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Favorite Superior Drummer SDX?

Thanks everyone who has chimed in on EZX vs SD2 vs SD3. In my case I'm still on SD2 which apparently means I can't use the newer libraries. As far as processing goes, I only use SD2 as a sampler/router so every channel strip in the SD2 mixer is routed directly to a corresponding channel strip in DAW and I'm free to use whatever processing, both internal or external that I wish on each channel strip instead of being limited to what the SD2 mixer offers (which is probably why I think it still sounds great even today?). And I would likely continue to do that with SD3, so the only benefit to going to SD3 would be to access the newer libs. The sound of full close mic bleed is essential for me, so EZX probably only for niche use in my case. I know TT alludes to the newer libs not working in SD2, does anyone know if they actually won't work? Or is it a case where you only get SD2 features but they do work fine other than that?
 
nortiks said:
Thanks everyone who has chimed in on EZX vs SD2 vs SD3. In my case I'm still on SD2 which apparently means I can't use the newer libraries. As far as processing goes, I only use SD2 as a sampler/router so every channel strip in the SD2 mixer is routed directly to a corresponding channel strip in DAW and I'm free to use whatever processing, both internal or external that I wish on each channel strip instead of being limited to what the SD2 mixer offers (which is probably why I think it still sounds great even today?). And I would likely continue to do that with SD3, so the only benefit to going to SD3 would be to access the newer libs. The sound of full close mic bleed is essential for me, so EZX probably only for niche use in my case. I know TT alludes to the newer libs not working in SD2, does anyone know if they actually won't work? Or is it a case where you only get SD2 features but they do work fine other than that?
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Libraries designed for SD3 won't open in SD2. There's similar limits for EZXs.

Of course there's vastly more in SD3 vs SD2 than the mixer. As someone posted above, the difference is colossal in fact - the entire groove side of the app is vastly overhauled, tap 2 find, song creator, the play style editors, much simpler to mix and match kit parts, stack (if that's your thing), and many many other enhancements. It's night and day IMO.
 
Guy Rowland said:
Libraries designed for SD3 won't open in SD2. There's similar limits for EZXs.

Of course there's vastly more in SD3 vs SD2 than the mixer. As someone posted above, the difference is colossal in fact - the entire groove side of the app is vastly overhauled, tap 2 find, song creator, the play style editors, much simpler to mix and match kit parts, stack (if that's your thing), and many many other enhancements. It's night and day IMO.
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Thanks for the info, I've not seen anyone who says otherwise. Sadly this brings us to TT's policy of no upgrade path for SD2 users but yes an upgrade path for EZX users from the same era and the ill will it causes... But that's just something that is what it is, and no need to air it out here.
 
I always run multiple outputs from S3 and do my own processing. But now the presets are so good from both the featured engineer and Toontrack, that I’m using their processing a lot more often. I throw a Distressor plugin on the drum bus and I’m done. Plus there are creative presets that I wouldn’t have thought of on my own.

The effects are all great and come from Overloud. Even when I do all my own processing I still use the S3 tape sim because it’s better than all the other ones I have.

My multiple outs start with 3/4 for the kick, 5/6 snare, 7/8 toms, 9/10 OH, 11/12 rooms, 13/14 hat, 15/16 extra mics….or whatever. I leave 1/2 free so that I can easily audition or use the S3 presets and it won’t mess with my separate channels.

S3, you don’t know what you’re missing!
 
Guavadude said:
S3, you don’t know what you’re missing!
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I'll probably have to get over my issue with TT not providing an upgrade path at some point. I've not seen anyone yet say it isn't a pretty big sonic upgrade even when using SD2 as nothing more than a sampler and router and doing all processing outside it. Heck I'll spend $thousands on a real amp head because all the sims of that amp are too lame for my tastes, so at some point I'll probably upgrade to SD3, or rather buy the full retail package, since there is no upgrade... At least its a heck of a lot cheaper than yet another guitar amp... Bit of a tangent, anyone know if/when SD4? SD3 is what, 8 years old now?
 
Guavadude said:
I throw a Distressor plugin on the drum bus and I’m done.
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A real eyebrow raiser for me along these lines is the Purple Audio 1176 that PA offers. I have all the UAD 1176s as well as their Distressor which is well regarded, and the Purple is a different animal from all of them in a very good way on drums, imo. May or may not be your cup of tea, but may be worth a test drive.
 
I use that MC77 comp everywhere! It’s my drum room crush and my parallel drum comp for when I need more. I just find the Kiive Distressor glues everything together nicely but I’ll use a lot of different drum bus comps depending on the track.

I’m right there with you on Gtr amps vs sims too, ha.

Seems like TT had some sort of sale recently where you could pick a few expansions. I might be wrong on that. It never hurts to write them a letter and see what they say. You’re going to be amazed at the difference, especially in the quality of some of these recent libs. You will have a myriad of choices for expansions, almost too many choices.

I wouldn’t worry about an S4, I really can’t think of what they’d add at this point.
 
I’m still using the core library that comes with SD3. Mostly the Yamaha kit, without any process between. These kits sound very good, but I was wondering what I miss in additional libraries content, I’m after that kind of sound as the Yamaha, more focused tight sound all around.
 
I went from exlzdrummer 2 to superior 3, but since ezdrummer3 came out, I have only opened sd3 when I needed its drum replacement on a live drum track. For my needs, as a hobbyist, ezd3 is fantastic and the ezx's I have suit me very well (notably Custom Shop, Indie, Hiphop), as do the stock kits. I am a big fan.
Stoked about ezbass and ezkeys2 too - hammond coming!
 
Guavadude said:
I wouldn’t worry about an S4, I really can’t think of what they’d add at this point.
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I suspect it might come this year, maybe next as it is close to being due, flip-flopping with EZ Drummer for major updates. And I agree - the jump from EZD1 to 2 was huge feature-wise as was SD2 to SD3 (which inherated many of the same features), but the jump from EZD2 to 3 was much more modest, with the new built in kits and Hansa rooms one of the biggest selling points. I don't use the Bandmate feature which will almost certainly migrate.

I'd love to see a bit more refinement with Tap2Find, proper swing control and time sigs. Maybe a little modest AI with drum selection and alternatives when browsing. But overall it's hard to imagine anything like the big leap fowards there was with SD2 to SD3. Even with a new core library - SD3's is so comprehensive it's hard to see where they can go other than "more but different".
 
As an addendum to the above, on a wish list - a tag browser for the kits to match the tag browser for the grooves. It would be terrific to browse all kits/mixes across all expansions by genre and other attributes. Or maybe a cloud, a la XO - that would be super-useful for swapping out instruments.

Side issue - I've just swapped my Toontrack library from a mid-performing NVMe to a new ultra-fast NVMe (T500), and it has made a huge difference to load times. Kontakt doesn't seem to be able to make use of such drives, but Toontrack does (as does Spectrasonics incidentally). Being able to so swifly swap kits is golden, and it's convicned me even more that I absolutely don't need any more expansions ever again (hollow laugh).
 
Guy Rowland said:
I suspect it might come this year, maybe next as it is close to being due, flip-flopping with EZ Drummer for major updates. And I agree - the jump from EZD1 to 2 was huge feature-wise as was SD2 to SD3 (which inherated many of the same features), but the jump from EZD2 to 3 was much more modest, with the new built in kits and Hansa rooms one of the biggest selling points. I don't use the Bandmate feature which will almost certainly migrate.

I'd love to see a bit more refinement with Tap2Find, proper swing control and time sigs. Maybe a little modest AI with drum selection and alternatives when browsing. But overall it's hard to imagine anything like the big leap fowards there was with SD2 to SD3. Even with a new core library - SD3's is so comprehensive it's hard to see where they can go other than "more but different".
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I’d argue that the addition of the grid editor, the new gui and little things like having alternative tracks do qualify ezd3 as a major step up from ezd2, even when the step from ezd to ezd2 was indeed bigger.

I suspect ezmix3 will be next in the line of Toontrack updates, as it is, chronologically, the next in line to be updated.
 
StillLife said:
I’d argue that the addition of the grid editor, the new gui and little things like having alternative tracks do qualify ezd3 as a major step up from ezd2, even when the step from ezd to ezd2 was indeed bigger.

I suspect ezmix3 will be next in the line of Toontrack updates, as it is, chronologically, the next in line to be updated.
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Oh yeah - the Grid Editor was already in SD3, forgot it wasn't in EZD2. Regardless, it's one less new feature for SD4 to have.
 
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