Tue Sep 12, 2023 7:58 pm
The main factor that determines how much I enjoy a sample set, and therefore how much I use it, is how realistic it sounds in my system, which comprises six pairs of Behringer active studio monitors arranged in three groups (in front, off to the side and behnd me) as well as a fairly large SVS sub-woofer. I have found in general that I can get a good sense of presence with multi-channel instruments recorded by some sample set producers, but not with others, and of course BIS as a new player is an unknown quantity here. This is not something that you can assess by watching YouTube videos (in my case usually on an iPhone using headphones), though I did very much enjoy Frances Massey's demonstration. I have previously found that being able to download and install a demo of some kind is very helpful here, as it gives an indication of how well that particular organ works in my system. The cut-down demo organs offered by Sonus Paradisi, for instance, are usable enough to play a selection of pieces, but have generally left me thirsty for more, and I have on several occasions ended up buying something that was never on my wish list, simply because I have found that I liked it so much after trying it.
I am not sure that I agree with Richard likening the process to borrowing a sports car on approval and then deciding not to buy it. He seems to be implying that he expects potential customers to get bored with Romsey after the first two weeks if they are allowed to try it first. Surely if that were the case they wouldn't really be customers in the first place, unless there is something that he isn't telling us.
I should also add that my experience of car dealers seems to be different from Richard's. I used to drive Fords, and a test drive would be half an hour or so, but when I was first considering getting a BMW the dealer suggested that I take one away for a few days to try out on a few familiar routes. I was hooked and I have been driving them ever since, so my conclusion is that this works quite well as a business model. BMW seem to think so, anyway.
I have been after a larger English cathedral-type organ for some time, as of the ones that I already have, Salisbury is showing its age, and Blackburn, Burton-Hill and Armley-Schultz aren't really that type of instrument. So after reading all the positive comments that people have been making, here and elsewhere on social media, I decided to take a punt. I was a little taken aback to find at the check-out that it was £75 more than I was expecting, as the BIS site didn't make it clear that the quoted price was without VAT, but having made the decision I didn't want to back out at the last moment.
I have now downloaded and installed it, and I am pleased to report that it sounds very well in my system, even without fiddling around too much with the various perspectives, and I think I will be playing it a lot. I look forward to seeing what Richard comes up with next.
