OK this will start a war:

QUANTITY: SampleTank 3 double Kontakt 5 in quantity (on my PC anyway) :

- Kontakt FACTORY: number of NKI's (instruments) 1270 files with samples for those at 23.1 GB.

- SampleTank 3 FACTORY: number of .ST3I files (instruments, EXCLUDING ALL the ST 2 folders) 2470 and supporting samples (again excluding ST 2 "redux" samples) 25 GB's
[side bar: ST 2 that is included in ST 3 stuff: 1552 instruments @ 5.3 GB - again this is above and beyond numbers above]

But counts of instrument and numbers/size of samples don’t mean a much. And no bigger sample sets don’t mean BETTER sampling, better sound, or even better use of those samples in constructing a sound/instrument.


QUALITY: this is relative because NONE of these plug-in "ROMpler's" FACTORY only stuff will be used or generate the next platinum record. Actually no company has an incentive to give best of anything in FACTORY set because then potential future sales of aftermarket and add-ons drops.

I'm a little different than some here or at cakewalk - I agree that in general Kontakt is USUALLY better than ST3, and relative to ST2 it was a lot more true, but there are QUITE A FEW "six of one half-dozen of the other" coin flips between them - so it depends.

BOTH ST3 (I include ST 2 here as well) and Kontakt 5 are BETTER in both QUANTITY and QUALITY to Dim Pro (or now Rapture Pro) but that's not saying DP/RP are CRAP!

DP/RP are good and have workable bread and butter sounds and some nice beyond work-a-day sounds. If you include the Studio Instruments, as well as Sound Center and TTS-1, that comes with EVERY CW DAW (MC7 and all versions of Sonar) you got a nice rounded/working set of sounds. Again, you won't (probably) any grammy's with them

Off topic: Does anyone actually buy or recommend Dim Pro (or even Rap Pro) separately from Sonar anymore?

I still use a lot of external HW sounds that are BETTER than EITHER K5 or ST3 (which reminds me I can't wait for my new Montage 7 to arrive - end of month! grin )

MarioD

I don't remember ST3 ever being sold for $350. After introductory pricing the full price was $249 (see add below).

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/news/?item_id=4328

Actually its now $279 (full price not sale price) so price has gone UP, not down!

But yes - crossgrades and upgrades are a lot cheaper, but so are Kontakt's and frankly Kontakt 5 factory lib set is getting pretty long in the tooth sound wise.

Larry

Win10Pro,i9,64GB,2TBSSD+20TBHDDs,1080TI,BIAB'24,Scarlett18i8,Montage7,Fusion 8HD,QS8,Integra7,XV5080,QSR,SC-8850,SPLAT,FL21&others,Komp.14,IK suite&others, just a guitar player-AXE FX III &FM9T, FishmanTP, MIDIGuitar2, GK2/3'sw/GI20