE the former a lot better.

That said, I have to give props to the imaginative Spiccato/Staccato patch in Alb 1; it can have its uses, especially when inspired. But I always take what I sketched in Alb 1 and replace it later with EW or Hein lol!
 
Probably VSL Solo Violin 2 and VSL Solo Cello 2. I think the original VSL Solo Strings are pretty excellent, so I was surprised that these additional solo instruments weren't up to VSL's usual quality.

I've also not been especially impressed with Albion ONE. I own quite a few Spitfire libraries (including all the Albions), and Albion ONE is my least favorite.

Without some improvements in the legato department, Synchron Strings is looking like it will be a disappointment. It's difficult to judge the library right now because VSL released it in an unfinished state. But this likely marks the last time I will pre-order a VSL library.
 
I usually don't regret buying a library especially if I can resell them. Usually I stop using 'old ' libraries for example Halion Symphonic Orchestra is outdated- but still gets its use with Dorico.
 
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robgb said:
Yes, the shorts in A1 are very nice. And the Steamband is pretty nice, too. But certainly not enough to justify the price, IMO.
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Noooo. I get the feeling we might be seeing that library half price in the not so distant future. Which would be much more fair; Alb1 is like a gateway drug into better (i.e. easier to mix and more consistently useable) libraries. If the price was knocked off at least that much then beginners could do a whole lot worse; Alb 1 (and in some ways Legacy) can give a good rough idea of the orchestral sound one might be looking for without the absolute imperative of studying the EW manuals...

;)
 
synthpunk said:
That and the promised development never materialized as they went on to there next 25 products.
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True. Clearly folk weren’t really into it so priorities shifted. It’s a pretty complete collection as is though. I’ll be (trying to) use it for a long while yet. Definitely worth a Spitfire sale plunge.

Anyway, this is a moan thread, so..
 
I’m surprised to see people regretting (or thinking its overpriced) buuing Albion One. Even though I have quite a few libraries, I still use it in pretty much every track I’ve written recently.

The only thing I don’t particularly like are the mid and high brass samples, but everything else gets regular use.
 
I have no real regrets, but there are products/instruments that I no longer use. As my skills and tastes have developed over the years, some of my earlier purchases no longer work as well for me. The best example, is Sample Tank 3. However, ST3 is how I rediscovered Miroslav, and Miroslav was the beginning of whole new creative cycle that ultimately kickstarted where I am today.
 
Puzzlefactory said:
I’m surprised to see people regretting (or thinking its overpriced) buuing Albion One. Even though I have quite a few libraries, I still use it in pretty much every track I’ve written recently.

The only thing I don’t particularly like are the mid and high brass samples, but everything else gets regular use.
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Agreed. I use it everywhere and for everything. Great value if your expectations are in check for it.
 
Puzzlefactory said:
I’m surprised to see people regretting (or thinking its overpriced) buuing Albion One. Even though I have quite a few libraries, I still use it in pretty much every track I’ve written recently.

The only thing I don’t particularly like are the mid and high brass samples, but everything else gets regular use.
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The legato woodwinds can be excellent iirc. I just don't use them much.

I have my own IRs so I like to create my own concert and chamber hall reverbs. If that makes any sense lol! The AIR sound is excellent, sure...but I don't like much of it in my final mockups. At all, really.
 
I've made a number of purchases (not limited to 2017) under the guise of, "Well, I don't often write in the style that this lib lends itself to, but when I do I'll have this in my arsenal - rip-roaring and ready to go!"

Needles to say, a fair amount of these purchases are collecting binary dust. This is especially true of libraries targeting the EDM crowd. But that brief could be sitting in my inbox as we speak. And I'm ready, damn it!
 
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