All In the tests

206 Connected   /   Login   /   Register !

While certain sound libraries have been waging a gigabyte war, others have taken the synthesis route, such as the Wallander WIVI, who with only its few hundred megabytes takes on the sample library titans.

The power of modern computers has made it possible to virtually and realistically emulate complete orchestras, which seemed almost impossible a few years ago. Not so long ago, you needed a full rack of Akai or E-mu samplers or a battalion of networked Pcs and/or Macs to properly simulate orchestral scores, with libraries whose sound quality didn’t always merit the resources used.

Then came along gigantic libraries, such as the Vienna Symphonic Library or East West’s Symphonic Orchestra. Not only did you need powerful computers, but you needed huge storage space as well... However, you could set up a complete virtual orchestra with two or three 8-core Macs or the equivalent PCs.

So it’s quite surprising to discover new products that go against the current trend. Synful Orchestra, for example, that only takes up 140 MB of disk space or the Wallander WIVI, that’s being reviewed here, whose complete library is only 241.4 MB, and doesn’t include any samples. When you think about VSL’s hundreds of GB, you might tend to think it’s a joke. But if you listen to it, your smirk will disappear. So let’s review the Wallander WIVI Player, a virtual instrument dedicated to brass and woodwind.