Need Advice - MachFive or Konkakt?

[Charles Park]

Hi there,

I was hoping to get some advice. Currently the main hub of my studio is DP 4.5 on a Dual 2.5 G5. I'm looking to get rid of my PC which I've been using as a sampler running Gigastudio with GIGA and AKAI samples.
I want to run everything on my Mac. Which software sampler do you think is the most reliable? I figured a Motu product interfacing with a Motu product would make sense but there seems to be some negative feedback towards Mach 5.
Obviously I'm especially concerned about reliablity. I run a commercial studio and I can't survive with buggy software. I'd rather not use my sample library that have to sit in front of clients fixing stuff. I'd just quietly turn on my Motif and JV-1080.
But I'm also wondering how diffiuclt Mach Five or Konkakt for that matter make it to use GIGA and AKAI samples.
Also there are a few sample libraries that are in Konkakt/Halion format that I'm interested in getting. Can MachFive handle these?

If anyone has any advice, it would be a great help. In fact, if I'm missing the boat and there is a consensus software sampler that's better that I don't know about please let me know.

Thanks.

Charles Park

[chrispick]

...but there seems to be some negative feedback towards Mach 5.

Well, user groups are big, honkin' magnets for complaints. Do your best to keep it all in perspective.

To hit on your question:

I don't use Kontakt, so I can't comment on it other than to say it uses too many "k"s.

I do use MachFive, though. I've found it to be very stable and pretty "CPU-light" as VIs go.

I've only imported/converted a few Akai sample sets, but all translated just fine. M5 can recognize Akai-formatted disc, even when the Mac OS can't, so that's a boon.

Giga imports can be trickier. Converting sound files works occurs easily enough, but some of the more complex traits like key triggers do not translate.

That is, you can access all the Giga sounds via M5, but can't switch between them elegantly. So, samples like the Vienna Symphony Library are usable via M5, but pretty unwieldy. Supposedly, the new M5 (v.2) yet to ship addresses this matter (how well, no one knows). Still, I use M5 to play Giga sounds all the time. Layers and key assignments all translate fine. I've imported the Prosonus Orchestra Collection in, and it all works cool.

Is your PC not doing the job for you? I'd say, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

<small>[ March 14, 2005, 10:33 AM: Message edited by: chrispick ]</small>

[dhm]

I do beleive as a Pro you should have both! Kontakt and Mach5. I like Mach5 and use it the most. Its a shame the sample world does not like the format! Plus if you use samples like VSL you need the Performace Tool to make thoese samples work. VSL formats are only ES24 or Kontakt.

Its a shame they will not look at Mach5 as a format. I guess not enough people have Mach5 or MOTU will not play ball with VSL and the rest of the sample world?

I have no problems with Mach5 its great.

Cheers DH
Don Hughes Music

[rikp]

I agree! I am using both and have had good luck with both platforms. I really enjoy the EWSO strings as well as GPO stuff in Kontakt. But there are plenty of other sounds that I use with my Mach5. I would hate to be without either platform.

Peace

Rik

[Charles Park]

Thanks so much for the input. I am considering buying both. However, I can't bring myself to open Machfive yet. It's sitting in my office in its original box screaming at me to open it. I just have the nagging feeling that Kontakt might work for me. I only have Gigasampler and AKAI sample CD's. Supposedly, both Kontakt and Machfive read these both. On top of that I have interest in Imperial Drums from Scarbee which is written for Kontakt. So why not just go with Kontakt? Is there something that Machfive can offer over Kontakt given my present sample library? Thanks again.

Charles Park

P.S.

I was looking at the supported file list from Mach Five and Kontakt is on the list but it seems like no one has gotten it to work.

I already have MachFive but I haven't opened it yet becasuse I have the nagging feeling that Kontakt is the way to go. It's

[dcate1971]

Hi Charles,

I use both Mach5 and Kontakt. I do a lot of orchestral "mock ups" and struggled with giga sampler for years. I installed Kontakt on my PC and run it as a stand alone sampler and it works great as a replacement for gigastudio. This set up allows me to have the MIDI channels I need to do this type of work. Even with My G5, heavy orchestral samples can cause the system to be quite sluggish. Being able to off-load big samples to another machine fixes this problem. Kontakt as a stand alone app is quite stable under windows. Plus, I think the filters on Kontakt are really nice, which is nice for more electronic sounds. My advice, keep the PC and install Kontakt on it. Remove Gigastudio and the blue screen crashes will go away...

Daniel

[goldziey]

I had Mach 5 on a G4 dual 867 running DP 3.12 and had nothing but problems with it. I even had to reinstall my OS after installing the first version of it. Then, when I did get it working it seemed like it didn't take many large samples (like Sonic Implants) to bring my computer to it's knees. It did convert Giga files pretty well, but once I had some of the larger ones open in Mach 5 I was very frustrated with how slow my system got.

I very much prefer using my Gigastudio machines as my standalone samplers with DP 4.5 on a new G5 as my sequencing, recording machine. I have no plans on installing Mach 5 on my new machine. Have never used Kontakt so can't comment on that.

I'd keep Mach 5 in the box if I were you. Just my humble opinion.

George

[fokof]

I use Mach5 with my G5 and never had any problems. I imported a lot of AKAI and GIGA stuff , all went well .
I used Kontakt a bit before buying Mach5 and I prefer the layout of Mach5 , it's more "Mac'ish" . Always hated the folder section of Kontakt , too "Windows"......

And of course the integration of Mach5 is good if you use DP4...

My 2c

[oliviergaston]

sorry i had to edit my post. there was wrong info in it.

hehe. since i have to write something now i'll say that i have been using Kontakt for a long time and am looking forward to the release of Mach v2.

<small>[ April 03, 2005, 04:39 PM: Message edited by: olivier ]</small>

[fontane]

i can't stand that i have K2 with DP 4.52 - THERE IS NO WAY TO USE K2'S MULTIPLE OUTS (OS X)!

ahhhhhhhhhh.... it's the one major issue i have had since the day i found this out...

some instruments run fin in k2 while wrapped in vst to mas wrapper, but others dont... DUH

and then since i have dp 4.5 and mx4, it just feels like i should have mach 5 instead... and i would have MULTIPLE OUTPUTS

boo

[fontane]

just bought mach 5...

HATE the sound banks... oretty lame library compared to kontakt 2...

basically, mach 5 is my drum machine - hee hee so i can route my kicks, snares, etc through multiple outs....

[Akai96]

Originally posted by fontane:
just bought mach 5...

HATE the sound banks... oretty lame library compared to kontakt 2...

basically, mach 5 is my drum machine - hee hee so i can route my kicks, snares, etc through multiple outs....

That's how I like to use mach five also..for drums,fx's,hits,etc.Is kontakt 2 good for synths?

[fontane]

K2 ia alright for synths, what i really LOVE are the percussion kits... it also has an above average set of general sounds as well as some nice pianos...

but, so far - the asian, african and brazilian percussion sets are all you need for percussive work...

i would def suggest the MX4 for synths... it sounds BIG, FAT, NASTY, CRAZY, how ever you wish to make it... and its less than $300