Vienna ensemble pro - users?

[Kolstad]

Are any of you using Vienna ensemble pro to host your samples?

I'm working on my orchestral setup this holiday, and wonder if using ensemble pro 6 on 1 computer (for a start) has any merits?
Also is it true that you get an upgrade offer if you start with Vienna Ensemble (not pro) only?

Say if I get just the VSL woodwinds, I get Vienna Ensemble? And is there a cheaper upgrade path to pro from there, without needing to get Epic Orchestra?

Anyone in the know here?

[Len911]

The free Vienna Ensemble mixing host is automatically installed with the Vienna Instruments player that comes with every Vienna Instruments Library Product*. After having purchased and registered your product you may download this powerful software from MyDownloads. Vienna Ensemble brings all of your Vienna Instruments together and adds innovative features and valuable options for creating large virtual orchestra setups and templates.
If you are looking for extended features, such as network capability and 3rd party plug-in hosting with full parameter automation, please check out Vienna Ensemble PRO!

It's been addressed before in other forum posts, that most people with a fairly recent computer wouldn't need a second computer.
In that case there is really no benefit for the pro version. The ensemble free version that's included, however seems to link all the vienna products you buy and organizes, syncs, and makes them more efficient in one daw or as one unit in stand-alone outputting to a daw. 3rd party plugin hosting, full parameter automation is also unnecessary with a daw in a powerful computer, that is able to host plugins and do automation, so there is no advantage. Those features are mainly if you would use 2 computers for hosting and automating in the 2nd computer without a daw.

[Fullertime]

I use it to host my orchestral samples. The main reason I like it is because I can open new projects in my DAW(Digital Performer) without re-loading the samples... Which saves a ton of time! I have very size templates ready to go when needed!

It also seems to help DP run a lot smoother. Eventually, I will add a slave computer but for now it definitely helps!

Ironically, I hardly use any Vienna Samples even though I have quiet a few. I mainly use Kontakt Libraris and East West in VEP.

Good luck!
Fuller

[Kolstad]

Thanks guys,
Yeah, I won't be getting it to run Vienna samples only, it's more for the 3rd party vsti hosting. I'm on an i7, quadcore with 16ram. In a 64 bit environment, I guess that's actually a pretty small computer, now with 2nd generation libraries coming. I do stream from an SSD, though, so maybe it'll do for now. I don't work all orchestral, but rather integrate it into my target templates, so they are not that big (about 30-50 tracks).

I work with several smaller "starting-point" type templates, in stead of an "all inclusive" one, so maybe I think I'll try to get by without VE Pro for now, and look into it again, if I add a slave computer. It certainly looks like a good timesaver as you put it Fuller, especially if it's stable. But I guess I need to evaluate how much my templates push the system once I start working with them in the new year.

Thanks for letting me play ball with you guys!