VSL SYNCHRON-ized Chamber Strings

[Guy Rowland]

I'll be honest, I don't quite get it. What does this give that that Chamber Strings + the Synchron IRs don't? Is this kinder on CPU or something?

[tack]

I guess they went through some additional sample editing / programming to make them feel closer to Synchron Strings for a more compatible workflow?

I'm not even sure this is better on CPU because the product still does convolution in realtime (see 2:05). Maybe it's tuned better or something and is more efficient than full MIR PRO?

[Arbee]

While the original VSL + MIR concept may not be perfect (I get the "lifeless" criticism etc), I really hope they don't abandon that original concept as it makes sense on so many levels re legato, flexibility with rooms etc. Chasing Spitfire, CSS and everyone else down the instant gratification route doesn't make a lot of sense to me given their core competence in the silent stage + MIR space, unless of course they plan is to run Synchron purely as a second stream for that part of the market. If I want ambient strings I'm much more likely to invest in CSS (and I already have Adagietto which fills some of that gap) and keep running VSL in its original format.

[FriFlo]

I don’t get it either ... we do not need an older product which is completely fine as is modified in some way to aid the deficiencies of the latest Synchron Strings. To me, they really need to start listen to the customers (and yes - there are still some people praising the latest Synchron strings and they better not listen to those). To me it is just astounding how a company of that size, so many resources and that much experience could screw up on so many levels with their latest strings (yes, the piano might be great, but if they can’t do strings that won’t help). I wouldn’t even mention that if I did not have so many hopes for the Synchron series and VSL. I hope, they realize they really must rework Synchron strings (including new recordings) before they should do any further products. That will be necessary in order to earn back some of the credibility they had. Nobody knows their sale numbers, but I would be really amazed, if those numbers wouldn’t tell them exactly that.

[Guy Rowland]

I suppose there are different levels of not getting this, and I think I have them all. It seems I'm not alone in not seeing the point, but it goes further with me. I fundamentally don't understand what the product even is. As Jason says there has been some kind of process... pictures in that video of spectral repair.... but what did they do? Did they bake in the room at a sample level? Does Synchron need a different format to use the player? I don't think I've ever been more completely confused by a product than this. I mean, I know I'm losing my marbles in general, but... EH?!

[FriFlo]

I haven’t fully understand what they did there exactly, either. Mainly, they seem to have recut sample starts and ends, leaving a bit more air to let the silent stage room come through more. I haven’t gotten the chance to listen to those demos on proper speakers, yet, but I cannot hear anything promising on headphones ... merely the fact that this is not the full content that chamber strings provides is enough reason for me to not „upgrade“. Why have two copies of the same library on your disk - one with incomplete sample content and improved editing? This can only be justified as an approach of making Synchron Strings 1 more suitable. But I do not accept that. They really need to improve the new product instead of offering this payed fix! Isn’t Synchron Strings by itself enough in size and resources spent to make a good sounding library? I am really worried that VSL might have lost their ability to offer a decent product. Maybe they only listen to their VIP customers? Some of these guys seem to still be using VSL. But they are only using it to mock up and replace almost everything with real recordings in the end. So - this is only my theory - they might do a mistake by listening to much in what these guys want and ignore the average customer who mostly has to deliver the final product electronically. Anyway, I will be really careful to do any further VSL-purchases. When they released Synchron Percussion 1 I was very sure that the Synchron Orchestra would become mostly my new goto template, but now I am not so sure about that anymore ...

[Ashermusic]

Am I wrong in my memory that the Synchron series was reportedly recorded on a different stage than the previous instruments?

[FriFlo]

Am I wrong in my memory that the Synchron series was reportedly recorded on a different stage than the previous instruments?

All instruments of the Synchron Series have been recorded at the Synchron Stage, but this one is an exception, as it it old sample content recorded at the "Silent Stage", where all previous VSL instruments have been recorded. It just uses convolution Its from MIR to adapt it to the Synchron Stage. This is why they call it "Synchron-ized" ...

[Ashermusic]

Ah, got it, thanks FF.

[Guy Rowland]

OK, finally some answers I think here https://www.vsl.co.at/community/posts/t ... post274669

So the samples are re-edited from the original, and there has been an increase in velocity layers. The samples themselves stay dry. Then there's a Synchron IR, but only one position. It plays in Synchron Player and the preset structure is the same as Syncrhon strings. And, er, that's it.

All things considered, this seems to be the daftest waste of everyone's time and money I can recall in all of sampledom.