![]() I can say without hesitation that there is bona fide, raw genuinity inherent in each one of the sample-sets contained in the California Keys library. As a reference point, my system is powered by a 2016, i7 7700 HQ chip. Yikes! If I scale back the number of mics or use lighter patches, this drops to half or less. The CA-Grand, on the other hand, can easily utilize upwards of 30% CPU with the larger patches, and I've seen busy arrangements and generous FX make it spike up to 75 - 80 percent. These conservative observations are ascertained while using the e-Pianos and organs. I realize that not everyone has a dedicated SSD drive(s) in their system for the sole purpose of storing sample libraries, but if you want to have a fluid experience and speedy load times, you might want to consider getting an SSD for the CA-Grand and similar sample libraries.Īs regards CPU drain, Kontakt’s (v5.81 standalone) CPU meter seems to hover around the 3% mark with occasional peaks as high as 15 - 20% when liberal amounts of FX are applied. As already stated, the Fazioli Grand sample-set is huge, gulping down 2.14 GB of memory at the least. All of these samples load up in good time from a 7200 rpm HDD. The H-Organ is not negligible, consuming a noticeable 1.2 GB of memory. Taking into account that each of the e-pianos and transitors organs are monophonic sample-sets, their memory footprints are very small. Regardless of which patch or snapshot you choose, luxurious tonality, and vast dynamic verismo are immediately at your fingertips. My ears tend to favour the “Grand Peluso” NKI due to its somewhat livelier upper midrange presence. If these weren't enough, realism is further actualized with some nifty, dedicated soft-pedal samples to convincingly simulate a grand piano’s soft pedaling functionality. Other factors contributing to the veritable nature of CA-Grand are seamless fusion of the library’s release samples and sympathetic resonance. As trite and clichéd as the word has unfortunately become in today’s music vernacular, “organic” is most certainly an apt adjective to describe the sound of this sample set. An airy, pellucid high region is evident howbeit it never becomes brittle or sterile sounding. The mids are graceful and majestic these too remain defined and pure throughout all velocity layers. The low register of this piano can thunder for sure, but it always remains clear and articulate. To say that the instrument is dynamic is an understatement. There’s an aliveness about the sound, and a responsiveness to touch, that must be experienced to be properly understood. Does Q Up Arts’ CA-Grand belong in such illustrious company? On the basis of visual appeal, I would say that it comes a little under-dressed but sonically it stands up every whit as well.Īcross the complete key-range of this piano, the tonality is well-balanced and articulate. That’s elite, high class social circles to appease folks. There are other equally-as-large, highly detailed offerings on the market now-a-days Wavesfactory’s “ Mercury”, Bechstein-Digital’s “ C-Bechstein”, SonicCouture’s “ Hammersmith” are a few that come to mind. Timbre preferences aside, the sonority of this instrument is exquisite! The sampling quality is sublime and need not take a back seat to other libraries of like kind. I can assure you that all 10 of the echo/delay algorithms sound brilliantly freakin’ awesome! Of course, I mean that from a completely detached, unbiased position. For brevity’s sake I’ll cut to the chase. It would be a fool’s errand to attempt covering each preset, within each algorithm, of each category, in a single review article. ![]() A couple of my GO TOs from other algorithms are the “Every Lead You Fake” found under ModDelay, and “Record Head” in the Tape Echo group. If you long for the clarity of digital, without sacrificing analogue-like warmth, be sure to check out the “Dual Big Warm Digital” preset. If you’re fortunate enough to have a stereo setup at your avail, there are dizzying amounts of swirling, bouncing, stereo-driven options on tap. The ‘Digital Delay’ algo - as does its fellows - yields optional degrees of luscious modulation specific to the repeats. Try as hard as I might to detect ill-wanted artifacts, H9’s lush, evolving delays never fail to carry me off to another plane of musical bliss.
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