Pianoteq 8.2 is out

James Brecknell said:

It often sounded good on its own at first, but after a brief listen, and especially when comparing it to sampled pianos, I felt it sounded a little too unnatural.

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This is still my overall experience, even with the latest update. I downloaded version 8.2 the other night and played around with it for about an hour. Some of the models sound quite decent (I particularly like the Petrof Mistral) and when played in isolation, I can almost convince myself I'm playing a real piano.

But then I switched over to Noire, and within seconds the illusion was totally shattered. The sampled piano just sounded so much more authentic, tangible, and 3-dimensional. It was really no contest.

Still, the playability of Pianoteq is top notch - there's no denying it. And for those who don't mind the fundamental character of the sound, the amount of features and customization possibilities is really quite impressive.

otterson said:

You probably already thought of this, but have you tried close-miking?
Maybe it gets you closer to the sound you're after.

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Sorry for the delay in replying, yes, with microphones close to the piano, you get a slightly better result, but I still think that more work should be done around the low tones to get out of the strange color that generally gives the whole piano a specific tone.

CGR said:

Probably my favourite too. Not exactly a modern tune, but here's some Burt Bacharach with the v8.2 Steingraeber, and some @savantaudio QRS reverb:
View attachment PTQ 8.2 Steingraeber - Bacharach_01.mp3

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Scottyb said:

I was one of those people. This update changed my mind.

It still not 100% there, but it’s now officially close enough for me. And that tied with the absolutely wonderful playability that it already exhibited puts it in the win column for me!

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The QRS reverb sounds much better on this than in the demos on the Savant Audio site, which all alternate between dry and 100%. I can't imagine anyone wanting to use that reverb at 100% for a recording.