IVORY !!!

[Olivier]

I've just spent several hours to play IVORY in a music store :


First, they said "real sympatic resonance". the sustain effect sound more like a synthetic reverb
than a pedal down convolution.
they are no overtones and no release overtones.
so the word "real" is not right.

The CPU meter is good but it eat a lot of memory (more than 1 GB). The DFD doesn't work correctly
when you have more than 24 / 160 voices. (on a separate external 7200 HD USB2)
You have to have a fast HD

the CPU performance is very good but it's eat memory again.

You hear the safe voices (strange phase effect).

The Bosendorfer is warm and indredible. It's one of the best Bosendorfer out here.
It sound better than the official mp3 demos

but...

The Yamaha C7 doesn't sound full and right, and the Steinway sound synthetic between mf and FFF layers.
If you want a good Yamaha, go for TBO or Vintaudio Yamaha C7

Only the PPP sound right on the Steinway. But the colour between layers are strange.
(i've to adjust some settings)

the built effect sound like classical reverb, and haven't the same quality than the CONVOLUTION
of Akoustik PIANO.

Ivory for the Bosendorfer only.
Akoustik Piano Steinway D sound Warmer and better than Ivory german D Steinway.

Regards,

Olivier

[Ted Vanya]

Olivier:

I am still using your Schimmel you have done a few years back. I still like it very much.
You are talking about other pianos often and with obvious knowledge. I would be very much interested about your opinion of your Schimmel now? I the Classical version.

Thanks

Ted

[Laurent]

Thank's for sharing this review !

Anybody planning to chase up Synthogy for improvements ?
(especially for the sustain behavior...)

[John DeBorde]

Thank's for sharing this review !

Anybody planning to chase up Synthogy for improvements ?
(especially for the sustain behavior...)

if by this you mean the weird phase sound that seems to happen when you engage the sustain (damper) pedal, i concur. most of the time it's not noticeable, but sometimes i find i have to move the pedal controller around to hide the change better. pita for what i feel is a great product.

-john

[panzerD]

Thanks for sharing your view here. I agree with you based on what I have heard. I still think Ivory is one great deal for people who don't have any piano libraries. It's a good price for 3 pianos.

I don't agree with you with NI Akoustic Piano though. It sounds very plinky and thin for me. It doesn't have body or richness. I know it's personal taste, but I still prefer black grand, milan steinway and galaxy steinway for a steinway d piano.

[Olivier]

I don't agree with you with NI Akoustic Piano though. It sounds very plinky and thin for me. It doesn't have body or richness. .

Hi,

it's was i believed when i listened the mp3 demos. But playing now the Akoustik with my mp9000, and with some settings, Akoustik Concert grand is the best Steinway i've ever played !!!!

Full warm, versatile Steinway Sound.

:)

Regards,

Olivier

[tomhartman]

I haven't played the NI, but in demos I've heard, the p and pp levels just aren't anywhere near as nice as IVORY. I use the German Concert D in Ivory a lot. Best I've used so far.

I don't feel the rest of their pianos are all AS good, but all are at least good. I think IVORY is an incredible value. I'm not as big a fan of the Bosendorfer in real life, much less sampled, to be a good judge of that one...

JMHO

TH

[Bogdan]

Thanks for the review.

It is interesting that the p and pp sound good, but f and above do not. It is often easier to do well on f and above.

I just finished my first recording with the Akoustik Piano and it sounds real good especially after I did some EQ.

If you're right about p and f on Ivory, it looks almost like using Ivory for pp and Akoustik for ff would be the perfect combination. ;)

Bogdan

[tomhartman]

Thanks for the review.

It is interesting that the p and pp sound good, but f and above do not. It is often easier to do well on f and above.

I just finished my first recording with the Akoustik Piano and it sounds real good especially after I did some EQ.

If you're right about p and f on Ivory, it looks almost like using Ivory for pp and Akoustik for ff would be the perfect combination. ;)

Bogdan


The very soft levels of a grand piano have eluded me until IVORY. I hear soft, "barely struck" piano chords on many recorded works and have never been able to get that from a sample until Ivory. I have not noticed the F levels sounding bad either, but the soft levels are striking. The whole piano sounds very good to me, and I usually find something to dislike in every piano I've used.

I even use the German D in pop recordings, with some eq, and it sounds great.

TH

[Olivier]

Hi,

the PPP and PP of Akoustik Concert grand D are very nice and real !
(no lowpassed/filers PPP like Ivory to add warm effect )

Regards,

Olivier

[Hans Scheffler]

Where did you get the info from that Ivory is using a Lowpassfilter to mimic the sound of pp samples?
Thats the first time i hear this. I always thought it was accomplished by simply sampling the piano at this level and with 12 GB worth of samples for every piano i cant see why they should rely on such a cheap trick.

Hans

[Alexcremers]

So many think NI Akoustik sounds thin, while others claim it's actually warm and perfect. Olivier, is it possible for you to play and post Schumann's 'Kinderszenen op. 15' performed on Akoustik's Steinway? That way others can easily judge whether they think it's warm or not. What do you say? Thanks for the trouble. I believe you (or Laurent) already posted a more complicated piece with piano and violin, but I think that something more simple and "naked" could be more helpful.


Alex

[Hans Scheffler]

just for your info:
i confirmed with Synthogy that Ivory doesnt use any sort of Lowpassfiltering for their pp samples.

Hans

[Olivier]

just for your info:
i confirmed with Synthogy that Ivory doesnt use any sort of Lowpassfiltering for their pp samples.

Hans

it's sound like this

:)

Olivier

[Laurent]

Well guys, don’t get fooled.

Both Akoustik and Ivory Steinway D are great, as far as I can judge.
Don’t forget the subjective point of view of any piano player (and the trend of any French passionate to become a bit extreme when sharing his views…)
;)

The point is, I was also a bit disappointed the first time I played the Akoustik.
BUT…
- I tried to fine tune keyboard settings
- I tried Olivier’s beta patch.
And then, I must admit this changes everything: Akoustik Steinway is actually great! And yes, warm!

I’m sure most piano players might prefer Ivory Steinway when playing it just “right out of the box”. The recording itself is also a bit more flattering, at first glance. It’s a shame that akoustik pianos don’t express their full potential when just trying them like that. Maybe NI was a little hurry to put this on the market, bypassing some testing / tuning / presetting… despite the real programming advantage K2 seems to have.

The greatest difference between the two bundles, is not the Steinway “perfection”, but the other piano choices:
- Ivory C7 production is a bit to much “pop rock mix” oriented. I concur that TBO and Vintaudio C7 are closer to the real thing (the only concert grand I have played in my real acoustic life...).
- Akoustik piano choices are a bit more original (Bechtein + Upright)
- At last, Ivory bosendorfer bury Akoustik one’s very very deep…

:|:

[Hans Scheffler]

it's sound like this

:)

Olivier

for your ears only......
:p

[chammer]

Well guys, don’t get fooled.

The point is, I was also a bit disappointed the first time I played the Akoustik.
BUT…
- I tried to fine tune keyboard settings
- I tried Olivier’s beta patch.
And then, I must admit this changes everything: Akoustik Steinway is actually great! And yes, warm!


Please help a newcomer and beginner in this area. I'm not sure I understand this. Is "Olivier’s beta patch" a patch for NI Akoustik Piano. If not official how do you come by it and is it widely in use?

[Laurent]

Please help a newcomer and beginner in this area. I'm not sure I understand this. Is "Olivier’s beta patch" a patch for NI Akoustik Piano. If not official how do you come by it and is it widely in use?
Well, I was just a "beta tester" for this.
Olivier has submited his work to NI, and they should release something soon.

[Journeyman]

Do the above criticisms of Ivory (phasing sound, etc.) apply to the new 1.5 version, or the original version? I ask because I'm receiving the new 1.5 version as a Christmas gift...

[Hans Scheffler]

I use Ivory on a daily bases with RME converters and Genelec and PMC monitors and i never heard any phasing or lowpassfiltering.
I am sure you will love your christmas present!
:)

Hans

[Journeyman]

Thanks Hans; can't wait!

[Tommy]

I'm not 100% sure, but I believe Ivory uses sample-specific lowpass filtering when you change the timbre. When it's at its maximum (99) you get the clean samples. But when you lower it, the piano gets a softer and warmer tone. It can really change the playing feeling.

tommy