MarkJames wrote:I’ve heard mixed results about the 8Dio sample library. Any thoughts there? If I could get the PX for $2K I’d consider it as an addition to my gear, but I’m probably just feeding my GAS over a real need.
There is a video where some guy goes through every single sample on the PX. It is at least an hour long I believe...maybe 1.5 hours... In any case, the 8Dio library is, in my opinion, not very good despite it taking 150gb of space. Nord has some great single velocity samples and many of them sound more realistic than the 8Dio ones.
One reason for this is that while many of the 8Dio samples have multiple velocity layers or alternate samples, they are not consistent from note to note and do not give a smooth velocity transition.
Here's an example (albeit maybe a subtle one.) Listen to the guitar here, and notice that low F sample has a buzz in it. Almost every single time that key is hit, you can hear that buzz, it's the exact same sample over and over. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRGZyQ1qRAg
If I load a similar-sounding Nord guitar, the samples are all clean and consistent across the keyboard.
Now, if the 8Dio sample had more layers and RR's that buzz would actually be very realistic as it would only happen occasionally...but there is not enough variation. This carries throughout the PX soundset...the underlying samples in their bare bones form are fine in terms of audio quality...but there aren't enough of them per instrument to sound like anything other than, well, playing samples...if that makes sense.
While I've not encountered this personally I've also read reports of loop points in some samples not being smooth (some strings, choirs...) This can be tweaked but one would think that from the factory this should be dialed in.
In my opinion, the PX would be better off had the entire 200GB drive been open to customization, rather than just the (still admittedly large) 50GB provided for user data. However the overall workflow is much more like a conventional synth, things are essentially where you expect them to be whereas the Nord required a learning adjustment for me. I'd still take a standard synth layout over the Nord's streamlined one any day of the week as I can dial up the sounds I want much faster. You also have a lot more control over the samples on the PX, so if the goal is experimentation then that machine even with its factory library would give you more sonic opportunities. I also prefer the analog filter on the PX, and the mod matrix is more adjustable than Nord's morphing system (and is still quite easy to use; you really don't need to go deep into menus to set things up at all...just press some buttons and move the knobs/controls you want to assign.) You get extra performance controls (ribbons and a second expression pedal input,) and more options for how the synth responds to your playing (poly glide, glide types, key priority, single/multi triggering options, adjustable unison etc.) Now many of these options are available on the Nord in some way but they are linked to each other.
I would say to sum up the Nord would probably cover more ground; the PX would allow you to dial in things more specifically within the areas that it does cover. Whether you would have a use for both depends on what your plans are for each unit. But I would absolutely not buy the PX for the 8Dio samples.