jharmon wrote:Would anyone using the Salisbury and Armley be willing to give their comparison of the two instruments?
These are two quite different instruments but I'm guessing you are interested in a comparison of the sample sets.
The Salisbury is a hugely impressive instrument and wows visitors with its range and particularly approaching full organ, individually stops sound impressive and blend well across the plenum. I feel when I am playing the Salisbury I am slightly detached from the instrument and I think this possibly reflects positioning of the microphones when recording the samples. For this reason I am comfortable with performance or improvising on the Salisbury and in this respect can play it for hours, but practicing and learning new material to a lesser extent.
The Armley is an equally beautiful instrument, I use the chancel samples only which are recorded close to the pipe work (although I do have the multi-channel set) which gives a real sense of engagement with the instrument. It feels like I am at the console and this brings out the marvellous tonal colours of the instruments more so than the Salisbury and particularly in the flues. The reverb is sufficient on this instrument to make this suitable for both performance and practice and the stops blend as equally well as the Salisbury. I find voicing the Schuzle with the reeds and Mixture V more challenging than the Salisbury, but this reflects the organ (and my ability) rather than a characteristic of the sample set.
Both instruments are exceptionally in their original and virtual form and I would be hard pressed to choose between them. I would say that the Armley represents very good value for money, and the fact that it allows me to practice and perform would perhaps push me towards this this as a first choice if I did have to choose. I don't think you will be disappointed with either.