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SWAM Saxes vs VHorns Saxes

LHall said:
Wow! I was unaware of VHorns until I saw this yesterday.
I'm a long time user of all things SWAM (and SM). This is the first time I've heard something that was in the same ballpark. I bought the VHorn Saxes and am super super impressed. I had just finished a pretty involved arrangement and I'm going to insert some of the saxes into the mix. Really loving them so far. I can see getting the VHorn Brass in the near future.

Like - by noon today.
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Haha same here, just bought Saxes yesterday and getting the Brass now :D
 
I just kind of stumbled on VHorns saxes today, too, while purchasing the VSL World Winds on the last day of the intro price. I was really amazed at the sound of the VHorns saxes, and picked them up, too (also last day of intro price for them).

I've had and liked SWAM instruments for some time, now, but for the moment, VHorns sounds quite a bit more realistic to me, especially when exposed. I can really hear the air in the instrument, and tonguing. Overall, there seems to be a MUCH greater differentiation in tone from soft to loud, and when things get loud, there's just a touch of the slightly unpredictable wild energy you get from the real thing (I play the real thing, but I'm mainly a pianist, and not a pro level WW player).

Definitely, I think these instruments need to be played with at least a breath controller (Hornberg works well).

Wonder how long VHorns will be king of the hill before another competitor knocks them out of the box. For $179, for a package of eight modeled instruments, I think it's a pretty good deal.
 
I bought it today also. From the limited time I’ve had with it and listening to other people’s demos, it sounds very good indeed.
 
Rob said:
here's a quick comparison, first Vsaxes followed by Swam, all in their default state
. Soprano, alto, tenor, baritone. I have a preference for Vsaxes in general though the tenor and bari hold up pretty well...

View attachment Vsaxes-vs-Swam.mp3
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Wow, this really tells the story. In a big ensemble, maybe you wouldn't hear the VHorn air, and all the detail in the tonguing. But exposed, the VHorns really have some real life to them. I think you also hear a much more realistic resonance to the body of the instrument.
 
doctoremmet said:
For now this is the number one VI released in 2022 for sure. (For me that is). Just incredibly playable.
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I was thinking exactly the same thing. Plenty of good products released in 2022, but every once in awhile technology takes a big step forward, and this is one of those times.

Not that many years ago, the idea of any kind of sax solo, or exposed part that wasn't an actual saxophone was pretty laughable. You could tell, instantly. SWAM saxophones made certain kinds of soloing actually possible, but VHorns takes things up to the next level.
 
Kevin63101 said:
Just purchased vhorns saxes. I already have swam woodwinds, straight ahead saxes / atomic big band, and several others. It may end up being more than I need, but seems like each may excel in certain arrangements.
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Wow that is quite the collection. Would be very interesting to hear the differences between these, though I expect different options will perform better in different situations.
 
I jumped into the train while having SWAM Saxophones and all I can say is anyone who have been hesitating about getting them should have them (or both): the are so different and so complimentary. Also SWAM Saxes are keeper since they so agile and could sound very-very realistic (looking at you V Horns Soprano Saxophone).
While V Horns is new king for shorts and stabs here. And yes tone wise they are superior, but as someone has mentioned - mixing them together with SWAM should give me an ultimate horn stabs nirvana.
Sorry for over reacting, just so happy that I pulled the trigger and boy it was worthing it.
 
I just love that we are still getting innovation on these modelled instruments whether that is physically modelled or sample modelled or a hybrid of both.

I am holding off buying these as I am waiting on the changes to the Infinite Series along with strings to see where that takes us, as I have been promising myself those libraries for a long time.

I have SWAM on iOS and would love them on desktop but I always found them to be quite pricey given they charge you for upgrades, where as on iOS they are a lot cheaper and no upgrade cost.
 
Markrs said:
I just love that we are still getting innovation on these modelled instruments whether that is physically modelled or sample modelled or a hybrid of both.

I am holding off buying these as I am waiting on the changes to the Infinite Series along with strings to see where that takes us, as I have been promising myself those libraries for a long time.

I have SWAM on iOS and would love them on desktop but I always found them to be quite pricey given they charge you for upgrades, where as on iOS they are a lot cheaper and no upgrade cost.
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I was looking at the iOS versions a couple of weeks ago. Can you use an iPad to record midi into a DAW and then edit & play it back and record the audio?
 
ShiningHour said:
I was looking at the iOS versions a couple of weeks ago. Can you use an iPad to record midi into a DAW and then edit & play it back and record the audio?
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There is Cubasis and GarageBand on iOS for recording midi along with editing and outputting to audio.

I believe can also have a DAW send midi via USB as well (I have used it the other way around with Musikraken to send CC messages to my DAWI should add that a few of the advanced features of SWAM instruments are disabled on iOS. Personally I have not missed any of those features.). I think this works natively with macos but with windows you can use Studiomux (You can also have the audio go directly to the DAW as well).

I should add that a few of the advanced features of SWAM instruments are disabled on iOS. Personally I have not missed any of those features.
 
Yury Tikhomirov said:
I jumped into the train while having SWAM Saxophones and all I can say is anyone who have been hesitating about getting them should have them (or both): the are so different and so complimentary. Also SWAM Saxes are keeper since they so agile and could sound very-very realistic (looking at you V Horns Soprano Saxophone).
While V Horns is new king for shorts and stabs here. And yes tone wise they are superior, but as someone has mentioned - mixing them together with SWAM should give me an ultimate horn stabs nirvana.
Sorry for over reacting, just so happy that I pulled the trigger and boy it was worthing it.
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Hi @Yury Tikhomirov ,

Your post has generated dangerous levels of excessive GAS for me. :rolleyes:

I wasn't planning on getting these Saxes, since I already have the SWAM Saxes, but here we go. GAS strikes again, and today being the last day of the discounted intro price. I had to pull the trigger. (Damn). But I'm sure I will enjoy having the saxes, I already have their Horns collection, and love them.

Cheers,
Muziksculp
 
muziksculp said:
Hi @Yury Tikhomirov ,

Your post has generated dangerous levels of excessive GAS for me. :rolleyes:

I wasn't planning on getting these Saxes, since I already have the SWAM Saxes, but here we go. GAS strikes again, and today being the last day of the discounted intro price. I had to pull the trigger. (Damn). But I'm sure I will enjoy having the saxes, I already have their Horns collection, and love them.

Cheers,
Muziksculp
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I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised how awesome they are. Tbh I also tried to resist till the last moment - but now I can say now with all the confidence that I would have regret if would not get them.
 
Yury Tikhomirov said:
I am sure you will be pleasantly surprised how awesome they are. Tbh I also tried to resist till the last moment - but now I can say now with all the confidence that I would have regret if would not get them.
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Thanks, this makes me feel better. :)

Yeah, I was trying to pass on this Sax collection, and surely going to get their solo woodwinds whenever they release them, and of course their Solo Strings. When they are released.

I look forward to enjoy these Saxes, I have only read very positive feedback from those who have the Saxes already.

Enjoy your new Sax collection as well. :2thumbs:
 
I would like to add that I also love the fact that they are not just traditionally sampled instruments, but some kind of a PModeled and Sampled Hybrid tech. with a small sample content, using the UVI engine. I wish to see this approach grow more popular, more instruments released using this tech., and become more popular with other developers.
 
So this was an epiphany to me. I had seen, but obviously not really looked at the Acousticsamples Vhorns before reading this thread. And boy was I surprised with how good they actually sounded. I come with a MIDI Guitar perspective, and have been using the SWAM instruments with a TEControl breathcontroller for a few years. For anyone interested in hearing these two side by side, I did this little video. And, even though I mention that in the video somewhere; I just wanted to grab the opportunity to thank you all for schooling me on this!
 
LoFiLeif said:
So this was an epiphany to me. I had seen, but obviously not really looked at the Acousticsamples Vhorns before reading this thread. And boy was I surprised with how good they actually sounded. I come with a MIDI Guitar perspective, and have been using the SWAM instruments with a TEControl breathcontroller for a few years. For anyone interested in hearing these two side by side, I did this little video. And, even though I mention that in the video somewhere; I just wanted to grab the opportunity to thank you all for schooling me on this!
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Congrats and many thanks for the hard work you were putting in this exhaustive review!
Wish there was more reviews as credible.
I appreciated that you were fair concerning the SWAM vs Acousticsamples too.
By that I mean, out of the box, playability is simply not comparable.
SWAM is superior on this point IMHO.
For me at least.
Of course, it will depend heavily of what type of results your looking for, what type of music you’re doing, what is your playing style, controller used, etc.
I personally don’t see one replacing the other but more being incredibly complementary to each other when looking for saxes vi options.
Really just my 0.5 cent.
 
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