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  • VSL Strings SE bundle and 4GB ram

    Hi,

    I have some questions about VSL product and Ram recomendation:

    1. Is there VSL Strings SE bundle or i must buy Strings 1 + 1 Plus and 2 + 2 Plus if i want all SE strings? I can not find bundle for Strings and in Solo instruments i dont find string section.

    2. I have notebook with 4GB ram. Is possible run full string orchestra with harp, marimba, vibraphone, Tb.Bells, TImpani, Cymbals and TamTam and maybe some percusions with 4GB ram? (I am interrest in Percusion and mallets SE too).

    3. If buy it, i get DVDs or download only?


  • Welcome to the forum.

    1: I am not aware of any separate SE strings bundle.  I believe you would noeed to purchase each strings library separately.  It would be worth emailing VSL sales just to make sure.

    2: Assuming you have a 32 bit o/s you only have access to something like 3.5 gigs of RAM IIRC.  If you wanted to load all of the samples in SE 1, 1 Plus, 2, and 2 Plus, you would need 8 gigs of RAM (and those four libraries would run quite well in 8 gigs).  If you are only interested in SE strings and SE percussion, you probably could get by with the lesser RAM, but you would have almost no room for future expansion.  If you are also running your sequencer and everything else on that one laptop, you could reach your limit fairly quickly. 

    The SE libraries are very RAM friendly, but quality sample libraries still use a lot of RAM.  However, if the drive you will be storing the samples on is an SSD, with VI Pro 2, you can reduce the buffer size when streaming from an SSD, and that could be of some real help, as reducing the buffer size uses less RAM.


  • Thanks for answers.

    2. I forgot to mention I have 64bit Win and use 64bit Sequencers or Daws (Sonar X2 studio or Reaper). I find it will be better for me buy only Strings SE 1 and 1 Plus because i need solo and orchestral strings. It is nice to have chamber and appasionata strings but appasionata have very small articulations and my budget is not big. Maybe i upgrade to 8GB. Btw usualy my Ram usage on start up WIndows is around 1.8 GB. Sometimes 1.2GB and sometimes 2GB.

    You mentioned hard drive (SSD). I have 5400 rpm 600GB drive, it will be problem? For example load One string orchestra with Strings SE 1 and 1 Plus + Percusions. I have sibelius with 36GB sample library and if it load some new sound (for example solo string) i feel it takes forever when instrument is loaded and i make new articulation to note. But fot example i have GPO 4 and I use big orchestra (with lots of woodwinds, brass, percusions and string orchestra) i can reach 3.5 ro 3.8 GB RAM usage and it loads no more then 1minute. Maybe around 30sec max.


  • The 5400 rpm hard drive will almost certainly be a problem, as its speed is too slow to handle sample streaming well.  With SE, you would be fine with a 7200 rpm drive, but for sample streaming SSDs have significant advantages.

    If you can afford to upgrade your ram, that would be good to do long-term.  You might as well see how far you can get with your four gigs first, though.