Insight on EW/PMI Bosendorf 290

[sowelldream]

Hi List..
Noticed in the latest ~~~~~~~~~~~~ email that they're moving the Bos EW/PMI 290 piano for $99 (1/2 price) unti the end of the year.. Reviews are very good on this instrument. Can anyone weigh in on the quality/cpu appetite/etc?
Seems like an incredible deal considering the rave reviews ..
If SOS loves it... I tend to take notice.
And how much better than the Bos that came with Mach 5 (besides intonation/those who have M5of course)?
Thanks so much!
John Theaker
windsor ontario

[composernyc]

Get it get it get it!

Of all the piano libraries I've bought & continue to buy, that PMI 290 is the best and most versatile. You can get a nice harsh Bosen sound out of it, or if you use the filtered versions of the piano (like Dark Rev, for example) you can get some really soft and intimate-sounding pianos.

Shameless self-promotion alert:)(~

I used the PMI 290 for these two pieces; you can hear the Dark Rev version of the piano (which I don't think the online demos have) in the previews on iTunes. Clicking the links will launch iTunes:

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=200185950&id=200184085&s=143441

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=200785379&id=200784784&s=143441

Kerry

[danpowers]

You can also download the PMI Bosendorfer, and other PMI Pianos, for only $50. Go here: http://michielpost.tradebit.com/files.php/6008

It's the same as the East West Bosendorfer, except that it doesn't come with an integrated sample player. So you'll have to have the full Kontakt or Giga or whatever.

[tfishbein82]

You can also download the PMI Bosendorfer, and other PMI Pianos, for only $50. Go here: http://michielpost.tradebit.com/files.php/6008

It's the same as the East West Bosendorfer, except that it doesn't come with an integrated sample player. So you'll have to have the full Kontakt or Giga or whatever.
For real?
Bosendorfer 290 for Kontakt, and HALION (a collection of 4 files) (http://www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/737309) is the same as the EW/PMI Bosendorfer? Is there any special programming that is lost with this version?

[higain_guitar]

Personally I like the PMI emperor better and you can download it for 50 bucks:
http://www.postpiano.com/products/prod_subCategory.php%3fsubCat=EMPEROR

Also there is a kornel mezo script for the emperor that is great:
http://music.mezo.com/

The Bosen 290 is good though, but you can get that for 50 bucks too so 99 bucks is too much:
http://michielpost.tradebit.com/files.php/6008

[bnmoore]

For real?
Bosendorfer 290 for Kontakt, and HALION (a collection of 4 files) (http://www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/737309) is the same as the EW/PMI Bosendorfer? Is there any special programming that is lost with this version?

It's the same samples bundled as NI monolith files (.nks) for encryption and tied to a Kompakt player. I think there may be a few programmed instruments/multis for the plugin that weren't added to the orginal library.

There is some questionable programming for the plugin. If you open the files with Kontakt 1.5.x and look at the structures you will find that it's set to "kill newest" in the voice groups which causes people to think it's dropping out. Many people also think the pan is backwards which can also be adjusted with the inverter in Kontakt 1.5.x or 2.x.x by swapping the left/right channels for all groups.

Kontakt 1.5.x or 2.x.x can load the plugin instruments but if you want to save your edits and still use the plugin's Kompakt player you need to save your edits with Kontakt 1.5.x for backward compatibility.

[tfishbein82]

It's the same samples bundled as NI monolith files (.nks) for encryption and tied to a Kompakt player. I think there may be a few programmed instruments/multis for the plugin that weren't added to the orginal library.

There is some questionable programming for the plugin. If you open the files with Kontakt 1.5.x and look at the structures you will find that it's set to "kill newest" in the voice groups which causes people to think it's dropping out. Many people also think the pan is backwards which can also be adjusted with the inverter in Kontakt 1.5.x or 2.x.x by swapping the left/right channels for all groups.

Kontakt 1.5.x or 2.x.x can load the plugin instruments but if you want to save your edits and still use the plugin's Kompakt player you need to save your edits with Kontakt 1.5.x for backward compatibility.
So essentially if you own K2, there's really no reason to buy through EastWest... You can get any of the PMI pianos directly from Michiel for $50 each.

What are the pros/cons of each? Bosendorfer... Emperor... Old Lady... looks like those are the only ones in K2 format.

[higain_guitar]

tfishbein82 you are correct when you say: "So essentially if you own K2, there's really no reason to buy through EastWest... You can get any of the PMI pianos directly from Michiel for $50 each."

There are other pianos in the K2 format like the "Hybrid pianos" check out the demos. The Bosen 290 is nice, but I personally like the sound of the emperor better. The old lady is very good imho for a steinway.

Add in sampletekk and there is just too much too choose but better more choices than less! :-)

[tfishbein82]

tfishbein82 you are correct when you say: "So essentially if you own K2, there's really no reason to buy through EastWest... You can get any of the PMI pianos directly from Michiel for $50 each."

There are other pianos in the K2 format like the "Hybrid pianos" check out the demos. The Bosen 290 is nice, but I personally like the sound of the emperor better. The old lady is very good imho for a steinway.

Add in sampletekk and there is just too much too choose but better more choices than less! :-) Has anyone tried importing Michiel's Yamaha C7 or Steinway D into K2? I know Kontakt theoretically will do this, but I also know that in practice it doesn't work too well.

[higain_guitar]

I have tried importing Michiel's Yamaha C7 or Steinway D into K2. I think it worked ok, but I hate the sound of these 2 pianos.

The old lady is much better sounding steinway imho, and Franky's Ultimate Yamaha C7 is a much better Yamaha too:
http://www.vintaudio.com/yam.htm

[bnmoore]

Has anyone tried importing Michiel's Yamaha C7 or Steinway D into K2? I know Kontakt theoretically will do this, but I also know that in practice it doesn't work too well.

I already had them in Kontakt format so they just load in K2. There was no import required. I have some heavily edited patches for K2 for those two. They're also not very high on my favorites list. I don't have another C7 but I'm not a big fan of them, real or sampled.