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This is like last summer you buy an me iRig"thing" and get full ST3. Cheap to get a FULL library of sounds especially if you wanted/needed a mini keyboard (the MINI keyboard and the iRig MIDI 2 interface are each $79 - there are other IK iRig hardware offerings that included ST3 but they are from 99 to $149 looks like) Until 31 May http://www.ikmultimedia.com/news/news.php?id=853disclaimer - I do not work for or profit from IK, PG, Volkswagen,Ford, Alesis, Roland, Yama, China, etc., etc. etc.
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
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Just a bump before 31st comes and goes
again I'm not pushing ST3 and I have no connection with IK
for the record I do own ST3 and I DO use it, but I also own and use Kontakt and UVI and many others ... as well more than a few a rack synths and workstations/keyboard/guitar synths as well.
as some have pointed out ST3 is NOT "best" but it is good and very usable - IMHO.
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
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It may not be "best" but this is a screaming deal. What is best anyway? ST3 is very good to my ears and you can tweak the heck out of the sounds. For the small price of a little gadget you may never use run don't walk to the IKM website and do this. I haven't even plugged in the mini keyboard I got last year but I've been using ST3 a lot.
Bob
Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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I agree I was just avoiding a um,, er... "contest" over "best," which as you say is subjective anyway.
============
As dated as some Air Music Tech. Xpand!2 sounds are (which was on sale over holidays for $1 or FREE, if you went to the right site) assuming you didn't mind installing Pace/iLok software (I had to have iLok for UVI anyway so in for a penny in for a pound) was a REAL steal: a four part, 2500+ preset plugin and at least a few good sounds in EACH category.
I see it's on sale AGAIN NOW for 9.95 at pluginboutique [which is WHERE I got it over holidays] but I CANNOT recommend to the casual and novice users since it DOES require pace/iLOk software and stupid Air site has some really dumb hoop jumping to get it from their site.
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
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But I will say the "AIR" stuff does allow two installs, and at least on my computers, the PACE iLok software manager (which basically lets you authorize on a particular computer rather than using a dongle.
The downside of it, however, is that if your hard drive crashes and you don't have an image restore, you'll lose your license. That's the advantage of the dongle, but even then, it can also die.
I agree, the authorization process is not for the faint of heart, but it does work.
John Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 12TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 12TB SATA BB2026/UMC204HD&404HD/Casios/Cakewalk/Reaper/Studio One/Notion/Dorico/Noteworthy/NI/Halion/IK http://www.sus4chord.com (under rehosting/construction)
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Yep Pace/Ilok is now better than it use to be but it can, and has, caused issues in Win 10 for some folks, myself included. On my Win 10 boot I had to set services to delay start of Pace - minor tweak but took weeks to find that solution (now it's a well known-known on the web)- but a general user should NEVER have to muck with OS services.
I'm a geek and hack the registry, services, and policies all the time - so no biggie to me but I never recommended to others.
Yep I actually like AIR Xpand!2, Structure, DB33 and Velvet 2. But If I didn't have Pace/iLok (soft key only no dongles) already installed I would probably have skipped right over them.
unrelated if you like VA (analog) synths you really need to look at Synthmaster and Synthmaster One by KV331 Audio
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
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Nice info Larry. I just leave my iLok unplugged when not using and haven't had any issues in Win10. Of course my PC/Laptop have always been up and running for a few minutes before I plug it in.
 Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
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I don't use or own any hardware ilok dongles so nothing to connect. I just use the software version of the Pace/iLok system. My comment was about the SOFTWARE version of Pace/iLok - if there were any issues with the HW dongle I'm sure it would be something different 
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
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Gotcha. Sorry for the confusion.
Steve BIAB/RB 2022, Pro Tools 2020, Korg N5, JBL LSR 4328 Powered Monitors, AKG/Shure Mics.
PC: Win11 PRO, 4 TB M2 SSD, 2 TB HD, 128 GB Memory
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