Addictive Drums 2 Anyone using it for VST

[sycle1]

Anyone using Addictive Drums 2 for their VST samples???
What do you think of it???

[allanjohn]

Reviewed in digitalDrummer. It's like AD1 on steroids.

[yzf125]

But dont expect to much in the sound quality over most others, You get very thin and highly compressed samples. But.. I believe it has the best user interface of all of them and takes very little cpu to run. I use it combined with my other vst's playing live.

[seasack]

Well, the interface is indeed very good. But the sounds are, indeed, quite pre-shaped. But that's a matter of taste.

[Kabonfaiba]

But dont expect to much in the sound quality over most others, You get very thin and highly compressed samples. But.. I believe it has the best user interface of all of them and takes very little cpu to run. I use it combined with my other vst's playing live.

This is my opinion as well. I prefer a more unprocessed sounds you get with SD2 and BFD3. Unfortunately that costs points in other areas.

[gradier]

Yes, using it with my TD-11. Started out with the module sounds, then upgraded to VEX (a notable improvement). Once I installed AD2 with all the ADpaks, there was no going back though, and now I use it exclusively. As others have mentioned, nice interface, low CPU demand.

[EssKayKay]

So Gradier -
I've gone through a similar progression including BFDeco, AD1, & AD2. However, I really do not like the latency I "feel" with VST. Now maybe it's my computer system but it's not that old nor low end (HP Pavilion Laptop w/Intel i5, 8 GB RAM, SSD, Focusrite i2i). It's not like I can hear the difference but I surely feel it. Sounds coming from the module are instantaneous - VST not so much. When I check the latency it says it's low, but there is a difference. What are you running?

Thanks,
SKK

[gradier]

SSK: I'm am not noticing any latency at all the way I have it set up now. The two module 1/4" OUTS connect to the front of the Focusrite 2i2; the two rear 2i2 OUTS connect to two monitors (Simmons da200s and Yamaha MSR250, plus headphones (can control headphone and monitor volumes separately thereby); the 2i2 is connected via USB to an HP Pavilion laptop G6 with 6 GB RAM , Windows 7 home premium, 64-bit, 2.7 GHz, dating from 2009. So not new or high end. Settings are ASIO, 44100 hz, 64 samples / 1.5 ms (Below 64 samples, at either 45 or 48, I notice crackles). When I was using a mixer connected via the laptop's headphone OUT, I noticed latency, but not with the Focusrite via USB .

[EssKayKay]

Ahh, I am going through a mixer. Let me play with that a bit.
Thanks for getting back to me - I'll keep you posted. . .

[sycle1]

Thanks for the input guys.
Just got Adddictive drums 2 free with the new Sonar Platinum and I get to pick 3 kits, went with black velvet, Rock studio kits and Funk studio kits, sounds okay some of the fills they play are a bit over the top but will give it a crack and see how it goes with midi recording the kit then maybe as a real time sound source, maybe.
I am pretty sensitive to latency so if I get any I won't be using it..
Good to hear the interface is easy to use, I like easy!!LOL!
Cheers

[angr77]

Hi! I think the Toms in Fairfax 1 ADPak sounds amazing...so this is maybe a good hint if you plan to get more ADPaks.

The latency is very much dependent on external factors than the VST itself. To have a fast trigger to midi module is the first step. Here you have a latency on 1 to even in worst case 10 ms...then you need a good sound card with low latency and good native drivers. Then you need a good System, OS and memory! Windows 7 or even 8, I7 cpu, 64 bits for everything. If everything has been taken in to the consideration...the overall latency will end up in 3-5 ms.

Angr77

[Trip McNealy]

SSK: I'm am not noticing any latency at all the way I have it set up now. The two module 1/4" OUTS connect to the front of the Focusrite 2i2; the two rear 2i2 OUTS connect to two monitors (Simmons da200s and Yamaha MSR250, plus headphones (can control headphone and monitor volumes separately thereby); the 2i2 is connected via USB to an HP Pavilion laptop G6 with 6 GB RAM , Windows 7 home premium, 64-bit, 2.7 GHz, dating from 2009. So not new or high end. Settings are ASIO, 44100 hz, 64 samples / 1.5 ms (Below 64 samples, at either 45 or 48, I notice crackles). When I was using a mixer connected via the laptop's headphone OUT, I noticed latency, but not with the Focusrite via USB .

Forgive me with the ultra-newbie question here - but in order to use VST I thought you have to use a MIDI-to-USB cable from module to computer in order to pass the MIDI notes/values to the VST, so it knows what to trigger? The Focusrite doesn't have MIDI connections on it, so is the USB part of it doing the translation to the computer?

Right now I use a MOTU Fastlane MIDI to USB controller for my TD-12 to my laptop with AD2 VST and then if I want to record the actual module sounds I use a 1/4 to 1/8" adapter cable to the laptop's Line In jack. If the Focusrite 2i2 can do double-duty for both VST and regular module recording I might pick one up.

[gradier]

Just connect the two OUTS from the module to the INS on the Focusrite, then connect the Focusrite to the computer via USB. You can listen via headphones, or by speakers/monitors connected to the OUTS on the Focusrite. Even the basic 2i2 gives you the option of controlling the headphone and the monitor volume separately. I don't use any MIDI connection. Don't know about the recording aspect.

[Trip McNealy]

Just connect the two OUTS from the module to the INS on the Focusrite, then connect the Focusrite to the computer via USB. You can listen via headphones, or by speakers/monitors connected to the OUTS on the Focusrite. Even the basic 2i2 gives you the option of controlling the headphone and the monitor volume separately. I don't use any MIDI connection. Don't know about the recording aspect.

Right, but in this setup are you hearing the module sounds only or are you triggering VST (AD, SSD, BFD, etc)?

[gradier]

Om the Focusrite 2i2, you have a switch on the front: "Direct Monitor off/on. Left means you hear only VST sounds; right means you hear VST + module sounds. Actually you get a great sound from using the VST + module sounds, especially for cymbals.