Embertone just released a new sampled Steinway.

Early bird discount is 10% off.


Link: Embertone Walker 1955 Steinway D

Thank you for the information. I've had too many bad experiences with Kontakt Instruments but this one sounds nice. Also I like the way they market and sell it. You can buy a Standard and a Lite version. And then you can buy individual mics for the Standard version for 15$ each, and there's a complete bundle with all mics. Might give this one a go. Although I have to say, the upper notes sound a bit tinny? Edit: the upper few octaves don't sound like a Steinway to me at all. If anything, it reminds me of the Bechstein Digital. What do you think about the demos? The interface looks super stylish though.

So the list pricing (excluding any discounts) scheme seems to be as follows:

$39 Lite (can't add mics, 12 velocities per note)
$99 Full (+$15 extra per mic position, 36 velocities per note, una corda, memory purging...)
$175 Full + all mics

The first two options seem to include AKG C414 close mics only.

Optional mics:
Close, Wide, Hammer, Room, Binaural head

"This is a Kontakt Player instrument, meaning that you do not need to own the full version of Kontakt to use it"

Honestly, I'm not so sure how much I like the sound. It does sounds nice, but it doesn't sound exactly like a typical Steinway. On the other hand. Production Voices Concert Grand Compact sounds very much like the Steinways I've played in real life, so I'm still waiting for the full version.

I do like the low entry barrier to Embertone's Steinway though. It's cheaper than a lot of virtual pianos.

Do they really have just four demos, two of which have a lot of other nonsense mixed in and another one of which has rather a lot of reverb, leaving essentially one demo? Or have I missed some somewhere?

They're supposed to update the site with more demos soon.

Here's the VI-Control thread which will give you more info and the developer is active on.

https://vi-control.net/community/th...955-steinway-d.72492/page-2#post-4244282

Wanted to add the intro pricing available for ~next 2 weeks.

Lite - $34
Full - $89
Full/all mics - $149

Demos for the individual mic perspectives and a really nice walk-through video for both the full and lite versions. Lite version demo is near the end of the video. Note this is a Kontakt Player compatible library, so you do not need the full version.

https://vi-control.net/community/threads/embertone-releases-walker-1955-steinway-d.72492/page-6

Lovely tone!
Not a fan of the high's.
Bass register seems a tad constrained, but I'm guessing that's the instrument.
Overall it makes a good impression though, I might go for this one sooner or later.

Embertone Steinway D vs new incoming Production voices Steinway D ? Ah, can`t wait to compare. One point taken from Embertone because there is no half pedal.

Bought the full version. It does have a lovely tone with depth. It sounds organic and you can hear all the mechanical tinkles when you play soft velocites. Bass is balanced, not thunderous like Ivory American D but it's enough. It's a very different piano from Ivory. It has character and "dirt".

BUT, here's my problem with it:

I'm not happy with the playability at all. When i play it, i feel that there's a disconnection from it, it's like i'm playing it through someone else's hands (as creepy as that sounds). It feels like latency but technically it's not because i'm playing it on 128 buffer and 2 ms which is the setting i use for all my pianos and they all feel just perfect with this setting.

Just magical. Best sampled Steinway in my book.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YLhZz80yOZY

I really like the tone of this piano. From what you have written its similar to my experience with the Piano In Blue library which I purchased a few years ago. Its also the reason I wasn't interested in the follow up CinePiano and the recent Light and Sound Steinway despite all of them sounding very nice.

Just out of interest, which audio interface are you using ?

It does sound like latency the way you describe it...

Can you try using the 64 samples buffer just to see if the connection is better, even if you may have some pops and clicks?
If it's better, then it's possibly an added latency in the VSTi - if not, then it's something else - and we can exclude a built-in latency within the plugin itself.
Hope this makes sense.

I'm using Focusrite 18i20, 48 KHZ 24 bit 128 buffer 2 ms. I used to play with 64 buffer, but with my newly acquired VSL CFX i had to go up to 128 and i kept it that way hence it didn't bother me at all.

It seems that you know exactly what i mean. It's hard to describe really. But i think it's psychological to be honest, it's all head games, maybe because the sound of those pianos is not pensive enough in the mid ranges so we get that impression. I don't know.

I played again on 128 and on 64. it's not as bad as before anymore (that's why i think it's mainly in my head) BUT it's still not as "immediate" as all other libraries i have ( Keyscape C7, Ivory ACD, VSL CFX, Ravenscroft, Garritan CFX etc).

I think it's the tone of the piano in the mid ranges that is giving me that impression. I don't know.

Alex from Embertone seems to play it at 512 buffer and 10 ms. I wish i can do the same but for me anything above 128 starts to bother me (delay wise).

I find it’s eminently playable (and I do have those other libraries) on a medium Mac (i7 2.6GHz) but of course an SSD would be preferable for such a detailed grand.
As sampled Steinways go, it’s way ahead. A product of sheer love.

I have 2 Samsung Evo 850 SSD in my system. They run every single piano like a dream.

Anyway, I no longe feel disconnected. Turned out it was an issue with the volume since the default patches are too low for me. So I raised the volume in kontakt to around +1.4 and everything is fine now.

Do you feel that half pedal is missing a lot ? This is my main concern, still thinking what to do.

Ah.... once again a new piano library comes out and it's the next best thing after sliced bread.
After some really bad choices i made in the past, reading far to many forums and reviews i really have to be more carefull..... althaugh it's difficult at times.
You claim 'it's way ahead as sampled Steinways goes', but you will probably make the same remarks next week/month when Production Voices will release their full fledged Steinway libraries..
You seem to really like both the Bechstein vst and The Wavesfactory Mercury a lot, but i still have to hear something online to my liking.
There are only two libraries i really liked hearing the online examples and video's.. those are the Garritan CFX full and the CinePiano (btw a Steinway )
Both purchases didn't dissapoint..... to the contrary !
And those other libraries take to much space on my SSD, but cost me to much money to delete them all..for now that is...
I like what i hear from the rare PV Steinway examples.

I will safe some real space on my SSD for the gold version of PV Steinway and remove every library i do not like in the process.